Mounties Dept: VANCOUVER - Mounties have launched an international manhunt for the first person charged in connection with a ship that brought hundreds of Tamil migrants to Canada's West Coast a year and a half ago, according to Winnipeg Free Press. Markandu, who was born in 1972 according to court records, is currently believed to be living abroad, although Mounties haven't confirmed where, said Sgt. Duncan Pound and the MV Sun Sea is escorted into CFB Esquimalt in Colwood, B.C., on Aug. 13, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward Thayakaran Markandu has been charged with organizing illegal entry into Canada, the RCMP announced Wednesday. The charge relates to the MV Sun Sea, which arrived in August 2010 carrying 492 Tamil migrants. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Rob Nicholson Dept: OTTAWA, Ont. -- Procedural tactics by the NDP in the House of Commons managed to postpone a final vote on the Conservative government's sweeping crime bill late Wednesday, according to Winnipeg Free Press. Justice Minister Rob Nicholson accused New Democrats of being more interested in procedural games than what he called doing the right thing for Canadians and crime bill vote delayed The stalling tactics mean Bill C-10 likely won't come to a final vote until early next week -- a perhaps fitting end-game for a bill that has attracted no end of partisan acrimony in parliament. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Genest Dept: Asked what he thinks his talent is, he answers with a good-natured, honest laugh, My talent? It s hard to say. I mean, everything I can do, I ve seen someone do it better, so I don t know if you d call it talent, according to The Star. In Toronto on Wednesday night, Genest was a celebrity model serving as the finale in a show celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Montreal label Mackage. Backstage, he played the excited-to-be-here showman, professing his love for show biz and declaring, I m a performer. That s all I chose to do in life and rick Genest, who also goes by Rico the Zombie or just plain Zombie Boy, is one head-to-toe tattoo that depicts living death in record-holding numbers of images of bugs and bones. But within all that freaky ink resides a modest soul. In international fashion circles, Genest, a 26-year-old Montrealer, has been a star since early 2011. Discovered by Nicola Formichetti, creative director at Mugler and stylist to Lady Gaga, he appeared on the Mugler catwalk and in Gaga s Born This Way video. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Philippe Falardeau Dept: TORONTO - Philippe Falardeau's tender school tale "Monsieur Lazhar" was top of the class at this year's Genie Awards, according to Winnipeg Free Press. The triumph for "Monsieur Lazhar" follows acclaim from critics around the world and an Oscar nomination for best foreign-language film. The intimate low-budget dramedy beat out slick star-packed rivals including David Cronenberg's "A Dangerous Method," which nabbed five awards, and Jean-Marc Vallee's "Cafe de Flore," which claimed three and director Philippe Falardeau centre whose "Monsieur Lazhar" won six awards poses with Luc Dery left and Kim McCraw at the 32nd Genie Awards in Toronto on Thursday March 8, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young. The acclaimed portrait of innocence and loss collected a leading six trophies at Thursday's bash, while international movie stars Viggo Mortensen and Vanessa Paradis won acting prizes at the televised gala celebrating the best in Canadian film. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

RCMP Dept: Thayakaran Markandu, a Sri Lankan national, has been charged with human smuggling in connection with the MV Sun Sea, a vessel that brought 492 illegal immigrants to Canada, RCMP said, according to Vancouver Sun. "Obtaining enough evidence to have Mr. Markandu charged is an important step in holding those responsible for perpetrating this human smuggling scheme account-able," RCMP Supt. Derek Sim-monds, the officer in charge of the province's federal border integrity program, said in a statement and the first human smuggling charges have been laid in an incident that brought hundreds of Sri Lankans to the B.C. coast on a cargo ship in the summer of 2010. A Canada-wide warrant has been issued for Markan-du's arrest, but since he is not believed to be in Canada, the RCMP say they are working with international law agencies to locate and arrest him. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Immigration Dept: In a speech to business leaders at an Economic Club of Canada luncheon, Kenney promised transformational change'' to immigration that emphasizes the need for skilled newcomers who can fill gaps in the country's labour market, according to Vancouver Sun. The time has come for fundamental change to our rigid, slow-moving immigration process and this government will deliver that change,'' he said and oTTAWA - Canada will consider legislating away its massive backlog of immigration applications and allowing provinces to cherry-pick from one big pool of would-be newcomers in a bid to transform Canada's immigration system into one that's driven by the economy, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said Wednesday. He suggested the pre-2008 backlog of nearly one million applications is bogging down the system and hindering reforms and outlined several pilot projects and strategies the government is considering to eliminate it. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Immigrants Dept: Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said all options are on the table when it comes to modernizing the process of bringing in would-be immigrants, according to The Chronicle Herald. He said the changes which will roll out over the course of 2012, will include one to give the provinces the ability to cherry-pick the immigrants they want and oTTAWA Major changes to the immigration system could include erasing a massive backlog of applications, the minister in charge said Wednesday. We must have transformational change to move to an immigration program that works for Canada and for newcomers, he said in a speech to the Economic Club of Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Refugees In Canada Dept: Your editorial wrongly claims that Bill C-31, Protecting Canada's Immigration System Act, includes a new power that allows the minister of citizenship and immigration to revoke permanent-resident status from refugees in Canada, according to Montreal Gazette. The authority of the independent IRB to revoke the status of fraudulent refugees is not a new power. The current Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which came into effect in 2002 and before that, immigration legislation dating back to 1989 , has always included this authority, and for good reason. " Re: "Welcome to Canada - unless we change our mind" Editorial, March 1 . This is completely false. As is the case under the current refugee system, only the independent and quasijudicial Immigration and Refugee Board can decide to revoke refugee status and permanent residency, not the minister. Revocation is decided by the IRB on a case-by-case basis, and mainly in cases in which refugee status was fraudulently obtained or is no longer justified. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Philippe Falardeau Dept: At 2011's ceremony, Quebec film Incendies, directed by Denis Villeneuve, took the top prize at the annual celebration of Canadian film. This year, Monsieur Lazhar, Philippe Falardeau s story of an Algerian immigrant who helps a middle-school class cope with the suicide of their former teacher, earned an Oscar nomination before it became a leading Genie contender, according to CBC. It s a good time for Quebec cinema, says Anne mond, the young director who has won this year s Claude Jutra Award for best debut film for her rave-set romance Nuit #1. Viggo Mortensen is nominated for best actor for his turn as Sigmund Freud in A Dangerous Method. Associated Press A handful of Quebec films that have garnered critical raves including Cafe de Flore, Monsieur Lazhar and Starbuck are competing for Genie glory Thursday night alongside high-profile international co-productions such as A Dangerous Method and The Whistleblower . Jean-Marc Vallee's romantic drama Cafe de Flore heads into the awards with a leading 13 nominations, while Starbuck, a hilarious comedy from Montreal s Ken Scott, has already cultivated audiences across Canada. It will be presented the Golden Reel Award for best box office returns for a Canadian film. Good time for Quebec film (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

VANCOUVER Mounties Dept: Thayakaran Markandu has been charged with organizing illegal entry into Canada, the RCMP announced Wednesday. The charge relates to the MV Sun Sea, which arrived in August 2010 carrying 492 Tamil migrants, according to The Chronicle Herald. We believe he s not inside Canada, so we re working with our international partners to have the warrant executed in an effort to bring him to justice, Pound said in an interview and vANCOUVER Mounties have launched an international manhunt for the first person charged in connection with a ship that brought hundreds of Tamil migrants to Canada s West Coast a year and a half ago. Markandu, who court records say was born in 1972, is currently believed to be living abroad, although Mounties haven t confirmed where, said Sgt. Duncan Pound. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.