Bank of America Merrill Lynch: The latest data point to steady job growth, an encouraging sign ahead of Fridays jobs report for June. The brighter hiring outlook also helped stocks end the day higher. The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 56 points, according to 660 News. The labour market remains one of the healthiest parts of the economy right now, Ethan Harris, global economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, said and WASHINGTON U.S. companies stepped up hiring last month, a private survey showed Wednesday. And the government says fewer people applied for unemployment benefits last week. Further job gains could lower the unemployment rate, which is still high at 7.6 per cent, and help economic growth rebound in the second half of the year. If growth accelerated and unemployment fell, the Federal Reserve might start to scale back its bond purchases before the year ends. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

President Barack Obama: Wall Street has had its jitters but consumer confidence has improved and the housing market is making a solid comeback, according to Times Colonist. On Friday, the government will release its monthly jobs report, and economists predict that U.S. employers added 165,000 jobs in June. That's fewer than in May and far short of the number of new jobs needed to push the unemployment rate down significantly from its current perch at 7.6 per cent and WASHINGTON - Unemployment under President Barack Obama has remained high for the longest period since the Great Depression. Despite a slowly improving job market, the millions of Americans without jobs underscore weakness in the recovery, drag down consumer spending and still roil the nation's politics. Yet, while economic conditions change, much remains the same. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

visa application: The federal government and the union representing diplomats and immigration officers abroad have been locked in a contract negotiation battle for months. As part of escalating job action measures, diplomats at key visa application centres including Beijing, Delhi, Sao Paolo and Mexico City have withdrawn their services, according to CBC. Across the board, the backlog is growing five per cent per week, and in the bigger centres, it's 10 to 20 per cent per week, said Edwards. At more than half of the 51 foreign visa application centres, the processing times are exceeding the immigration department's 14-day target and The job action by Canada's foreign service officers is causing a slowdown in visa applications, which could result in big costs to the economy. "The applications are just piling up," said Tim Edwards, head of the the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers. The number of visas issued from offices in major centres abroad dropped 60 to 65 per cent in June, he said, and overall, the issuance rate is down 25 per cent. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

David Gauci: I cant get a credit card. A CRA garnishee prevents me from getting credit of any kind, he said. If I want to buy airline tickets, I have to ask someone with a credit card to do it for me, according to The Star. When he contacted me, I suggested that he try the Taxpayers Ombudsman, an arms length agency set up in 2008 to review service-related complaints about the CRA and David Gauci worked in the United States from 1999 to 2003. An error made by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and compounded by the Canada Revenue Agency CRA threw his life into disarray. Gauci has worked full-time in Canada, earning a higher-than-average wage, since 2006. But most of his income was going to pay interest and penalties to the CRA under a garnishment order. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Evo Morales: VIENNA/GENEVA - Bolivia accused the United States on Wednesday of trying to "kidnap" its president, Evo Morales, after his plane was denied permission to fly over some European countries on suspicion he was taking fugitive former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden to Latin America, according to Reuters. Snowden was not on the plane when it landed in Vienna, an Austrian official said. He is believed to be stranded in the transit lounge of a Moscow airport and the United States has been trying to get its hands on him since he revealed details of its secret surveillance programs last month and By Angelika Gruber and Emma Farge Bolivia said the incident, in which the plane was denied permission to fly over France and Portugal before making a stop in Vienna, was an act of aggression and a violation of international law. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

business investment: The Commerce Department said Tuesday that factory orders rose 2.1 per cent in May. Aprils increase was revised higher to 1.3 per cent from 1 per cent, according to 660 News. A category of orders thats viewed as a proxy for business investment plans which excludes the volatile areas of transportation and defence rose 1.5 per cent. That was even stronger than solid gains in the previous two months and WASHINGTON Orders to U.S. factories rose in May, helped by a third straight month of stronger business investment. The gains suggest manufacturing may be picking up after a weak start to the year. Most of the increase in May was due to a big jump in volatile commercial aircraft demand. Still, businesses also ordered more machinery, computers and household appliances. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Gregory Sekanyana: Dressed in a red T-shirt, the 10-year-old flashes a set of white teeth often as he recounts his story in English and a smattering of the French he is learning at school. As Gregory speaks, he adjusts three flags hanging proudly but precariously in coat and shirt sleeves, according to The Chronicle Herald. It means we re settled here now, and we truly respect Canada. We ve decided this will be our home and This marks the first Canada Day that Gregory Sekanyana feels truly at home, more than six years after the fuzzy memory of his arrival from China, and a month shy of his first anniversary as a citizen of this country. When Gregory and his mother, Delphine, arrived in 2006, they lived first with another family, he said, before settling in their own apartment. Three years ago, his mother bought a house for them in Dartmouth, but it was the citizenship ceremony that marked the final piece in their homecoming, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

federal government: Fees to replace certain documents will be waived until Sept. 19 and those whose immigration status was set to expire will have it automatically extended or restored if they re living in a flood-affected area, according to 660 News. This is another measure the federal government is taking so that those affected by the flooding have one less thing to worry about and OTTAWA People whose citizenship or other immigration documents were destroyed by flooding in Alberta are getting a break from the federal government. As Canadians we come together to ensure that we do what we can to help people get through times like these and to help them get back to their employment and caring for their families, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said in a statement. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Edward Snowden: Brazil, Poland, India and Germany have turned down the admitted leaker of state secrets. Even Ecuador, which helped Mr. Snowden leave Hong Kong last month, is now sending mixed signals. And Mr. Snowden withdrew his request to Russia after learning of the terms. More Related to this Story, according to Globe and Mail. Edward Snowden withdraws asylum request to Russia, may turn to Venezuela Stuck in legal limbo in a Moscow airport, Edward Snowden is running into diplomatic brick walls as several countries rebuff his requests for asylum. Snowden threatens new U.S. leaks, asks numerous countries for asylum (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Louise Harel: Louise Harel announced Tuesday that she will run only for a seat on council, but not for the mayoralty, in November, according to Times Colonist. Harel essentially admitted that she couldn't penetrate the electorate in the western mostly English-speaking half of the city and MONTREAL - A prominent politician has bowed out of Montreal's mayoral race while conceding her failure to win support from the city's English community. The leader of the main opposition party at city hall said she will back a coalition candidate Marcel Cote, an economist and businessman believed to have support from different parties. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.