Calgary Stampede: The annual parade Friday drew hundreds of thousands of people to the downtown core, people are once again festooned in cowboy hats, boots and jeans and families flock to free Stampede breakfasts, according to Huffington Post. Just two weeks after 75,000 people were evacuated from their homes due to massive flooding from both the Elbow and Bow Rivers in Calgary and the total decimation in the town of High River, 60 kilometres to the south, there's a fragility to the area and CALGARY - All the outward trappings are there but there is something missing from the 2013 Calgary Stampede. But the annual cowboy festival is lacking the usual political partisanship that has traditionally been tantamount to the so-called "Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth." (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Mayor Rob Ford: While the city's chief magistrate may be an embattled leader at city hall, plagued by a drug scandal and an endless string of gaffes, at Thomson Memorial Park, he was treated like royalty. More Related to this Story, according to Globe and Mail. What we really think about the Rob Ford rock song Thousands of Torontonians crowded into a suburban park Friday evening for a massive barbecue hosted by and in celebration of Mayor Rob Ford. City hall Among supporters, Ford is a rock star (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Conference Board of Canada: Despite their reputation for complaining, it's pretty clear most farmers enjoy what they do for a living. They love being on the land, being independent and working outdoors. They enjoy the seasonal nature of the work and the challenge of sparring with natural forces to harvest a crop. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. The Conference Board of Canada says that's a problem on two fronts. Nearly half of Canada's farmers are over 55 and farm sizes -- and the workload -- continue to grow. There are all kinds of farmer jokes out there, like the one likening farmers to jet airplanes -- they both stop whining when they touch down in Hawaii. It seems the very things that farmers love most about farming are also the qualities that make them bad bosses. They like being producers more than they like being managers, and it shows in how they treat their employees. That in turn shows in the already critical and growing labour gap facing the sector. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Edward Snowden: Because Snowden's U.S. passport has been revoked, the logistics of him departing are complicated. Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia have made asylum offers over the past two days, but the three countries haven't indicated they would help Snowden by issuing a travel document, which he would need to leave Russia, according to Times Colonist. Russia doesn't appear willing to help him leave the airport, with Kremlin spokesman Alexei Pavlov saying Saturday the issue of Snowden's travel documents is "not our business." On Monday, President Vladimir Putin said Snowden would be offered asylum in Russia if he stopped leaking U.S. secrets. Snowden then withdrew his Russian asylum bid, a Russian official said and MOSCOW - Edward Snowden has found supporters in Latin America, including three countries who have offered him asylum. But many obstacles stand in the way of the fugitive NSA leaker from leaving a Russian airport chief among them the power and influence of the United States. The former NSA systems analyst, who is charged with violating U.S. espionage laws, is believed to be stuck in the transit area of Moscow's main international airport after arriving June 23 from Hong Kong. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Edward Snowden: Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua and Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela made their offers during separate speeches in their home countries Friday afternoon. Snowden has asked for asylum in numerous countries, including Nicaragua and Venezuela. More Related to this Story, according to Globe and Mail. Snowden threatens new U.S. leaks, asks numerous countries for asylum The presidents of Nicaragua and Venezuela offered Friday to grant asylum to NSA leaker Edward Snowden, one day after leftist South American leaders gathered to denounce the rerouting of Bolivian President Evo Morales plane over Europe amid reports that the American was aboard. Ecuadors leader says Snowdens fate rests in Russias hands (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Jacques Mungwarere: Jacques Mungwarere, only the second person to be tried under the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act in Canada, would have faced an automatic sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years if he had been convicted, according to CBC. The not guilty verdict, however, may not be the end of Mungwarere's legal troubles and An Ontario Superior Court judge said Friday a Rwandan refugee accused of crimes against humanity is "probably guilty," but ruled the Crown didn't prove its case beyond all doubt. But the judge decided none of the witnesses on either side was completely believable and therefore the threshold of guilt "beyond reasonable doubt" was not met. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Knightsbridge Foreign Exchange: TORONTO - The Canadian dollar fell to its weakest level against the U.S. dollar in 21 months on Friday after North American jobs data showed Canada losing a modest 400 jobs and the U.S. labor market steadily improving, according to Reuters. "It's still a U.S. dollar story. It has been for weeks if not months, and today's U.S. job report was essentially a home-run," said Rahim Madhavji, president at commercial foreign exchange dealing firm Knightsbridge Foreign Exchange and By Solarina Ho U.S. jobs growth was stronger than expected last month, with employers adding 195,000 new jobs and an upward revision for both April and May. The numbers added to expectations that the Federal Reserve may be ready to scale back its bond purchases as early as September. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Michel Brul: Staunch Quebec independentist Michel Brul announced Thursday his long-shot candidacy for the November election. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. He has written extensively about English, which he says is not a nice language. For example, he points to the capitalized first-person singular in English -- "I" -- as a sign of individualism. MONTREAL -- Here's some Fourth of July news for our U.S. neighbours: A man running for mayor of Montreal considers Americans dumb, obese, imbecilic and classless ignoramuses. The book publisher, writer and ex-bar owner says he doesn't expect English-speaking Montrealers to vote for him -- and says he isn't working to get their support, anyway. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Joe Greenberg: They were the boys of Major St., six teenage friends who went off to the Second World War in 1940. Only two returned, according to The Star. I love it, but all I can think of are these kids, said Greenberg, 90, before breaking down in tears. We re talking about 17- and 18-year-old kids that never came home and Joe Greenberg was one of the boys. The others were Chucky and Porky, Solly and Harold and his cousin Red. On Sunday, the city will unveil Boys of Major Lane in their honour. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Michel Brule: Staunch Quebec independentiste Michel Brule announced Thursday his long-shot candidacy for the November election, according to The Star. He has written extensively in the past about English, which he says is not a nice language. For example, he points to the capitalized first-person singular in English I as a sign of individualism and MONTREAL Heres some Fourth of July news for our U.S. neighbours: a man running for mayor of Montreal considers Americans dumb, obese, imbecilic, classless ignoramuses. The book publisher, writer, and ex-bar owner says he doesnt expect English-speaking Montrealers to vote for him and says he isnt working to get their support, anyway. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.