Conrad Black: A hearing has been set for Aug. 16, the OSC said in a notice late Friday, according to CBC. It's alleged they did not have approval for these payments, and had made misrepresentations about them through public disclosure and Ex-media baron Conrad Black and two former executives at Hollinger Inc. have been scheduled to appear before the Ontario Securities Commission, more than eight years after being accused of fraud. Black, John Boultbee and Peter Atkinson are accused of cheating shareholders and tax authorities in the U.S. and Canada, specifically, improperly diverting proceeds from the now-defunct media giant Hollinger International to themselves through "non-competition" payments. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

human trafficking: Franco Orr and his wife Nicole Huen were both charged with human trafficking of their nanny Leticia Sarmiento, according to CBC. When their high-profile trial wrapped up last month Orr was convicted, but his wife was acquitted and A Vancouver man convicted of human trafficking his Filipina nanny may not have to pay her claim for $34,000 in backpay for unpaid overtime and other work. The couple had brought the live-in nanny with them when they moved to Canada from Hong Kong in 2008, and Sarmiento cared for the family's three children until she called the police in June 2010, claiming she was enslaved by the couple. Read more about the human trafficking Wife of B.C. man found guilty of enslaving nanny speaks out (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Edward Snowden: Taking the opportunity to snub their noses at the U.S., Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua have already said they'd be willing to grant asylum for Snowden, who is wanted on espionage charges in the United States for revealing the scope of National Security Agency surveillance programs that spy on Americans and foreigners. Ecuador has said it would consider any request from Snowden, according to Times Colonist. Snowden hasn't been the only recent setback. Leaders in the region harshly criticized the U.S. earlier this week when a newspaper in Brazil, which was privy to some documents released by Snowden, reported that a U.S. spy program was widely targeting data in emails and telephone calls across Latin America. That revelation came just days after an uproar in Latin America over the rerouting of Bolivian President Evo Morales' plane over Europe amid suspicions, later proven untrue, that Snowden was aboard and WASHINGTON - America is pivoting to Asia, focused on the Mideast, yet the "backyard," as Secretary of State John Kerry once referred to Latin America, is sprouting angry weeds as the scandal involving intelligence leaker Edward Snowden lays bare already thorny U.S. relations with Latin America. Relations between the U.S. and these countries were already testy, but the Snowden affair also impacted the Obama administration's effort to improve ties with friendlier nations in the region like Mexico and Brazil. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Edward Snowden: In the end its come down to this for whistleblower Edward Snowden, adrift in the transit zone at Moscows Sheremetyevo airport, one step ahead of his American pursuers, according to The Star. He was not at all nervous, said Sergei Nikitin, who heads Amnesty Internationals Moscow office and was the first to meet Snowden. He was in good spirits, considering the situation hes in and You can hide but you cant run. On Friday Snowden told a group of human rights advocates that he would temporarily seek asylum in Russia as a stopover to one of the Latin American countries that has offered him refuge. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Dino Gilpin: Dino Gilpin who is black and originally from Sierra Leone went to the commission after he was refused service at the Halifax Alehouse on Feb. 20, 2010, when they wouldn't accept his Canadian citizenship card as a valid form of photo identification, according to CBC. Five months later, the court dismissed the charge and A Halifax man who complained that a popular downtown bar had discriminated against him based on his colour has won a victory at the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission. When staff at the bar asked Gilpin to leave, he refused and the manager called Halifax Regional Police to escort him out of the building. Gilpin was charged with public drunkenness and spent the night in jail. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Edward Snowden: MOSCOW - Russian immigration officials said Saturday they have not received an application from Edward Snowden, the U.S. National Security Agency leaker who wants to get asylum in Russia. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. On Friday, he met with human rights activists there and said he would seek Russian asylum, at least as a temporary measure before going to Venezuela, Bolivia or Nicaragua, all of which have offered him asylum. This image provided by Human Rights Watch shows NSA leaker, Edward Snowden, centre, attends a press conference at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport with Sarah Harrison of WikiLeaks, left, Friday, July 12, 2013. Snowden wants to seek asylum in Russia, according to a Parliament member who was among about a dozen activists and officials to meet with him Friday in the Moscow airport where he's been marooned for weeks. Duma member Vyacheslav Nikonov told reporters of Snowden's intentions after the meeting behind closed doors in the transit zone of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport. AP Photo/Human Rights Watch, Tanya Lokshina Snowden came to Moscow's Sheremetyevo international airport on June 23 from Hong Kong, apparently intending to board a flight to Cuba. But he did not get on that flight and is believed to have spent the last three weeks marooned in the airport's transit zone. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Paula Deen: Deen announced last week she had cut ties with her longtime agent who helped make her a Food Network star and start a media and merchandising empire that has largely collapsed. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. The lawsuit was filed by Lisa Jackson, who once worked as a manager at Uncle Bubba's Seafood and Oyster House, which Deen co-owns with her brother, Bubba Hiers. Jackson says she was sexually harassed and worked in an environment rife with racial slurs and innuendo. SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Paula Deen has replaced her lead legal team, the latest fallout from her admission she used racial slurs in the past. Grace Speights, an attorney for Morgan, Lewis Bockius, has been retained as the new lead counsel for Paula Deen Enterprises Inc. and other defendants in an employment discrimination lawsuit, according to Jennifer Costa, a spokeswoman for the Washington-based firm. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Konstantin Romodanovsky: Snowden came to Moscow's Sheremetyevo international airport on June 23 from Hong Kong, apparently intending to board a flight to Cuba. But he did not get on that flight and is believed to have spent the last three weeks marooned in the airport's transit zone, according to Times Colonist. But the Interfax news agency quoted Russian migration service head Konstantin Romodanovsky as saying no asylum request had been received as of Saturday. The state news agency RIA Novosti cited migration service spokeswoman, Zalina Kornilova, as also saying no request had been received and MOSCOW - Russian immigration officials said Saturday they have not received an application from Edward Snowden, the U.S. National Security Agency leaker who wants to get asylum in Russia. On Friday, he met with human rights activists there and said he would seek Russian asylum, at least as a temporary measure before going to Venezuela, Bolivia or Nicaragua, all of which have offered him asylum. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

prime minister Jean Chretien: TORONTO -- New citizens would be swearing an oath to Canada rather than to the Queen if former prime minister Jean Chretien didn't get cold feet at the last minute, his former citizenship minister said Friday. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. "I was very much of the belief that while we're a constitutional monarchy, we should be swearing an oath of allegiance to Canada," Marchi told The Canadian Press from Geneva. Jean Chretien liked the idea of swearing allegiance to Canada, not the monarch, one of his cabinet ministers reveals. CP As three permanent residents and the federal government argued the issue in court, Sergio Marchi said he had been poised to scrap the pledge of allegiance to the Queen two decades ago. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Service Nova Scotia: The main focus of the school review process must be the future of our children. When I attended public school in the 1970s and 80s, I was being prepared to compete for employment with people from Sydney, Halifax, Moncton, etc. I received a wonderful education and a rock-solid foundation that has allowed me to be a lifelong learner. My education has never ended, according to The Chronicle Herald. At a recent seminar for municipal governments hosted by Service Nova Scotia, and Municipal Relations, one of the presenters expressed his concern about amalgamation of schools. He said that school closures are destroying communities because the schools are the heart of the community and Over the past couple of years, as an outside observer close to the school review process, I have had a chance to ponder the actions of the Strait Regional School Board, the parents, and the provincial government with, at times, utter disbelief, utter amazement and utter disappointment at the behaviour exhibited by some. My daughter will attend Tamarac Education Centre for her first year in the fall. Her world is far different than the one in which I was educated. For her to have success in her chosen career, whatever that career may be, she will need to compete with people from Beijing, Moscow, London, and Christchurch. We must be able, with declining enrolment and funding, to offer world-class preparation to our children. No corner must be cut. No child can be shortchanged. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.