Prince Edward Island: The whole scandal could have been so easily avoided. Could no one in the prime minister's political circle see this coming before The Duff's appointment? Question as to his suitability to serve as a senator from P.E.I. surfaced from the day it was first announced, especially in P.E.I. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. Prince Edward Island, you see, unlike other provinces, has a different property tax rate for full-time residents and summer visitors whose primary residence is outside the province. Technically, it works like this: everybody is assessed at the same rate but then residents get a credit for half that amount while non-residents don't. Being eligible for the credit would have gone a long way to bolstering his argument. CORNWALL, P.E.I. -- The revelations in the Mike Duffy expense case just keep on coming. But there is one big question that still needs to be answered: why did it all happen in the first place? Sure, he was a then favoured native son, but he was living and working in Ottawa, only coming home to a summer cottage. But he could easily have stemmed any controversy by first semi-retiring from CTV perhaps filing a daily commentary and moving back to P.E.I. After living here a year, there would have been no question he was a resident. By that time, he would even have had the residential tax credit supplied by the tax department to prove it. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

John Dyble: Premier Christy Clark's deputy minister John Dyble found the ethnic vote plan blurred the lines between government and Liberal Party work, prompting six recommendations including forcing the Liberal party to reimburse taxpayers about $70,000, according to Huffington Post. But Dix says an August 2012 email from former multiculturalism minister John Yap to former government aide Brian Bonney about ethnic vote lists indicates a highly organized plan to court voters in the run-up to last May's British Columbia election and VICTORIA - Opposition New Democrat Leader Adrian Dix says new documents show the Liberals' ethnic vote plan was far more developed than the findings of the government-ordered investigation suggest. Dyble's report says work to compile ethnic vote lists was pursued, but complete lists were never developed. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

The Undocumented: The Undocumented, July 14, according to The Star. Yes, some may have lied in order to be admitted to Canada most in their situation, would attempt to do that. However, lets keep everything in perspective. When appointed senators, elected politicians, public servants and all sorts professionals find it quite normal to lie and get away with no penalty or even a slap on their wrist, it is hypocritical for our system to punish these desperate human beings so harshly and Re: The Undocumented, July 14 The answer to What would you do with them? is to provide them with the necessary documentation in order to allow them to live and work openly and contribute to our society like decent human beings that they are. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Ed Mirvish: All the time spent at the cash registers and hiding gave Mr. Mirvish the chance to listen as Torontonians from all over the city, and of every imaginable background, shopped and chatted. The employees too spoke many different languages, something his dad, the late Ed Mirvish, welcomed. I think my father found it stimulating to work with the people he worked with, Mr. Mirvish says now. He just found people interesting. More Related to this Story, according to Globe and Mail. Toronto residents share Honest thoughts on the end of an iconic era When David Mirvish was 10 years old, he helped the cashiers at his fathers discount store put purchases into bags. And sometimes, the little boy would hide under the counters so his supervisor would have to look for him. MEMOIR What Honest Eds meant to my immigrant family (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Toronto Honest Ed: Toronto residents share Honest thoughts on the end of an iconic era, according to Globe and Mail. visual art David Mirvish unveils his art, and pitches his big plan for Toronto Honest Ed's store at the corner of Bathurst and Bloor Street West in Toronto. The Video By the time I came along, my parents were far enough along in their immigrant experience that they had made the exodus up to a tidy bungalow in the suburbs. But every now and then, we would pile into the Pontiac LeMans for a pilgrimage and some bargains downtown. The drive down to Bathurst and Bloor was always accompanied by stories. In a mixture of English and Yiddish, my parents would talk about the good old days when they were new to Canada from Germany, living in the Annex, doing their shopping at Kensington Market and, for non-perishables, Honest Eds. They would line up outside on Saturday mornings to take advantage of the door-crasher special whatever it was and then stock up on insanely low-priced canned goods and household cleaners. More Related to this Story Torontos Honest Eds gets tossed into the bargain bin of history (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Jackie Scott: The 68-year-old was raised in Ontario, paid her taxes and voted in elections. But a dizzying tangle of old laws has meant the government doesnt consider her a Canadian, according to The Star. As she considers all shes gone through to get to this point, Scotts voice cracks with emotion and Jackie Scott has been waiting years to be officially accepted by her country. Now, her long, drawn-out fight to be recognized may be reaching its climax as her case is set to have its day in court on Monday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Kathleen Wynne: While acknowledging five scheduled byelections will give Ontarians a chance to voice their anger over the McGuinty-era scandals, Wynne said she believes voters are more concerned about the economy, jobs and the renewal of roads, bridges and transit systems, according to The Star. They want to make sure that their kids, their grandkids, have opportunities . . . to get into the workforce, Wynne said. They also want to make sure that their parents and grandparents have the right care that they need through the health-care system and OTTAWA Premier Kathleen Wynne, trying to shore up support in Dalton McGuintys former Ottawa riding in advance of an Aug. 1 byelection, is asking voters to look beyond the Liberals spending scandals. That is what people are talking to me about, she told the media Friday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

acceptable standards: The overall numbers of students meeting acceptable standards in the tests have varied little over the last five years, according to CBC. Alberta Achievement Testing results from 2011-2012 show four out of five Grade 9 students in smaller communities are functioning below their grade level in math and 75 per cent are below grade level in English and Test results released this week show about 60 per cent of N.W.T. Grade 9 students are meeting acceptable standards in math and English. The lowest numbers are found in the territorys smaller communities. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Kevin Rudd: The move, described by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd as "very hard line," aims to deter an escalating number of asylum seekers who travel to Australia in rickety fishing boats from poor, war-torn homelands through other countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia, according to CBC. "From now on, any asylum seeker who arrives in Australia by boat will have no chance of being settled in Australia as refugees," Rudd told reporters after signing a pact with Prime Minister Peter O'Neill of Papua New Guinea that will enable Australia to deport refugees there. 'Contempt' for moral, legal obligations Australia's prime minister warned Friday that all refugees who arrive in the country by boat will be resettled on the island nation of Papua New Guinea, a policy shift that rights groups immediately condemned. The growing influx is a major political problem for Rudd's Labor Party, which is the clear underdog in elections expected within months. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd: CANBERRA - Australia announced tough new measures to stem a dramatic increase in refugee boats from Indonesia on Friday, with a deal to send all boat arrivals to Papua New Guinea PNG for assessment and eventual settlement. , according to Reuters. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is facing a tough election race and immigration has become a contentious issue. By James Grubel The human rights group Amnesty International condemned the measures, saying Australia was shirking its moral obligations and turning its back on the world's most vulnerable people. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.