HALIFAX - Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter: Dexter said Thursday he tried marijuana as a university student. Related Items Articles "Do I seem like I smoke marijuana?" Harper asks pot debate smolders , according to Winnipeg Free Press. Dexter said he will leave it up to the federal government to worry about whether marijuana should be legalized because there are more important things for the provincial government to be concerned about, such as federal health-care funding and caps on immigration to the province. HALIFAX - Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter says he smoked marijuana in university but too much is being made of the issue since federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau called for the legalization of pot. "Like every other person I knew back in the '70s when I went to university, some of whom are actually in this room, I would have tried it, the same as other people at that time," he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

fast-food workers: Organizers say thousands of fast-food workers are set to stage walkouts in dozens of cities around the country Thursday, part of a push to get chains such as McDonalds, Taco Bell and Wendys to pay workers higher wages, according to 660 News. Thursdays planned walkouts follow a series of strikes that began last November in New York City, then spread to cities including Chicago, Detroit and Seattle. Workers say they want $15 an hour, which would be about $31,000 a year for full-time employees. Thats more than double the federal minimum wage, which many fast food workers make, of $7.25 an hour, or $15,000 a year and NEW YORK, N.Y. Fast-food customers in search of burgers and fries might run into striking workers instead. Its expected be the largest nationwide strike by fast-food workers, according to organizers. The biggest effort so far was over the summer when about 2,200 of the nations millions of fast-food workers staged a one-day strike in seven cities. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

South Australia: Australian Federal Police agents raided immigration detention centres and homes before dawn in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and New South Wales, Police Assistant Commissioner Steve Lancaster said, according to Times Colonist. Escalating numbers of asylum seekers paying people smugglers to bring them to Australia from ports in Indonesia and Malaysia in rickety, overcrowded fishing boats has become as major political issue ahead of Australian elections next week and PERTH, Australia - Authorities taking part in Australia's largest ever crackdown on people smugglers arrested five men Thursday from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran, picking them up in four different states. Police were targeting the kingpins of people smuggling syndicates involved in the planning or facilitation of up to 132 boats bringing asylum seekers to Australia in the past two years, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Fraser Institute: The report, released today by the Fraser Institute, also proposes that the current immigrant selection process, which relies heavily on political considerations, be replaced with one that relies primarily on the private sector and labour market conditions, according to CBC. "People who employ workers, who know how much they can pay and have the government only make sure that the system works well and that the pay that is offered to these workers is at least enough to pay for the services they receive." Canada's foreign-born population soars to 6.8 million A new report suggests immigrants are imposing a "fiscal burden" of about $20 billion a year on Canadian taxpayers and recommends a number of radical changes to the country's immigration selection process, including bringing an end to the sponsorship of parents and grandparents. "I recommend we get rid of the current system altogether, because it relies on decisions made by politicians on issues which are virtually unknowable and we substitute for it the judgment of business people," said Herbert Grubel, a senior fellow at the Fraser Institute and author of the report. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper: The prime minister dipped a tentative toe in the rocky waters of Quebec identity politics. The opposition leader who wants to replace him, meanwhile, dove right in. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. Harper trod warily. Prime Minister Stephen Harper greets guests at an announcement of new child exploitation legislation in Toronto on Thursday August 29, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn It was a tale of two reactions, featuring Stephen Harper and Justin Trudeau, as each leader Thursday made headline-grabbing remarks about the controversial Charter of Quebec Values. They did so in very contrasting styles. Related Items Articles Trudeau, Harper seen as polar opposites politically, Mulcair squeezed: poll (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter: Dexter said Thursday he tried marijuana as a university student, according to CTV. Dexter said he will leave it up to the federal government to worry about whether marijuana should be legalized because there are more important things for the provincial government to be concerned about, such as federal health-care funding and caps on immigration to the province and HALIFAX -- Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter says he smoked marijuana in university but too much is being made of the issue since federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau called for the legalization of pot. "Like every other person I knew back in the '70s when I went to university, some of whom are actually in this room, I would have tried it, the same as other people at that time," he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Rob Nicholson: Defence Minister Rob Nicholson's name appears several times in a brochure , letter and news release for the "Path to Peace" forum being put on in his riding by a southern Ontario group called the Fatima Centre, according to CBC. On Monday, News reported that Senator Rom o Dallaire had been booked to speak at the event without realizing who was behind it, and pulled out when his staff were alerted to the background of the Fatima Centre and some of the other conference speakers. 'The minister Rob Nicholson never endorsed this conference and we never agreed to have his name referenced in literature ... We will be taking steps to have his name removed' Genevieve Breton, communications director for Defence Minister Rob Nicholson Another federal politician is moving to distance himself from a conference taking place next month organized by a fringe religious group accused of anti-Semitism. His communications director, however, said Wednesday that Nicholson never intended to participate, never agreed to lend his name to the event and will seek to have it removed. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

fast food workers: Fast-food workers protested in U.S. cities including New York, Chicago and Detroit, with organizers expecting the biggest national walkouts yet in a demand for higher wages, according to CBC. Workers say they want $15 US an hour, which would be about $31,000 US a year for full-time employees. That's more than double the federal minimum wage, which many fast food workers make, of $7.25 an hour, or $15,000 a year. White House urges higher minimum wage U.S. fast-food customers in search of burgers on Thursday might run into striking workers instead. Organizers say thousands of fast-food workers were set to stage walkouts in about 50 cities, part of a push to get chains such as McDonald's, Taco Bell and Wendy's to pay wages that people can live on. The restaurants were to stay open. McDonald's super-sizes CEO pay during tough times (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Fatima Centre: Defence Minister Rob Nicholson's name appears several times in a brochure, letter and news release for the "Path to Peace" forum being put on in his riding by a southern Ontario group called the Fatima Centre. , according to Huffington Post. On Monday, CBC News reported that Senator Rom o Dallaire had been booked to speak at the event without realizing who was behind it, and pulled out when his staff were alerted to the background of the Fatima Centre and some of the other conference speakers. Another federal politician is moving to distance himself from a conference taking place next month organized by a fringe religious group accused of anti-Semitism. His communications director, however, said Wednesday that Nicholson never intended to participate, never agreed to lend his name to the event and will seek to have it removed. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Syria attack Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird: Baird said he agreed with comments by British Foreign Secretary William Hague that the world needs to respond, according to CBC. "We are of one mind that these weapons have been used and that a firm international response is needed." Check for the latest updates on the crisis in Syria Syria chemical attack killed hundreds, UN envoy says Harper and Obama want 'firm response' to Syria attack Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird says the world must respond to the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime or risk the weapons being used again in Syria and in future conflicts. "In 2013, that someone could use these type of weapons of mass destruction with impunity would not only set a very bad precedent for the ongoing conflict in Syria, but also, frankly, would give a green light to any dictator to use these weapons of mass destruction against their own people in future conflicts," Baird said in Montreal. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.