Linda McNeils: But the part-time cook works only about 10 hours a month, because for every dollar she earns, she loses 50 cents off her monthly $1,075 Ontario Disability Support Program ODSP cheque, according to The Star. Starting this month, however, people on social assistance will be able to keep the first $200 they earn before triggering welfare claw-backs and Linda McNeils passion is food. Its really not worth it, says the 46-year-old self-professed Jill of all trades. She was forced onto welfare in 2009 due to a rare auto-immune disease. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Cricket Australia: Ahmed, who fled Pakistan in 2009 to seek asylum in Australia and gained citizenship in July, was picked for Australia's five-match limited-overs series in England after he made his debut in the Twenty20 series last week, according to Times Colonist. Cricket Australia's operations manager Mike McKenna says CA was "respectful of Fawad's personal beliefs" and agreed to his request to wear an unbranded shirt and SYDNEY - Spin bowler Fawad Ahmed will not have to wear a beer company logo on his Australia uniform because of his Muslim faith. He was quoted by Fairfax Media from England on Tuesday as having "expressed discomfort" about wearing the logo because on religious grounds, he does not associate with alcohol. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Nova Scotians: Premier Darrell Dexter picked Labour Day to announce the idea, which is expected to be in place by 2015, according to The Chronicle Herald. Currently, Nova Scotians must work for a year before qualifying and The provincial government plans to halve the time it takes for Nova Scotians to qualify for parental leave at work. After the change, someone employed for six months would qualify for pregnancy leave or parental leave, which allows the parent to return to his or her job or a comparable one. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Alison Redford: She is also to host a brunch during the city's pride festivities to raise funds for a camp for sexual and gender minority youth, according to Huffington Post. Redford tweeted recently that she is "pleased'' to be attending the parade and CALGARY - Alison Redford will become the first Alberta premier to march in a gay pride parade when she acts as grand marshal for Calgary's event on Sunday. Organizers say more than 150 community and government representatives are expected to be at the brunch. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Moustafa Elayouby: Mosque officials have not filed a complaint, but police called the incident a heinous act, according to CBC. It doesnt even deserve a response, said Elayouby and Police in Quebec's Saguenay region are investigating after a mosque in Chicoutimi was sprayed with what appears to be pig's blood. Moustafa Elayouby, who is in charge of the mosque, called Mosqu e de Saguenay, said he does not believe Quebec should be judged by this individual act. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Premier Darrell Dexter: However, the necessary changes aren't expected to be made any time soon, according to Times Colonist. As it stands, workers must be in a job for a year before they are eligible and HALIFAX - The Nova Scotia government says it wants to make pregnancy and parental leave more accessible to workers in the province. Premier Darrell Dexter says the government wants to amend the Labour Standards Code to allow an employee with six months on the job to qualify for pregnancy or parental leave. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Syrian leader: UPDATED 3:20 p.m. Monday, according to The Chronicle Herald. The Syrian leader says the Middle East is a powder keg and no one can say what will transpire if the West takes military action against Syria and PARIS Syrian President Bashar Assad says military strikes against his country would risk triggering a regional war. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

provincial Community and Social Services Minister Ted McMeekin: In the past four months, provincial Community and Social Services Minister Ted McMeekin met with some 147 groups to discuss how to make the maddeningly complex system more coherent and compassionate for about 900,000 adults and children who rely on it, according to The Star. The government has already acted on the commissions call to allow people on welfare to keep more of what they earn and hold more assets and There was no rest this summer for the man tasked with reforming Ontarios $8.3-billion welfare system. Last falls sweeping report by the provinces welfare review commission is guiding his work. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Syria: Nearly four million of Syria's 22 million people have been driven from their homes by the civil war. Of the displaced, two million have sought cover in camps and makeshift shelters across Syria, one million have registered as refugees in neighbouring Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt, and several hundred thousand more fled the country but haven't signed up with the U.N. refugee agency. , according to Times Colonist. "The refugee numbers swelled because the world community is sitting idly, watching the tyrant Assad killing innocent people," said Mohammed Ammari, a 32-year-old refugee in the Zaatari camp straddling Jordan's border with Syria. "Shame, shame, shame. The world should be ashamed." BEIRUT - Syria's accelerating humanitarian crisis hit a grim milestone Wednesday: The number of UN-registered refugees topped 1 million half of them children described by an aid worker as a "human river" of thousands spilling out of the war-ravaged country every day. The West has refrained from military intervention in the two-year-old battle to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad, a conflict that has claimed more than 70,000 lives, and many Syrians hold the international community responsible for their misery. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Raad Zoubi: If they re going to strike, let them strike once and for all and bring the regime down, grumbled Um Hafiz, who fled with her husband and five children from their village near Syrias southern city of Daara in January, according to The Star. We were happy when we first heard that the U.S. would attack, but then when it was postponed, we were afraid that Bashar would attack the camp, said Raad Zoubi, 23, who has lived in the dusty, sun-stricken swath of tents and prefabricated metal huts for the past year. People are angry, but when the Americans do attack, we will be happy they do and MAFRAQ, JORDAN As U.S. President Barack Obamas announcement that he was postponing U.S. missile strikes against the Syrian regime hit the Zaatari refugee camp, so did anger and fear. Other residents said Sunday that they worried that Obamas decision to first seek congressional authorization for a U.S. military operation would so embolden Syrian President Bashar Assad that he might even dare to attack Zaatari, a major recruiting ground for rebel fighters about eight kilometers inside Jordan. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.