Quebec politics: But is this a sign of things to come in the battleground province?, according to Huffington Post. What could explain this change of fortune? Other recent polls have been hinting at potential Liberal weakness in Quebec. This could be due to any number of factors, but the issue dominating Quebec politics at the moment would seem to be the most likely culprit. The Parti Qu b cois' proposed Charter of Quebec Values has been panned by both Liberals and the NDP, despite it having support among francophone Quebecers though that support appears to be on the wane and New Democrats lead in Quebec in a major poll for the first time since Justin Trudeau became Liberal leader. The poll by CROP for La Presse , interviewing 1,000 Quebecers online between Sept. 12-15, suggests New Democrats have picked up six points in the last month and are now narrowly ahead in Quebec with 33 per cent support. That is the best the party has done in a poll by CROP since before Trudeau's leadership victory and the first time since then that the party has been ahead in the province in a large-sample survey by a Quebec-based pollster. More striking, however, is the 10-point drop by the Liberals to 31 per cent support. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Educational assistants: The districts claim that it wants continuity of teaching in the classroom isnt credible. Money is a more likely motivator. , according to Times Colonist. When continuity costs money, the district appears less concerned. Educational assistants, who work one-on-one with students with special needs in classrooms and generally support learning in the classroom, are frequently not replaced when they are away because of illness. Re: Maternity leave, temp jobs pose dilemma for Victoria schools, Sept. 14. With shrinking resources from the province, everyone knows the great pressure school districts are under to save money. Bear that in mind when the district tries to justify its policy of denying employment opportunities and access to benefits to pregnant women in the name of maintaining classroom continuity. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Ontario Superior Court Justice Edward Morgan: TORONTO - Forcing would-be Canadians to take an oath to the Queen as a condition of citizenship is constitutional, even if it does violate free-speech rights, an Ontario court ruled Friday. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. "The oath of citizenship is a form of compelled speech," Morgan states. Michael McAteer is pictured in his Toronto home on July 11, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young In his ruling, Ontario Superior Court Justice Edward Morgan dismissed an application by three permanent residents, who argued the requirement was discriminatory and unjust. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

P. Eng: Levelling the playing field, Business Sept. 16, according to The Star. I ve recently searched for a water resource engineer. This person needed to have river science experience preferably in Ontario plus be a P. Eng., Professional Engineer which means having at least one year of Ontario experience in order to get this designation. This new employee needed to supervise junior engineers, who are going for their P. Eng. I dont know how eliminating the need for Canadian experience will make any difference? I d suggest that you need to get your foot in the door at a larger company that can afford the year of qualification and Re: Levelling the playing field, Business Sept. 16 As an executive search partner aka headhunter and former immigrant, I d like to add in my two cents to this discussion. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Labor Department: Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 309,000, the Labor Department said on Thursday. , according to Reuters. That initially led to a sharp decline in new processed claims earlier this month, and a Labor Department analyst said the two states still appeared to be working through the backlog, which he said could take another week or two. WASHINGTON - The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits rose last week, but it was difficult to get a clear read on the labor market's health because a Labor Department analyst said two states appeared to be working through a backlog of unprocessed claims. Claims data have been thrown into disarray since an update in government computer systems in California and Nevada created a backlog in the processing of new claims two weeks ago. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Alicante airport: A spokeswoman for the Alicante airport management company Aena said the baby and his American mother arrived at the airport late Wednesday on a flight from London, according to Huffington Post. A Guardia Civil spokesman told British newspaper The Independent that the investigation is still in the early stages and they are looking at CCTV footage, but it seems that it was an accident and MADRID - A five-month-old baby boy has died in an accident after being placed on a baggage conveyor belt at an airport in southeast Spain, local authorities said Thursday. The baby's father, a Canadian, was waiting for them at the airport's arrivals zone when the incident happened. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

background checks: Case after case has exposed problems for years, including recent instances when workers the government approved have been implicated in mass shootings, espionage and damaging disclosures of national secrets. In the latest violence, the Navy Yard gunman passed at least two background checks and kept his military security clearance despite serious red flags about violent incidents and psychological problems, according to 660 News. The system focuses on identifying applicants who could be blackmailed or persuaded to sell national secrets, not commit acts of violence. And it relies on incomplete databases and a network of private vetting companies that earn hundreds of millions of dollars to perform checks but whose investigators are sometimes criminally prosecuted themselves for lying about background interviews that never occurred and WASHINGTON The governments sprawling system of background checks and security clearances is so unreliable its virtually impossible to adequately investigate the nearly 5 million Americans who have them and make sure they can be trusted with access to military and sensitive civilian buildings, an Associated Press review found. The APs review based on interviews, documents and other data found the government overwhelmed with the task of investigating the lives of so many prospective employees and federal contractors and then periodically re-examining them. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

UN Human Rights Council: Canada was responding Thursday to the UN Human Rights Council, which is conducting its Universal Period Review of Canadas rights record, on a wide range of issues from poverty, immigration, prostitution and the criminal justice system, according to The Star. Canadas ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Elissa Golberg, offered a brief rebuttal to Belarus, but did not engage directly with the other countries that criticized Canada and OTTAWA Cuba, Iran, Belarus and Russia used a UN body Thursday to criticize Canadas human rights record, as the Canadian envoy rejected calls to develop a comprehensive national review to end violence against aboriginal women. Countries have their rights records reviewed every four years by the Geneva-based UN forum, but the Harper government has been skeptical in part because it allows countries with dubious rights records to criticize Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

minister: Statements from senior ministers Wednesday suggested the PQ has no intention of watering down the plan for quick passage in the current minority legislature, according to CTV. The third party in the legislature has offered to negotiate a deal on a bill but another minister, the one spearheading the proposed Charter of Values, said he'd rather hear from Quebecers first and QUEBEC -- The Parti Quebecois government appears to be digging in its heels for an extended debate on its controversial religion plan, having brushed off invitations for a speedy compromise. One day after one minister expressed a willingness to "improve" the charter, the government made it clear the changes it envisioned would be minor and would not dilute its basic elements. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

U.S. Federal Reserve: The S P/TSX composite index fell 4.62 points to 12,926.78. The Canadian dollar dipped 0.38 of a cent to 97.45 cents US, according to 660 News. The news sent U.S. markets up sharply, resulting in the Dow Jones industrial index and S P 500 closing at record highs on Wednesday and TORONTO North American markets finished lower Thursday as investors began to digest an unexpected decision by the U.S. Federal Reserve to continue with its monetary stimulus program. The U.S. central bank had been widely expected to announce a scaling back Wednesday of its $85 billion of monthly bond purchases, which have put downward pressure on long-term borrowing rates. Instead, the Fed did nothing as Fed chairman Ben Bernanke voiced worries over the state of the U.S. economic recovery and the still-high levels of unemployment. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.