Christy Clarks: The number of workers employed on Vancouver Island farms fell by more than 40 per cent over the past seven years. Provincewide, the drop-off was 50 per cent. Considering that most sectors of the B.C. economy recorded job growth during that period, the agriculture figures are disturbing. , according to Times Colonist. But notably, the downward march began after the provincial government introduced sweeping new farm regulations in 2006. At that time, there were fears about mad-cow disease. If job creation is Premier Christy Clarks top priority, as we repeatedly hear it is, she should turn her attention to the farm sector. Employment in agriculture has taken a hammering in recent years and the government she heads is, to a considerable extent, responsible. No doubt there are various reasons for the collapse. Food production is sensitive to numerous factors, such as weather and competition from the import market. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Kerry Washington: A whole lot has changed in the two-plus decades since Bruce Springsteen lamented that there were "57 channels and nothing on." , according to Winnipeg Free Press. Kerry Washington, Scandal BLOOMBERG THE WASHINGTON POST Anna Gunn, Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad. First of all, for any TV-watcher with an average-or-larger cable bill, 57 channels probably seems like a quaint, long-ago notion, as a lap through the average on-screen menu these days scrolls through hundreds, rather than dozens, of channels. Enlarge Image (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Annemarie Desloges: Annemarie Desloges, who served in the immigration section as a border liaison officer, was killed on Saturday in an attack by al-Shabab terrorists at a Nairobi shopping mall frequented by westerners. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. "I think Canadians certainly some of their elected leaders tend to have a misconception about what is really a 24-7 job, and one where the risks run not just through the working day but when you're off duty." OTTAWA - Being a foreign service officer often involves genuine risk, not just endless cocktails at swishy parties, say those with strong ties to the diplomatic world a fact driven home by the death of a Canadian who worked at the high commission in Kenya. "It underscores that these are very, very challenging jobs," said Fen Hampson, director of global security with the Centre for International Governance Innovation, a non-partisan think-tank. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Forensic Anthropology Foundation: The 55-year-old tax preparer now living in a Los Angeles suburb is among a small group of Guatemalan immigrants in the area who have given DNA samples in hopes of finding loved ones who vanished during the fighting from 1960 to 1996. Many more soon will be able to do the same as forensic experts who run a Guatemalan lab that matches victims' remains to the living are expanding their outreach to Guatemalans abroad, according to Times Colonist. She hopes the Forensic Anthropology Foundation will locate the remains of her other missing relatives, many of whom were targeted by the government because they were politically active and SANTA ANA, Calif. - Aracely Garrido returned to her native Guatemala last month to bury one of 13 family members who disappeared during the country's decades-long civil war and was identified years later through DNA from surviving relatives. "Being able to find him was at least some relief," Garrido said of her cousin, a construction worker and political activist who she said was seized by authorities along with his teenage son. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Pauline Marois Charter: Besides being discriminatory, Pauline Marois Charter of Quebec Values is confusing, raising several questions. Montreals renowned Jewish General Hospital provides excellent care. Its religiously diverse staff wears varied religious symbols, according to The Star. Would the government stop funding the hospital for the services it provides Quebec citizens, regardless of their faith and Mahatma Gandhi famously said that a mark of a civilized society is how it treats minorities. Ren L vesque said the same: Quebecers will be judged by how we treat our minorities. Yet his successors in the Parti Qu b cois are targeting small religious groups, in the name of state neutrality, while shamelessly protecting Christian symbols, in the name of heritage. But it is a Jewish institution, proudly so. Its food is kosher. Its elevator stops automatically on every floor on Saturdays, as a courtesy to the Orthodox who wont operate machines on the Sabbath. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird: Annemarie Desloges was off duty shopping at Nairobi's upscale Westgate Mall when the attack that killed at least 39 people occurred, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said Saturday night. Related Items Articles Mall massacre racks Kenya , according to Winnipeg Free Press. "When anyone is killed in a terrorist incident, it deeply affects us. But when it's a Canadian, it hits home. And when it's someone in government, obviously it just shakes us to the core." A stunning terrorist attack at a shopping mall in Kenya's capital on Saturday has struck home in Canada with the death of two Canadians, including a 29-year-old diplomat who worked at the Canadian Embassy. "That people could be gunned down in broad daylight in a shopping mall on a weekend is just a tremendous tragedy. And obviously when you have someone who is serving their country abroad, it's quite devastating," said Baird, who was in London, Ont., speaking at the Ontario Progressive Conservative party's policy convention. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Darrell Dexter: The Nova Scotia premier, whose homespun image as everyone's favourite uncle helped propel the New Democrats into power in 2009, was seen in a less favourable light as the campaign for the Oct. 8 election began, according to Times Colonist. That's a long way from the lofty 50 per cent recorded by the same polling company in August 2009, two months after Nova Scotia became the first province east of Ontario to elect an NDP government. That poll sampled 1,400 people and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20 and HALIFAX - If you believe the polls, Darrell Dexter has an image problem. Earlier this month, just before the election race started, 19 per cent of 400 people who participated in an Aug. 8-31 telephone poll conducted by Corporate Research Associates chose Dexter when asked who they would prefer as premier. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Darrell Dexter: HALIFAX - If you believe the polls, Darrell Dexter has an image problem. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. Earlier this month, just before the election race started, 19 per cent of 400 people who participated in an Aug. 8-31 telephone poll conducted by Corporate Research Associates chose Dexter when asked who they would prefer as premier. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter visits a seniors residence during a campaign stop in Halifax on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013. Dexter announced plans to create an advisory position to help seniors in the province. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan The Nova Scotia premier, whose homespun image as everyone's favourite uncle helped propel the New Democrats into power in 2009, was seen in a less favourable light as the campaign for the Oct. 8 election began. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

religious symbols: The Parti Quebecois government formally announced its plan earlier this month, one that would prohibit state employees from wearing overt religious symbols. That would include everyone from judges and police officers to daycare and health care workers and school teachers, according to CTV. "If we don't have religious symbols, I think it's easier to accept each other for all societies," said Robert Carrier, one of those on hand and MONTREAL -- Supporters of Quebec's charter of values numbered in the hundreds as they descended on downtown Montreal calling for a secular state and urging the government to go forward with its plan to push state employees to leave their religious garb at home. Several hundred gathered in a Montreal square on Sunday and marched to voice their support for the Parti Quebecois' controversial secular plan for public sector employees. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Asian characters: Sadly, few North Americans of South Asian descent will have found those Twitterverse comments surprising. They re conditioned to seeing western culture routinely differentiate South Asian characters because of their look or their accent, according to The Star. However, I have a difficult time watching the show, due to the character named Raj. Its his Indian accent. When Hollywood actors use non-standard accents, something extra is being conveyed about the character. And in this case, that something extra has a long history in British colonialism and The news media and many others seemed shocked by the bigoted outrage that erupted on social media this week after Nina Davuluri , a woman of Indian heritage, won the Miss America crown in Atlantic City. Take the characters on the CBS hit The Big Bang Theory . They re incredibly funny, and as a PhD nerd myself I love them. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.