Xstrata Nickel: The former vice-president of corporate affairs at Xstrata Nickel will be listed in the Canadian Board Diversity Councils database, a tool to help directors find qualified women and visible minorities to fill board seats, according to 660 News. There are a lot of board members at the top 500 companies that will be retiring in the next five years, and I think its a great opportunity, says Dionne, who lives in Toronto and TORONTO After conquering the male-dominated mining industry, Dominique Dionne is hoping for a spot on one of the countrys top corporate boards. Now entering its second year, the Diversity 50 database is adding 50 new candidates, effectively doubling in size. Last year, six of its candidates were elected to board-level positions. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Crowne Pacific Development Corporation: Copyright 2013, according to Times Colonist and Plans are moving forward for the biggest development of new rental accommodation in Courtenay for decades. Crowne Pacific Development Corporation wants to build 94 two- and three-bedroom apartments on four adjacent lots between 3230 and 3280 Cliffe Avenue - land overlooking the estuary on the opposite side of Cliffe to Future Shop. City councillors last night passed first and second readings of the necessary rezoning bylaws to allow the project - to be called Acadia on the Walk - to go forward to a public hearing, to be held at City Hall on Monday, October 21 5 p.m. . Developer Brett Giese said it was a great site that was close to stores, recreational opportunities and public transit. He told council it was his intention to build two four-storey residential blocks, each of 47 self-contained suites and all equipped to high standards, including fitted kitchens with dishwashers and individual laundry appliances in each unit. Suites higher than ground level would all have balconies, many with views over the estuary; and in the landscaped grounds 124 parking stalls would be created to be accessed from the Anfield/Cliffe signaled intersection. Giese said the development of "clean, safe and affordable housing" was modeled on one his company had just completed at Campbell River, and despite its high quality the intention was to offer units at rents in the $900- $1100 a month range. To ensure the apartments remain as rental units, the company was willing to enter into a ten-year legal agreement with the City to guarantee they would only be for rent, and not available for sale. Councillors were unanimous in welcoming the idea of new rental accommodation, although Councillors Doug Hillian and Ronna-Rae Leonard said it would have been even better if there had been some one-bedroom units as well as two and three bedroom apartments. That, they said, would have made at least some smaller units affordable to more people. But Mayor Larry Jangula said he thought the plan was "a great idea, a great concept and something that's really needed." Most existing rental stock in town was 25 or more years old, he added, and he felt the rents being proposed for a brand new development with modern amenities were in the right ballpark. And Coun. Jon Ambler suggested affordability was not simply an issue of rent levels, important though they were. The location of the project meant that people wouldn't need to own a car, because they were within walking, cycling or a bus ride to a host of retail and employment opportunities. Those factors all helped contribute to affordability, he suggested. And Coun. Manno Theos said some people currently living in less expensive rental units might well be in a position - and have the desire - to move up the ladder, creating vacancies in older units helping broaden the availability at different rent levels. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Chancellor Angela Merkel: BERLIN - Germany's Greens threw up a new hurdle to a possible coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives on Wednesday by condemning her government's refugee policies after the migrant boat disaster off the Italian island of Lampedusa. , according to Reuters. Then they added changes to refugee rules to their wish list following Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich's rejection of calls for Germany to take in more refugees after about 300 African migrants died last week crossing the Mediterranean. By Erik Kirschbaum The Greens, who will hold exploratory talks with the conservatives on Thursday evening, were already skeptical about helping Merkel form a government for her third term because of differences on energy, tax and social issues. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Sri Lanka: OTTAWA - Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on Monday he would not attend a November summit of the Commonwealth in Sri Lanka because of what he called human rights abuses on the island, according to Reuters. Sri Lanka's envoy to Canada disputed Harper's comments. The U.N.'s human rights chief said last month that Sri Lanka could be sliding toward an authoritarian system as President Mahinda Rajapaksa gathered power around him and By David Ljunggren "We remain disturbed by ongoing reports of intimidation and incarceration of political leaders and journalists, harassment of minorities, reported disappearances, and allegations of extra judicial killings," he said in a statement. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Sheikh Omar: AMMAN - Iraqi and Lebanese Shi'ite militia backed by Syrian army firepower overran a southern suburb of Damascus on Wednesday, opposition activists said, in a blow to Sunni Muslim rebels trying to hold onto strategic outskirts of the capital, according to Reuters. Sheikh Omar sits between two highways leading south of Damascus that are crucial to supplying President Bashar al-Assad's forces in the provinces of Deraa and Sweida on the border with Jordan and By Khaled Yacoub Oweis At least 20 rebels were killed when Hezbollah guerrillas and Iraqi militiamen captured the town of Sheikh Omar under cover of Syrian army artillery and tank fire and aerial bombardment, the activists said, with tens of Shi'ite fighters killed or wounded. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Paul Desmarais: But whatever descriptors were attached to billionaire Paul Desmarais over more than five decades in business, the chairman of the aptly named Power Corporation left a deep mark on the face of Quebec and Canada, according to The Star. Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a statement that Desmarais was one of Canadas most successful businessmen and will be remembered for his leadership, his philanthropy and community involvement as well as his profound attachment to his country and MONTREAL They called him an industrialist, a financier, a tycoon and a newspaper baron. Quebec sovereigntists called him worse much worse. The Desmarais family wife Jacqueline and children Paul Jr., Andre, Louise and Sophie said in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family on Tuesday evening at his family retreat in Quebecs Charlevoix region, north of Quebec City. The cause of death was not disclosed, but he had suffered a stroke in 2005. He was 86. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

CSEC: Citing documents obtained under freedom of information laws, the British newspaper said Communications Security Establishment Canada CSEC participated in meetings that have been held twice yearly since 2005, according to Huffington Post. The meetings themselves had been reported on before , but CSEC's participation appears to be new information. The detail could be significant, as CSEC is tasked with electronic surveillance outside Canada and The government agency accused of industrial espionage against Brazil participated in secret meetings where Canadian energy companies were briefed by federal security agencies, The Guardian reported Wednesday . Energy companies at these meetings are briefed on such issues as threats to energy infrastructure, challenges to energy projects from environmental groups, and economic and corporate espionage, The Guardian reported. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

The Conference Board: The think-tank says the index climbed 10 percentage points in August, suggesting that Fridays key labour market report from Statistics Canada will show a gain of about 8,500 jobs created in September, according to 660 News. The Conference Board says a 10-point gain in the index is significant, but only serves to offset the previous months drop and is still 10 points below the May level and OTTAWA The Conference Board says theres been an uptick in its help-wanted index that points to a moderate increase in job activity in Canada last month. That is close to the consensus of economists expectations for the month. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Premier Darrell Dexters: Taken in isolation the defeat inflicted on outgoing Premier Darrell Dexters party Tuesday would be enough to rattle New Democrats from coast to coast. The fact that it is only the latest in a series of poor omens for the NDP compounds the damage to party morale, according to The Star. It is the first time in more than a hundred years that Nova Scotians declined to return an incumbent government for a second mandate and MONTREAL Thomas Mulcair did not have a hand in the NDPs stunning Nova Scotia setback but he will still take a hit for it. Nova Scotia was the first province in Atlantic Canada to experiment with an NDP government. The popular verdict after a single term will do little for the party in the rest in the region. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Toronto Life columnist Jesse Brown: According to a new video podcast from Maclean's and Toronto Life columnist Jesse Brown , when it comes to the country's most venerated newspaper, the answer is a resounding yes, according to Huffington Post. I guess the alleged bias makes sense, since Globe publisher Phillip Crawley said at a conference this week that the paper is "really only interested in readers who earn more than $100,000." Does the Canadian media have a grudge against millennials? Along with Hazlitt Magazine's Alexandra Molotkow , Brown skewers The Globe and Mail for the large number of articles and opinion pieces dedicated to chiding Gen Y for being lazy, entitled and in every way worse than Baby Boomers. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.