Ministry of Justice: Strange and ironic, because the Ministry of Justice is one of the many government ministries that turned their backs on the fine work PEERS does. , according to Times Colonist. At the University of Victoria student orientation, I met Emma, a fan of PEERS. The quad was jam-packed with the typical 18- to 24-year-old students, munching on free burgers and scoping out the information booths and each other. Its strange that PEERS the Prostitute Education and Empowerment Resource Society received an award from the Ministry of Justice for exemplary leadership in crime prevention and community safety. In late August, PEERS closed its drop-in doors due to lack of funds. I am concerned about the repercussions of this. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

retail businesses: The province is reminding retailers that most non-essential businesses are required to be closed until 1 p.m. on Nov. 11. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. The law is designed to commemorate the contributions and sacrifices made by Canadians in battle as well as ongoing international military efforts. No shopping until after 1 p.m. on Remembrance Day. GEOFF ROBINS / THE CANADIAN PRESS The Remembrance Day Act permits retail businesses to open, as long as they close between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Rob Ford: When Toronto's police chief more or less confirmed last week the existence of a video showing Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack, the reaction was mostly the same as it would be anywhere -- a collection of disappointment, anger and condemnation. But mixed in was something more telling: a pervasive concern about what the world would think. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. That concern says more about Toronto, and by extension Canada, than Ford's crack video. Canada's largest city, where I grew up, is a sprawling, crowded, diverse, fabulously wealthy and increasingly exciting place. It's Canada's New York City the nation's finance capital , San Francisco technology and Los Angeles entertainment put together, and is by almost every measure a world-class city. There's only one thing holding it back: An adolescent's obsession over what other people think of it. Toronto Mayor Rob Ford admitted Tuesday he smoked crack cocaine. "He's embarrassed Toronto in a world-class manner," read a typical tweet; variations on that theme included "He's making Toronto look bad" and "He has been an ongoing embarrassment to the city, at home and abroad." A city councillor worried that "this is getting spread globally," while The Canadian Press published a compendium of damning foreign coverage. Related Items Articles 'I've smoked crack cocaine' Ford's transgressions target of opinions, wisecracks Ford under mounting pressure to step aside after crack confession Ford's drug confession clashes with 'good' Canadian image: expert Rob Ford's 'crack' admission called legally safe, 'cynical' political ploy Columns Joke's on us when we laugh at T.O. mayor (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Markit: Data compiler Markit's composite PMI index of manufacturing and services came in at 50.5, the same as September's final reading but higher than a "flash" estimate of 50.1 and holding above the 50 point line denoting expansion. , according to Reuters. "The latest data provide some moderately encouraging signs for France's dominant service sector at the start of Q4," said Markit economist Jack Kennedy. PARIS - French private sector activity grew for a second straight month in October, and at a brisker pace than initially reported, as employment rose for the first time in more than 1-1/2 years, a poll showed on Wednesday. A report earlier this week showed activity was still shrinking among manufacturers, but the latest data showed French services sector activity grew, with a PMI reading of 50.9, just below September's 51.0 but comfortably above a flash reading of 50.2. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Khaira Enterprises Ltd.: The roughly 50 planters, many of them recent immigrants or refugees from Africa, complained about the conditions of the Khaira Enterprises Ltd., camp in July 2010, according to Huffington Post. Twenty witnesses testified during hearings that began Sept. 30, and the tribunal was told workers were paid infrequently and were also subjected to extreme racial harassment, including racial slurs, verbal abuse and mockery and VANCOUVER - The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal will hear final arguments next month as it considers the case of a group of tree planters who allege they endured slave-like conditions and discrimination while working at a remote camp in southeastern B.C. Forests ministry officials shut down the camp, near Golden, after the planters were discovered in filthy conditions, without proper shelter or clean water, and told ministry staff they had not had food for two days. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

bus hijacking: STAVANGER, Norway Norwegian police say that a knife-wielding man who allegedly stabbed three people to death during a bus hijacking in rural Norway had been due to be deported on Tuesday, according to The Chronicle Herald. The man allegedly hijacked the bus on Monday, killing the other occupants, two men in their 50s the Norwegian bus driver and a Swedish male passenger and a 19-year-old Norwegian woman. The man was arrested and Police spokeswoman Eli Anne Tvergrov says the 31-year-old suspect from South Sudan had been living at a reception centre for asylum seekers in the nearby small town of Aardal and was due to be arrested and sent to Spain to have his application for asylum reviewed there. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

food banks: The annual report by Food Banks Canada, issued Tuesday, reveals that 60,229 people used food banks in the province in March 2013, down 5.1 per cent from the previous year. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. And compared with March 2008, food bank use in the province was up 48.8 per cent, the study says. The number of Manitobans relying on food banks has dropped in the past year but still remains at near-record highs close to four years after the end of the economic recession. However, Manitoba reported the highest rate of children using food banks at 44.7 per cent. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Eddie Izzard: Occasionally his synapses fire faster than his mouth can process them, leading to entertaining diversions, which can be expected when his Force Majeure cross-Canada tour stops at Halifaxs Rebecca Cohn Auditorium for two nights, Sunday and Monday, according to The Chronicle Herald. They re somewhere between the people who work at Mac computer stores and MAC Cosmetics stores, which is my kind of people, he says from London and Onstage, British comedian and actor Eddie Izzard is a manic ball of energy, leaping from thought to thought with an ability to connect brilliantly insane concepts with lightning speed. In conversation, the comic known for his sense of glam hes referred to himself with colourful terms like executive transvestite and male lesbian takes his foot off the adrenalin pedal, but the brain remains ever so sharp as he discusses his current shows themes and global adventures that include his upcoming visit among us Canucks, who he considers ideal audience members. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Chris Alexander: It spiked. Between January and June, 125,000 temporary foreign workers were admitted into the country; a 5-per-cent increase over the same period last year, according to The Star. Chris Alexander , who became minister of citizenship and immigration in July, did his best to explain the embarrassing surprise and Since spring Canadians have been assured the number of temporary foreign workers entering Canada will drop, thanks to the restrictions put in place by Stephen Harpers government. It wasnt because businesses went on a hiring spree; Canadian job applicants were being turned away in droves. It wasnt because the economy was growing; it has been anemic all year. And it certainly wasnt because Canadians want more low-cost foreign labour pouring into the country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

eligibility requirements: On Jan. 2, nine categories will be consolidated into three with new eligibility requirements, according to CTV. The government says the new category will provide increased flexibility by accepting several applications from workers with skills in high demand without the requirement of pre-arranged employment and The provincial government has announced changes to the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program. The family referral category will be combined with the skilled worker category to create a new international skilled workers category, which will focus on attracting workers with high-skilled employment offers. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.