Canadian government assistance: Meanwhile, in Ottawa, the Commons is in an uproar over revelations that U.S. spies set up shop here in 2010 with Canadian government assistance to snoop on international leaders attending the G20 meeting in Toronto , according to The Star. It has long existed in some form. It accelerated wildly after the 2001 terror attacks on New York and Washington. It now threatens to veer out of control and A Canadian is prevented from entering the U.S after border officials gain access to her confidential medical history. Whats common to these two stories is the practice of information sharing between Canada and the U.S. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Chris Mazza: Mazza is countersuing Ornge for the money, claiming in court documents that he was supposed to receive the bonuses by February 2012 -- a few days after he was terminated from Ornge amid allegations of financial irregularities, according to CTV. It alleges Mazza tried to sell the home without Ornge's consent and "failed or refused" to repay the loan and TORONTO -- Ornge's ousted CEO Chris Mazza claims the province's troubled air ambulance service still owes him $1 million in bonuses. Ornge is suing Mazza for $500,000 plus interest, saying he defaulted on a loan he received in 2010 which he used to buy a Toronto home. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Department of Homeland Security: But a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent with the Department of Homeland Security killed that dream when he denied her entry , according to The Star. The Weston woman was told by the U.S. agent she would have to get medical clearance and be examined by one of only three doctors in Toronto whose assessments are accepted by Homeland Security . She was given their names and told a call to her psychiatrist would not suffice and Ellen Richardson went to Pearson airport on Monday full of joy about flying to New York City and from there going on a 10-day Caribbean cruise for which she d paid about $6,000. I was turned away, I was told, because I had a hospitalization in the summer of 2012 for clinical depression, said Richardson, who is a paraplegic and set up her cruise in collaboration with a March of Dimes group of about 12 others. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Joannes Rivoire: "Maybe. I don't know," Joannes Rivoire said from his home in the Avignon region when asked if he'd return to Canada to face the three charges, according to Times Colonist. "I am not willing," he said and A priest wanted on child sex-abuse charges in the North doesn't know if he'll return from France to face them. Rivoire seemed aware of the 1998 Canadian warrant, but didn't want to talk about it when contacted by The Canadian Press on Friday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

crack cocaine: Fords admission that he smoked crack cocaine in the last two years leaves him with a border problem. While he might still be granted entry into the United States applications are handled on a case-by-case basis he could also be rejected, according to the U.S. government and a Toronto immigration lawyer, according to The Star. U.S. officials declined to discuss the specifics of Fords case, citing privacy laws. But they readily addressed the question of whether a hypothetical Canadian citizen would be welcome in the U.S. after speaking publicly about consuming crack cocaine and WASHINGTON Toronto Mayor Rob Ford says he wants to attend the Winter Classic hockey game near Detroit. He may not get past Windsor. Under U.S. law, the mere admission of illegal drug use in Fords case, an admission broadcast far and wide on American television is grounds for a Canadian to be turned away at a crossing. The absence of criminal charges, let alone a conviction, doesnt matter. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Hockey Night in Canada: TORONTO - Don Cherry knows as much about his future on "Hockey Night in Canada," as his fans nothing. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. CBC's iconic hockey broadcast will remain on TV for at least the next four years, but the public broadcaster will not have editorial control of the show. That raises questions about the future of on-air personalities like Cherry and his Coach's Corner sidekick Ron MacLean. Don Cherry speaks February 15, 2011, in Toronto. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese The high-profile hockey commentator's employment status is in doubt after Rogers took control of "Hockey Night in Canada" on Tuesday in a new 12-year, $5.2-billion agreement between the telecommunications giant and the NHL. Related Items Articles CBC loses control of 'Hockey Night in Canada' to Rogers in blockbuster deal Columns CBC, TSN iced in Rogers' $5.2-billion broadcast-rights deal with NHL Poll Should Rogers keep Don Cherry? Yes No View Results Proudly brought to you by: Poll What do you think will happen when Rogers takes over NHL broadcasting? It'll cost more but coverage will improve. It'll cost more and coverage will be worse. It'll cost less and coverage will be better. It'll cost less but coverage will be worse. It'll make no difference. View Results Proudly brought to you by: (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Jocelyn A.: I m at peace and feeling independent. My kids are happy, said the 33-year-old. I m more worried about what I m going to do after the holidays. , according to Times Colonist. More Christmas fund stories" More Christmas fund stories Though shes about to face her first Christmas alone with three kids, Jocelyn A. is more grateful than worried. In October, she gathered the strength to leave a relationship and go to a transition house. Starting over has been a struggle. The transition house helped her find an apartment, which she and her children, ages four, 12 and 14, moved into this month. The Mustard Seed gave them a welcome basket of food and Women In Need provided a few basic pieces of furniture. They even got a Christmas tree. With the help of the Christmas Fund, Jocelyn will also be able to buy groceries and gifts. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Radovan Krejcir: This James Bond-style scenario might sound far-fetched, but it is just the latest instalment in the bizarre case of Radovan Krejcir, according to The Star. While Johannesburg is notorious for having a high crime rate, the Krejcir story is a particularly extreme example, with one man seemingly at the centre of a whirlwind of murder and mayhem. It also highlights the issue of police corruption, which may have shielded him from prison until now and JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA When a Czech fugitive with shady underworld connections appeared in a South African court this week, journalists were barred from the courtroom because of fears they might be assassins in disguise, with guns hidden in their cameras and pens. The crime saga has captivated South Africa, offering a glimpse at the underbelly of the drugs and money laundering trade controlled by gangland bosses with powerful connections. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Lebanon: Throughout the day, young boys and girls walk along dirt roads, carrying baskets of fruits and vegetables from the fields to shops. Some are barefoot, while others struggle with the heavy load, according to Times Colonist. More than two million Syrians have fled their country's civil war, now in its third year, seeking shelter in neighbouring countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq. At least half of the refugees 1.1 million are children. Of those, some 75 per cent are under the age of 12, according to the United Nations refugee agency and ZAHLEH, Lebanon - Every morning in northeastern Lebanon, hundreds of Syrian children are picked up from refugee settlements, loaded onto trucks and taken to the fields or shops for a day's work that earns $4 or less. The children, some as young as 7, are cheap labour in Lebanon and Jordan, where they've fled the Syrian civil war. And they are fast becoming primary providers for their families as the adults can't find jobs in exile. They work long hours of manual labour in fields, farms and shops for little pay, according to a U.N. report issued Friday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Mel Boutilier: Bit by bit, box by box, the space is filling in, according to The Chronicle Herald. If we had one of them we might send them, too, says Mel Boutilier and When it leaves Halifax on Monday, this 12-metre shipping container will be packed with school supplies, clothes, shoes, sheets, blankets, beds, tables, toothbrushes you name it. Everything but the kitchen sink. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.