Advanced Education Minister Amrik Virk: Virk said in an interview that he and Jobs Minister Shirley Bond both wanted post-secondary schools to continue delivering ESL training to immigrants and domestic students, but that federal officials had other ideas. , according to Times Colonist. The ministry revealed this week that colleges and universities will lose $17 million in federal funding that the schools use to deliver ESL programs. Advanced Education Minister Amrik Virk denied Thursday that the provincial government has endorsed changes that will strip colleges and universities of money for teaching English as a second language. Our preference would be to retain the current funding model, Virk said. At no time have we endorsed a program that results in reduced funding for some of these critical ESL programs. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Dow Jones industrials: The S P/TSX composite index was 11.31 points higher at 13,125.7, according to Times Colonist. U.S. indexes were similarly lacklustre after three days of losses as the Dow Jones industrials edged 15.93 points higher to 15,755.36, the Nasdaq added 2.57 points to 4,000.98 and the S P 500 index slipped 0.18 of a point to 1,775.32 and TORONTO - The Toronto stock market closed little changed Friday with buyers not inclined to do much on hopes that a meeting of the Federal Reserve next week will provide clarity on whether the central bank is set to start reducing its monetary stimulus. The Canadian dollar closed up 0.4 of a cent at 94.38 cents US. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Doug Porter: Add it all up, and what you have is the largest medium-term threat to Canadas economy, BMO chief economist Doug Porter said in a client note this week , according to Huffington Post. There are now more jobs in health care in Ontario than there are in manufacturing; as recently as 2000, there were twice as many factory jobs as health care jobs and Heinz shuts down its plant in Leamington, Ont., laying off more than 700 and ending a 104-year-long presence in the town. Three weeks later, Kelloggs shuts down its plant in London, Ont., erasing 500 jobs . Days after that, drugmaker Novartis announces its pharmaceutical plant in Mississauga will shut down , taking 300 jobs with it. Porter noted that Ontario has lost 4 per cent of all its manufacturing jobs in the past year something he understatedly describes as not good. Canada overall lost 2.5 per cent of all its manufacturing jobs this year , the Wall Street Journal notes and thats despite a recent rise in manufacturing output . (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Brian Pallister: Opposition Progressive Conservative Leader Brian Pallister is calling on the premier to investigate the conduct of his former immigration and multiculturalism minister and why she lied to a standing committee on her role in an April 2012 email sent by one of her senior bureaucrats. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. In the budget estimates meeting, Melnick was being questioned on the matter by former Morris MLA Mavis Taillieu. Brian Pallister BRUCE OWEN / Photo Store Related Items Links Melnick/Taillieu exchange Pallister, quoting from a transcript of a committee of supply budget estimates meeting May 30, 2012, said then-immigration and multiculturalism minister Christine Melnick denied directing an assistant deputy minister to send an email to immigration service agencies to the legislature for an event that turned out to be a confrontation between the NDP and four federal Conservative MPs over Ottawa's plan to seize control of the delivery of immigrant services. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Mouvement Quebec Francais: Citing the attempted attack on Pauline Marois the night she was elected premier, bathroom graffiti, Facebook posts and editorial columns, the Societ Saint Jean Baptiste, Imperatif Francais and the Mouvement Quebec Francais say the linguistic debate in Quebec has degraded in recent years, according to CTV. 101 Quebec personalities, including former politicians, entertainers, and social activists have signed the declaration and are calling on others to add their names to the document and More than 100 personalities have signed a document calling for an end to francophobia from anglophones and anglophone media. As a result it's calling on citizens of Quebec and Canada to "rise up and reject intimidating speech and demand a democratic debate based on respect and dignity." (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Dwayne De Rosario: TORONTO CP Portland Timbers captain Will Johnson has been chosen Canadas male soccer player of the year, according to The Chronicle Herald. Johnson is the 14th winner of the award and the third from MLS ranks, following Dwayne De Rosario and Pat Onstad and Atiba Hutchinson was runner-up in voting by Canadian media, coaches and clubs. Midfielders Patrice Bernier of the Montreal Impact and Russell Teibert of the Vancouver Whitecaps were third and fourth, respectively. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Sandy Winick: They would frolic in an outdoor pool and entertain frequently. They reveled in other comforts such as a home theatre and big recreation room. Four fireplaces kept them cozy. A giant aquarium was a nice conversation piece, according to The Star. He had come a long way after growing up poor and struggling in business as a young adult before hitting it big in the shady world of penny stock promotion and Sandy Winick had settled into a multi-million dollar mansion in an upscale north Toronto neighbourhood with his wife and two young daughters in 2005. It seemed life couldnt get much better. Winick and his second wife Jodi also drove luxury cars and travelled a lot. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Premier Kathleen Wynne: The news comes amid a rash of pending plant closures by companies that received provincial government subsidies, according to CTV. Premier Kathleen Wynne said the agreement will add up to 1,700 jobs with a focus on research and development over the next six years, but there will be other benefits and TORONTO -- Ontario's Liberals are handing up to $220 million to Cisco Canada as part of a deal that could see the high-tech giant invest as much as $4 billion and create thousands of jobs in the province over the next decade. Cisco, which sells computer hardware, software and services, said the 10-year deal includes a framework with the potential to grow its Ontario workforce by up to 5,000 by 2024, "reflecting a potential total investment of up to $4 billion." (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Premier Kathleen Wynne: The news comes amid a rash of pending plant closures by companies that received provincial government subsidies, according to 660 News. Premier Kathleen Wynne said the agreement will add up to 1,700 jobs with a focus on research and development over the next six years, but there will be other benefits and TORONTO Ontarios Liberals are handing up to $220 million to Cisco Canada as part of a deal that could see the high-tech giant invest as much as $4 billion and create thousands of jobs in the province over the next decade. Cisco, which sells computer hardware, software and services, said the 10-year deal includes a framework with the potential to grow its Ontario workforce by up to 5,000 by 2024, reflecting a potential total investment of up to $4 billion. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada: A statement released Thursday from Citizenship and Immigration Canada says the federal government remains committed to helping new Canadians fully integrate into the economy, and it will assume direct management of settlement programs in B.C. in April, according to Huffington Post. B.C.'s Advanced Education Minister Amrik Virk says the federal government gave the province $22 million a year for ESL training under the Canada-BC Immigration Agreement, and of that money his ministry received about $17 million and VICTORIA - Citizenship and Immigration Canada says federal English-as-a-second-language programs for new British Columbians will continue despite the provincial government's concerns about funding changes. The statement also says Citizenship and Immigration Canada has been working with the B.C. government to ensure there will be no service interruptions during the transition. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.