Kelly Gallagher-Mackay: The made-in-Canada option of private refugee sponsorship is lauded internationally as an exciting innovation, according to Toronto Star. Within Canada, sponsors enact values of active citizenship, humanitarianism and solidarity – while providing financial and individualized social support to refugees. By Kelly Gallagher-Mackay Tues., May 3, 2016 My school community, my neighbours and I are among those newly involved in refugee sponsorship. But the sponsorship system is in a rocky place. Further, there is a profound gap between resources available to privately sponsored refugees and government-assisted refugees, the ones adrift in hotels and unable to start their new Canadian lives. Now that the 25,000-refugee target has been met, sponsors and refugees are being told to accept a reversion to insufferably slow processing – with arrival times in 2017 or later. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

federal election campaign: Borden won the October 1911 election on the strength of his xenophobic indulgences betrayed by a telling slogan: "A White Canada." The 1911 federal election campaign played on voters' phobias and patriotism, according to Huffington Post Canada. Robert Borden Conservatives were happy to harvest the fear of foreigners on the road to their electoral victory. As Canadians look down upon the severe tone of the Republican primary season, they might console themselves by saying: "We would never resort to that kind of hateful dialogue, and it would never work here -- in the multicultural haven that is Canada." Prime Minister Robert Borden might prove them wrong. No to 'free trade'Voters viewed with trepidation the proposed free trade deal with outsiders -- those south of the 49th parallel. Arthur Hawkes was in charge of the special appeal to British-born Canadians, 250,000 of whom had immigrated to Canada in the three years leading up to the election. In Toronto, the Canadian-British Association lobby group was formed to spread its malicious message of anti-Americanism across Ontario in the months preceding the election. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Dipendra Jha: The former Kelowna, B.C., software developer had been been living in Nepal for the last four years, working for a technology outsourcing company, Cloud Factory, according to Globe and Mail. This is a catch-all ASF view; only displays when an unsupported article type is put in an ASF drop zone Mr. Police had taken Robert Penner into custody on Monday at the request of immigration officials. Penner lawyer, Dipendra Jha, told The Globe and Mail that his client was in good shape after a night in detention. Jha said officials allege that Mr. Mr. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: He back again with two new books that focus on Canada north and the prairies. "There were so many experiences that I couldn't get into the first book," Esrock told CBC The Homestretch on Monday. "Bucket lists are like whack-a-mole, according to CBC. The more you tick, the more you want to tick. That according to author Robin Esrock, who in 2013 released The Great Canadian Bucket List: One-of-a-Kind Travel Experiences. So I discovered a lot more experiences, especially in the prairies, which is this overlooked part of the country." MORE PRAIRIE NEWS Wildrose, PC leaders skeptical about new right-wing partyMORE PRAIRIE NEWS Bear cubs as small as kittens captured on video by man in northern Saskatchewan When Canadians are looking for travel inspiration, they often look to the city, Esrock said. It says a lot about Canadian culture, I heard this great quirk that Canadians are arrogant with their modesty," he said. "When I first set out to do this book I was amazed that no one had written a book like this before. But he said the prairies have their own kind of magic. "I personally find the prairies to be a really reflective part of the country and also perfect for road trips," he said. "I know that some people find it to be kind of dull, but if you just stop and look around once in a while, just to feel the big sky, I find it to be really reflective." Esrock, who was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and is now based in Canada, said he still finds it a bit odd to have a best-selling travel book about a country in which he has only lived since 1999. "The irony is not lost on me that a Canadian immigrant has written a best-selling book about things to do in Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

John Ridsdel: By mid-afternoon people from three neighbourhoods were told to leave immediately, according to Metro News. Sandra Hickey lives in a neighbourhood that was still under voluntary evacuation, but she was anxious nonetheless."When I got in the shower earlier today the sky was blue. Crews had seemed to be making progress controlling the blaze, burning since the weekend, but the situation worsened quickly. When I got out, the sky was black," Hickey said.___ Muslim militants in the Philippines released a video showing the beheading of Canadian hostage John Ridsdel, an American group that monitors jihadi websites reported. In a series of tweets, Rita Katz of the SITE Intelligence Group cited the video as saying Ridsdel was beheaded on April 25 "due to non-compliance" of the Canadian government. Ridsdel, 68, of Calgary, was one of four tourists — including fellow Canadian Robert Hall, Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad and Filipina Marites Flor — who were kidnapped last Sept. 21 by Abu Sayyaf militants. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

systematic method: For instance, while it will not cover the cost of acetaminophen that exceeds the maximum recommended dose, no such limits exist for narcotics or sedatives. — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada lacks a systematic method of identifying and documenting fraud risks among its applicants, resulting in people being granted citizenship based on incomplete information or background checks. — The RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency do not consistently share important details about criminal charges and potential residency fraud with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. — Between 2008 and 2015, 50 different applicants used the same single address on their citizenship applications during overlapping time periods; seven of the applicants became Canadian citizens before the address was flagged during a residency fraud investigation. — Citizenship officers did not always follow the standard procedure of checking travel documents against the department database of lost, stolen and fraudulent documents. — Out of 38 criminal cases since 2010 involving a permanent resident or foreign national, the RCMP shared the relevant details with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada in only two of them. — Individual units of the Canadian Army reserve units lack sufficient soldiers — just 14,000 instead of a needed 21,000 — as well as access to key equipment for domestic missions and clear guidance on training, counter to National Defence stated goal. — Between the 2012–13 and 2014–15 fiscal years, the number of Canadian Army reservists has dwindled by about five per cent, or about 1,000 soldiers per year. — The process of choosing fund managers for the government $400-million "Venture Capital Action Plan," established in the 2012 budget, was onerous, laden with red tape and insufficiently fair, open and transparent, resulting in just nine submissions out of a possible 100 would-be candidates. — The Immigration and Refugee Board has long-standing vacancies that are contributing to decision-making delays: 21 positions are vacant, leading to wait times of an average of 18 months. — Via Rail lacks a long-term plan or direction approved by the federal government, receiving federal approval only for short-term funding and its five-year plan — a "significant deficiency" that makes it impossible for Via to "fulfill its mandate as economically, efficiently and effectively as desired." By The Canadian Press, according to The Waterloo Record. The audit estimates the cost could reach $25 million in 2016-17, nearly one third of the drug costs of the Veterans Affairs health benefits program. — Veterans Affairs also lacks a "well-defined approach" for monitoring drug use among veterans, and does not monitor trends that could indicate "high-risk" behaviour. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Mac Leod Trail: Signs accused Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of being a murder, and depicted him sitting in a bathtub full of blood, according to Metro News. One motorist driving by on Mac Leod Trail honked his horn and gave protesters the thumbs up through his sunroof. The protest was just one of many held across the world in solidarity with the people of Aleppo – a city reportedly undergoing heavy bombardment since a ceasefire was lifted last week. Protest organizer Saima Jamal said many of the refugees taking part in the protest would never dream of such freedom under the Assad Regime. If they did they would be immediately jailed. These people never had a chance to express their political opinion in Syria, she said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

business owners: Everyone has to start somewhere – these Syrians came here with almost nothing and they be need to be able to earn money to survive, said Mr, according to Globe and Mail. Merali, who owns two Good Earth coffee houses. But like many business owners taking on Syrian employees, his motivation is not entirely philanthropic – he also looking to find hard-working employees in a sector with high turnover. But it also very tough to find good people – people who have loyalty, a good hard work ethic and actually want to be here. Merali hired Syrian workers through an immigrant youth-employment program run by the Calgary Catholic Immigration Services. This is a catch-all ASF view; only displays when an unsupported article type is put in an ASF drop zone Mr. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Syrian refugees: Little Alan Kurdi, washed ashore, suddenly refocuses Syrian tragedy: Nahlah Ayed People were desperate and children were dying, according to CBC. In Canada, communities mobilized to privately sponsor refugees. The moment brought the realities of the Syrian crisis to the world attention. Campaign promises during a federal election led to government action at an unprecedented pace. In contrast, just over 12,000 refugees were resettled across Canada in all of 2014. In less than four months, from November through February, 25,000 Syrian refugees were resettled to Canada and the numbers continue to grow. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

presidential nominee: But with Donald Trump becoming a more likely presidential nominee by the day, Ospina decided to wait no more, rushing the paperwork required to become a citizen. "Trump is dividing us as a country," said Ospina, owner of a small flooring and kitchen remodeling company. "He so negative about immigrants, according to Huffington Post Canada. We've got to speak up." Nationwide, immigrants like Ospina are among tens of thousands applying for naturalization in a year when immigration has taken centre stage in the presidential campaign, especially in the race for the Republican nomination. Ospina has spent almost half his life in the U.S. after emigrating from his native Colombia, becoming eligible for citizenship in 1990. Edgar Ospina, who has spent almost half of his life in America after emigrating from his native Colombia, recently applied for naturalization. He also vowed to bar Muslims from entering the country and threatened to cut off remittances that Mexican immigrants in the U.S. send back home. Trump, the GOP front-runner, has pledged to deport the estimated 11 million people living in the U.S. illegally. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: We got nothing but love and hospitality in Indiana, so I'd like to share my experience #VIEWS THE FOLLOWING IS PRECISELY WHY I LOVE SPORTS One man requested I let him buy me a drink, according to Huffington Post Canada. So he got me a gingerale, on the rocks of course. I'm not surprised to see these reactions, but I can't say I saw them firsthand. We disagreed on a) our political views #HeLikes Trump, b) which team we thought would win the series #RaptorsbutISaid Sorry, and yet we laughed and shared a moment together as fans, as individuals, as neighbours on the other side of the border. When you throw on your team colours, you're no longer a Sikh, Jew, Christian, White, or Black. The woman to my right below made me her honourary Toronto husband The next picture below shows the common denominator between us all: Passion! Simply put, sports has a way of connecting people. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

town character: When plans leaked out, though, there was no celebration, only furious opposition that culminated in residents packing the fire hall to complain the roads couldn’t handle the truck traffic, the stench from the plant would be unbearable and immigrants and out-of-towners would flood the area, overwhelming schools and changing the town character, according to Toronto Star. Everyone was against it, said Jackie Ladd, who has lived there for more than 30 years. Regional economic development officials thought it was the perfect spot for a chicken processing plant that would liven up the 400-person town with 1,100 jobs, more than it had ever seen. How many jobs would it mean for people here Not many. Deep-rooted, rural agricultural communities around the U.S. are seeking economic investments to keep from shedding residents, but those very places face trade-offs that increasing numbers of those who oppose meat processing plants say threaten to burden their way of life and bring in outsiders. The village board unanimously voted against the proposed $300 million plant, and two weeks later, the company said they’d take their plant — and money — elsewhere. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

dramatic entertainment: They’re exaggerated, of course, according to Globe and Mail. The sport is nowhere near the netherworld. Increasingly, we’ve seen these doomsday stories about our national sport. The NHL is doing fine. The game – check the Pittsburgh-Washington series – still offers dramatic entertainment. TV contracts are big. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Parti Qu b cois: March 9, 2014: The fist Péladeau announced his candidacy for election as a star candidate for the Parti Québécois in the riding of St-Jérôme, according to CBC. For the PQ, the two-edged sword that is Pierre Karl Péladeau But his announcement was overshadowed by a simple gesture that would define him: he thrust his right fist in the air, vowing to make Quebec a country. Here are a few of them. It became a viral meme, even getting remixed into music videos. Hoping to regain control of the message in an increasingly chaotic campaign, Marois gently pushed Péladeau away from the podium to answer the question herself. March 13, 2014: The shove During a press conference with former PQ leader Pauline Marois, Példeau was asked a question about a possible conflict of interest around one of his companies doing IT work for the government. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

minorities: That slightly up from five years ago, in 2011, when a total of 291 of 4,502 officers were minorities, for a total of 6.5 per cent, according to CBC. Overall, visible minorities make up 32 per cent of the city population, according to Statistics Canada. Only 324 officers out of 4,586 in the police force are visible minorities, making up seven per cent of the total, the 2015 report says. Quebec police forces still overwhelmingly white Exploring the lack of diversity in Quebec police forces The lack of diversity is even more striking among female officers. The numbers are part of a larger problem seen across the province. Only 56 of Montreal police 1,459 female officers are minorities. "Obviously, we need to do more," said Fo Niemi, executive director of the Center for Research-Action on Race Relations, a Montreal-based civil rights organization. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Canadian: For me this message has no ambiguity, according to The Waterloo Record. Canada is at its truest, accepting 25,000 refugees from war-torn counties. I thought this man would be a great leader, one with a backbone who would put an end to the persecution of Helmut Oberlander. "A Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian," Trudeau said. U.S. army deserters such as Joshua Key, who illegally enter Canada, are being safeguarded, as Mr. Oberlander was directly targeted in his hometown while Trudeau visited the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo As if this man hasn't dealt with enough international harassment, now our own prime minister stands in front of Oberlander friends and family and bullies him. Trudeau confirmed he has "an openness to actually allow him to stay." So why is it that Mr. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Jane Walk: Oftentimes, tours have themes, such as architecture and heritage, LGBT history, local culture or environmental impact, according to NOW Magazine. In Toronto, where Jacobs lived for nearly 40 years before her death in 2006, more than 180 tours are planned. The walks are free and open to everyone, and they’re meant to be fun, engaging and community-based. The majority of events take place May 6 to 8, but some walking tours start earlier and are running until the end of July. For a list of the best Jane100 events, which celebrate what would be Jane Jacobs 100th birthday, go here. To help you sort through the dozens of local Jane Walk tours, we’ve highlighted 15 of the most interesting ones below. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: He pledged that if his Liberals were elected, Canada would accept 25,000 refugees from Syria by the end of the year, according to The Waterloo Record. All that was required, he said last September, was "political will." We know how the story proceeded from there. After the world was galvanized last summer by the plight of Syrian refugees trying to escape a dreadful war, Justin Trudeau made himself the candidate of compassion. The Liberals won the election last October, in part because of Trudeau ability to personify cherished Canadian values such as decency and generosity. His new government was simply unable to screen, process, and transport all those people by January, so it took two months longer than scheduled. He was there at the airport to greet the first arrivals from Syria, to great media fanfare. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Fresh Taste Produce: Until recently, Thupten Nyendak could’ve been one of them, according to NOW Magazine. He worked full-time for Fresh Taste Produce, one of the distribution companies at the Ontario Food Terminal. If you didn’t grow that piece of leafy green yourself, or buy it directly from a farmer at your local farmer market, chances are it would’ve been handled by a line of workers employed at the Ontario Food Terminal. Since April 21, Nyendak and 13 of his colleagues have been on strike, protesting low wages, lack of job benefits and workplace harassment. I meet with Nyendak, better known as Jack to his friends and co-workers, last Thursday morning on the picket line. They have been bargaining for a first contract since November. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Paul Hospital: This is one of many suspicious phone numbers showing up on Aubin-Singh telephone, according to CBC. A recent caller presented himself as a counsellor and told Aubin-Singh that she was in Canada illegally. "They've targeted the wrong person," Aubin-Singh said. "I am not an immigrant. When she does answer, the caller claims to be an employee of Immigration Canada. I've lived here my entire life. Paul Hospital." Aubin-Singh said she is on the national Do Not Call list and has asked her telephone service provider to intervene. I was born at St. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: I think the DNA of this police force has always been community-based, says Jones, who donned the EPS uniform—joining his uncle, brother and cousin—the year before his father retired, according to Metro News. In general, I think policing has fallen away from that in certain places, but I think we’ve been really lucky here," he said. Dan Jones’ keeps a decades-old newspaper clipping of his dad, then a police offer, lighting a cigarette for a homeless man while walking his Boyle Street beat. But if the philosophy is the same, the execution has gotten tougher. But in his almost 20-year career Jones has become a voice for helping the police—not a profession known for diversity—build relationships. Edmonton is more diverse than ever: One in three are a visible minority, and the city also has one of the largest indigenous populations in Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Toronto Gardiner Expressway: Right now, in an industrial plaza tucked in the shadow of Toronto Gardiner Expressway, there is another story breaking that exposes the legislative shortcomings that are failing workers even further down the food chain.A group of 12 Tibetan produce pickers, working for Fresh Taste Produce out of the Ontario Food Terminal, are one week into a strike as they fight for their very first collective agreement, according to Toronto Star. Almost every one of them is a refugee, who came to Canada after a decades-long flight from persecution that left their families stateless. The story revealed the seedy underbelly of a food service industry that many of us take for granted when we treat the family to a night out, but what do we know about the workers who bring us the food we put on our tables at home At nearly every stage of food production, from picking to packing to plating, there are appalling stories of vulnerable and precarious employees who barely earn enough to buy the food they serve. They are not people who are accustomed to having the law on their side but their stories are similar to many people who seek asylum and new opportunities in Canada. Some have worked there for 19 years. These immigrant workers start their warehouse shifts while the city sleeps, sorting the produce you find at your local big box grocery store for wages that range from $14 to $17 an hour. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: As part of it, Trudeau was asked to answer, in 10 seconds or less, what advice he would give men to become better feminists. "There lots of things you can do to be a better feminist as a man but here a simple one: don't interrupt women, and notice every time women get interrupted in conversation," the PM said in a Snapchat video, according to Huffington Post Canada. He got a point. On Saturday, he met the four millennial men behind Generation Y Not for an interview on feminism, and specifically how men can be more effective at it. Studies show that women are interrupted at higher rates than men. Round 2...A photo posted by Generation Y Not on Apr 30, 2016 at 11:50am PDT Generation Y Not first caught Trudeau eye in Ottawa last winter, not the least because they were wearing bright Christmas sweaters, said the prime minister press secretary Cameron Ahmad. Until it is met with a shrug' Trudeau introduced a gender-balanced cabinet last year, and has stated he would prefer there was actually no response to the fact that he a feminist. "I'm going to keep saying loud and clearly that I am a feminist until it is met with a shrug," he said during a discussion on gender equality at the United Nations in New York last month. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Diego Matamoros: Their 2008 production of Neil Simon The Odd Couple, directed by Stuart Hughes and starring Diego Matamoros as Felix and artistic director Albert Schultz as Oscar begins its remount this week, according to Toronto Star. Last time around, the Star called it a bases-loaded homer of a hit, so let see if this Couple still has its spark. Just after Soulpepper Theatre announced huge plans for a new building, over $1 million in new play commissions and a New York City residency, they’re bringing back an old favourite to remind audiences how they got here. May 5-June 11, Young Centre for the Performing ArtsEND, 50 Tank House Lanerock.paper.sistahz Festival Watch this if: You’re tired of the theatre status quo. The pieces included this year are inspired by issues like Black Lives Matter and the inquest into Canada missing and murdered indigenous women. The b current theatre company is celebrating 25 years of showcasing artists from indigenous, black, LGBTQ and multicultural backgrounds, and the 14th annual rock.paper.sistahz Festival continues in this tradition with the theme Higher Power. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

census officials: Statistics Canada says more than 15 million households will receive census letters over eight days, along with reminders to either fill the form out by hand or online, which half of Canadians did five years ago, according to Toronto Star. Every home will receive a short-form questionnaire. Monday marks the start of mailings from Statistics Canada of census surveys, including the return of the mandatory, long-form questionnaire that was replaced with a voluntary survey five years ago. One in every four homes will receive the long-form census. And census officials have visited more than 60 per cent of First Nations communities since the start of April to help residents fill out the questionnaire. So far this year, about 1,700 Canadians have subscribed to an online reminder from Statistics Canada to fill out their form, which the agency says requires no registration or lengthy download processes. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

moving to Canada: Back in the early 2000s some talked the talk when Dubya won, according to NOW Magazine. My family had a yard sale, packed up the Volvo, and got the hell out. Threatening, joking about and even seriously thinking about moving to Canada has become a tradition among Americans in the lead up to U.S. elections. Unfortunately, for those genuinely seeking to avoid the Donald, sorry y’all, it too late. My parents were always civic-minded. Immigrating to Canada takes almost four years. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.