Komagata Maru ship: The Komagata Maru ship itself was sold off for spare parts decades ago and no physical marker of it remains, according to Huffington Post Canada. Yet, what does remain is the injustice. The people who raised thousands of dollars to pay for the passengers' legal fees and the people who gathered at meetings in 1914 to support Asian exclusion have also passed away. What lives on is the knowledge that Canada passed laws that were racist and sought to legitimize discrimination under the guise of legal process and parliamentary procedure. Even if a single person from that time does not exist, that doesn't change the fact that so many of us are directly affected by this historic injustice. We did something wrong -- and it was state sanctioned. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Karon Lius: Order this photo Karon Lius, left, and Suresh Doss, right, share food at Pho Metro in Scarborough, according to Toronto Star. Order this photo Food from New Quality Bakery ranges from fish to pickled eggplants to hard-boiled eggs wrapped in a banana leaf. Doss finds the flavours of GTA in suburban takeout spots. Order this photo Dosa are seen lined up at New Quality Bakery in Scarborough. Actually, there were a lot of good spots to eat in my neighbourhood that I didn't know about until food writer Suresh Doss pointed them out as we drove to Scarborough. Order this photo By Karon Liu Food Writer Wed., May 18, 2016 I'm ashamed to admit I didn't realize there a place for Zanzibar food just a short drive from my house. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Salma Ataullahjan: Very few of the Syrians settled in Canada are from refugee camps — the vast majority of more than 4 million refugees from the Syrian war don't live in UN camps, but in cities or informal settlements in the region, according to CBC. Conservative Sen. Ottawa dispatches 40 more staff to reduce Syrian refugee backlog Syrian refugees raise funds to help Fort McMurray fire victims He said some are coming from camps where it is the norm to be offered meals and suggested that why they may be using food banks here. Salma Ataullahjan says she concerned by McCallum suggestion it a cultural issue, noting it her understanding people use food banks because they don't have money. Syrian refugees turn to food banks as they struggle to cope with high cost of living Michelle Rempel questions 'offloading' Syrian refugee student costs Government assisted Syrian refugees receive income support but there has been criticism it not enough, given the larger-than-expected size of the average Syrian families who've come to Canada in the last six months. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: The acting president of MAGMA board of directors, Vinay Wadnikop, said all of the staff at MAGMA are employed under annual contracts and the board decided in April not to renew Alexandre contract, according to CBC. Vinay Wadnikop, acting president of MAGMA, says the association board is looking for 'fresh leadership.' Wadnikop said Alexandre contributed a great deal to MAGMA, but the board is looking for fresh leadership. Alexandre was in charge throughout this year settlement of hundreds of Syrian refugees, a process that placed an unprecedented level of strain on the organization. He said he could not get into specifics, but they are looking for a new approach. Some of the problems that cropped up included translators who signed up to volunteer their services, but weren't contacted for months and some refugees were moved into hotels rather than homes because MAGMA was surprised by the size of the families. MAGMA has struggled recently, trying to settle about 358 Syrian refugees in less than four months, whereas the group normally settles about 70 families in an entire year. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Don Forgeron: The conditions include no threat of wildfire or from smoke, according to Metro News. Basic emergency, medical and other services such as water, electricity and natural gas must be available. Notley said the re-entry will be done in stages and will be voluntary. She said hazardous areas within the community must also be made secure. Too many cities have allowed homes and facilities to be built in areas where they could be destroyed by floods or fire, said Don Forgeron, the organization president and CEO. It that kind of planning that put parts of Fort McMurray at risk when a raging wildfire swept through parts of the town earlier this month. More than 80,000 people fled the city on May 3 due to the wildfire that continues to burn in northeastern Alberta.__AVOID DISASTER- INSURANCE BOSS Decision-makers across the country need to start saying no to proposed developments on flood plains or near fire-prone boreal forests like those around Fort McMurray to prevent widespread damage from future natural disasters, says the head of the Insurance Bureau of Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

House of Commons: With a turban proudly on his head and a chest full of medals for his Canadian community service, he rose to his feet in the public gallery of the House of Commons and shouted the phrase for all to hear, according to The Waterloo Record. And the hundreds of Indo-Canadians in attendance Wednesday for the historic moment roared back their thanks in union. "This is a country for people who bring prosperity to be part of the mainstream, work together, play together, pray together," Sohi said afterwards. Related Stories Justin Trudeau apologizes for... Text of Trudeau Komagata Maru... Komagata Maru: a chronology of... Komagata Maru resonates across... Prof hopes Komagata Maru apology... So as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau concluded his formal apology Wednesday for the Komagata Maru incident of 1914, Amarjeet Singh Sohi, who had travelled from outside Toronto to watch the event, could not restrain himself. It wasn't always that way. The 376 passengers arrived off the coast of B.C. hoping to challenge the immigration laws at the time which refused entry to any Indians who had not arrived in Canada via a continuous journey from the home country — nearly impossible at the time. In 1914, the Canadian government turned away most of the passengers of the Japanese steamship Komagata Maru, nearly all Sikhs, who'd hoped to start a new life in Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: Food banks from Halifax to B.C. have reported serving hundreds of Syrians who have come to Canada since November, the month the Liberal government launched a major resettlement program to bring 25,000 people by the end of February and thousands more by the end of this year, according to Brandon Sun. The question of why came up Wednesday at a Senate committee studying the refugee resettlement program and McCallum initially pinpointed two reasons: the fact refugees do not have high levels of income upon arrival and something else. "There may be a cultural element," he said. "You have to remember the refugees are coming from an entirely different world. "Our world is very different than their world. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld OTTAWA - Immigration Minister John McCallum says his suggestion there a cultural element driving Syrian refugees to food banks was insensitive and he regrets it. Sometimes they have been living in refugee camps; maybe it the norm to be offered meals. To date, about 27,000 Syrian refugees have arrived in Canada, spread among nearly 300 communities. I'm not overly concerned about this." But later Wednesday McCallum met with reporters outside the House of Commons to take back those remarks. "The remark I made about food banks I think was insensitive so I regret having made that comment," he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugee camps: The question of why came up Wednesday at a Senate committee studying the refugee resettlement program and McCallum initially pinpointed two reasons: the fact refugees do not have high levels of income upon arrival and something else. "There may be a cultural element," he said. "You have to remember the refugees are coming from an entirely different world. "Our world is very different than their world, according to The Waterloo Record. Sometimes they have been living in refugee camps; maybe it the norm to be offered meals. Food banks from Halifax to B.C. have reported serving hundreds of Syrians who have come to Canada since November, the month the Liberal government launched a major resettlement program to bring 25,000 people by the end of February and thousands more by the end of this year. I'm not overly concerned about this." But later Wednesday McCallum met with reporters outside the House of Commons to take back those remarks. "The remark I made about food banks I think was insensitive so I regret having made that comment," he said. About 15,000 are government-assisted, meaning they receive a year of income support from the federal government linked to the size of the family and provincial social assistance rates. To date, about 27,000 Syrian refugees have arrived in Canada, spread among nearly 300 communities. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Clark Pay: Clark Pay from Donors Too Tied to Real Estate Moguls: Eby Conflict may explain Premier inaction on affordability, says NDP MLA. Nine Ways to Turn Vancouver Housing Crisis from 'Breaking Point' to Tipping Point In wake of recent headlines, we offer these ready-made ideas, according to Tyee. Read more: Housing image: Sign Up for the Tyee Newsletter The housing market in British Columbia is broken and making it more affordable will require taking several approaches at the same time, according to a new report from the BC Office of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. "We're not building the homes that people here need," Marc Lee, a senior economist with the CCPA, said in a phone interview. "We're building the most profitable." Lee is the author of Getting Serious About Affordable Housing: Towards a Plan for Metro Vancouver, a report released today that looks at the roots of the affordability crisis and calls for various actions to address the problem. Province to Collect Foreign Buyer Data, Reluctant to Impose Any TaxNDP says latest measures do nothing to address BC affordability crisis. His proposed solutions include building between 5,000 and 10,000 units of affordable housing every year and funding them through increased taxes that cool some of the speculation in the real estate market. "Most of the recent headlines focus on the spectacular increases in real estate prices," he wrote. "But there is also a serious crisis in the rental housing market, and completely inadequate housing for the most needy." A crisis with various roots The housing crisis is driven by various factors, Lee wrote. So does money from outside Vancouver and Canada, which Lee says has "led to ripple effects further down the property ladder and in other parts of the region." The trend in Vancouver is part of a wider context where the super rich are parking their money in a few desirable cities around the world, Lee wrote. "A fundamental problem is that housing is being treated primarily as an investment rather than as a place to live." One result is a growing gap between the rich and the poor, where the top 20 per cent of households hold about 68 per cent of the net worth of principal residences, he said. Population growth, low interest rates and transfers of wealth between generations all play a role. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Don Forgeron: The conditions include no threat of wildfire or from smoke, according to Brandon Sun. Basic emergency, medical and other services such as water, electricity and natural gas must be available. Notley said the re-entry will be done in stages and will be voluntary. She said hazardous areas within the community must also be made secure. Too many cities have allowed homes and facilities to be built in areas where they could be destroyed by floods or fire, said Don Forgeron, the organization president and CEO. It that kind of planning that put parts of Fort McMurray at risk when a raging wildfire swept through parts of the town earlier this month. More than 80,000 people fled the city on May 3 due to the wildfire that continues to burn in northeastern Alberta. __ AVOID DISASTER- INSURANCE BOSS Decision-makers across the country need to start saying no to proposed developments on flood plains or near fire-prone boreal forests like those around Fort McMurray to prevent widespread damage from future natural disasters, says the head of the Insurance Bureau of Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Mark Robertson: The criminal charge came on the same day that Elections Act charges alleging failure to disclose a campaign contribution against Bonney and Liberal Mark Robertson were stayed, according to The Chronicle Herald. A numbered B.C. communications company charged along with Bonney and Robertson pleaded guilty and was fined $5,000. Brian Bonney was charged Tuesday in connection with a behind-the-scenes strategy by the Liberals to win ethnic votes in the 2013 election. Bonney was the president of the numbered company, said Dan McLaughlin, spokesman for the B.C. Criminal Justice Branch. A statement Tuesday by B.C. Criminal Justice Branch said special prosecutor David Butcher approved the criminal charge against Bonney. The scandal broke when documents obtained four years ago by the NDP Opposition outlined a Liberal government plan to woo the multicultural vote. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

individual project: At this stage, our job is really not to choose the individual project, he told CTV Power Play Monday, following the inaugural meeting of the 14-member panel north of Ottawa in Chelsea, Que, according to CTV. The group is tasked with drawing up long-term plans to kick-start Canada economy, which continues to suffer from the weak commodity prices and sluggish non-energy exports. However, where and when that money will be spent remains undecided. The council lineup includes the chief executives of General Electric Canada and energy giant Cenovus Energy Inc., as well as major institutional investors like Mark Wiseman, president and CEO of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, and Michael Sabia, CEO of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, the province largest pension fund manager. These people can help to identify the things that we can do to have the biggest and most important impact on the long-term growth of our economy, said Morneau. Each advisor is paid an annual salary of $1. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Toronto Charlottetown: The Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada has planned a week of actions from May 30 to June 6 to demand reform of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program . Along with an online petition, CMWRC week of #Status Now actions in Vancouver, Toronto and Charlottetown will call on Parliament to introduce reforms that grant migrant workers mobility, voice, and equality, according to Rabble. The #Status Now actions are timed alongside Parliament review of the TFWP. On May 11, Parliament Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities began their review of the TFWP. The review will last just over a month. Chip in to keep stories like these coming. Officials from Employment and Social Development Canada and Citizenship and Immigration will be the first witnesses to appear before the HUMA subcommittee. CMWRC priorities for HUMA review include ensuring that migrant workers are part of the review process by serving as witnesses to the committee, speaking at public events and sharing their stories with the media. Witnesses will also testify on May 16, 18, 30 and June 1 before HUMA adopts their draft report on June 15. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

passengers: The passengers were seeking to challenge existing immigration laws which refused entry to any Indians who had not arrived in Canada via a continuous journey from the home country — a nearly impossible feat at the time, according to Metro News. June 1914: Twenty passengers who had previously resided in Canada are allowed in, but the rest are required to stay on the ship. Here is a timeline of some events leading up to the apology:May 1914: The Japanese steam ship Komagata Maru anchors just outside Vancouver, B.C., with 376 passengers on board — all Indians who were at the time also British subjects. July 1914: After court hearings and clashes with authorities, the ship is finally escorted out of Canadian waters and sets sail for Calcutta, India. Others are arrested or go into hiding.2002: Alliance MP Gurmant Grewal presents a petition in the House of Commons calling on the Liberal government of the day to issue an apology.2006: Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he'll consult with Indo-Canadians to determine how to recognize the "sad moment" in Canadian history.2007: NDP put forward a motion calling on the government to apologize but it voted down by the Conservatives. September 1914: Police in India attempt to force the passengers onto trains for Punjab; a riot ensues and 19 people are killed. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Salt Sausuan Hussein: A few students respond by repeating the phrase out loud, according to Hamilton Spectator. Others quickly take down notes. More than a dozen students, both eager and reserved, watch their professor scribble notes on a whiteboard surrounded by a collection of colourful posters listing the basics of verb tenses, numbers — both cardinal and ordinal — days of the week, months, and human anatomy. "The policeman makes our people safe," the teacher reads aloud to the class, pointing to every word on the board as he reads. The evening English-lecture is fittingly centred around jobs — a commodity in short supply for Syrian refugees. "Flour!" shouts one student. "Water," says another. "Salt!" Sausuan Hussein, 36, shouts as the class moves on to cover the profession of chefs, and the teacher tangentially asks his students to recall the ingredients for making bread. She knew nothing about the country, but everyone she asked told her it was a place she could be free. Hussein had fled Aleppo, Syria for Lebanon a few years ago before the United Nations finally asked her if she wanted to come to Canada in January. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

chief executive officer: John Peller, chief executive officer of Andrew Peller Ltd., is jovial as he surveys the vines that helped turn the company into Canada biggest publicly listed winery, according to The Waterloo Record. Peller, 59, credits his Hungarian-immigrant grandfather for his foresight. "When my grandpa started the business in 1961, he had this vision of bringing the culture of wine and food from Europe to Canada and we laugh because it was the right vision, but he was 30 years too early," Peller said in an interview at the winery. It a cool spring morning and the expansive lawn in front of the winery is edged by a patio that will host parties and tastings all summer. That vision is paying off now for his grandson, who took over the family business in 1994. Constellation Brands Inc., the Victor, N.Y.-based beverage company, announced last month it was exploring an initial public offering of some of its Canadian wine business, Vincor Canada, the largest producer in the country. "If Vincor does go public, it going to have a halo effect to our brand and to anybody that wants to invest in the industry," Murray Souter, CEO of Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Ltd., said in his office in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Andrew Peller stock is trading near its record as a cheaper currency and looser liquor regulations draw investors to Ontario booming wine industry. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

good intentions: Its agenda will be dominated by governments, rather than the leading humanitarian agencies, according to Globe and Mail. And one prominent group, Médecins sans frontières , has already given up on the meeting. Its decisions will be vague and non-binding. The summit has become a fig leaf of good intentions, MSF said earlier this month in announcing its withdrawal from the summit. We no longer have any hope that the summit will address the weaknesses in humanitarian action and emergency response, particularly in conflict areas or epidemic situations. As shocking violations of international humanitarian law and refugee rights continue on a daily basis, summit participants will be pressed to a consensus on non-specific, good intentions, it said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration detainees: The End Immigration Detention Network said across Canada 15 people have died in immigration detention while in CBSA custody since 2000, according to CBC. Stop transfer of immigration detainees with health problems to jails, lawyer urges CBSA​Deaths in CBSA custody renew calls for immigration detention reform Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, who has said previously that he concerned about the deaths, revealed in a statement released Sunday that the Liberal government is reviewing the detention program. "The government is examining CBSA National immigration detention program and how best to provide the agency with appropriate review mechanisms," Goodale office said. Two men held by the Canada Border Services Agency died in two separate incidents in Ontario this spring, while a 24-year-old man detainee died at the Edmonton Remand Centre on Saturday. The statement noted the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees considers Canada refugee system as among the best in the world, but "we can and must do better." Anthony Navaneelan, staff lawyer at the Refugee Law Office at Legal Aid Ontario in Toronto, says prisons are not appropriate places to treat detainees. Michaela Beder, a psychiatrist at St. Anthony Navaneelan, staff lawyer at the Refugee Law Office at Legal Aid Ontario, and Dr. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Canadian government: By Stephanie Levitz The Canadian Press Tues., May 17, 2016 OTTAWA—Nimrat Randhawa family first tried to get into Canada in 1914, according to Toronto Star. Her great-great grandfather chartered the ship Komagata Maru, filled it with 376 Indian passengers, nearly all of them Sikhs, and they sailed to the shores of British Columbia in search of a new life. The ship filled with 376 Indian passengers, nearly all of them Sikhs, were turned away by the Canadian government. Fast forward more than a century and South Asians are the single largest visible minority community in the country, with Statistics Canada estimating that they will represent one in every three people in the Toronto area alone by 2031. It expected all will be on hand Wednesday for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau historic apology for what happened next with the Komagata Maru some 102 years ago. The community influence is also reflected in the corridors of power in Ottawa — 23 South Asians, 17 of them Sikh, were elected last fall. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Canada West Coast: Justin Trudeau to apologize for 1914 Komagata Maru Komagata Maru 100th anniversary The Komagata Maru arrived on Canada West Coast on May 23, 1914, anchoring in Vancouver Coal Harbour, according to CBC. Nearly all of the 376 passengers were denied entry and the ship sat in the harbour for two months. Nearly 102 years after the Komagata Maru sailed into Vancouver, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will tomorrow offer a full apology in the House of Commons for the government of the day decision to turn away the ship, which was carrying hundreds of South Asian immigrants, most of whom were Sikhs. It was ultimately forced to return to India and was met by British soldiers. With so much to contribute to their new home, they chose Canada and we failed them utterly," Trudeau said last month, announcing the formal apology. "As a nation, we should never forget the prejudice suffered by the Sikh community at the hands of the Canadian government of the day. Twenty passengers were killed and others jailed following an ensuing riot. "The passengers of the Komagata Maru, like millions of immigrants to Canada since, were seeking refuge and better lives for their families. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Canada immigration policy: On May 23, 1914, the chartered Japanese ship Komagata Maru steamed into Vancouver harbour, according to Toronto Star. The 376 people on board — British subjects within the British Empire — were challenging the empire to fulfill its promise of equality and justice. Rather, it was a decision consistent with a century-long white Canada immigration policy. By Jim Coyle News, Insight Tues., May 17, 2016 When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau formally apologizes in the Commons on Wednesday for Canada rejection in 1914 of hundreds of would-be South Asian immigrants aboard the Komagata Maru, Ali Kazimi will be among those listening closely. For Kazimi, a York University professor who has produced a film and written a book on the Komagata Maru, there was nothing incidental about Canada rejection of the ship passengers, most of them Sikhs from Punjab. One of the words he hopes not to hear is incident. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

non-Indigenous: Comparatively only a small minority, 13 per cent, of children labeled "non-Indigenous, non-racialized and non-immigrant" live in poverty, a rate similar to the OECD average, said Macdonald and Wilson, according to CBC. The worst poverty rates facing children were those who live in Manitoba, found Macdonald and Wilson. The situation for children off reserve is not much better; 51 per cent live in poverty. In Manitoba, 76 per cent of First Nations kids on reserves live in poverty, a level the report authors called "obscene." "Something has to be urgently done. Poverty is a root cause of many issues facing Indigenous communities in the province — including the high number of children in care and suicide, she said.. "This poverty leads to so many other tragedies and traumas," said Morgan. "You know there a direct feed into child welfare." While Morgan said money isn't enough to eradicate child poverty she is calling the federal government to increase funding to reserves. "They are chronically underfunded. That an enormous amount of suffering for children," said Morgan. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

psychiatrist: Michaela Beder, a psychiatrist at St, according to Metro News. Michael Hospital. These people are not charged with any crime but sometimes held indefinitely in dire circumstances and immigration detention is becoming more routine, said Dr. People were unaware of this because there so little information from officials on when and how people died. We are calling for an ombudsman and more oversight, and an end of transfers of detainees from federal immigration holding centres to provincial jails. We are shocked this is happening. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

federal immigration laws: These people are not charged with any crime but sometimes held indefinitely in dire circumstances and immigration detention is becoming more routine, said Dr, according to Toronto Star. Michaela Beder, a psychiatrist at St. By Nicholas Keung Immigration reporter Tues., May 17, 2016 Ontario health professionals are urging the province to stop jailing migrants for violating federal immigration laws, especially those with mental and physical health concerns.A group of 130 physicians, nurses and healthcare providers signed a petition sent Monday to Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Yasir Naqvi after a string of recent deaths involving immigration detainees, including one over the weekend in a facility in Edmonton. Michael Hospital. We are shocked this is happening. People were unaware of this because there so little information from officials on when and how people died. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

provincial nominations: Next week, Ontario could say we've stopped issuing provincial nominations and we can't do anything – you're stuck, he said, according to Globe and Mail. By November, the backlog is expected to be whittled down enough to accept applications again, the government says. As an international student who doesn't have any status in Canada, you don't have any voice, said Amir, an MBA graduate from Ryerson University who applied last fall and is still waiting for a response. However, students who are only entitled to a one-year work permit could lose status because of the delay. But changes over the past year have raised fears some students will choose to study elsewhere. Universities are increasingly fighting for international students and a rapid pathway to immigration has been one of Canada competitive advantages. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

country: The Saudi embassy blamed logistical reasons for its last-minute change of plans when contacted Monday and a spokesperson said the country decision was not motivated by fear of protesters, according to Globe and Mail. Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion office had already said he would not be attending the Saudi Cultural Days in Canada. The May 18-21 festival appeared to be a Saudi charm offensive aimed at federal policy makers as the Trudeau government fields questions about its decision to grant export permits for the armoured vehicles to a country that U.S. watchdog Freedom House regularly ranks among the worst of the worst on human rights. Peggy Mason, an opponent of the Saudi arms deal, who served as Canada UN ambassador for disarmament from 1984 to 1994, said the now-delayed festival had struck her as an odd move in the midst of a national debate over a weapons sale and given the eroding human-rights situation within Saudi Arabia. Mason, president of the Rideau Institute, an advocacy and research group. The timing seemed very bizarre, so perhaps this postponement indicates they, too, have come to realize this might be problematic, said Ms. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.