Daniel Therrien: In light of the well-founded complaint, Therrien office recommended the border agency end its participation in the television program, which the agency agreed to do, according to The Waterloo Record. Agency spokeswoman Esme Bailey confirmed that "Border Security: Canada Front Line" would not return for a fourth season. Privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien recently informed the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association, which spearheaded a complaint on behalf of Oscar Mata Duran, that the Canada Border Services Agency breached the Privacy Act by allowing production company Force Four to film the agency examination of the migrant labourer. "As a matter of principle, it is our view that federal government institutions cannot contract out of their obligations under the Act," says the commissioner 26-page report of findings. The commissioner also urged the agency to carry out a formal privacy impact assessment before embarking on any significant future initiative involving the use of personal information. "Border Security" began airing on the National Geographic Channel in 2012, chronicling encounters between border officers and the public. The border agency saw the show as a means of informing Canadians and international audiences about its activities. The unscripted series was seen by millions of Canadians and has aired in dozens of other countries. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

policy reviews: Blanchard says it is still early days in what will be a four-year campaign for the 2020 vote, a bid to secure a two-year term on the UN most powerful body that would begin the following year, according to The Waterloo Record. Still, he says, the groundwork is currently being laid, by both the internal policy reviews, and the early interactions of diplomats on ground. Marc-Andre Blanchard tells The Canadian Press that part of the reason why the government has embarked on major reviews in two key areas of foreign policy: international development and national defence. Blanchard says he had more than 50 bilateral meetings with fellow ambassadors at the UN since taking up the post earlier this year, and for now he in a listening mode to get feedback about Canada. The current development review, to be tabled in the fall, will lay out a five-year spending plan that is expected to show how Canada would try to meet the UN target for development spending — 0.7 per cent of gross national income — that it has never reached, and that only five countries have. He says the country faces a tough fight against two like-minded countries and allies — Norway and Ireland — when 2020 rolls around, so work is underway to carve out a platform that can highlight Canada comparative advantage. "We are in the phase of engaging with member states, asking for support, but also listening to them about their views on Canada," Blanchard said in an interview. "We think it important that before we come out with our own platform that we listen to countries, to be responsive." In 2010, Canada lost to tiny Portugal in Security Council voting in what was then widely seen as a repudiation of the then-Conservative government foreign policy, which had tilted towards Israel in the Middle East and was perceived as being indifferent to Africa. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Robert Dziekanski: The court documents allege the RCMP mismanaged information in the case, creating public perception of wrongdoing by the officers, and that Bentley was made a scapegoat for public criticism, according to CTV. Bentley was one of four officers who confronted Robert Dziekanski at the airport in October 2007, when the man was stunned with a taser and died. Constable Bill Bentley has filed a notice of civil claim in BC Supreme Court naming the Attorney General of Canada and the provincial justice minister as defendants. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Robert Dziekanski: Bill Bentley has filed a notice of civil claim in B.C. Supreme Court naming the Attorney General of Canada and B.C. justice minister as defendants, according to Metro News. Bentley was one of four officers who confronted Robert Dziekanski at the airport in October 2007, when the man was stunned with a Taser and died. Const. Court documents from the lawsuit allege that Bentley received a call of support from the commissioner of the RCMP shortly after the incident, but the force support quickly waned. Allegations in the documents have not been proven in court and statements of defence have not been filed. The notice of claim alleges the RCMP mismanaged information in the case, creating public perception of wrongdoing by the officers, and that Bentley was made a "scapegoat" for public criticism."Throughout the ordeal ... the plaintiff has been a loyal member of the RCMP and has been prevented from publicly defending himself to the wrongful allegations about him by both the RCMP and the media as a result of his oaths and orders received from superior officers," the claim states. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Toronto: Read: Four-in-Five British Columbians Back Absentee Homeowner Tax High house prices making home ownership an unaffordable dream in Toronto and Vancouver Bank of Canada says house price increases in Vancouver, Toronto likely unsustainable The idea has support across all age categories, with the 18-to-34 year old demographic registering the most support at 89 per cent in favour of a tax on absentee owners, according to CBC. The survey also showed that 83 per cent of British Columbians of East Asian descent support such a tax. An Insights West online survey reveals 80 per cent of respondents think levying a tax on people who acquire properties but don't live in them is a good or very good idea. Respondents also expressed a high degree of anger at how all three levels of government are dealing — or not dealing — with the housing affordability crisis, with most of the blame directed at the provincial government. "The level of animosity towards the provincial government is high," said Mario Canseso, vice president of Insights West. "The fact that this is shown across all age groups, both genders, all levels of household income and ethnic groups is significant." Some other findings of the survey: 87 per cent of respondents believe that people who own homes they don't live in are speculators, and not really part of the community. 79 per cent believe that when foreigners buy homes it boosts the market price of homes owned by Canadians.25 per cent believe the debate on foreign real estate ownership in B.C. is inherently racist.40 per cent believe real estate is the best long-term investment. A probabilistic sample of this size would yield a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. Eight hundred British Columbians were surveyed May 31 to June 3. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

B.C. Supreme Court: Bill Bentley has filed a notice of civil claim in B.C. Supreme Court naming the Attorney General of Canada and B.C. justice minister as defendants, according to CBC. Bentley was one of four officers who confronted Robert Dziekanski at the airport in October 2007, when the man was stunned with a Taser and died. Const. Four RCMP officers confronted Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver airport in October 2007, when the Polish immigrant was repeatedly stunned with a Taser and died. The notice of claim alleges the RCMP mismanaged information in the case, creating public perception of wrongdoing by the officers, and that Bentley was made a "scapegoat" for public criticism. "Throughout the ordeal ... the plaintiff has been a loyal member of the RCMP and has been prevented from publicly defending himself to the wrongful allegations about him by both the RCMP and the media as a result of his oaths and orders received from superior officers," the claim states. Court documents from the lawsuit allege that Bentley received a call of support from the commissioner of the RCMP shortly after the incident, but the force support quickly waned. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Davin de Kergommeaux: By Debra Black Immigration Reporter Fri., June 10, 2016 It a tempest in a scotch bottle, according to Toronto Star. With the announcement that the House of Commons has chosen a new official scotch — a 12-year-old Aberlour Highland single malt — some Canadian whisky distillers and experts are crying foul. Naturally, it from Scotland, and that what upsetting domestic whisky makers. We have a vibrant Canadian whisky industry, said Davin de Kergommeaux, author of a primer on Canadian whisky and co-ordinator of the Canadian Whisky Awards, held each January. It surprises me that they don't feel the same. My question is, why is the government promoting imported whisky over our own Canadian whisky is getting such a good reputation. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Canadian government: Not only do they preserve the level of security we need to be able to live and function, but in a society governed above all else by the rule of law, the way police enforce the laws may be the main factor that separates success from failure; the one that staves off the forces of chaos on one hand and authoritarianism on the other, according to Toronto Star. Peace, order, and good government have been the core principles of Canadian government since its founding. Order this photo By Edward Keenan Columnist Sat., June 11, 2016 Is there a more important job in a functioning democratic society than the one we entrust to police officers I don't think so. None of the three is possible without a trustworthy and trusted set of police forces. The practical importance of these abstract ideas may have become obvious in Toronto recently: With the recommendations of the inquest into Jermaine Carby death at the hands of a police officer, and the impending inquest into the police shooting of Andrew Loku; with the recent debate into the practice of carding ; with the questions of transparency surrounding the Special Investigations Unit approach to police conduct; with publicized power struggles between police chiefs and the boards that are meant to oversee them about budgets and about policy implementation; with a sudden spike in shootings in Toronto at a time when an outgoing Deputy Police Chief spoke about this as a low point in terms of public trust and legitimacy. It follows that we have few rules as essential as those that govern policing. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

social media: Sohail wants Syrian newcomers to know they are welcome here. "They were very lonely," said Sohail, recalling the sobbing man who confided he was depressed, and all the kids she has seen without the usual happy, childlike smiles, according to CBC. Sohail started out seeking donations on social media. Rizwana Sohail has crisscrossed Edmonton for months in her SUV stuffed with kitchenware, linen, bikes, electronics and other supplies. "I just wanted to do something," she said. "They have been through so much." But it not just about supplies. She picked up whatever people can spare. Gave away own living room furniture For weeks, her family sat on patio furniture in their living room, after she gave away her own furniture to a family in need. "I wanted to do something on my part," said Sohail, pointing to the pressure on the government because of the slumping economy. "The government is doing so much." Between November and the end of February, Canada welcomed more than 25,000 refugees. Soon her garage was overflowing with rugs, furniture and other items for those in need. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Robert Dziekanski: Bill Bentley has filed a notice of civil claim in B.C. Supreme Court naming the Attorney General of Canada and B.C. justice minister as defendants, according to Brandon Sun. Bentley was one of four officers who confronted Robert Dziekanski at the airport in October 2007, when the man was stunned with a Taser and died. Const. Court documents from the lawsuit allege that Bentley received a call of support from the commissioner of the RCMP shortly after the incident, but the force support quickly waned. Allegations in the documents have not been proven in court and statements of defence have not been filed. The notice of claim alleges the RCMP mismanaged information in the case, creating public perception of wrongdoing by the officers, and that Bentley was made a "scapegoat" for public criticism."Throughout the ordeal ... the plaintiff has been a loyal member of the RCMP and has been prevented from publicly defending himself to the wrongful allegations about him by both the RCMP and the media as a result of his oaths and orders received from superior officers," the claim states. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

city: In a release from Guelph mayor Cam Guthrie he explains how pleased he is about the honour and congratulates the city on its efforts to bring refugee families to the area, according to CTV. I'm proud that Guelph is such a welcoming city for new Canadians. Some of the criteria for making the list was based on affordability, unemployment rate and ethnic make-up of the city. Organizations like Immigrant Services, initiatives like the Local Immigration Partnership, and events like the Multicultural Festival …are working together to help create a community where everyone can thrive, said Guthrie. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

political donations: The NDP leader vowed to rein in the influence big money wields over government, in the wake of controversies over both Premier Christy Clark and his own expensive donor events, according to Metro News. In an editorial meeting in Metro offices, he said he'd cap political donations and ban corporate and union contributions. Big money has already made the decisions, they tell him. But he also pitched a citizens' assembly, like 2004 on electoral reform, to recommend fixes, potentially even a publicly funded per-vote subsidy, though Horgan wouldn't say where he stood on that idea. If elected, we will do just that. Take big money out of politics, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: Wow, according to Toronto Star. I'm so honoured to be standing before you all today, she said, a medal clanking around her neck and a hint of nervousness in her voice. As valedictorian, Lara was in charge of delivering David Crockett High School commencement speech. I thought long and hard about what to say to you. But she had spent years worrying about something else. The 17-year-old said she had spent four years worrying about her speech, jotting down notes and ideas for the day she would finally walk triumphantly across the stage. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Crespo: The woman, who cannot be identified, testified she woke up with Crespo on top of her engaging in sexual intercourse, according to Hamilton Spectator. Crespo appealed, arguing Ontario court judge Michael Epstein was wrong to discount his assertion the woman had consented to the sex. Fernando Crespo, a permanent resident of Canada, was convicted in December 2013 of sexually assaulting a woman who had passed out on her bed after a night of heavy drinking. He also claimed the judge was wrong to disregard his claim that he honestly, if mistakenly, believed she had agreed. The Court of Appeal was having none of it. "The insurmountable obstacle to this submission is the trial judge finding that was asleep when the appellant commenced intercourse, and thus lacked the capacity to consent at that time," the Appeal Court said in its decision . "Her prior conduct is therefore irrelevant to the question of whether she consented. Among other things, he argued she had tried to seduce him earlier in the evening. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Toronto: Read: Four-in-Five British Columbians Back Absentee Homeowner Tax High house prices making home ownership an unaffordable dream in Toronto and Vancouver Bank of Canada says house price increases in Vancouver, Toronto likely unsustainable The idea has support across all age categories, with the 18-to-34 year old demographic registering the most support at 89 per cent in favour of a tax on foreign owners, according to CBC. The poll also showed that 83 per cent of British Columbians of East Asian descent support a tax. An Insights West poll reveals 80 per cent of respondents think levying a tax on people who acquire properties but don't live in them is a good or very good idea. Respondents also expressed a high degree of anger at how all three levels of government are dealing — or not dealing — with the housing affordability crisis, with most blame directed at the provincial government. Eight hundred British Columbians were surveyed for the poll. The Insights West Poll showed support for the idea of a foreign ownership property tax across all age groups. "The level of animosity towards the provincial government is high," said Mario Canseso, vice president of Insights West. "The fact that this is shown across all age groups, both genders, all levels of household income and ethnic groups is significant." Some other findings of the survey: 87 per cent of British Columbians believe that people who own homes they don't live in are speculators, and not really part of the community. 79 per cent believe that when foreigners buy homes it boosts the value of homes owned by Canadians.25 per cent believe the debate on foreign real estate ownership in B.C. is inherently racist.40 percent believe real estate is the best long term investment. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

House of Commons committee: Cost savings were achieved because transportation was cheaper than expected, temporary military housing was never used and neither was a contingency fund, Immigration Minister John McCallum told a House of Commons committee. "The reason we spent dramatically less than we said we would is because we were dramatically efficient," he said, according to Hamilton Spectator. The original budget for the program was $678 million spread over six years. Bringing in 25,000 people between November and the end of February cost $319 million, with the biggest costs being transporting and welcoming people to Canada, according to figures released by the Immigration Department. It was divided up into five phases — the first three focused on the identification, processing and transportation of refugees. But the lion share of the program budget — the cost to actually settle the refugees and provide income support, language training, job services and the like — remains to be spent. The maximum budget for those three streams was $188 million and figures released Thursday estimate $108.5 million has been spent so far. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

archaeological digs: Order this photo By John Lorinc, and Ron Williamson Fri., June 10, 2016 With two major local archaeological digs recently completed or underway, as well as an effort by Premier Kathleen Wynne to own up to the province treatment of First Nations peoples, the past is in the news these days both in Toronto and across Ontario, according to Toronto Star. Indeed, tangibly so. A new courthouse is planned in a former parking lot behind City Hall. The excavations — at the planned Toronto Courthouse site on Centre Ave., as well as the North St. At the Courthouse site, located in The Ward, archaeologists also found an arrowhead, which reminds us of an even deeper history. Lawrence Market redevelopment site – are yielding thousands of artifacts that speak to the city social and commercial history from its early colonial past to the immigration that re-shaped Toronto in the early 20th century. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

daylight hours: Before the start of Ramadan, workshops were held to help refugees deal with the long daylight hours of June, up to 18 hours with no food or water, according to CBC. Usmani adds money was raised to put together food hampers for refugee families filled with Ramadan staples and a few treats for the meal after sunset known as Iftar. She coordinates the integration of the refugees into the community. The goal is to make the refugees feel more comfortable celebrating in Winnipeg. "Just because you're in Canada doesn't mean you have to drop your practices. Starting over: One Syrian refugee family story, in their own words Syrian refugee families express gratitude at Winnipeg community party For Magda and Muhamd Slimam on their first Ramadan in Winnipeg with their three children, they're happy to be in a safe place to celebrate where they have plenty of access to food. We just want to really show them things are going on in Winnipeg and don't want them to feel stuck at home doing nothing," said Usmani. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Munim Ahsan: Rehnuma Yusuf is an administrative assistant in the GTA while husband Munin Ahsan is a sound engineer in Dhaka, Bangladesh, according to Toronto Star. By Nicholas Keung Immigration reporter Fri., June 10, 2016 Is it beyond belief that an older divorced South Asian woman could fall in love with a younger man Yes — at least in the eyes of one Canadian visa officer who questioned the legitimacy of their marriage and shattered their plans to be together. Rehnuma Yusuf, now 29, right, is shown with husband, Munim Ahsan, 27. In what their lawyer calls a case of cultural bias, Rehnuma Yusuf, 29, and her Bangladeshi husband, Munim Ahsan, 27, are now caught in a bureaucratic nightmare, fighting to reverse an immigration decision to reject their spousal sponsorship application — and facing another unbearable, lengthy wait. We need these prejudicial findings overturned. The officer had this old idea of cultural norms and based the assessment on the stereotypes of how the South Asian culture should work, but not based on the reality, said lawyer Aadil Mangalji. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Nuit Blanche: Explore, according to The Waterloo Record. Ignite the Night!" The time frame is the distinguishing element: from 8 p.m. until the wee hours around the time of the longest day of the year. The tagline, once again, is "Discover. Summer Lights began as a project led by a group of cultural organizations interested in developing a "Nuit Blanche" type of event. This parallels uptown Waterloo Open Streets events, which originally included both cities. The inaugural version in 2014 was a Kitchener and Waterloo affair, but it has been Kitchener-based since then. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Craig Blacksmith: As the Winnipeg Free Press reported, the two accused — smoke shop owner Craig Blacksmith and employee Tammy Walters — were arrested during a 2014 raid by RCMP on Dakota Plains near Portage la Prairie.RCMP, the Dakota Ojibway Police Service and Manitoba Finance taxation officials seized 4,800 cartons, which amounted to 951,225 cigarettes, according to Brandon Sun. More than 1,840 tins of chewing tobacco, six firearms, one vehicle and an unspecified amount of cash were also seized. The Crown insists they have jurisdiction over us even though we've stated conclusively, and provided documentation, that we've never surrendered our rights. — Craig Blacksmith Earlier this week, several Dakota First Nation members who were charged for selling contraband tobacco lost a legal bid to have the case tossed out on the grounds that their people have no official treaty with Canada, and therefore the courts have no jurisdiction. All told, finance officials calculated $292,572.68 of tax was avoided. Matthew Audi and Christopher Wilkins are both residents of Quebec and are accused of making a U-Haul delivery to the smoke shop. Two other co-accused have been charged, but they are dealing with their legal issues separately. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Crespo: The woman, who cannot be identified, testified she woke up with Crespo on top of her engaging in sexual intercourse, according to Brandon Sun. Crespo appealed, arguing Ontario court judge Michael Epstein was wrong to discount his assertion the woman had consented to the sex. Fernando Crespo, a permanent resident of Canada, was convicted in December 2013 of sexually assaulting a woman who had passed out on her bed after a night of heavy drinking. He also claimed the judge was wrong to disregard his claim that he honestly, if mistakenly, believed she had agreed. The Court of Appeal was having none of it."The insurmountable obstacle to this submission is the trial judge finding that was asleep when the appellant commenced intercourse, and thus lacked the capacity to consent at that time," the Appeal Court said in its decision ."Her prior conduct is therefore irrelevant to the question of whether she consented. Among other things, he argued she had tried to seduce him earlier in the evening. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

reset button: In fact, many look forward to Ramadan and its restrictions, according to NOW Magazine. It an opportunity once a year to hit the reset button, and kind of start all over, says Safwan Choudhry, a business analyst and media relations person for the Fast with a Muslim Friend initiative. Sound a little scary Muslim association Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama`at is inviting non-Muslims across Canada to participate this year for just one day, in part to demonstrate that while it is certainly difficult, the resulting introspection and insights gleaned from the process are worth it. A lot of my co-workers, when I tell them that I won't be coming to lunch anymore or out after work, they say 'Aw dang, it that month again.' And they're looking at me with this look of sorrow. In addition to fasting, Muslims pray more and give back to the community. People don't realize – I've never met a Muslim who dreads Ramadan. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: The central bank, Poloz added, weighed in on the long-running issue this week after seeing evidence these markets were fuelled by "self-reinforcing" expectations among prospective buyers and lenders that the current skyward price trajectory would continue, according to CTV. Trudeau tells Hot housing sector 'a real drag' on Canada economy "You have to admit the possibility that the price could actually decline in these circumstances," Poloz told a news conference in Ottawa after the release of the bank semi-annual assessment on the state of Canada financial stability. "But we're not predicting that or anything. "We're just saying the risk that that could happen, whatever number it is, is growing as we sit here." The document noted year-over-year house price growth in the greater Vancouver area hit 30 per cent last month, up from 15 per cent in December. Governor Stephen Poloz cautioned that climbing real estate prices have outpaced local economic fundamentals like job creation, immigration and income growth. In Toronto, prices increased by 15 per cent, compared to 10 per cent six months ago. While the probability of a trigger, such as a severe recession, remains low, the bank said the severity of such an event has increased since its December assessment. Vulnerabilities linked to greater imbalances in regional housing markets and the continued rise of household debt were higher than they were six months ago, the bank said in its latest financial system review. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

industrial kitchen: My dad came here as an immigrant from a war-torn country as well and Calgary has given us everything we have here, he said, according to Metro News. We want to give back, we want to help build them up as they build their new futures. Omar, owner of Cedar Deli, has recently opened his industrial kitchen up to two Syrian refugees who have started their own businesses—and on top of that, he hired one of them to work for him, too. Syrian Cuisine Made With Love, a catering company run by newcomer Rita Khanchet will now be cooked out of Cedar Deli, as well as the traditional Arabic pastries made by newcomer Xoshnav Hasaf, who will also be using his talents as a baker for the deli. Hasaf, who worked as a professional pastry chef back home in Syria said he grateful for the opportunities Omar has given him. When you have someone who talented, knows what he doing and just needs an opportunity, why not open the door for them and see if they can build off that, said Omar. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

military housing: Transportation was cheaper than expected, temporary military housing was never used and neither was a contingency fund, Immigration Minister John McCallum told a House of Commons committee in explaining the cost savings. "The reason we spent dramatically less than we said we would is because we were dramatically efficient," he said, according to CTV. The budget set out for the program last November was $678 million spread over six years. Bringing in 25,000 people between November and the end of February cost $319 million, with the biggest costs being transporting and welcoming them, figures released by the Immigration Department show. It was divided up into five phases -- the first three focused on the identification, processing and transportation of refugees. Those phases are over and figures released Thursday estimate $108.5 million was spent. The maximum budget for those three streams was $188 million. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.