bob geraldine: When he was 15, he met Geraldine Davies on the school bus and the two became inseparable, according to Globe and Mail. They took up the hobby of caving – exploring underground caverns. Bob Gannicott passed on the bright side, winning a scholarship to a local grammar school, which led to university. One of the best places to do that was in the Mendip Hills in Somerset, near where they lived. We should have just gone ahead with it, but you felt you couldn't do that back then, Ms. Caving was one of the reasons he felt comfortable about working in mines, and why he started studying mining engineering at the University of Nottingham, said Geraldine . When Bob and Geraldine announced they wanted to marry, their parents forbade it. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

funding announcement: A terrorist attack could happen, Goodale told The Huffington Post Canada Thursday in Saguenay, Que., where the Liberal caucus is meeting, according to Huffington Post Canada. It not in the category of likely, but neither is it unlikely. It medium. So, it is medium. Ralph Goodale makes a funding announcement during a visit to an immigration holding centre in Laval, Que., Aug. 15, 2016. The threat assessment is the same as it was in the fall of 2014, he noted. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mac: His mark on the country is indelible, in particular having brought us through a recession and brought us to balance in terms of government financing, he said, according to CTV. MacKay said he sees a sharp contrast between Harper weight and substance and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau style. Here what Peter Mac Kay, John Baird and Jason Kenney are saying: Peter Mac Kay, a possible leadership contender who served as Attorney General, Minister of National Defence and Minister of Foreign Affairs until retiring last fall, told CTV News Channel Harper was a substantive leader. He was not really interested in photo ops, said Mac Kay. MacKay also noted Harper tremendous affection for his family, his great patriotism for his country … his love and respect for members of Canada armed forces. He was not a fan of social media or the optics that often are expected, he added. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

neighbouring villages: Turkey has intervened militarily into the region of northern Syria surrounding the town of Jarablus, according to Rabble. The intervention is being conducted in the name of "fighting ISIS" but is, in fact, a pre-emptive strike to prevent the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces from expanding their influence and territorial control across northern Syria. Chip in to keep stories like these coming. The intervention began with a show of artillery in the early morning of August 24, followed by Turkish tanks and other armoured equipment escorting irregular forces from Turkey across the border, through neighbouring villages and into Jarablus proper. The intervention coincides with a dizzying about-turn by Turkey from its longstanding "regime change"policy towards the government in Syria. Turkey wants to block the left-wing, Kurdish-led forces of the SDF from repeating in Jarablus their recent success in liberating from ISIS occupation the city of Manbij, located some 50 km south and east of Jarablus. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ontario landscape: A century later, when it is not all that clear that Canadians have much appetite for remembering the finer details of the so-called Great War, a name-change on an Ontario map may seem like little more than a colonial-era fait accompli, according to Globe and Mail. Internecine hatred on the home front just doesn't fit the well-meaning version of Canada war that history image-builders have manufactured – all those belated feel-good stories of a courageous young nation coming of age and forging its independence through the sweat and sacrifice of Vimy. It was a contrived and calculated switch that served the propaganda needs of Canada imperialist leaders: A subversive reference to the capital of the hated Hun could be annihilated from the pristine Ontario landscape and replaced with a tribute to Britain recently deceased Secretary of State for War, Lord Kitchener. But in a country of immigrants and refugees where arguments about loyalty are noisier and more venomous than ever, it worth remembering that these fights over national identity have been fought before – and lost by those who wrongly believed their Canada to be an open and tolerant and welcoming place. Long before this country came into official existence, the Berlin area was a haven for immigrants escaping the ancient enmities and disruptive compulsions of narrow-minded nationalism. That certainly what Canada Berlin was meant to be in the beginning. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

second-youngest player: He joined the Whitecaps minor-league team in the winter, according to Globe and Mail. Five months later, in July, he signed a pro deal with the Whitecaps. So last August, Davies made the move and has since shot up the ranks. At 15, Davies is the second-youngest player to take the field in the two-decade history of Major League Soccer. I just like to see him on the field, says Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson. The attacking midfielder has since logged solid minutes, making an impact and creating chances as a substitute in the second half of matches. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

transit buses: After watching 1,500 Americans unexpectedly land on Canadian shores Sunday — many with no identification and no money — Gladu wants to see significant changes to the annual and unsanctioned Port Huron Float Down event, according to CBC. Canadian Coast Guard spent $21K to rescue partying wayward Americans A large portiong of the tubing party ended up in Canada after high winds blew them across the river, which separates Port Huron, Mich., and Sarnia in southwestern Ontario. Clair River in one big convoy of partiers has become an immigration concern for Marilyn Gladu, the Conservative MP for Sarnia-Lambton. A massive rescue ensued as many Americans were eventually bused home on transit buses. Many of them share her concern that the event needs to be better organized, particularly because landing on foreign shores without identification is illegal. "They could be arrested, they could be fined, they could be sent back at their own expense," she said. "I'm not trying to be a killjoy...but I think people need to keep public safety in the forefront and recognize that there is a lot of risk." This is a dangerous event' The Canadian Coast Guard, City of Sarnia and the Canadian Border Services Agency spent a combined $33,856 on the rescue. Gladu has discussed the event with rescue groups on both sides of the border. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

transit driver: Sometimes he wins, according to The Chronicle Herald. Video of the affable government analyst recent challenge, cheered on by bus riders and a good-natured transit driver named Brad, was posted by Halifolks and has gone viral. Tan, 44, earned his nickname of number one by racing the bus on foot from Scotia Square to Mumford Terminal. I was trying to have a little fun in my training. One day, a bus was a little slow and I just had a little intuition I could probably run faster than this — that it would probably be a fair race, just coming down to who gets stopped at lights, Tan said. It a little boring running a track or the same route. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

american dream: Death of a Salesman has always been done with multilevel sets as an all-American iconic theatre piece about the pursuit of the American Dream, according to Globe and Mail. In this Yiddish version, we don't have a big set. And certainly culturally. We have a table and four chairs, and that it. But the entire production revolves around a dinner table. We deal with visuals, we deal with lighting, we deal with sound. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

decision: By Judith Timson Current affairs Thu., Aug. 25, 2016 Can we take a thought break from how fraught this American presidential election is and focus on a lighter aspect of the campaign Yes let's, even though it means venturing into a feminist no-fly zone, according to Toronto Star. Let talk about Hillary Clinton pantsuits. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton is not afraid of colour. Or more specifically, her decision, as a female politician and aspiring leader of the western world, to almost always wear pants.I haven't worn a skirt or dress in years, so her wardrobe decision is essentially mine. Clinton has beaten most of her critics to the best pantsuit jokes. It is also happens to be a decision that has both historical and fashion significance, albeit one Clinton has made light of in the past, describing herself as a member of the sisterhood of the travelling pantsuits. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

donald trump: Of course, there always been a paranoid fringe in our politics, steeped in racial resentment, according to Toronto Star. But it never had the nominee of a major party stoking it, encouraging it and giving it a national megaphone. In a calm but blistering Nevada speech aimed in large part at moderate Republicans, Clinton systematically outlined Donald Trump alleged housing discrimination as a 1970s landlord, his offensive remarks about minority groups, and his embrace of conspiracy theorists, nationalist foreign leaders and the bigots of the online alt-right. Until now, Clinton said. At one point, she described Trump retweet of a Twitter user who goes by the name White Genocide™. At another, to gasps from the crowd at a Reno college, she read out four incendiary headlines from Breitbart News, the far-right website run by his new campaign chief. Clinton offered specific examples. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

donald trump: The book came out Tuesday, according to Toronto Star. By Wednesday, Coulter did not seem like a woman who trusted Donald Trump. Except change his immigration policies. Trump, it had become clear, is thinking about changing his immigration policies. Trump, who won the Republican primary in significant part because of a promise to deport all 11 million of America illegal immigrants, is now musing publicly about allowing most of those people to stay. The Republican presidential nominee has modified, abandoned or reversed a dizzying array of campaign pledges, but this particular shift would be a doozy to surpass them all. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

investigations unit: The criminal justice and police oversight systems in Canada aren't malfunctioning, according to Rabble. They were designed to disproportionately criminalize communities of colour. Chip in to keep stories like these coming. So Black Lives Matter Toronto is saying: shut it down. At the Special Investigations Unit in Mississauga, Ont., BLM Toronto made clear to a throng of supporters and community members that reforms to the SIU, the body tasked with investigating police brutality, are not sufficient. "They shoot us or kill us within minutes," said Syrus Marcus Ware, an artist, educator and activist. "They have had ample training, so don't talk to me about training. On the one-month anniversary of police killing Abdirahman Abdi, a 37-year-old Somali-Canadian man, outside his Ottawa home, Black Lives Matter chapters rallied in seven cities across Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

midnight today: The postal agency biggest union has until midnight today to serve the Crown corporation with a 72-hour strike notice, according to Metro News. The Crown corporation also has the option to lock out workers after today.———POSSIBLE TORNADO TOUCHES DOWN IN WINDSOR, ONT., AREAMore than a dozen homes were damaged and at least three people were injured Wednesday when a suspected tornado hit the Windsor, Ont., area. The details of what will take precedence on the legislative agenda — beyond vague assertions the middle class will remain a priority — have yet to be shared, but Liberal MPs headed into two days of meetings said they hope for substantial discussions on everything from electoral reform to a review of anti-terror legislation.———DEADLINE FOR POSTAL WORKERS' STRIKE MANDATE LOOMS It appears contract talks at Canada Post have stalled as a strike mandate for more than 51,000 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers is set to expire. Environment Canada says an eyewitness spotted a tornado just after 7 p.m. The letter was in response to a call from the ONE Campaign — an organization co-founded by U2 frontman Bono, which promotes maternal and child health projects in developing countries in Africa and FORCES WON'T ENTER MOSULCanadian-trained Kurdish forces in Iraq are expected to watch the upcoming fight for the city of Mosul from the sidelines, underlying the ethnic and religious divisions that persist within the country. ET. Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said about 15 homes were damaged and three people suffered non-life threatening injuries.——— "POVERTY IS SEXIST"Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has joined a campaign urging world leaders to acknowledge that poverty has a disproportionate impact on girls and women. "Women and girls are less likely to get an education, more likely to be impoverished, and face greater risk of disease and poor health," Trudeau wrote in a letter released early Thursday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

city: A humanitarian response is also being prepared to help the city 1 million people once the fighting starts, according to Huffington Post Canada. Victory in Mosul will mark a key moment in the fight against ISIL, as the city is the last major urban centre still controlled by the militant group in Iraq. Preparations to liberate Mosul from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant have been underway for months, with the Kurdish peshmerga, Iraqi military and Shia militia groups closing on the city. But Brig.-Gen. Peshmerga forces are seen as the operations against Daesh terrorists continue to retake Iraq Mosul from the terrorist organization Daesh, in Al Kayyarah town in Nineveh Mosul, Iraq on Aug. 15, 2016. "The role of peshmerga, as I understand it, will be to in essence secure the northern flank of Mosul, and to some degree the eastern flank, to allow the Iraqi security forces to move forward and clear through Mosul,'' Anderson told reporters in a call from Baghdad on Wednesday. David Anderson, who is in charge of an international team of military advisers posted within Iraq ministry of defence, indicated the approximately 2,000 peshmerga that Canada has trained in Iraq since September 2014 will not be directly involved in rooting ISIL from the city. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

newcomers: I like to volunteer, I like dealing with people, said the Surrey resident who first came to Canada 15 years ago, according to Metro News. Abu Aboud is part of a new program organized by DIVERSEcity, an immigrant services organization in Surrey, that aims to connect immigrants who have been in Canada for some time with those who have just recently arrived. So becoming a volunteer peer ambassador who connects newcomers to Canada with literacy and health services was a natural fit. The peer ambassadors are trained to approach newcomers in a friendly, casual way, striking up a conversation in the newcomers' mother tongue. As human beings, it hard to accept that we need more education about certain things, Kassam said. Vancouver Chinatown grapples with affordability, development Helping newcomers understand the Canadian workplace Canada new passport rule catches dual citizens by surprise The hope is that this approach will be more effective in connecting new immigrants with services that could improve literacy and health outcomes, said Tahzeem Kassam, chief operating officer for DIVERSEcity. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

purchase home: The government said the bill was meant to help quell the competition local buyers face when trying to purchase a home in the area, according to CTV. Recently released data showed that foreign buyers make up about 10 per cent of property sales in Metro Vancouver. The tax, which was passed in late July by the B.C. Liberals, forces foreign nationals to fork over an additional 15 per cent of the home value in property transfer taxes. The tax adds up. So some buyers moving to Canada are eyeing properties in the country largest city, where they can save a bit of cash while still living in a metropolitan area. With the average Vancouver-area residence costing $663,411 last month, buyers from outside Canada would face a transfer tax of $99,512. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

syrian newcomers: Robichaud said it is still too early for Syrian newcomers to open their own business, mainly because of the language barrier and the fact that they are still unfamiliar with Canadian culture. "To think that they can grasp a culture in a matter of months is really nonsense," he said. "They really need to understand how we Canadians live on a day-to-day basis." During the presentation, which was given to about 10 people with the help of an interpreter, Robichaud gave the example of how Canadians value politeness, which often makes it harder to get honest feedback from customers about a product, according to CBC. Unaware of bureaucratic restrictions About 10 Syrian refugees attended a workshop in Moncton Monday about starting businesses in the area. Syrian chefs quickly land jobs at Saint John restaurant Syrian refugees find work against the odds For Syrian refugees, finding job should take back seat to learning English, say agencies 74 Syrians have already found jobs in N.B. "But there seems to be a growing need and a growing interest for Syrians to open businesses. Robichaud also explained immigrants were frequently unaware of important bureaucratic restrictions. "For example, we had newcomers in the past that had bought businesses in the wrong zoning areas," he said. "So they would buy a residential property looking to make it a commercial activity just to find out later on that they're not allowed." Kassem Altipawi, a refugee who wants to open a restaurant featuring Syrian cuisine, said he knows there are challenges ahead. "The first thing is the language," he said. "The second thing is money, of course." Funding challenges Robichaud agrees that funding a small business will be challenging. "Currently there are some funding mechanisms, but mostly for startups," he said. "I would actually challenge the greater Moncton community on trying to think about ways of starting a micro-loan fund or funding mechanism because a lot of these people, let be honest, they don't come here with a wallet full of cash." Robichaud stressed his presentation was intended to give general information in order to clear up some questions the refugees might have about entrepreneurship in Moncton. "I think we still have months, if not years, on kind of grooming these people, on how to become successful," he said. Robichaud said he hopes his presentation would be the start of an ongoing support mechanism for prospective refugee business owners. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

transit driver: Sometimes he wins, according to The Chronicle Herald. Video of the affable government analyst recent challenge, cheered on by bus riders and a good-natured transit driver named Brad, was posted by Halifolks and has gone viral. Tan, 44, earned his nickname of number one by racing the bus on foot from Scotia Square to Mumford Terminal. I was trying to have a little fun in my training. One day, a bus was a little slow and I just had a little intuition I could probably run faster than this — that it would probably be a fair race, just coming down to who gets stopped at lights, Tan said. It a little boring running a track or the same route. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

year move: Three-quarters of the people who settle here every year move to urban areas in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, according to Globe and Mail. It understandable: Immigrants go where the opportunities are – that why they chose Canada in the first place. That is a very bad idea. Canadians moving from country to city or leaving one province for another are no different. Ottawa can entice immigrants to move to regions with labour shortages, or that are trying to increase their population – Atlantic Canada, for example – in exchange for quicker processing. The government can't compel an immigrant to move to and remain in one place any more than it can do that to a natural-born Canadian. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

society today: In Manitoba, 29 percent of people polled said opening the doors to refugees has had a very positive impact, according to CTV. The poll reveals that three-quarters of Canadians still see racism as a problem in society today. A new poll by the NRG Research Group and Peak Communications reveals that 41 percent of Canadians surveyed see the resettlement of Syrian refugees as having a positive impact on race relations. In Manitoba, about 42 percent of the people surveyed agreed with that while 35 percent felt it was a big problem . One thousand people across Canada were surveyed online for the study. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

wettest month: The floodwaters are receding in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the scale of the damage is revealing itself, according to Rabble. It has been described as a 1,000-year flood, leaving at least 13 people dead and close to 60,000 homes ruined. Chip in to keep stories like these coming. According to Weather Underground meteorologists Jeff Masters and Bob Henson, August has been the wettest month in Baton Rouge in 174 years, when records were first kept. While Obama was criticized by his political opponents for not visiting Baton Rouge earlier, it what happened one day later, in nearby New Orleans, that should have everyone concerned. They added, "Since June 1, Baton Rouge has picked up an amazing 40.95 inches -- more rain in three months than downtown Los Angeles has recorded over the last five years !" President Barack Obama travelled there Tuesday. "I think anybody who can see just the streets, much less the inside of the homes here, people lives have been upended by this flood," he said after walking through part of the devastated city. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

home village: As he recounts in this entertaining and deeply personal memoir, his own passion for social justice would eventually propel him from his home village to the upper echelons of the Canadian political scene, according to Vancouver Courier. Dosanjh has never shied away from controversy, even at risk to his personal safety. In rural Punjab, he grew up listening to debates between his father, a follower of Jawaharlal Nehru and the populist Indian National Congress, and his grandfather, a former Indian freedom fighter and socialist. He tells his story with characteristic frankness, whether he writing about the tumultuous nature of B.C. politics, the dangers of political extremism, the challenges of holding office or the divided experience of the immigrant. Journey After Midnight is a fascinating portrait of a global citizen and a very colourful life. Canada is Dosanjh chosen home, this book makes clear, but Indian remains in his soul. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

midnight today: The postal agency biggest union has until midnight today to serve the Crown corporation with a 72-hour strike notice, according to Brandon Sun. The Crown corporation also has the option to lock out workers after today.———POSSIBLE TORNADO TOUCHES DOWN IN WINDSOR, ONT., AREAMore than a dozen homes were damaged and at least three people were injured Wednesday when a suspected tornado hit the Windsor, Ont., area. The details of what will take precedence on the legislative agenda — beyond vague assertions the middle class will remain a priority — have yet to be shared, but Liberal MPs headed into two days of meetings said they hope for substantial discussions on everything from electoral reform to a review of anti-terror legislation.———DEADLINE FOR POSTAL WORKERS' STRIKE MANDATE LOOMSIt appears contract talks at Canada Post have stalled as a strike mandate for more than 51,000 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers is set to expire. Environment Canada says an eyewitness spotted a tornado just after 7 p.m. The letter was in response to a call from the ONE Campaign — an organization co-founded by U2 frontman Bono, which promotes maternal and child health projects in developing countries in Africa and FORCES WON'T ENTER MOSULCanadian-trained Kurdish forces in Iraq are expected to watch the upcoming fight for the city of Mosul from the sidelines, underlying the ethnic and religious divisions that persist within the country. ET. Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said about 15 homes were damaged and three people suffered non-life threatening injuries.——— "POVERTY IS SEXIST"Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has joined a campaign urging world leaders to acknowledge that poverty has a disproportionate impact on girls and women. "Women and girls are less likely to get an education, more likely to be impoverished, and face greater risk of disease and poor health," Trudeau wrote in a letter released early Thursday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

people: Here and elsewhere in the West, the general assumption is that LGBTQ equality is advancing and it all getting better, often much better, according to NOW Magazine. In the Caribbean, Russia, Africa and much of the Middle East, however, it actually getting worse - much worse. It a contemporary version of Canada two solitudes. Events in Uganda in the past two weeks have once again underlined this fact. One man was seriously hurt when, justifiably terrified, he tried to escape by jumping out a window. A year after the overturning of a law requiring homosexuals be jailed for life, a gay pride event was raided by Ugandan police at the beginning of August and 20 people arrested. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

report: The Liberals are hoping to do better, according to The Waterloo Record. If press reports are any guide, the government will use a parliamentary committee report set to be released next month as a template for relaxing the rules around the hiring of temporary foreign workers. That program caused plenty of grief for the former Conservative government, particularly when it was revealed that some employers were using the scheme to replace Canadian workers with cheaper foreign help. That report is still unpublished. According to a Globe and Mail report, McCallum said he wanted to make it easier for Canadian firms to bring in short-term foreign workers, noting that in some areas, the rules are "silly." But he also held out the possibility that, in return, the government would make it easier for temporary foreign workers to become permanent residents and ultimately Canadian citizens. But on a recent trip to China, Immigration Minister John McCallum gave some hint as to the government thinking, saying Canada still needs temporary foreign workers to solve labour shortages in areas such as fish-processing and meat-packing. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.