gender equality: The question reads: "Should the Canadian government screen potential immigrants for anti-Canadian values as part of its normal screening for refugees and landed immigrants "Some of the other questions are fairly straightforward, such as whether the federal government should retain the supply management system for farm products such as eggs and dairy, summarizing the common arguments for and against, according to Metro News. Others are more provocative, such as the one about screening immigrants.U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has called for would-be immigrants to undergo what he calls "extreme vetting" to determine their stance on things like religious freedom, gender equality and LGBTQ rights. It seeks opinions and gauges support for a variety of positions and issues, including electoral reform, corporate tax cuts and the legalization and regulation of marijuana for recreational use. The Leitch survey does not spell out what is meant by "anti-Canadian values," nor otherwise declare where Leitch herself stands on the issue. Kouvalis did say more than 8,000 people had responded to the survey since Tuesday and that it was based on subjects Leitch had been hearing about from Conservatives during her travels across Canada since launching her leadership bid this spring. Neither did her campaign manager Nick Kouvalis, who said Thursday he would not comment on the substance of the survey. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

housing market: Unless you think 90 per cent of Vancouverites are xenophobic or racist, then you'll realize that this claim is silly, according to Globe and Mail. The issue is that the local housing market has become disconnected from the local labour market, largely due to the influence of foreign capital, and people don't like that. Concern about foreign capital is xenophobic or racist:Ninety per cent of Vancouverites support the recent foreign-buyer tax. That concern cuts across all groups – the concern is with the foreign money, not the foreign people. Rising prices are all about low interest rates: Interest rates are low across the developed world, but only in a small minority of cities do we see housing prices galloping ahead of income levels on a long-term basis. And yes, there are straightforward policies to address the impact of capital, without targeting people. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

john hernandez: He greets a visitor to the southern tip of California and, upon learning he Canadian, Hernandez cracks a quip about the border -- not the one nearby that everyone talking about in the presidential election, but the other one, way up north. "You gonna build a wall there too " the retired state employee says upon encountering a Canadian reporter outside a cemetery in Holtville, Calif., a few kilometres from Mexico. "No Canada not gonna have to build a wall and pay for it yourselves " He being sarcastic, according to CTV. He knows the answer to both questions is no. John Hernandez offers an example of the genre. Like many here, he noticed that only one of America neighbours has become an issue in this election -- and it not the one closest to the North Pole. "People know the disparity," he said. "Mexicans are treated differently." This tale of two disparately discussed neighbours has experienced its dramatic climax with Donald Trump flying into Mexico City on a public-relations mission Wednesday, followed by an evening speech where he doubled-down on his hardline approach of deporting millions, building a wall, and forcing Mexico to pay for it. It the story of the campaign. Trump delivered a one hour, 15-minute speech about border security without mentioning Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

kurdi photograph: Alfattal said heightened security concerns stemming in large part from increased terrorist attacks across Europe are partly to blame for the West waning reluctance to accommodate refugees displaced by the conflict. "We have been desensitized, unfortunately," she said. "I feel people have forgotten about Syria." But while Kurdi photograph may have had little in the way of a lasting impact on Syria, observers say his image had a disproportionately powerful impact in Canada, according to The Chronicle Herald. Catherine Dauvergne, dean of the University of British Columbia law school and a specialist in refugee and immigration law, said the photo affected last fall federal election. "I think the important amount of attention that news story got probably pushed the refugee issue up into the public prominence and linked it to the election in a more direct way than had previously been happening," she said. Friday, Sept. 2, marks the one-year anniversary of the death of Alan Kurdi, a two-year-old Syrian boy immortalized in a chilling photograph that captured the price all too often paid by those struggling to escape the years-long civil war. "I think Alan picture in our minds has kind of faded into the background," said Rouba Alfattal, a professor of Middle East and Arab politics at the University of Ottawa. The promise to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of 2015 became a key plank of the Liberal party platform. But as time passes the urgency to help is ebbing, Dauvergne said, "not because the situation itself is not as urgent, but because it hard to feel that urgency for a long time." Some argue that while Kurdi photo created a moral impulse in the West to take action, one of its negative impacts may have been that it focused excessive attention on refugee resettlement and distracted from addressing the core issue of stopping the fighting. "You can resettle refugees over and over again, but if you don't stop the conflict, that going to continue," said Kyle Matthews, senior deputy director of an institute at Concordia University that focuses on genocide and human rights studies. "There been a lot of humanitarian chest-thumping, that we accept refugees, but we haven't gone to the core of the problem, which is stopping the Syrian conflict." Kurdi aunt, Tima Kurdi of Coquitlam, B.C., recently said as much when she lamented how the image of a dust-covered Syrian child pulled from the rubble of a collapsed building might garner support for continued fighting instead of concentrating attention on ending hostilities. The newly elected government eventually made good on the pledge, though several months later than expected. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

media fawn: Related: 'Lick your screens': China press, social media fawn over 'celebrity' Trudeau Related: Trudeau in China: Focus shifts to human rights after ambassador rebuke to Beijing But there are no shortcuts, in the form of goodwill from foreign trips or anything else, to breaking through, according to Globe and Mail. Based on conversations with party organizers who have worked on the ground in Chinese communities, the reality is more an array of complex factors that the Liberals will have to work hard to change. It one the Liberals need to break, as the country largest immigrant population – 1.5 million and growing – could yet be the difference in a close election. Underscoring the nuance is a key distinction between families who came from Hong Kong, mostly through to the 1980s, and those who have come from mainland China in the past couple of decades. While that may have helped the Liberals at least significantly narrow the gap from 2011 in a riding like Richmond Centre, where many of the Chinese-Canadian voters have Hong Kong roots, it of little consolation since even there those voters are increasingly being overwhelmed by waves of mainland emigrants. The general consensus is that the Liberals tended to do better with the former and the Conservatives with the latter in last year vote. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

opinions: The question comes in a survey that was emailed to people who signed up for news from her campaign, according to Toronto Star. It seeks opinions and gauges support for a variety of positions and issues, including electoral reform, corporate tax cuts and the legalization and regulation of marijuana for recreational use. By The Canadian Press Thu., Sept. 1, 2016 OTTAWA—Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch wants to know what her supporters think about vetting would-be immigrants and refugees for anti-Canadian values. The question reads: Should the Canadian government screen potential immigrants for anti-Canadian values as part of its normal screening for refugees and landed immigrants Some of the other questions are fairly straightforward, such as whether the federal government should retain the supply management system for farm products such as eggs and dairy, summarizing the common arguments for and against. Article Continued Below U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has called for would-be immigrants to undergo what he calls extreme vetting to determine their stance on things like religious freedom, gender equality and LGBTQ rights. Others are more provocative, such as the one about screening immigrants. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

release hearing: The hearing before Justice Alfred O'Marra — regardless of whether Brown is put on a plane — will see his lawyers press for damages of $1,500 for each day of his lengthy incarceration, if the court finds any of it to have been unlawful, according to The Chronicle Herald. The federal government maintains the release hearing cannot give rise to damages and Brown would need to sue in civil court if he believes he deserves compensation. If Jamaica fails to issue Alvin Brown a travel document as has happened before, the "habeas corpus" hearing in Ontario Superior Court is expected to resume within hours of his scheduled departure on the morning of Sept. 7. Brown law counsel disagree. "It not in the public interest to have this go through the courts twice with basically the same evidence," immigration consultant Mac Donald Scott, one of Brown legal team, said on Thursday. He was released from criminal custody in early 2011 but border agents detained him months later for violating release conditions. Brown, 40, a father of six who arrived in Canada 33 years ago and became a permanent resident a year later, was deemed inadmissible after 17 convictions, most drug and weapons related. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

screening immigrants: The question reads: "Should the Canadian government screen potential immigrants for anti-Canadian values as part of its normal screening for refugees and landed immigrants " Kellie Leitch tears up over role in barbaric cultural practices tip line How Conservative and NDP leadership contenders stack up on the money Some of the other questions are fairly straightforward, such as whether the federal government should retain the supply management system for farm products such as eggs and dairy, summarizing the common arguments for and against, according to CBC. Others are more provocative, such as the one about screening immigrants. It seeks opinions and gauges support for a variety of positions and issues, including electoral reform, corporate tax cuts and the legalization and regulation of marijuana for recreational use. U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has called for would-be immigrants to undergo what he calls "extreme vetting" to determine their stance on things like religious freedom, gender equality and LGBTQ rights. Neither did her campaign manager Nick Kouvalis, who said Thursday he would not comment on the substance of the survey. The Leitch survey does not spell out what is meant by "anti-Canadian values," nor otherwise declare where Leitch herself stands on the issue. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

state employee: He greets a visitor to the southern tip of California and, upon learning he Canadian, Hernandez cracks a quip about the border — not the one nearby that everyone talking about in the presidential election, but the other one, way up north, according to Huffington Post Canada. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump arrives to deliver an immigration policy speech during a campaign rally at the Phoenix Convention Center on Aug. 31, 2016, in Phoenix. "You gonna build a wall there too " the retired state employee says upon encountering a Canadian reporter outside a cemetery in Holtville, Calif., a few kilometres from Mexico. "No Canada not gonna have to build a wall and pay for it yourselves " He being sarcastic. John Hernandez offers an example of the genre. He knows the answer to both questions is no. Trump delivered a one hour, 15-minute speech about border security without mentioning Canada. Like many here, he noticed that only one of America neighbours has become an issue in this election — and it not the one closest to the North Pole. "People know the disparity," he said. "Mexicans are treated differently." Trump didn't mention Canada once in immigration speech This tale of two disparately discussed neighbours has experienced its dramatic climax with Donald Trump flying into Mexico City on a public-relations mission Wednesday, followed by an evening speech where he doubled-down on his hardline approach of deporting millions, building a wall, and forcing Mexico to pay for it. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

syrian couple: The Tri-Church Syrian Refugee Sponsorship Committee now faces a difficult decision -- continue holding out hope that the family will eventually arrive in Toronto, or sponsor a different Syrian family instead, according to CTV. That the stumbling block for us, Wes Denyer, the minister of the Rosedale Presbyterian Church, which is part of the committee, told CTVNews.ca. Months have passed, and the Syrian couple with two young children are still in Jordan. A number of sponsorship groups are facing similar dilemmas, due to delays in the processing of Syrian refugees under the Blended Visa Office-Referred, or BVOR, program. Denyer said the Tri-Church committee applied to sponsor a Syrian refugee family late last year, and learned of a match in January. The program matches refugees identified by the United Nations Refugee Agency with private sponsors in Canada, who split the costs of supporting a family with the federal government. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

gender equality: The question reads: "Should the Canadian government screen potential immigrants for anti-Canadian values as part of its normal screening for refugees and landed immigrants "Some of the other questions are fairly straightforward, such as whether the federal government should retain the supply management system for farm products such as eggs and dairy, summarizing the common arguments for and against, according to Brandon Sun. Others are more provocative, such as the one about screening immigrants.U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has called for would-be immigrants to undergo what he calls "extreme vetting" to determine their stance on things like religious freedom, gender equality and LGBTQ rights. It seeks opinions and gauges support for a variety of positions and issues, including electoral reform, corporate tax cuts and the legalization and regulation of marijuana for recreational use. The Leitch survey does not spell out what is meant by "anti-Canadian values," nor otherwise declare where Leitch herself stands on the issue. Kouvalis did say more than 8,000 people had responded to the survey since Tuesday and that it was based on subjects Leitch had been hearing about from Conservatives during her travels across Canada since launching her leadership bid this spring. Neither did her campaign manager Nick Kouvalis, who said Thursday he would not comment on the substance of the survey. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mexico city: He knows the answer to both questions is no, according to National Observer. Like many here, he noticed that only one of America neighbours has become an issue in this election — and it not the one closest to the North Pole."People know the disparity," he said. "Mexicans are treated differently."This tale of two disparately discussed neighbours has experienced its dramatic climax with Donald Trump flying into Mexico City on a public-relations mission Wednesday, followed by an evening speech where he doubled-down on his hardline approach of deporting millions, building a wall, and forcing Mexico to pay for it. He greets a visitor to the southern tip of California and, upon learning he Canadian, Hernandez cracks a quip about the border — not the one nearby that everyone talking about in the presidential election, but the other one, way up north."You gonna build a wall there too " the retired state employee says upon encountering a Canadian reporter outside a cemetery in Holtville, Calif., a few kilometres from Mexico."No Canada not gonna have to build a wall and pay for it yourselves "He being sarcastic. Trump delivered a one hour, 15-minute speech about border security without mentioning Canada. Even when he raises an issue that seriously affects Canada, the northern neighbour an incidental bystander. It the story of the campaign. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

kurdi photograph: Alfattal said heightened security concerns stemming in large part from increased terrorist attacks across Europe are partly to blame for the West waning reluctance to accommodate refugees displaced by the conflict."We have been desensitized, unfortunately," she said. "I feel people have forgotten about Syria."But while Kurdi photograph may have had little in the way of a lasting impact on Syria, observers say his image had a disproportionately powerful impact in Canada, according to Brandon Sun. Catherine Dauvergne, dean of the University of British Columbia law school and a specialist in refugee and immigration law, said the photo affected last fall federal election."I think the important amount of attention that news story got probably pushed the refugee issue up into the public prominence and linked it to the election in a more direct way than had previously been happening," she said. Friday, Sept. 2, marks the one-year anniversary of the death of Alan Kurdi, a two-year-old Syrian boy immortalized in a chilling photograph that captured the price all too often paid by those struggling to escape the years-long civil war."I think Alan picture in our minds has kind of faded into the background," said Rouba Alfattal, a professor of Middle East and Arab politics at the University of Ottawa. The promise to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of 2015 became a key plank of the Liberal party platform. But as time passes the urgency to help is ebbing, Dauvergne said, "not because the situation itself is not as urgent, but because it hard to feel that urgency for a long time."Some argue that while Kurdi photo created a moral impulse in the West to take action, one of its negative impacts may have been that it focused excessive attention on refugee resettlement and distracted from addressing the core issue of stopping the fighting."You can resettle refugees over and over again, but if you don't stop the conflict, that going to continue," said Kyle Matthews, senior deputy director of an institute at Concordia University that focuses on genocide and human rights studies."There been a lot of humanitarian chest-thumping, that we accept refugees, but we haven't gone to the core of the problem, which is stopping the Syrian conflict."Kurdi aunt, Tima Kurdi of Coquitlam, B.C., recently said as much when she lamented how the image of a dust-covered Syrian child pulled from the rubble of a collapsed building might garner support for continued fighting instead of concentrating attention on ending hostilities. The newly elected government eventually made good on the pledge, though several months later than expected. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

release hearing: The hearing before Justice Alfred O'Marra — regardless of whether Brown is put on a plane — will see his lawyers press for damages of $1,500 for each day of his lengthy incarceration, if the court finds any of it to have been unlawful, according to Brandon Sun. The federal government maintains the release hearing cannot give rise to damages and Brown would need to sue in civil court if he believes he deserves compensation. If Jamaica fails to issue Alvin Brown a travel document as has happened before, the "habeas corpus" hearing in Ontario Superior Court is expected to resume within hours of his scheduled departure on the morning of Sept. 7. Brown law counsel disagree."It not in the public interest to have this go through the courts twice with basically the same evidence," immigration consultant Mac Donald Scott, one of Brown legal team, said on Thursday. He was released from criminal custody in early 2011 but border agents detained him months later for violating release conditions. Brown, 40, a father of six who arrived in Canada 33 years ago and became a permanent resident a year later, was deemed inadmissible after 17 convictions, most drug and weapons related. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

screening immigrants: The question reads: "Should the Canadian government screen potential immigrants for anti-Canadian values as part of its normal screening for refugees and landed immigrants " Some of the other questions are fairly straightforward, such as whether the federal government should retain the supply management system for farm products such as eggs and dairy, summarizing the common arguments for and against, according to Guelph Mercury. Others are more provocative, such as the one about screening immigrants. It seeks opinions and gauges support for a variety of positions and issues, including electoral reform, corporate tax cuts and the legalization and regulation of marijuana for recreational use. U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has called for would-be immigrants to undergo what he calls "extreme vetting" to determine their stance on things like religious freedom, gender equality and LGBTQ rights. Neither did her campaign manager Nick Kouvalis, who said Thursday he would not comment on the substance of the survey. The Leitch survey does not spell out what is meant by "anti-Canadian values," nor otherwise declare where Leitch herself stands on the issue. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

adolf hitler: On Wednesday, they traded pleasantries and shook hands, according to Toronto Star. In a surprise visit to Mexico City, Trump adopted gentler rhetoric and a quieter voice. Pena Nieto has likened Trump to Adolf Hitler. Gone, for one afternoon at least, was the Republican nominee who demands that Mexico pay for a giant border wall, blames Mexico for stealing its rightful jobs, and calls Mexican illegal immigrants rapists. He added: First-, second-, and third-generation Mexicans are just beyond reproach. I happen to have a tremendous feeling for Mexican-Americans, not only in terms of friendships but in terms of the tremendous numbers that I employ, Trump, standing beside Pena Nieto, said in prepared remarks after a meeting at the presidential residence. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cbc news: Not about handouts' "It not about handouts, it about partnerships," Tory said. "Partnerships that I think will stand the test of time, because people in these diverse businesses who don't think they have a chance will have a chance to show what they can do, and will do so well that they will be hired again and again and again." Margaret Eaton, executive director of the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council, called the initiative "a terrific boon" in her comments to CBC News. "There are many newcomer businesspeople who would've felt there was no way in to city hall, according to CBC. It can be a real monolith," she said. "They've opened the door." However, she said there could be a steep learning curve at city hall. By 2018, the city is promising to have hard-and-fast rules in place that will mean companies must be able to prove their workforces or sub-contractors are diverse before they can bid on city projects worth more than $5 million, Mayor John Tory said Wednesday. Margaret Eaton, the executive director of the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council, called the city plan to award a quarter of its contracts to diverse companies "a terrific first step." "Hearts and minds need to be changed at the city among people who are doing the procuring, rather than using your standard list of suppliers" she said. That company was hired by the much larger engineering firm Black and Veatch earlier this year to do its printing. As an example of how contracts could be awarded in the future, the mayor held his news conference Wednesday at the Aboriginal Printing Corporation, a storefront operation near Union Station. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

election cycle: He has already all but abandoned his once-rock-ribbed insistence on expelling millions of illegal immigrants from the United States, hinting instead that those who have been law-abiding residents for decades might be allowed to stay, according to Toronto Star. In this presidential election cycle, that qualifies as a remarkable concession. By Adam Goldenberg Wed., Aug. 31, 2016 On Wednesday, in Arizona, Donald Trump will deliver a speech about immigration. For the Republican nominee and his fans on the American alt-right – and to the horror of progressives everywhere – stoking fears of foreign infiltration has proved to be a winning political strategy, even if Trump recent course correction suggests some recognition of its limits. No person except a natural born Citizen or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President. Still, however corrosive it may be, Trump rhetoric has an unimpeachable American pedigree; its roots lie in the U.S. Constitution itself. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

food prices: The federal agency said real gross domestic product fell at an annualized rate of 1.6 per cent in the three-month period, due in large part to the wildfires that destroyed parts of Fort McMurray, Alta, according to Metro News. That the biggest quarterly decline since the second quarter of 2009 when Canada was in the midst of the global financial crisis.___ Restaurateurs are crying foul over a second industrial milk price increase this year set to take effect Thursday, which they say will likely lead to higher food prices. Ambassador Guy Saint-Jacques highlighted those sticking points Wednesday after Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Canada and China would soon launch a feasibility study on an eventual free trade deal.___ECONOMY POSTS WORST SHOWING SINCE 2009: The Canadian economy shrivelled in the second quarter to its worst performance in seven years, Statistics Canada said Wednesday. In July, the Canadian Dairy Commission decided to raise the price of industrial milk — which is processed into yogurt, ice cream, cheese and butter — by 2.76 per cent. The CDC said the hikes came because producer revenues "decreased rapidly" last fall, in part due to a decrease in global demand from importing countries and changing consumer preferences — and revenues did not stabilize by early spring as anticipated.___ China says it will lift a fast-approaching deadline to introduce rule changes on Canadian canola shipments that threatened to inflict damage on the multibillion-dollar sector. That on top of a 2.2 per cent hike that occurred in February. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

gary street: They never imagined something so violent could happen to them in their new country. "It was terrible," said Talia Gohari, according to CTV. The attack happened on Portage Avenue near Gary Street on Thursday August 25th, as the couple was walking to an orientation course for newcomers. Talia and Shayke Gohari immigrated to Canada from Israel this summer, with their three small children. Talia said a man walked up to them and tried to steal her purse. The knife cut deep into his arm as the attacker got away. "When I saw the damage that he had done to my husband, it was terrible, I was in shock, crying because I saw him and he was bleeding," added Talia Gohari. When her husband Shayke intervened, the man allegedly attacked him with a knife. "My instinct was to take the purse and tell him what are you doing and he takes this knife that I didn't see and he cut my arm," said Shayke Gohari. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

holocaust denial: They called it Klanwatch, then eventually the Intelligence Project, according to Hamilton Spectator. In the nearly 40 years since, hundreds of groups that ascribe to varying brands of inflammatory ideology — Neo-Nazism, anti-gay, anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant, Holocaust denial, black separatist — have been lumped into the list. At the time, most were white supremacist organizations finding renewed footing after a resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan. There is even a "general hate" category. Its definition mirrors the one used by the federal government when prosecuting hate crimes. "Generally speaking," the SPLC wrote explaining why "Black Lives Matter is not a hate group ... hate groups are, by our definition, those that vilify entire groups of people based on immutable characteristics such as race or ethnicity." The law centre is left-leaning, a nugget conservatives and even moderates have used to deem some SPLC distinctions illegitimate — especially when it labelled the Family Research Council, a conservative organization, a hate group for its stance on homosexuality. While the news media routinely cites SPLC hate group designations as if they were definitive, they have in fact often been controversial. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

radiation oncologist: Those who build must ensure their property includes Western architectural features such as a metal roof or overhang, according to Metro News. But some Indian-Americans are questioning the sincerity of that standard after the City Council rejected a proposal for a hilltop Hindu cultural centre on a hilltop partly on grounds that the large, domed building wouldn't fit in. Local leaders celebrate that rural, equestrian lifestyle and are protective of it. They think the decision — which came after residents urged the city to keep its culture and questioned why proponents chose the site — is discriminatory. Krupali Tejura, a radiation oncologist who grew up in nearby Corona and works at an area hospital, got involved in the debate because she was offended by those who argued the centre didn't fit."How does a community or a city decide it doesn't fit in with their lifestyle How far does this go " she asked. Dr. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

scientist: It been shocking to watch news of the Brexit vote in Britain, Donald Trump promise to build a wall between Mexico and the U.S. and the ongoing threats and violence against ethnic minorities in many parts of the world, according to Rabble. I'm not a political or social scientist, but my training as a biologist gives me some insight. Chip in to keep stories like these coming. When I began my career as a scientist, geneticists were starting to analyze the molecular properties of single genes within a species. Examining one kind of protein controlled by a specific gene, we expected to find them all pretty much the same. When we started looking at highly evolved species such as fruit flies, we thought we would find that their genes had been honed through selection over time, so they would be relatively homogeneous within single species. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sponsor refugees: We understand that the delays have been disappointing for some private sponsors and regret the challenges that we know this caused for many, said a recent letter from the immigration department to community groups trying to sponsor refugees on the blended visa office-referred list or blended cases who have been caught up in delays, according to Toronto Star. As a special exception given the pace and volume of the Syrian initiative, we will begin offering replacement cases in the coming weeks to those sponsors that have been impacted by these delays. By Nicholas Keung Immigration reporter Wed., Aug. 31, 2016 To sooth public discontent among sponsorship groups over the long wait in receiving their Syrian refugee families, Ottawa has offered the opportunity for them to trade in for ones that are travel-ready. The news comes as Canada is gearing up to welcome a second wave of some 6,000 government-assisted Syrian refugees by the end of the year. Some have been calling emergency meetings, contacting MPs and their families overseas. Sponsorship groups, including many in the Greater Toronto Area, were confused and torn over whether they should abandon the family they have committed to over the past year for a replacement group that they have yet to get to know. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

syed hussan: Reforms must take into account experiences of racism and sexism documented by migrant workers and others like them, according to Metro News. And, they must deal with the influential power restaurant employers have over their employees, said Syed Hussan, coordinator of Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, a Toronto group advocating for temporary foreign workers. But some are already concerned new regulations won't go far enough to help some of the most precarious workers in the sector. Right now, the government has said very little about the effort it plans to launch this fall and it hard to assess what it could mean, he added. We simply need rules that include everyone, regardless of their race, gender and status, he said. If it all about enforcement, people will still be afraid to come out with complaints for fear of reprisals, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

td branch: But Ramadan strong reputation didn't mean much to a TD bank branch that refused to let the activist withdraw money that had been sent to him from Germany, according to Huffington Post Canada. Danny Ramadan Twitter profile picture. The activist has long worked to raise awareness of the struggles of Syrian LGBT refugees, and was honoured this year by being asked to serve as grand marshal of the 2016 Vancouver Pride Parade. In June, Ramadan wrote article for a German research publication and was paid €200 , he wrote on Facebook. But Ramadan only found out about its arrival when he received a call from TD fraud department, saying the bank would "study his claims and release the money in two days." A TD Canada Trust branch. He had that money transferred to a TD branch in Vancouver, and it arrived on Aug. 15. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.