leadership race: The commissioner says the federal parties have repaid the contributions to the federal government. ——— The Liberal government wants to hear from Canadians about revamping national security legislation, according to The Chronicle Herald. The online consultation process opened Thursday, soliciting feedback on everything from preventing attacks to ensuring intelligence agencies are accountable. The commissioner says the contributions were given to the Liberals and Conservatives as well as contestants in the 2006 Liberal leadership race. The government has promised to repeal what it calls the problematic elements of the omnibus security legislation known as Bill C-51. Sajjan made the announcement at this year summit in London, where defence ministers from around the world gathered to pledge their support for peacekeeping and discuss the challenges of such missions. It was brought in by the previous Conservative government. ——— Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says Canada will host a peacekeeping summit next year. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

muslim hamiltonians: To call such incidents hate crimes "reduces its broad impact," Green said. 15 years after Hindu temple arson: How Hamilton changed forever How Hamilton lacks racial diversity in its 'corridors of power' "When you hear these stories of violence, you are afraid, and by that nature, that is a type of terrorist." Javid Mirza, former president of the Muslim Association of Hamilton, said during the chat that Muslim Hamiltonians were afraid to send their kids to school after 9/15, according to CBC. And many of them didn't. Matthew Green of Ward 3 says the arson, which happened four days after 9/11, created fear and intimidation in the local Hindu and Muslim communities. The 15th anniversary of the Hindu Temple arson has provided an opportunity to take stock of Hamilton efforts to become an inclusive city. You can watch the full panel discussion above. Green, Mirza and diversity consultant Evelyn Myrie talked for 30 minutes about the temple arson, how to move past just talk about diversity, the economics of racism measuring progress. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

marijuana recreationally: Canadian border guards are shown at the Douglas border crossing on the Canada-USA border in Surrey, B.C., on August 20, 2009. "Of course I'd smoked marijuana, Canada didn't even have a program back then, according to Huffington Post Canada. I smoked marijuana recreationally. Harvey has not been excluded for having a criminal record, or for trying to smuggle drugs into the U.S. He being punished for providing a seemingly harmless answer to a question posed by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection service. "They said that I was inadmissible because I admitted to smoking marijuana after the age of 18 and before I'd received my medical marijuana licence," he said. I guess I should have basically lied because now I am inadmissible apparently," he added. He was driving from Vancouver to Seattle for a concert when a customs officer noticed a marijuana magazine in his car. Harvey woes began In 2014 when he was 37. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

saskatoon residents: I hope someone warned the Syrian refugees that the booms, bangs & other noise wasn't from weapons, she wrote in one tweet, according to CTV. Amazed that so many people do not know of connection between PTSD of war victims & soldiers, and fireworks which often triggers them, she wrote on Twitter after the backlash began. Saskatoon city councillor Pat Lorje posted the tweets on Saturday and Sunday after the city annual Potash Corp Fireworks Festival. On Twitter, Saskatoon residents called the tweets insensitive. People who have those conditions, whether they're refugees or not, they would be triggered with those kind of noises or anything that can remind people something similar to the trauma that they had, the group executive director, Ali Abukar, told CTV Saskatoon. The Saskatoon Open Door Society, which provides services to immigrants and refugees, says that while not all refugees suffer from PTSD, it possible that fireworks could reawaken awful memories in those that do. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

senate committees: The consultation, which can be found at runs until Dec. 1, according to Huffington Post Canada. Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Ralph Goodale makes a funding announcement during a visit to an immigrant holding centre in Laval, Que., on Aug. 15, 2016. The government opened an online consultation Thursday, soliciting feedback on everything from sharing information and preventing attacks to conducting surveillance and ensuring intelligence agencies are accountable. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale told a news conference in Edmonton the government also hopes House of Commons and Senate committees will hold public hearings on the national security framework. In the 2015 election campaign, the Liberals promised to repeal "problematic elements" of omnibus security legislation, known as Bill C-51, ushered in by the previous Conservative government. It means any legislation flowing from these reviews would not be tabled until December at the earliest and more likely in late winter or spring 2017. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

comparator cities: Waterloo improved its 2015 ranking of 16 to an enviable 10th position in 2016, according to Guelph Mercury. Whatever happened to A better Guelph, as boasted by current Mayor Cam Guthrie in his election Could it possibly be that Guelph was already a great city until he became mayor What else could account for such a steep drop of 17 places, when Waterloo, one of our comparator cities, has moved up six places Even Centre Wellington, formerly at position 52, is now breathing down our collective necks at position 34. Surprise! Surprise! Guelph has taken a nose-dive from a very fine ranking of 15th, based on 2014 data, to a less-than-stellar ranking of 32, based on 2015 data. Some may say that extraneous factors often cause cities to move up and down the rankings. Take Oakville, for example, since it is another of our comparator cities. Well, not exactly. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

leadership campaign: The Ontario MP and former cabinet minister initially declined to get into the debate over a proposal from leadership rival Kellie Leitch to vet immigrants and refugees for their views on what she calls anti-Canadian values, according to Guelph Mercury. The idea was first floated in a questionnaire her campaign emailed to thousands of potential supporters last week. That where our focus should be," Clement said in an interview from Montreal. But with discussion over the Leitch proposal still dominating the otherwise sleepy leadership campaign and other candidates speaking up, Clement said Thursday he decided to comment to keep the issue from overshadowing his policy announcement next week. Clement said he did not want to go into any detail about his security proposal before his formal news conference Monday, but did refer to a June 2015 report from the Senate national security committee. Clement said Leitch "trial balloon", is not the right approach. "I think spending our resources to have government personnel deciding who or who is not going to be a good Canadian is neither practical nor desirable, but I do believe that we should enhance our ability to screen out individuals who pose a threat to our society," Clement said. "That where our focus should be, not on the many immigrants who actually add to our society." Clement said that should he be selected as leader next May, the party will be "pro-Canadian values," but that is not all. "It will also be pro-immigration, it will be pro-national security and it will be pro-jobs and that the kind of party that can win the next election," he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ledge road: Bennett was sentenced Thursday to two months in jail, according to Brandon Sun. Thorn said the provincial court in Saint John, N.B., was told Bennett purchased an air mattress at the local Walmart, inflated it and later used a wooden board to paddle across to an area near Ledge Road, southeast of St. Croix River in southeastern Maine and illegally enter New Brunswick late Wednesday, a Crown prosecutor John Bennett told police he had earlier tried to cross the border at Calais, Maine, but customs officers denied him entry because he was facing mischief charges in the U.S., lawyer Peter Thorn said Thursday."He was told by the officer that until he got those cleared up, he wouldn't be admitted into Canada," the prosecutor said. Stephen, N.B. However, a local resident spotted the man, and he was later arrested by the RCMP and charged with failing to appear at the border crossing as required by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act."He was wet and carrying his boots ... walking towards the town," said Thorn, a lawyer representing the federal Public Prosecution Service of Canada. Bennett has no fixed address but is believed to live in Calais. Before Bennett pleaded guilty to the charge Thursday, he told police he had to reach his pregnant girlfriend in Canada because he was worried for her safety, Thorn said."He said she had an ex-boyfriend who was threatening her, but that hasn't been confirmed by the other party," he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

toronto event: The other authors attending are Guy Gavriel Kay, Ian Hamilton, Teva Harrison and Kamal Al-Solaylee."There a real diversity in the people who will be there," Stuart said, according to The Waterloo Record. Word On The Street is a free national book and magazine festival held in cities across Canada, with the Toronto event on Sunday, Sept. 25 at the Harbourfront Centre. Her first book — a thriller called "Still Mine" — came out in March and it been a whirlwind of exciting firsts ever since."It landed on the bestseller list right away in Canada and it pretty much stayed there ever since," she said. "The reality has gone so far beyond what I thought might happen, so it just been wonderful."Stuart is one of five top-selling authors speaking at a Word On The Street preview event being held at the Kitchener Public Library on Saturday, Sept. 10 from 1 to 5:30 p.m. The other host cities are Halifax, Saskatoon and Lethbridge. Stuart is happy to have more time to attend these events, now that she on leave from her job as high school guidance councillor to focus on writing two more books in the series. Kitchener hosted the festival for 15 years, but this year instead decided to hold a series of literary events. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

border agents: The upshot, Will said, was that the deportation took "exponentially longer" than should have been the case. "It should have taken no more than a year for the CBSA to have deported Mr, according to Hamilton Spectator. Brown," Will told Superior Court Justice Alfred O'Marra. "It was cruel and unusual to detain Mr. In seeking compensation for Alvin Brown, lawyer Jared Will accused Canada Border Services Agency of negligence in removing his client from Canada. Brown, who had mental health issues, for nearly five years." Brown, 40, a father of six who suffers from schizophrenia, came to Canada as a child more than three decades ago. He was released from criminal custody in early 2011 but border agents detained him months later for violating release conditions. The government stripped him of his permanent residency after a series of convictions, most drug and weapons related. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

business: The Tichnov family says they can understand the challenges of starting a new business in a new country and say not being timid and making personal connections is key to success, according to CBC. Syrian entrepreneurs in Moncton cautioned to take it slow "Find the right people who will answer your questions," said co-owner Stanislav Tichnov. "We talked with interpreters who told us what to do, what licences we had to get." Yana Tichnov says her business that houses dozens of dogs started off with a single puppy. But now their Lovely Doggy House boarding and grooming business in Fredericton regularly houses dozens of dogs and is in the process of expanding once again. The dog daycare, groomer, and boarder business is always bursting at the seams with playful pooches, due in part to the family not being able to say no to dogs. "We didn't start out by saying we wanted a business," said Yana Tichnov. "It started from scratch. And because we love dogs, we bought another puppy." The Tichnov then started dog-sitting for neighbours. We just bought one puppy. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canada: The upshot, Will said, was that the deportation took "exponentially longer" than should have been the case. "It should have taken no more than a year for the CBSA to have deported Mr, according to CBC. Brown," Will told Superior Court Justice Alfred O'Marra. "It was cruel and unusual to detain Mr. In seeking compensation for Alvin Brown, lawyer Jared Will accused Canada Border Services Agency of negligence in removing his client from Canada. Brown, who had mental health issues, for nearly five years." Immigration detention faces rare legal challenge today in provincial court Immigration detainees on hunger strike demand meeting with Goodale Federal government reviewing immigration detention process after string of deaths​ Brown, 40, a father of six who suffers from schizophrenia, came to Canada as a child more than three decades ago. He was released from criminal custody in early 2011 but border agents detained him months later for violating release conditions. The government stripped him of his permanent residency after a series of convictions, most of them drug and weapons related. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian press: By Colin Perkel The Canadian Press Wed., Sept. 7, 2016 A mentally ill man finally deported to Jamaica on Wednesday deserves compensation because his five years in immigration detention violated his rights and was inhumane and illegal, his lawyer told an Ontario court in Toronto, according to Toronto Star. In seeking compensation for Alvin Brown, lawyer Jared Will accused the Canada Border Services Agency of negligence in removing his client from Canada. He was deported to his native Jamaica on Wednesday. The upshot, Will said, was that the deportation took exponentially longer than should have been the case. Brown, Will told Superior Court Justice Alfred O'Marra. It should have taken no more than a year for the CBSA to have deported Mr. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

farm workers: The group Justice for Migrant Workers is heading to Ottawa to make that demand, and it started its caravan in Windsor on Monday, according to CTV. Gabriel Allahdua has travelled from St. Those who support the program have started a campaign, asking the federal government to grant immigration status to workers when they land in Canada. Lucia to Canada over the past four years to be a migrant worker. Allahdua says it really disheartening to see the very important sector of our society, the people who harvest our fruits and vegetables, are denied those rights in a country that preaches human rights to all." Organizers say more than 30,000 farm workers come to Canada each year, through the program. This year, he is volunteering his time with the group to improve conditions for migrant workers. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

facebook group: The founder, Mika Ranta, is a white supremacist who has been convicted in the past with assault, according to Finnish broacaster YLE. Members of the group blame "Islamist intruders" for increases in crime and carry signs with slogans like "Migrants not welcome," Reuters reported, according to Huffington Post Canada. Members of Soldiers of Odin meet in Edmonton in August. Soldiers of Odin was founded in Finland in response to an increase in the number of refugees seeking asylum. Soldiers of Odin Canada claims that it is an "neighbourhood watch" organization with "no racist agenda." A Vice reporter who infiltrated the Edmonton chapter private Facebook group found a number of disturbing anti-Islamic comments. Edmonton police say so far they have received no complaints, and have no reason to believe the group is involved in any criminal activity, according to CBC. The outlet reported that local chapters have sprung up in B.C. and Ontario this year. Some members appeared to praise the arson of a mosque, commenting on an article about it with "Good work" and "Hopefully it was full. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

goad others: Conservative strategist Jason Lietaer said forcing a response is no doubt part of Leitch plan."They are throwing a wedge down and trying to get everybody else on the other side of the issue," Lietaer said Wednesday, according to Metro News. The attempts to goad others were made obvious late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, when Leitch campaign manager Nick Kouvalis issued a series of tweets pushing her rivals to make their views known, or criticizing the positions of those who have already done so. Some other leadership hopefuls — as well as interim leader Rona Ambrose — have been come out against the idea to various degrees over the past week, and discussions are likely to continue behind closed doors at the Conservative caucus retreat next week in Halifax, where the nascent race to replace former prime minister Stephen Harper is expected to start picking up steam. Kouvalis declined to comment. Quebec MP Maxime Bernier said he agrees there are Canadian values, but ensuring immigrants have economic opportunities that will help them integrate into society is a better way to promote them. Ontario MP Michael Chong was the first to weigh in last week, accusing Leitch of engaging in "dog-whistle politics:" the use of code words that go unheard or unremarked by most people but which convey a particular — usually nasty, racially tinged — message to a target audience. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

language barriers: Graeme Smiley told CBC News, according to Huffington Post Canada. The Syrian Soccer Sons team is made up of boys aged 10 to 19 who practice a few times each week. "... what we have in common is a love of the game." Some of the players were sitting in refugee camps just a few months ago. Language barriers didn't stop Calgary police officers and Syrian refugees from facing off in a friendly soccer match on Monday. "It is kind of a welcome to Canada and a discussion of how, in this case, what we have in common is a love of the game," Sgt. This is not a field of soccer, said Sam Nammoura of the Calgary Syrian Refugee Support Group to Global News. Members of the Syrian Soccer Sons practice in advance of Monday soccer game in Calgary. This is a field of dreams. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

naz ali: But Naz is unlike many students heading back to school, according to CBC. Naz was only 18 months old when her mother and father, Karwan Kahil, fled to Iraq from Syria in 2012. Wednesday marks the first day of Grade 1 for her six-year-old, Naz Ali. They spent four years in Iraq before settling in Winnipeg on June 6. Naz Ali waits in line to go into her first day of Grade 1 at Princess Margaret School CBC tagged along with Naz family as the little girl got ready for her first day at Princess Margaret School in East Kildonan. The six-year-old attended a British school in Iraq for several terms but this will be her first full year of school in Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

questionnaire emailed: The Ontario Conservative MP is standing by her controversial suggestion that immigration and refugee applicants be screened for what she referred to as anti-Canadian values, an idea her campaign floated in a questionnaire emailed to potential supporters last week, according to Huffington Post Canada. It generated a lot of reaction, including some from her own caucus, especially since Leitch had previously expressed regret for her role in promoting a controversial Conservative election campaign promise last year to establish a tip line for so-called "barbaric cultural practices," including forced marriage. Kellie Leitch responds to a question during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill on April 27, 2015. It also drew parallels to politics below the border, where 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. "Look, I understand the compulsion to try and paint this discussion on Canadian values in that light. She said she looks forward to hearing what Conservatives and other Canadians think of these issues throughout the campaign. I do get that, but I don't think it fair and I don't think it right," Leitch said. "Are you saying to me that we can ask someone about their income, but we can't ask them if they believe in equality of women "— Tory leadership candidate Kellie Leitch She said she believes in a "unified Canadian identity" that includes equality of opportunity, hard work, giving back to the community, equality of men and women, as well tolerance for all religions, cultures and sexual orientations and the rejection of violence as a way to solve problems. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

week yakobi: Yakobi, 56, went to Moscow in July, with an expired permanent residency card, which is permissible when the traveller applies for a special travel document, according to CTV. But, when she tried to fly back to Toronto in August, she was told that the document had been denied, and that her residency had been revoked. Julia Yakobi, a permanent Canadian resident, said the Canadian government decision to revoke her status last month, has left her stranded in Moscow. Officials said it was because she had only spent 65 days in Canada over the past five years. However, last week Yakobi and her daughters Hannah and Ada told CTV Toronto that was an error -- she has been in Canada for more than 1,200 days in that period. In order to maintain their status, permanent residents must be in the country at least 730 days in that period. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

yakobi daughter: Yakobi attributed the mistake to a clerical error and said she had documents to back up her claim, but said the government refused to let her present them, according to Metro News. The family now says that CIC has agreed to reopen the file and give Yakobi 30 days to present her documents. Julia Yakobi had her request for a travel document denied and her status revoked last month after Citizenship and Immigration Canada concluded she had not spent long enough in Canada over the past five years.CIC said she had been in the country for 65 days over the past five years, while Yakobi says she has lived in Toronto continuously since 2014. Yakobi daughter says the news is welcome for the entire family."We are very grateful for this response," Hannah Yakobi said in an email. " really hope to have this error rectified soon, so that mom can return home to Toronto to be with her family and continue living her life as before."Yakobi travelled to Moscow to seek medical advice in July with an expired permanent residency card, a move that Citizenship and Immigration Canada allows but does not recommend. She and her family concede that travelling with out-of-date documentation was unwise, but CIC own guidelines make such arrangements possible."If you have been in Canada at least once during the past 365 days, you are entitled to a travel document to enable your return to Canada," reads a letter in which Yakobi request for such a document is declined based on residency requirements.CIC guidelines state that a person must spend at least 730 days in Canada during the five years prior to applying for a travel document. She applied for a travel document that would allow her to return to Canada, but was both denied the document and told she did not meet the criteria for permanent residency days before her scheduled flight home. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

yakobi days: CIC said she had been in the country for 65 days over the past five years, while Yakobi says she has lived in Toronto continuously since 2014, according to The Chronicle Herald. Yakobi attributed the mistake to a clerical error and said she had documents to back up her claim, but said the government refused to let her present them. Julia Yakobi had her request for a travel document denied and her status revoked last month after Citizenship and Immigration Canada concluded she had not spent long enough in Canada over the past five years. The family now says that CIC has agreed to reopen the file and give Yakobi 30 days to present her documents. She applied for a travel document that would allow her to return to Canada, but was both denied the document and told she did not meet the criteria for permanent residency days before her scheduled flight home. Yakobi daughter says the news is welcome for the entire family. "We are very grateful for this response," Hannah Yakobi said in an email. " really hope to have this error rectified soon, so that mom can return home to Toronto to be with her family and continue living her life as before." Yakobi travelled to Moscow to seek medical advice in July with an expired permanent residency card, a move that Citizenship and Immigration Canada allows but does not recommend. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

border agents: The upshot, Will said, was that the deportation took "exponentially longer" than should have been the case. "It should have taken no more than a year for the CBSA to have deported Mr, according to Guelph Mercury. Brown," Will told Superior Court Justice Alfred O'Marra. "It was cruel and unusual to detain Mr. In seeking compensation for Alvin Brown, lawyer Jared Will accused Canada Border Services Agency of negligence in removing his client from Canada. Brown, who had mental health issues, for nearly five years." Brown, 40, a father of six who suffers from schizophrenia, came to Canada as a child more than three decades ago. He was released from criminal custody in early 2011 but border agents detained him months later for violating release conditions. The government stripped him of his permanent residency after a series of convictions, most drug and weapons related. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

goad others: Conservative strategist Jason Lietaer said forcing a response is no doubt part of Leitch plan. "They are throwing a wedge down and trying to get everybody else on the other side of the issue," Lietaer said Wednesday, according to The Waterloo Record. The attempts to goad others were made obvious late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, when Leitch campaign manager Nick Kouvalis issued a series of tweets pushing her rivals to make their views known, or criticizing the positions of those who have already done so. Some other leadership hopefuls — as well as interim leader Rona Ambrose — have been come out against the idea to various degrees over the past week, and discussions are likely to continue behind closed doors at the Conservative caucus retreat next week in Halifax, where the nascent race to replace former prime minister Stephen Harper is expected to start picking up steam. Kouvalis declined to comment. Quebec MP Maxime Bernier said he agrees there are Canadian values, but ensuring immigrants have economic opportunities that will help them integrate into society is a better way to promote them. Ontario MP Michael Chong was the first to weigh in last week, accusing Leitch of engaging in "dog-whistle politics:" the use of code words that go unheard or unremarked by most people but which convey a particular — usually nasty, racially tinged — message to a target audience. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

yakobi daughter: Yakobi attributed the mistake to a clerical error and said she had documents to back up her claim, but said the government refused to let her present them, according to Brandon Sun. The family now says that CIC has agreed to reopen the file and give Yakobi 30 days to present her documents. Julia Yakobi had her request for a travel document denied and her status revoked last month after Citizenship and Immigration Canada concluded she had not spent long enough in Canada over the past five years.CIC said she had been in the country for 65 days over the past five years, while Yakobi says she has lived in Toronto continuously since 2014. Yakobi daughter says the news is welcome for the entire family."We are very grateful for this response," Hannah Yakobi said in an email. " really hope to have this error rectified soon, so that mom can return home to Toronto to be with her family and continue living her life as before."Yakobi travelled to Moscow to seek medical advice in July with an expired permanent residency card, a move that Citizenship and Immigration Canada allows but does not recommend. She and her family concede that travelling with out-of-date documentation was unwise, but CIC own guidelines make such arrangements possible."If you have been in Canada at least once during the past 365 days, you are entitled to a travel document to enable your return to Canada," reads a letter in which Yakobi request for such a document is declined based on residency requirements.CIC guidelines state that a person must spend at least 730 days in Canada during the five years prior to applying for a travel document. She applied for a travel document that would allow her to return to Canada, but was both denied the document and told she did not meet the criteria for permanent residency days before her scheduled flight home. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

yakobi days: CIC said she had been in the country for 65 days over the past five years, while Yakobi says she has lived in Toronto continuously since 2014, according to The Waterloo Record. Yakobi attributed the mistake to a clerical error and said she had documents to back up her claim, but said the government refused to let her present them. Julia Yakobi had her request for a travel document denied and her status revoked last month after Citizenship and Immigration Canada concluded she had not spent long enough in Canada over the past five years. The family now says that CIC has agreed to reopen the file and give Yakobi 30 days to present her documents. She applied for a travel document that would allow her to return to Canada, but was both denied the document and told she did not meet the criteria for permanent residency days before her scheduled flight home. Yakobi daughter says the news is welcome for the entire family. "We are very grateful for this response," Hannah Yakobi said in an email. " really hope to have this error rectified soon, so that mom can return home to Toronto to be with her family and continue living her life as before." Yakobi travelled to Moscow to seek medical advice in July with an expired permanent residency card, a move that Citizenship and Immigration Canada allows but does not recommend. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.