immigrantscanada.com

Independent topical source of current affairs, opinion and issues, featuring stories making news in Canada from immigrants, newcomers, minorities & ethnic communities' point of view and interests.

princess diana: She said the visit by Prince William and his wife Kate gave those who benefit from the program a chance to be seen as people "and not just a problem to be solved." Sheway was modeled on the Glasgow Women Reproductive Health Service Unit, which opened in 1990 to serve women with major social problems, according to The Chronicle Herald. That program also has a connection to the Royal Family as it was officially opened by William mother, Princess Diana. Allison Wright, a mother of two children under five, told the royals her story with a small group of moms over tea at Sheway, an organization that helps marginalized pregnant women and mothers living in one of Canada poorest neighbourhoods. "I'm really grateful for the chance to bring some light on this place because there a lot of love and a lot of hope here," Wright said. The interest from the duke and duchess in Sheway was evident, said manager Patti Zettel. "Moving through the program with them, their questions were thoughtful, their questions were informed," she said. "And you can tell that there this kind of longitudinal legacy in terms of their understanding of women, addiction, marginalization." Their decision to visit the Downtown Eastside was profound, and visiting a women organization was even more so, she added. "It is so important to this community, to the lives of these women. The royal couple later toured the Immigrant Services Society of B.C. new Welcome Centre in Vancouver, where they met Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau. Their voices matter, their lives matter and their kids matter," Zettel said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

reitberger: But Indigenous advocates say police discrimination against First Nations, Métis and Inuit people extends far beyond death and disappearance investigations and even echoes some of the allegations of police racism raised by the Black Lives Matter movement in the U.S. Celina Reitberger, head of Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services, says there are many good police officers, but there are 'rotten apples in every bunch.' "The Black Lives Matter activities definitely resonate with Aboriginals here in Canada," said Celina Reitberger, head of Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services, which serves dozens of First Nations across northern Ontario, according to CBC. Cases involving police use of force against Indigenous people in Canada tend to involve assaults, Reitberger said, but not deaths like in the U.S."We're not talking people getting shot so much, but we are talking about physical abuse," she said. "Broken bones, faces rearranged." 'A scary position'Harley LeGarde-Beacham, 25, a member of Fort William First Nation, recalls a run-in he had with police while attending a house party in Thunder Bay a few years ago. The news comes as many people across the country continue to call on the newly established Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women inquiry to examine whether police forces under-investigated the deaths and disappearances of hundreds of women. Police were called after a fight broke out, in which he was not involved, he said. The officers said he was resisting and pulled him up some stairs and outside, he said."Once I got outside, they had thrown me on the ground, and I was against the cold cement, and I just remember a knee on top of my back," he said. "They were holding me down, and I ... kept telling them, 'I'm not trying to be resistant or anything. It was winter, so he stayed inside to look for his jacket. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

omar lujan: Lujan and roughly 10 friends, all in their 30s, are planning a viewing party Monday night at one of their homes, where they can drink beers and make comments as the candidates clash, according to National Observer. Trump extreme and at times outlandish statements make for good TV but also raise the alarm over the possible future of American policy, he said. While the political impact of the debate is not to be minimized, part of the appeal lies in waiting for Trump "to say something crazy," said Omar Lujan, 36, a researcher at Ryerson University in Toronto. The Republican candidate stance on immigration is of particular interest to Lujan, who hails from Peru and has family in the U.S."I find it quite entertaining but also a bit uneasy," he said. Smith has booked space at Eton House, a bar in east Toronto, to watch the debate on a big screen with dozens of others, many of them expats like him. The 90-minute debate is considered must-see TV by many and is expected to draw an estimated audience of 75 million or more viewers, with many more expected to keep tabs on the event online."It'll be more like the Superbowl than the Superbowl," said Alex Smith, an American expat who has been living in Canada for 46 years. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

governors road: It also seems putting in and removing traffic islands on Governors Road is a fun time waster, according to Hamilton Spectator. Repaving it would be more productive. I understand the concept of spending all the money in the budget so they can continue being at least as wasteful next year but the money could be better spent. Perhaps they could remove the sidewalk driveway ramps that throw wheel chairs, walkers and baby carriages into the streets. Roundabouts should be at the bottom of the list. Perhaps they could fund timely snow removal. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

leanne delap: One example is the magic snail snot, a hot ingredient being used in Korean skin care, according to Toronto Star. Order this photo By Leanne Delap Special to the Star Sat., Sept. 24, 2016 The lowly snail may be your next, best hope for younger-looking skin. It carries 1,200 items with 60 new products rolled in every month. The slime of the snail is the hot ingredient in Korean skin care right now, part of a broader cultural momentum sweeping the beauty world. Entering the store, says Millet, you feel like you are travelling. Korean women typically use a 10-step skin care regime each day, and spend more than double what we do on beauty products each year, says Valentin Millet, the marketing manager for The Face Shop , which has opened 30 locations across Canada in the past three years.TFS feels unlike any beauty counter you have ever seen. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cohn: Order this photo By Martin Regg Cohn Ontario Politics Columnist Sat., Sept. 24, 2016 As Patrick Brown goes round and round on sex education, here how he can regain lost ground, according to Toronto Star. The leader of Ontario Progressive Conservatives needs to take a firm stand. Patrick Brown erstwhile allies in the religious right are denouncing him for whispering sweet nothings in their ears, only to insist it was nothing of the sort, writes Martin Regg Cohn. Not so much on sex-ed but on a broader issue: The cause of societal tolerance. Now is an ideal time for him to expand his recent defence of sexual orientation to include national origin, race, religion, and other minority rights. Brown has been tying himself in knots over sex-ed and gay rights of late, but seems to be on the right track at last. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

horrors starvation: He'd lost Connie forever, Hung worried, according to The Waterloo Record. Thirty-six years ago, the calm, flat waters of the Gulf of Thailand held lurking horrors — starvation, dehydration, sickness and robbers — for families trying to flee Communist Vietnam in flimsy little boats hoping for more freedom and a better life elsewhere. A grim-faced pirate stepped toward him, unlocked Nguyen grip on his terrified daughter and ripped the confused four-year-old from her father desperate grasp. Hung and his young family were no different on their Ides of March journey of two days and three nights on open waters that eventually led them to a prosperous life in Waterloo Region via the Songkhla and Phanat Nikhom refugee camps in Thailand. A month ago, a tidal wave of memories washed over Hung, now 59, as he returned home to Saigon to visit his ailing mother. The past is full of pirates and peril. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mail article: When survey participants were told that number, of more than 3,000 participants, 59 per cent said that was the right amount, 25 per cent said that was too many, and eight per cent said that wasn't enough, according to Brandon Sun. Friday Globe and Mail article also noted a Nanos Research survey of 1,000 Canadians conducted for that paper last August, which found that 39 per cent said the government should accept fewer immigrants in 2017 than the previous year, slightly fewer — 37 per cent — thought Canada should accept the same number next year, while 16 per cent believe we can accept even more. Over the last few years, about 250,000 new immigrants have come to Canada per year. And yet, Immigration Minister John McCallum has been pushing for a substantial increase to the number of immigrants that Canada welcomes to our shores."I think we need immigrants because we're aging, because we have labour shortages," McCallum said recently. "And so that is the direction in which we are heading now."I think with our mindset of welcoming newcomers in the beginning, with the facts of the labour shortages, aging population, we have a good case to make, and I think we will be able to convince a higher proportion of Canadians that this is the right way for Canada to go," he said. As we have seen in Brandon, at least, a decade of immigration to our city has made our community more multicultural, with many newcomers starting up businesses as well. There are, of course, good reasons for Canada to rely on immigration. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

afghan-born mp: Last week, Fife, reporting for The Globe and Mail, inquired again about her early life and Monsef finally learned from her mother that she was actually born in Mashhad, Iran, according to CTV. On Thursday, Monsef released a statement in which she said she believed she was from Afghanistan when she listed it as her country of birth on her Canadian passport application. The 31-year-old minister built her political career on the narrative that she was an Afghan refugee who fled to Canada in 1996 with her mother and two sisters where she eventually overcame the odds to become Canada first Afghan-born MP. In June, Robert Fife, then host of CTV Question Period, asked Monsef about her birthplace and she responded that she believed she was born in Afghanistan. The statement also said that she would be taking steps to rectify this unintentional error. He said that his office sees dozens of applicants everyday who don't know what happened or where they were born, especially the children of refugees. Immigration lawyer, Lorne Waldman, told CTV Your Morning on Friday that Monsef case is extremely common among refugees moving to Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

british columbia: They will engage in discussions on mental health, the welfare of young people and addiction while exploring the British Columbia outdoors through sailing and fishing, according to CTV. One of the palace aides has already said not to expect tiaras and show-stopping jewels, that just not really William and Kate style, Arbiter told CTV Your Morning. Scroll down or click here to follow the royal tour through our live blog According to royal commentator, Victoria Arbiter, the tour will have a focus on causes that are important to the Duke and Duchess and pastimes that they both enjoy. I think we'll see that competitive, fun and playful side of William and Kate. Together, they will travel to the Immigrant Services Society new welcome centre in Vancouver where they will meet with a Syrian refugee family. The Duke and Duchess will be joined for the first two days by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canada: The 48-year-old was seen as a rising star in the party after an impressive stint as Canada first ambassador to Afghanistan and later as the United Nations' deputy special representative there, according to Huffington Post Canada. During the 2015 election campaign, however, Alexander took heat for the Tories' handling of the Syrian refugee crisis. Alexander, the former MP for Ajax–Pickering, told The Huffington Post Canada he is currently collecting signatures supporting his potential run. "I am actively considering a bid to lead the Conservative Party of Canada and excited by the exchanges I'm having about how to renew and reinvigorate our Party," Alexander said in an email. "I'll have lots more to say on other subjects when I'm ready." Former immigration minister Chris Alexander speaks to media in Toronto on Sept. 19, 2015. He was left to defend the government unambitious actions when images of three-year-old Alan Kurdi washed up on a Turkish beach flooded the airwaves and his Canadian aunt told reporters she had tried to get her family to Canada but was refused. I spent two weeks being called a baby-killer' "I spent two weeks being called a baby-killer by other MPs and by people in the media. Alexander, first elected in 2011, lost his bid for re-election last October to Liberal Mark Holland. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian citizen: Darlene Mac Eachern, executive director of the Elizabeth Fry Society, says the Canada Border Services Agency plans to deport Cramman by Nov. 4, about three months after she suffered a perforated colon and was rushed to hospital from a Dartmouth jail where she was being held on drug offences, according to The Chronicle Herald. MacEachern said the group will be at Cramman bedside in the Dartmouth General Hospital for a hearing by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. Fliss Cramman was brought to Canada decades ago as a child and only recently became aware she was not a Canadian citizen. She said the society is calling on the federal government to show some compassion for a woman who Mac Eachern says has struggled with abuse, anxiety and chronic pain after being removed from her family at age 11. She also says sending Cramman back to England runs counter to advice from her doctor, who has recommended that she remain in Canada for about a year and a half to recover from a colostomy reversal. She has children in this country, she pays taxes in this country — for all intents and purposes she a Canadian who made one mistake… and will suffer for that and will have to leave everything she knows behind, she said before the hearing. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

couple: This time, the couple will be bringing along their children, three-year-old Prince George and one-year-old Princess Charlotte, according to Metro News. Related stories:Bella Bella residents eagerly await 'once in a lifetime' Royal family visit Royals to visit 'unique' harm reduction mothering program in Vancouver Here are several spots people can see the royal couple during their tour of Vancouver on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016.10:45 a.m. The royal tour in B.C. and the Yukon from Sept. 24 to Oct. 1 marks their second Canadian visit since they were married in 2011. Jack Poole Plaza The royal couple fly in from Victoria and head toward Jack Poole Plaza and the Olympic Cauldron.11:15 a.m. The duke and duchess arrive in the Downtown Eastside for a tour of Sheway, an outreach program for vulnerable pregnant women in the community. Sheway pregnancy outreach - 533 E Hastings St. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ottawa trees: Photo: Pablo Tosco/Oxfam Written by Melanie Gallant, Oxfam Canada Media Officer At this time last year I was visiting informal Syrian refugee settlements in Lebanon Bekaa Valley, according to Huffington Post Canada. Now, as I begin watching beautiful fall colours appear on Ottawa trees, I am reminded that refugees in those settlements will begin worrying about surviving yet another winter in cold makeshift tents. They now live in the Beddawi refugee camp in Tripoli. Although I missed being with my own family for Thanksgiving, I will forever be thankful for the many moments when women who had lost everything shared what little they had with me. I am proud to see Canada leadership in welcoming tens of thousands of Syrian refugees and hope that we inspire other rich nations to open their doors. Little cups of sugary coffee in hand, we sat in circles on tarp floors and they opened up their lives and hearts to me, sharing painful, yet hopeful stories about life as a refugee. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

screen people: Growth in some of the province nominee programs and an influx of Syrian refugees were the key contributors, according to The Chronicle Herald. The federal government has an important role in each. Good. Success in attracting and retaining qualified economic migrants is crucial to our long term prospects. The federal role has been primarily to screen people — a filter, not a facilitator. When provinces don't play an active role, the vast majority of immigrants go to Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia and until recently Alberta. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

heiltsuk nation: Heiltsuk Nation Chief Marilyn Slett says her people have been living on B.C. central coast for thousands of years and Monday royal visit to their territory will open the doors to a worldwide sharing ceremony in the village of Bella Bella, according to Guelph Mercury. Slett said the Heiltsuk artifacts dating back 14,000 years have been found on their coast territory. "We're very proud of the fact we've been very strong in land stewardship and protection of the Great Bear Rainforest," she said. "That something we're really proud to share with the world. Related Stories Royal tour opens doors to social... Starting Saturday, the Royals will make stops in Victoria, Kelowna, Bella Bella, Haida Gwaii, Whitehorse, Carcross, Yukon, and Vancouver Downtown Eastside, among Canada most impoverished neighbourhoods. It important for us that the rainforest, the resources, land and sea, be there for future generations for people on the coast." The Great Bear Rainforest is the largest intact temperate rainforest in the world and home of the kermode, or spirit bears, a subspecies of black bear noted for its white fur. The Heiltsuk will welcome the royal couple during a ceremony at their community hall in Bella Bella, a community only accessible only by float plane or boat. "Our culture is strong and vibrant and we're pleased to be able to share it with the royal couple," said Slett. B.C. government protected from logging 85 per cent of the 6.4 million hectare area that stretches from the Discovery Islands off Vancouver Island northwards to Alaska. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

syrian refugees: By Ian Urquhart Ross McGregor Wed., Sept. 21, 2016 The Prime Minister has attracted a lot of positive attention at the United Nations this week for Canada response to the plight of the Syrian refugees, according to Toronto Star. As he told the UN conference, Canada has now taken in 31,000 of them. Canadian families who have sponsored refugees are disillusioned by delays after the Canadian government dramatically reduced refugee processing staff in Winnipeg and the Middle East, write Ian Urquhart and Ross McGregor. The applause Justin Trudeau received was well deserved. Overlooked in the refugee numbers game is that, after achieving its initial target of 25,000 refugees admitted by the end of February, the government left thousands of privately sponsored Syrian families in the lurch. But it should not be unreserved. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

wonder valley: What, after all, is a more expansive and expanding topic here in the world most diverse city than an exhibition of artists whose works examine the immigrant condition Yonder presentation can only offer a slice; nonetheless, it a big one, with 16 artists and collectives looking to get their arms around what is, unequivocally, a defining issue of our time, according to Toronto Star. Full marks for intentions: this is an institution trying hard to be relevant and succeeding. Chris Cran, Blur Max , 2016 Joseph Tisiga, The Game Is Not A Game, 2016Mark Ruwedel, Wonder Valley 130, 2014 By Murray Whyte Visual arts Wed., Sept. 21, 2016 Opening Yonder: It the biggest, most ambitious project the Koffler Gallery has ever undertaken, spilling out of its own walls and into the hallways at Artscape Youngplace, but its subject matter suggests it could never be big enough. At the Koffler Gallery, Artscape Youngplace, 180 Shaw St. If retrospective sounds like an end point, though, guess again: here in Toronto, Cran is showing brand new work that shows his brushes, and his wit, to be as sharp as ever. Opening Sept. 21 at 6 p.m., until Nov. 27, Cran, Anon Anon: This summer at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, Chris Cran, the renowned Calgary-based painter of pop-cultural absurdities laced with a wry formalist sense of play, enjoyed a voluminous, well-deserved career retrospective of 100-plus works. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian press: Interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose speaks during an interview with The Canadian Press at Stornoway on Sept. 16 in Ottawa, according to Huffington Post Canada. She also suggested the real motivation for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a desire to get Canada a seat on the UN Security Council. "Do we have to send our men and women into harm way to reach Mr. She said the Conservatives will be pressuring the Liberals to explain why a UN peacekeeping mission is in the national interest, as well as questioning their decision not to hold a debate on the matter in the House of Commons. Trudeau goal " Ambrose said. Trudeau will be addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week. Canada withdrew its bid for a seat on the UN Security Council in 2010, when the Conservatives were in power. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

counter-insurgency operations: She also suggested the real motivation for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a desire to get Canada a seat on the UN Security Council. "Do we have to send our men and women into harm way to reach Mr, according to The Chronicle Herald. Trudeau goal " Ambrose said. She said the Conservatives will be pressuring the Liberals to explain why a UN peacekeeping mission is in the national interest, as well as questioning their decision not to hold a debate on the matter in the House of Commons. Canada withdrew its bid for a seat on the UN Security Council in 2010, when the Conservatives were in power. The federal government is sending a reconnaissance missing to look at UN peacekeeping operations in Mali, where the mission includes counter-insurgency operations. Trudeau will be addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

detention centres: The first was to The Remembrance Project, a group for the family members of people killed by illegal immigrants, according to Toronto Star. The second was to a rally in Colorado Springs. By Daniel Dale Washington Bureau Sun., Sept. 18, 2016 WASHINGTON—Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump delivered two speeches on Saturday. He made 12 false statements. Article Continued Below Falsely said, Hillary Clinton is the first person to ever run for the presidency of a country effectively proposing to abolish the borders around the country that she supposed to be representing. Here a fact check:Speech on immigration to The Remembrance Project Falsely said, Her plan calls for...ignoring visa overstays, closing detention centres. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

egg donors: Until, that is, eight RCMP officers arrived, according to Hamilton Spectator. For the first and only time in Canada, police with a warrant in hand seized computers, files and expense receipts while investigating an alleged breach of Canada Assisted Human Reproduction Act . Altruistic surrogacy is a fiercely protected ideology in Canada, with criminal penalties for paid surrogacy on par with those for trafficking and importing drugs, having sex with a minor, or illegally possessing weapons. After arriving at the Brighton, Ont., offices of her Canadian Fertility Consulting firm, she began tackling the day slew of emails and calls from surrogates, intended parents and egg donors. Paying directly and arranging for the services of a surrogate in Canada for a fee is punishable under the AHRA by a fine of up to $500,000 or 10 years in prison. She is the only person ever to be charged under the act. That day, Swanberg — a two-time surrogate and multiple egg donor herself — began a three-year legal battle. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

event runners: On Sunday, the two groups hosted its sixth annual Race Against Racism fundraising event, according to CBC. Runners participated in a marathon, half-marathon or a 10, five and 2.5-kilometre run or walk. That the focus of a weekend run organized by the Running Room and the Saskatoon Police Service cultural resources unit. Registration fees and donations collected go towards supporting the Children Hospital in Saskatoon opening soon. Various cultural organizations in Saskatoon put on performances after the race. Participants were asked to bring one non-perishable food item for the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre Cram the Cruiser program. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

fellow students: She learned to skate on a backyard pond and trudged between snowdrifts to school, where she would stand with fellow students to sing the national anthem before class, according to Huffington Post Canada. She used her Canadian passport to travel to South Africa, toting a suitcase sporting the maple leaf, and was later married at a historic trading post on the banks of Winnipeg Red River. At two months old she moved from Mexico with her Canadian parents to a farming community in southern Manitoba. Byrdie Funk is pictured at her home in Squamish, B.C. on Sept. 9. Evaporating citizenship The rule was abolished by the Conservative government in 2009, but the change wasn't retroactive, so it didn't include anyone who had already turned 28 by then. But earlier this year the 36-year-old woman life was upended when she received a letter from Citizenship and Immigration Canada informing her she was no longer a Canadian citizen. "It took my breath away," Funk said in an interview from her home in Squamish, B.C. "I had no idea that anything like this could even happen." She is one of an unknown number of people ensnared in an arcane law that automatically revokes the citizenship of certain Canadians who fail to officially apply to retain their nationality before the age of 28. "It took my breath away." The little-known policy applies to anyone born abroad between Feb. 15, 1977, and April 16, 1981, to Canadian parents who were also born outside the country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

fellow students: She learned to skate on a backyard pond and trudged between snowdrifts to school, where she would stand with fellow students to sing the national anthem before class, according to Hamilton Spectator. She used her Canadian passport to travel to South Africa, toting a suitcase sporting the maple leaf, and was later married at a historic trading post on the banks of Winnipeg Red River. At two months old she moved from Mexico with her Canadian parents to a farming community in southern Manitoba. But earlier this year the 36-year-old woman life was upended when she received a letter from Citizenship and Immigration Canada informing her she was no longer a Canadian citizen. "It took my breath away," Funk said in an interview from her home in Squamish, B.C. "I had no idea that anything like this could even happen." She is one of an unknown number of people ensnared in an arcane law that automatically revokes the citizenship of certain Canadians who fail to officially apply to retain their nationality before the age of 28. The rule was abolished by the Conservative government in 2009, but the change wasn't retroactive, so it didn't include anyone who had already turned 28 by then. The little-known policy applies to anyone born abroad between Feb. 15, 1977, and April 16, 1981, to Canadian parents who were also born outside the country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

infrastructure projects: That includes passing the bill formalizing a tax cut for middle income earners and the second part of the bill implementing last March budget, according to The Chronicle Herald. The government is also hoping the roll-out of funding for major infrastructure projects will boost the economy. Here a look at the priorities the three main political parties have staked out and the challenges each faces in what has the potential to be a tumultuous fall sitting of the House of Commons: LIBERALS Priorities — Stimulating the stalled economy and improving conditions for the middle class. It is also working on finalizing a free trade agreement with the European Union. A first ministers' meeting is expected in November. — Finding consensus on reforming Canada first-past-the-post voting system. And Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will make the case for investing in Canada to some of the most prominent international pension funds and portfolio managers at a Toronto summit on Nov. 14 organized by Black Rock, the world largest asset manager. — Striking an agreement with the provinces on a national climate change strategy, which is to include putting a price on carbon. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.