favourable signs: Clinton is showing strength in Florida and North Carolina, both must-win states for Trump, as well as the battleground states of Nevada, Colorado and Arizona, according to Brandon Sun. There are even favourable signs for Clinton in Republican-leaning Utah and Texas. The strong early-voting turnout by those likely to support Clinton — registered Democrats, minorities, and young people among others — could leave Donald Trump with virtually no path to the 270 electoral votes needed for victory. Related Items ArticlesFBI investigating new emails for classified information"It going to be a very tall order for Trump to win," said Michael McDonald, a University of Florida professor who specializes in election turnout. Early voting, via mail or in-person, is underway in 37 states. Other analysts also point to a strong finish for Clinton based on the early vote. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mother mayda: This song is about peace, a new concept for the young choir members, all newly arrived refugees from Syria."I like singing songs in English, Arabic, and … English again," Majid says, her eyes sparkling, "and we sing at home too, according to Brandon Sun. It is good for the language. Standing in the hallway of the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, Ont., Majid is practising one of several songs she has learned as a member of Nai Syrian Children Choir. And it … fun!"The choir also helps Majid in ways unrelated to language."It important for them to express themselves," her mother Mayda says. "And to forget what we had escaped from. They have the potential to help youth overcome the emotional, linguistic, academic and social challenges of adjusting to their new home. To just be children and enjoy singing."Music programs have emerged as a valuable tool to help integrate refugees, especially children, into their new Canadian surroundings. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

newness: Pearl has gotten used to the mystery created by newness since taking over the Auburn program three years ago. "For the third straight year, we have six or seven new guys on scholarship, so how could you possibly know as a person, as an observer, as somebody in the media or even me as a coach " he said. "Part of the real challenge in building the program is just the fact that the roster has had to be reconstructed, and yet I wouldn't have done it any other way, because there really weren't any other options. "While it may be restructured and very new, we've got eight very, very solid freshmen and sophomores that are all good players, according to The Waterloo Record. And so now the foundation is built and a good percentage of our team will return next year, and that not something we've had yet." It still makes for an uncertain present even if the future seems bright. Most of the roster is comprised of underclassmen and newcomers, including top recruit Mustapha Heron, redshirt freshman Danjel Purifoy and two graduate transfers. The Tigers are picked to finish 11th in the Southeastern Conference. The Tigers were 11-20 last season amid injury problems and the early departure of star Kareem Canty. Pearl has experienced the first two losing seasons of his 21-year head coaching career since taking over Auburn downtrodden program. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

seattle attorney: Crapser waived an appeal during the hearing Monday because he is desperate to get out of detention, his Seattle attorney, Lori Walls, told The Associated Press on Wednesday."I'm sure he doesn't have any idea what he can do in Korea," Yoon said in a phone interview from his group offices in Annandale, Va, according to Brandon Sun. Crapser plight mirrors those of thousands of others. Crapser remains confined in an immigration detention centre in Tacoma, Washington, pending his deportation. Yoon group says an estimated 35,000 intercountry adoptees lack U. S. citizenship. Seven years after Crapser and his older sister were adopted, their parents abandoned them. It is backing legislation in Congress to address that. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

tenure: Even with nine players on the roster who didn't play a minute for the team last season, the Vols' goals remain as high as ever. "Playing in March, that the No. 1 goal," senior guard Robert Hubbs III said. "Everything else can take care of itself, if we're still playing in March, playing on a big stage and just trying to go as far as we can." The list of newcomers includes seven true freshmen as well as redshirt freshman Lamonte Turner and Utah State graduate transfer Lew Evans, according to The Waterloo Record. All those new faces create plenty of uncertainty in the second season of Rick Barnes' coaching tenure in Knoxville. Just don't try telling them that. That explains why the SEC preseason media poll had Tennessee finishing 13th out of 14 teams in the league, ahead of only Missouri. Barnes believes this team has more talent than last year squad and is capable of reaching the NCAA Tournament. "I think we're just more skilled from top to bottom," Barnes said. "We don't have a lot of size, but we do have more size than we had a year ago. Barnes said he isn't surprised Tennessee was picked that low, but he doesn't necessarily agree with the assessment. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

basketball skills: There was lots of roster churn after the season, and this year edition of the Cougars also took a tour of Italy to hone their basketball skills. "With the talent level coming in the door, I think people should be pleasantly surprised when they see this team play," Kent said. "Much improved shooting, passing and defence." A better team may also help increase the average of 2,800 fans at home games last season, according to Hamilton Spectator. The Cougars have some bright spots. That would be good news after a forgettable campaign last season that saw Washington State finish 9-22 overall and just 1-17 in the Pac-12. Most notable is Josh Hawkinson, who averaged 15.4 points and 11.1 rebounds per game last season and led the Pac-12 in rebounding and with 20 double-doubles. Hawkinson said he must do more to help the team. "I've got to step up more defensively," he said. "I can be more of a distributor." Also back is senior guard Ike Iroegbu, who averaged 12.7 points and 3.6 assists, and guard Charles Callison, who recorded 7.9 points and 3 assists per game. The 6-foot-10 forward is now a senior and was an All-Pac-12 honourable mention last season. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

campaign worker: But not just... Early in his race for District 8, a campaign worker warned the corn-rowed, goateed Smith he'd have to "deal with people looking at you like you're Snoop Dogg trying to be a politician." Rather than change, Smith made sure voters in white neighbourhoods also got to know Smith, too, according to Rabble. As Toronto community activist Andray Domise reflected admiringly after-the-electoral-fact in Maclean's: "there Black and there Black... This is the genuine, non-conforming, and natural Black aesthetic with which Smith is comfortable, and which he kept during the campaign." By staying true to himself in a city with a sorry history of racial divide, Smith won 53 per cent of votes in a field of seven candidates, including another Black community worker and a former councillor. Lindell Smith is Halifax first Black city councillor since 2000. Noted Canadian Press: "his supporters were of all races, ages, sexualities and genders." No wonder the national media lined up for interviews. At 26, he is at least 15 years younger than the previous council youngest member. And then, of course, there is Smith age. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian history: Mulroney responded by saying that, as prime minister, he raised immigration levels to the highest in Canadian history, and did so because it was the right and proper thing to do, according to CTV. Immigrants, generally speaking, are ranked among our most productive, able, loyal citizens, who enormously to the economic health of our nation, Mulroney said. In an interview Wednesday with Don Martin, host of CTV Power Play, Mulroney was asked about Conservative leadership hopefuls who have said that immigrants should be screened for anti-Canadian values or called for veiled women to uncover their faces while voting. And so any talk about diminishing immigration or immigrants is unacceptable and I think unhelpful to Canada. Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch has controversially suggested that newcomers should be screened for anti-Canadian values, something that Mulroney has previously called unnecessary. I doubt very much if that kind of policy could ever be sustained by a national political party that wanted to win elections, he added. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian life: Maysoun Darweesh Born and educated in Syria, Darweesh worked as a journalist before she fled the country, and uses her communication skills to make connections now, according to Metro News. Since arriving in Winnipeg, she been recruiting Canadian families to host government-sponsored refugee families with the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council Welcome Place. Although they come from different places, and fled for different reasons, a common link between them is how each one continues to support others like them in their new Canadian life. Darweesh said that her experiences leaving Syria and coming to Canada help give her a deep empathy for others going through the same process, something she can convey to potential hosts and recognize in newcomers. I thought this is the best way to help them, to support them, this is the best thing to do. Because I myself was a refugee, I know exactly what they need, she said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

maiduguri: A taxi-van of refugees exploded Oct. 12 outside Maiduguri, killing eight people and an armoured personnel carrier escorting refugees hit a land-mine, injuring several soldiers, according to Metro News. Maiduguri is the biggest city in the northeast, the birthplace of Boko Haram and houses more than 1 million refugees from the 7-year Islamic uprising. It the third attack in two weeks on returnees blamed on Boko Haram Islamic extremists. Nigeria military said Wednesday explosion hit a truck in a military escorted convoy of 200 vehicles travelling from Maiduguri 140 kilometres northeast to Gamboru-Ngala. The attacks come as Nigeria government hopes to persuade hundreds of thousands of refugees to return home. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cbc documentary: ANALYSIS 'Race against time' to save migrants adrift on the Mediterranean Sea The Current CBC documentary captures life of asylum seekers on rescue boat Scores of migrants have been drowning each week as the fragile and often overcrowded boats they travel on capsize or sink, the UN agency said, according to CBC. It blamed bad weather, flimsy boats and the fact that migrants fleeing war and poverty are increasingly taking the hazardous central Mediterranean route from Libya to Italy in an attempt to reach Europe. The Geneva-based agency had warned Tuesday that this year death toll was likely to exceed the 3,771 deaths reported for the whole of 2015. A deal between the European Union and Turkey largely closed off the eastern route earlier this year. About half of the 327,800 migrants who crossed the Mediterranean this year did so using the central route, where about one in every 47 people dies. About half of the 327,800 migrants who crossed the Mediterranean this year did so using the central route from Libya to Italy, where about one in every 47 people dies. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

information: In an interview, Crosby said that while government-sponsored refugees have flowed into Canada at a brisk rate, "things really slowed down" for private sponsoring parishes that "rallied to the call to open doors and welcome refugees. "People who were expecting a newcomer or family in January would have the family finally arrive in June," he said. "Information given about people arriving was delayed and was incorrect, according to Hamilton Spectator. It just caused frustration and dissipation of good energy. "Enthusiasm was high but it dissipates when information is incorrect, when you have to wait for a long time, when you rent an apartment and no one is in it for five months, and all that money is gone to naught." Erin Pease, director of the office for refugees with the Hamilton diocese, said "the issues that were noted in the letter are particularly relevant to our blended visa-office referred refugees in Hamilton." The BVOR program matches refugees identified for resettlement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees with private sponsors in Canada. Crosby, who wrote the letter in his capacity as president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, said "delayed arrivals and the lack of clear and transparent communication about the status of pending cases, poses the risk of undermining the faith of Canadians in the government ability to follow through on its promises." McCallum office said it was not able to give a response to the letter Tuesday. This year 14 families came to the city within parishes of Hamilton Catholic diocese. Pease said a total of more than 150 refugees have been sponsored by the diocese in 2016, under BVOR and private sponsorship processes, and that number could have been much higher if the system was better functioning, she said. In virtually all cases, arrivals were greatly delayed, she said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugee panelists: They are human beings, according to CBC. They didn't choose to be refugees. Darweesh, one of three refugee panelists at a discussion at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights Wednesday, says it is important that people understand that refugees are simply looking for a fresh start. "These people are just like you. They lost everything because of bad circumstances," she said. ​"Try to remember that they deserve a second chance, and look at me, I got this chance and I'm trying to prove myself and I'm trying help everyone around me." The discussion was put on by Passages Canada, a national storytelling program of Historica Canada. She now works as a host-matching specialist with the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council Welcome Place. Darweesh and her husband fled Syria 10 years ago and lived in China for five years while waiting to be sponsored and to move to Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

trade deal: Wettlaufer, 49, was charged Tuesday with eight counts of first-degree murder, according to Metro News. The alleged victims include five women and three men ranging in age from 75 to 96.___EU- In a race against the clock, the European Union edged closer Wednesday to being able to sign a free trade deal with Canada after Belgium made progress in lifting the veto of one of its regions. The source familiar with the investigation says officials from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health alerted the Toronto force about Elizabeth Wettlaufer, a nurse from Woodstock, Ont. But Wallonia leader Paul Magnette said late Wednesday that his region would not be able to back the deal in the coming hours, making it ever more unlikely the full signing ceremony with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could be held on Thursday. "No, tonight, no agreement! There are still a lot of legal and technical verifications to do," Magnette said as he entered late night talks. Mulroney says he believes Canada should shift its efforts toward making deals with countries like India and China. He said an EU-Canada summit would come "one day, but not tomorrow!"___MULRONEY SAYS TRANS- Former prime minister Brian Mulroney says the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal is doomed to fail because of hostility in the U.S. Congress. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

basketball skills: There was lots of roster churn after the season, and this year edition of the Cougars also took a tour of Italy to hone their basketball skills. "With the talent level coming in the door, I think people should be pleasantly surprised when they see this team play," Kent said. "Much improved shooting, passing and defence." A better team may also help increase the average of 2,800 fans at home games last season, according to Guelph Mercury. The Cougars have some bright spots. That would be good news after a forgettable campaign last season that saw Washington State finish 9-22 overall and just 1-17 in the Pac-12. Most notable is Josh Hawkinson, who averaged 15.4 points and 11.1 rebounds per game last season and led the Pac-12 in rebounding and with 20 double-doubles. Hawkinson said he must do more to help the team. "I've got to step up more defensively," he said. "I can be more of a distributor." Also back is senior guard Ike Iroegbu, who averaged 12.7 points and 3.6 assists, and guard Charles Callison, who recorded 7.9 points and 3 assists per game. The 6-foot-10 forward is now a senior and was an All-Pac-12 honourable mention last season. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

law enforcement: However, it is quite clear that although most black people obey the law, they are consistently singled out by law enforcement, according to The Waterloo Record. In the NYPD stop-and-frisk program, 53 per cent of those stopped in the last decade were black; 11 per cent were white. The letter writer based much of his argument on their belief that if only black people obeyed the law, they would be free from discrimination. Of all New Yorkers, 25 per cent are black, 45 per cent are white. Too many innocent black men are killed by police, such as Philando Castile, who was shot with his hands raised in his car as his daughter was in the back seat. Nearly all of those stopped were obeying the law at the time, only six per cent resulted in arrest. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

trade deal: Wettlaufer, 49, was charged Tuesday with eight counts of first-degree murder, according to Brandon Sun. The alleged victims include five women and three men ranging in age from 75 to 96.___EU- In a race against the clock, the European Union edged closer Wednesday to being able to sign a free trade deal with Canada after Belgium made progress in lifting the veto of one of its regions. The source familiar with the investigation says officials from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health alerted the Toronto force about Elizabeth Wettlaufer, a nurse from Woodstock, Ont. But Wallonia leader Paul Magnette said late Wednesday that his region would not be able to back the deal in the coming hours, making it ever more unlikely the full signing ceremony with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could be held on Thursday. "No, tonight, no agreement! There are still a lot of legal and technical verifications to do," Magnette said as he entered late night talks. Mulroney says he believes Canada should shift its efforts toward making deals with countries like India and China. He said an EU-Canada summit would come "one day, but not tomorrow!"___MULRONEY SAYS TRANS- Former prime minister Brian Mulroney says the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal is doomed to fail because of hostility in the U.S. Congress. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

truck series: Those other 11 wins came in NASCAR two lower-tier national series, much to the chagrin of die-hard race fans who believe the Xfinity and Truck Series should be for newcomers and development drivers, according to Brandon Sun. On Wednesday, NASCAR announced a limit beginning next season for how many times veteran Cup drivers can moonlight at the lower level. Only four of the trips were in his Sprint Cup car. A Cup driver with more than five years full-time experience will be restricted to 10 races in the Xfinity Series and seven races in the Truck Series. And in the Xfinity Series, veterans will not be allowed to race in the four Xfinity Dash 4 Cash bonus events."The updated guidelines will elevate the stature of our future stars, while also providing them the opportunity to compete against the best in professional motorsports," NASCAR senior vice-president Jim Cassidy said. "These updated guidelines are the result of a collaborative effort involving the entire industry, and will ultimately better showcase the emerging stars of NASCAR."Busch for years has dominated the Xfinity and Truck Series via participation either with Joe Gibbs Racing or his own Kyle Busch Motorsports. Veterans will also be prohibited from competing in the regular-season finale and all Chase races. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canada: In addition, the prime minister announced more than $64.5 million in new multi-year funding to support people affected by humanitarian crises around the globe, according to Huffington Post Canada. Now that Syrian newcomers have arrived safely in Canada, they can start building their new lives. Last month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reinforced the country commitment at the UN General Assembly when he announced that the Government of Canada will increase humanitarian assistance by 10 per cent this fiscal year. As the focus shifts from managing the large number of arrivals to integrating families, particularly youth, we see a critical need for more collaboration, research, and knowledge sharing of best practices in Canada and around the world. More than half of the newly-arrived Syrian families in Canada are composed of five to eight members, and 56 per cent of arrivals have been children 14 years old or younger. Delivering real opportunities for refugee success requires a solid understanding of the obstacles refugees face and the best way to address those challenges. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canada: By Nicholas Keung Immigration reporter Tues., Oct. 25, 2016 A year after Canada opened its doors to 31,000 Syrian refugees, a new national survey finds Canadians have not been caught up in the xenophobia witnessed elsewhere, but have grown to be more immigrant friendly, according to Toronto Star. Almost half of Canadians said Canada has received the right number of Syrians, with 10 per cent saying too few were admitted, according to the joint survey by the Environics Institute and Canadian Race Relations Foundation conducted between Oct. 3 and 16. Canada has so far welcomed 31,000 Syrian refugees. Although 36 per cent of the 2,000 respondents said Canada was taking in too many Syrians, their primary concern was over the country capacity to support them and how it might divert resources from other priorities, rather than fear of newcomers failing to fit in or posing a security threat. The results of the latest Focus Canada survey of Canadian public opinion confirm the answer is no. Is growing international xenophobia and racism catching hold in Canada or emboldening Canadians to more explicitly express previously suppressed politically incorrect views asks the poll to be released Tuesday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

lane: While Cedar Lane is being monitored by the OSPCA not to move or sell animals until it safe to do so, customers are speaking out, and warning others by sharing their experiences, according to CTV. They're cute, cuddly and the price will have you hooked. It an issue that even caught the attention of the Ontario SPCA who received concerns about Cedar Lane Kennels, a puppy broker business in Norwich. Puppies selling for $300 to $600 a pop. If you get right down to hard numbers, I think we're out anywhere between $6000 to $8000 dollars," Just a few weeks ago, Gray says he purchased Charlie, a 7-week old Yorkie from Cedar Lane puppy broker. But is a steal really a good deal Dyan Gray, purchased a dog from Cedar Lane. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

charles bordeleau: But Dahabo Ahmed Omer, a co-chair of the Justice for Abdirahman Coalition, says the results speak for themselves and that the force should own up to racial profiling. "What I was expecting from Ottawa police Chief Charles Bordeleau was to name the issue, according to CBC. I think the fact that he was roaming around the fact that this was not racial profiling was the biggest issue to me. The authors of the report released Monday say that while the data is consistent with racial profiling, the study cannot prove it taking place because the parameters of the study didn't include determining cause. The minute a language is formed around an issue, then you can tackle it," she told CBC Radio Ottawa Morning on Tuesday. "How will you be able to offer a solution when you're not able to admit that there an issue here " Lesley Jacobs, one of the York University researchers behind the study, said Tuesday that the purpose of the report wasn't to establish causality, but that bias is implied in the findings. "Certainly there are clear implications of bias in the findings, and I think it reasonable to say that yesterday, the chief of police more or less accepted that there was at least implicit bias in the findings," Jacobs said. So it begs the question, why are they being pulled over ," she said. "What type of training are they getting How do they know how to pull someone over What kind of judgement are they using Is it personal judgement, or as per their training as police officers " Asked about Bordeleau Monday comments that a reason for the disparity could be that police are asked to pay more attention to high-crime areas, which tend to be more ethnically diverse, Omer said the study doesn't bear that out. "I truly believe that these communities that are mostly populated by minorities are being targeted," she said. "The higher police presence that you have in a certain area, the more traffic stops there are going to be. Disparity between people that are not being charged' Omer found it particularly interesting that in cases where police conducted a traffic stop with no charges or tickets or warnings issued, people of colour were far more likely to be involved. "There a ... disparity between people that are not being charged, so you have all these people that are being pulled over and there no action being taken. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

day target: Liberals pledge help for Yazidis Yazidis singled out for hatred "At a time when the world is so divided on the question of immigration and refugees, I think it is wonderful as a Canadian that while we different parties have different views on many things, we share the view that it is right to welcome the vulnerable people to our country," he said, according to CBC. McCallum said the government is still working on a concrete plan to meet a 120-day target, and would not offer an estimate of how many Yazidis could be brought to Canada. After the vote, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister John McCallum said he was pleased that all parties in the House of Commons could rise "above politics" on the issue. Earlier in the day, he said most Yazidi refugees are in Iraq, Greece and Turkey. Yazidis 'abandoned' Conservative Immigration critic Michelle Rempel said over the last year, Yazidi women have been "abandoned." She called on the government to set specific quotas and to work with the international community to establish "safe zones" for Yazidis facing persecution within refugee camps. Bringing them to Canada from each area has its own set of challenges and pros and cons. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cocaine possession: How he came to live in Brandon where he got caught up in illegal drugs was a tale shared by his lawyer during sentencing for prior charges."His time in Nigeria illuminates a lot about him as an individual, and what this young man has been through," lawyer Jonathan Pinx said, according to Brandon Sun. Details of his background came as Tsolaye Wisdom Okorodudu, 24, was sentenced in Brandon provincial court on Monday for cocaine possession and breaching a release order. Tsolaye Wisdom Okorodudu is charged with attempted murder in connection with the shooting.A man accused of shooting another man in the torso is a Nigerian immigrant who was a preacher in his home country and came to Canada to study at university. Crown attorney Christina Cheater said police were conducting a drug investigation on May 21, 2015 when they observed Okorodudu come and go from his home on the 1100 block of First Street to meet two separate vehicles. In total, they weighed 14.2 grams, worth about $1,400 on the street. Police believed he was dealing drugs and arrested him and found he had 14 individually wrapped baggies of cocaine. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mazhar: Many Muslim women fear backlash for speaking out, according to The Waterloo Record. Instead, they feel they should be grateful and "count their blessings" as immigrant women living in Canada, she said. During a question period at the meeting on Monday night, Fauzia Mazhar of Kitchener told the crowd of about 200 people at Kitchener City Hall that Muslim women in Waterloo Region face "chronic unemployment." "We can fill this room," Mazhar told Michael Coteau, provincial minister of children and youth services and the minister responsible for the Anti-Racism Directorate. Mazhar, who works as a social worker, said Muslim women face three strikes against them: they are women, they are a visible minority and they outwardly display their faith. "My religion is so visible. She said many Muslim women have degrees from their homeland and then attend university here, often receiving a master degree in social work. I wear it everyday on my head," said Mazhar, who wears a hijab. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

driver race: The data revealed that drivers perceived to be Middle Eastern accounted for 12.3 per cent of the stops, about 3.3 times what you would expect based on their proportion of Ottawa population, according to CTV. Those thought to be black accounted for 8.8 per cent of the stops, roughly 2.3 times higher than anticipated based on population size. Researchers at York University looked at 81,902 traffic stops between 2013 and 2015 where officers were asked to approximate the driver race, sex, and age, as well the reason for the traffic stop and the outcome. The disparities were even more pronounced among young men. Young black men were 8.3 times more likely to be stopped. Middle Eastern males between the ages of 16 to 24 were 12 times more likely to be pulled over. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.