british subjects: On Jan. 3 1947, the very first Canadian citizenship ceremony took place with then Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King taking the first oath, according to Metro News. Citizenship ceremonies are always special, but this one in particular because here we are in the Supreme Court and 70 years ago today Mackenzie King was citizen number one, said McCallum. Citizenship minister John McCallum was on hand to help swear in 26 new citizens from all over the world. Prior to 1947, Canadians were considered British subjects with no separate Canadian citizenship. It's like graduating from something to another level, he said. Marvin Rivera who took the oath alongside his wife Maria and son Andrew said it was a great honour. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

years-long scandal: But the change has left many wondering how the Liberal government will ensure its bills, which must pass in both the House and the Senate, will become law without the traditional party system in the Red Chamber, according to Globe and Mail. There are now 42 non-affiliated senators who make up the largest chunk in the 105-member chamber. After a years-long scandal over Senate expenses left the institution's reputation in tatters, the Liberal government created a new appointment process that relies on an advisory board to make recommendations to the Prime Minister in a bid to make the Senate more independent. While acknowledging the new Senate is a work in progress, Mr. We have had understandings that allowed the government's agenda to advance at a pace that I was comfortable with. Harder said he hasn't yet had to use any heavy-handed tactics, such as limiting debate on bills, to get the government's legislation through. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

children: There are all of the typical promises like resolving to get to the gym more often, or spending less and saving more, but this year I'm hoping we can all make a promise that has a bigger impact, according to Huffington Post Canada. In 2017, Canadians must resolve to put children first. Canadians are waking up to a new year and making promises of the life they want to lead in the year ahead. As Canada enters its 150th year, it's a moment in which we can all resolve to invest in nation's greatest resource and asset -- our children. As Canadians, we tend to expect that our kids fare quite well compared with their global peers. You may not think that our children need protection. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

crimes: Overview of Criminal Grounds of Inadmissibility The Immigration and Nationality Act INA contains several criminal grounds of inadmissibility, including the following among others Controlled substance crimes - This ground includes offenses such as simple possession of a controlled substance, according to Huffington Post Canada. It results in a permanent bar to the United States if i there is a conviction, or ii the foreign national admits to committing the offense. I will now address this issue below. Controlled substance trafficking crimes - This ground includes the more serious offense of possession of a controlled substance for the purposes of trafficking. Crimes involving moral turpitude CIMT - The term moral turpitude is not clearly defined but has been referred to as conduct that is inherently base, vile, or depraved, contrary to the rules of morality and the duties owed between ... one's fellow man or society in general. It results in a permanent bar to the United States and may be imposed even if there is no conviction or admission; it requires only that the USCBP officer have reason to believe that the foreign national has committed the offense. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

downtown firm: As a newly minted lawyer to be, I was shocked but expected it to be better within a profession promoting justice and equality, according to Toronto Star. Yet, a year spent at a downtown firm quickly confirmed what he had said. Toronto Star File Photo By Faisal Kutty Tues., Jan. 3, 2017 You know you are going to find it very difficult as an Indian Muslim, said the partner at a Bay Street law firm during job interviews. The firm was wonderfully supportive, but they operated within an environment that was less than welcoming to minorities. In typical Canadian fashion, the systemic marginalization continues away from the limelight until it's called out, or controversy erupts. In fact, too many times I was mistaken for a photo copy clerk by lawyers outside the firm. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

election day: Famously, on election day, the Canadian immigration website crashed because of the number of Americans reportedly considering a move to their northern neighbour as Donald Trump won the presidency, according to Hamilton Spectator. Year after year, polls show that Canadians are, by far, more open and more optimistic about immigration than the citizens in any other Western country. A recent cover of the Economist put a maple leaf crown on the Statue of Liberty and proclaimed Canada an example to the world. But such optimism is perhaps easier to achieve in Canada than in other nations For historical and geopolitical reasons, Canada does not have to cope with the same immigration challenges as the United States and Europe. It accepts far more immigrants legally than most Western nations, but under a policy designed primarily to dovetail with the economic interests of the nation. To start, Canada has pursued a much more selective immigration policy than the United States or any western European country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

field goals: He also finished sixth in kickoff average at 65.0 yards, according to The Chronicle Herald. We thank Richie for his contributions to our team over the past two years, Lions head coach and general manager Wally Buono said in statement. Leone led the league with a 49.3-yard punt average in 2016, often flipping field position with his towering boots. He brought excitement to our kicking game and we wish him the very best in his future football endeavours. The University of Houston product was just 35-for-51 on field goals this season and also missed five of his 30 convert attempts. While Leone was lights out as a punter for B.C., he struggled while trying to learn the intricacies of place kicking on the job. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

fulton county: Lawyers for the university system rejected that argument, saying the statement about lawful presence appeared in an FAQ section of the department's website and not as an official policy or regulation, according to Metro News. In an order dated Friday, Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Gail Tusan said that while an official policy would be helpful, the fact that it is part of the department's official website means it should be taken as an accurate statement of the federal government's position. The Board of Regents had said students with temporary permission to stay under a 2012 program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, didn't meet that requirement.A lawyer for 10 young immigrants who meet all the other requirements and who have been granted deferred action status argued in a petition filed in April that the federal Department of Homeland Security has said people who have qualified for the program are lawfully present. The judge found, therefore, that the Regents have refused to accept the federally established lawful presence of the students who filed the petition and many others who find themselves in a similar situation. The university system plans to appeal the decision, spokesman Charles Sutlive said in an email Tuesday. Such refusal of a faithful performance of their duties is unreasonable and creates a defect of legal justice that has already negatively impacted thousands of Georgia students, she wrote. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

halifax: They say Maroun Diab was in Halifax provincial court Tuesday on charges of assault, overcoming resistance to commission of offence choking and three counts of uttering threats, according to The Chronicle Herald. Police refused to confirm a CBC report that Lena Diab was one of the alleged victims. Halifax police said Tuesday that 58-year-old Maroun Diab was arrested early New Year's Day after they received a call shortly before midnight from Immigration Minister Lena Diab's family home on Houda Court in Halifax. The CBC said Lena Diab was among those named in court information. Dianne Penfound said Halifax police received a report of an assault not in progress at the home, on a cul-de-sac near Mt. Const. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

halifax: They say Maroun Diab was in Halifax provincial court Tuesday on charges of assault, overcoming resistance to commission of offence choking and three counts of uttering threats, according to Metro News. Police refused to confirm a CBC report that Lena Diab was one of the alleged victims. Halifax police said Tuesday that 58-year-old Maroun Diab was arrested early New Year's Day after they received a call shortly before midnight from Immigration Minister Lena Diab's family home on Houda Court in Halifax. The CBC said Lena Diab was among those named in court information. Dianne Penfound said Halifax police received a report of an assault not in progress at the home, on a cul-de-sac near Mt. Const. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

coup attempt: Begin with the worst constitutional crisis, the one taking place in Turkey in the aftermath of a coup attempt against the government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to The Waterloo Record. The background is complicated Erdogan's AK Party won national elections in 2002, 2007 and 2015; Erdogan himself was directly elected president in 2014. Turkey, Poland, Britain, the U. S. each case sheds some light on how different constitutional arrangements respond to the challenges of political factions. All these elections were pretty clean, and most observers accept that a plurality of Turks have preferred Erdogan's party for a decade and a half. Beyond that, Erdogan has been slowly but clearly eroding freedom of the press as he has become increasingly authoritarian. During that time, the Turkish constitution has come under pressure both from AK's attempts to make it more religion-friendly and from the efforts of the constitutional court to maintain the radical secularism enshrined in the document. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

election day: Famously, on election day, the Canadian immigration website crashed because of the number of Americans reportedly considering a move to their northern neighbour as Donald Trump won the presidency, according to The Waterloo Record. Year after year, polls show that Canadians are, by far, more open and more optimistic about immigration than the citizens in any other Western country. A recent cover of the Economist put a maple leaf crown on the Statue of Liberty and proclaimed Canada an example to the world. But such optimism is perhaps easier to achieve in Canada than in other nations For historical and geopolitical reasons, Canada does not have to cope with the same immigration challenges as the United States and Europe. It accepts far more immigrants legally than most Western nations, but under a policy designed primarily to dovetail with the economic interests of the nation. To start, Canada has pursued a much more selective immigration policy than the United States or any western European country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

field goals: He also finished sixth in kickoff average at 65.0 yards, according to The Waterloo Record. We thank Richie for his contributions to our team over the past two years, Lions head coach and general manager Wally Buono said in statement. Leone led the league with a 49.3-yard punt average in 2016, often flipping field position with his towering boots. He brought excitement to our kicking game and we wish him the very best in his future football endeavours. The University of Houston product was just 35-for-51 on field goals this season and also missed five of his 30 convert attempts. While Leone was lights out as a punter for B.C., he struggled while trying to learn the intricacies of place kicking on the job. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

houda court: Her husband, 58-year-old Maroun Diab, was arrested early Sunday morning, according to CTV. Court documents obtained by CTV News allege Maroun Diab assaulted the minister and tried to choke her by putting both of his hands around her neck. Police received a call shortly before midnight from Minister Diab's family home. We were called to an assault not in progress at a residence on Houda Court in Halifax, said Const. A 51-year-old woman said that a man known to her had assaulted her and had left in a vehicle. Diane Penfound, spokesperson for Halifax Regional Police. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

jim estill: A year later, Estill, who is based in southern Ontario, says the 220 refugees he's sponsored have seen much success, despite the difficulties of leaving their war-torn homeland, according to CTV. There's not one big challenge, there are a lot of little challenges, Estill said in an interview on CTV's Your Morning Tuesday. Last year, Jim Estill, president and CEO of appliance manufacturer Danby said he would be putting up about 30,000 per family to cover their first year of expenses in Canada, in addition to providing all kinds of services to help with the resettlement process. He said, at the beginning, getting the refugees into Canada was slow-going. It does take quite a while to become proficient. We also learned the difficulty in learning English quickly. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

lease agreement: There are longer hellos and goodbyes at the door, suggestions to go to the ROM, and one morning three guys came out with an empty case of beer and suitcases, according to Hamilton Spectator. There's only so much you can glean from overhearing the occasional interaction through a door and what the peephole reveals. It's a slow thing to notice. Peep is such an accusatory word it's my innocent fish-eye look out into the public corridor. An Airbnb next door is not an imminent crisis by any means, but when I mentioned it to a friend, he said, You've got to report that! Not only do unauthorized short-term rentals violate the lease agreement, they eat into Toronto's precious rental stock. Further poking around on the Airbnb site revealed rentals that match my building. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

myanmar: Authorities quickly verified the video and detained the officers who were seen beating and kicking residents in a large-scale roundup, according to The Chronicle Herald. According to the office of Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the clip was posted to social media Dec. 31 but recorded Nov. 5 in a village called Kotankauk in the north of Rakhine, a state in western Myanmar where most of Myanmar's more than 1 million Rohingya live. The footage has made it more difficult for the government to say at least some abuses are not happening, and sown doubts into its dismissals of more grievous allegations such as rape, arson and murder. It was apparently filmed by a police officer, who recorded the beating while looking impassively into the camera and smoking a cigarette. You cannot just look at one incident and think, that's the whole thing that is happening. Aye Aye Soe, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry, insisted the event has to be an isolated case. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugees: A new language, according to CTV. And now, a new full-time job for the father, pursuing his passion working with cars. A new country. The thousands of Syrian refugees who have arrived in Canada have faced many struggles. For Nabil Al Dabei, the stars have aligned with a little help from some friends. Perhaps one of their biggest right now is finding work. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

regent hotel: Advocates and critics said the changes introduced by the former Conservative government were ineffective, and were put in place merely to convince the public something was being done to prevent employers from abusing the program, according to Toronto Star. As of the end of November, three employers had been found by the federal government to be non-compliant Obeid Farms in Vanessa, Ont.; a Dairy Queen franchise in Prince Albert, Sask.; and the Regent Hotel in Revelstoke, B.C. While Obeid was given a two-year ban on bringing in migrant workers, the Dairy Queen was fined 1,250 and the hotel was fined 750.A lawyer for Obeid declined to comment, citing the farm's ongoing litigation against the federal government in the matter. TARA WALTON / TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO By Nicholas Keung Immigration reporter Tues., Jan. 3, 2017 A year after Ottawa rolled out a new scheme to crack down on employers violating the rules of the temporary foreign worker program, only three businesses have been fined or banned for non-compliance. The Dairy Queen franchise did not respond to a request for comment about the allegations. Article Continued Below On Dec. 1, 2015, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, in collaboration with Employment and Social Development Canada, introduced a points system for assessing employer compliance based on the type of violation, history, severity, company size and whether the business co-operates with investigators. The hotel declined to comment on the allegations. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

thomas jefferson: If Thomas Jefferson came down tomorrow to proclaim that honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom, Americans would ask him to move out of the way so they could finish watching the rest of Survivor or forward the latest fake news story, according to Huffington Post Canada. George Washington's cherry tree story would be pointless. It seems that truth is no longer of paramount importance or, as the Oxford dictionary more formally puts it, objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion. Oaths like the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth will seem quaint. The truth will no longer hurt. Many Americans won't be outraged by election tampering, even by a foreign country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

tim hortons: She has seven of her nine children with her, according to CBC. Her neighbours even contacted Tim Hortons for a seasonal promotion, and the company created a faux white Christmas on her family's front lawn. I'm here but my mind is always back there, thinking about how he's doing.'- Halel Al Khalil She and her husband have a rented house in central Hamilton, away from the bloody Syrian civil war. And now, some of those Canadian neighbours have come together to privately sponsor her 24-year-old son, Feras, to come to Canada. The situation, she says, is desperate. He's in a Jordan refugee camp with his four small children including one Al Naser has never seen. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

trauma kind: The Current Syrian refugee children learn to be kids again in Canada Canada caught off guard by number of Syrian refugee children, says federal minister Stewart, who wrote the book Supporting Refugee Children Strategies for Educators, has embarked on a new study to get a handle on what special mental health needs the refugee students have, and how schools can best support their students, according to CBC. The issue of trauma in the students' past whether it was in Syria or also in Lebanon, we're seeing that the trauma kind of carries to the settlement place where they're trying to deal with some of those issues, Stewart said. More than 20,000 of the Syrian refugees who have settled in Canada are under the age of 18, and the trials for teachers range from language barriers to trauma, according to Jan Stewart, a professor in the faculty of education at the University of Winnipeg. And really, we're struggling in classrooms to find out how best we can support these students and how can we provide teachers the background information they need. CBC Students who have experienced trauma may not want to talk about what they've been through, and Stewart said mental health issues can carry a stigma. Syrian refugee students gain confidence in Winnipeg classrooms Syrian refugee students learn English at Victoria Albert School in Winnipeg. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

yemeni government: We only had a short period of time to do this, said Ahmed during an interview just before leaving Ottawa, according to CBC. It just shows how the Ottawa community has such a big heart. Before her trip, Zein Ahmed raised 10,000 mostly through an online GoFund Me campaign and she credits the generosity of strangers for the campaign's success. For more than a year and a half, Yemen has been embroiled in a deadly civil war between the Houthi minority group and the Yemeni Government. The conflict has intensified most recently as a coalition led by Saudi Arabia fighters on behalf of Yemen's overthrown president. United Nations 2.2 million forced out of their homes by war For more than a year and a half, Yemen has been embroiled in a deadly conflict between the Houthi minority group and the Yemeni government. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

guelph wellington: Individuals and businesses of any size or industry have until Jan. 31 to submit a nomination for two awards the Immigrant Inclusion in the Workplace Award and the Immigrant Entrepreneur Success Award, according to Guelph Mercury. These awards celebrate the incredible contributions that immigrants make to the local economy through entrepreneurship, and the commitments local businesses are making through innovative solutions in the workforce, said Ella Henderson, project specialist with the GWLIP. No other awards exist locally to shine a light on these issues, she said in a news release. The Guelph Wellington Local Immigration Partnership GWLIP is taking nominations for the newly created Global Advantage Business Awards. We're looking forward to raising the profile of the contributions made by immigrants and companies in the development and growth of our local labour force and economy. For award details, including nomination form and guidelines, visit guelphwellingtonlip.ca. All nominees will be recognized at the Global Advantage Business Awards breakfast event in March. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

justice reform: The organization held the demonstration to protest Sessions' nomination by President-elect Donald Trump, criticizing Sessions' record and views on civil rights, immigration, criminal justice reform, and voting rights enforcement, according to Brandon Sun. We have an attorney general nominee who does not acknowledge the reality of voter suppression while mouthing faith in the myth of voter fraud, NAACP President Cornell William Brooks said by phone earlier in Tuesday's protest. Jeff Sessions, the nominee for U.S. attorney general, the civil rights group said. Brooks called Sessions a poor choice to lead the U.S. Justice Department. Tuesday. The sit-in at Sessions' office in Mobile, Alabama the city the Republican senator calls home began around 11 a.m. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

lease agreement: There are longer hellos and goodbyes at the door, suggestions to go to the ROM, and one morning three guys came out with an empty case of beer and suitcases, according to Guelph Mercury. There's only so much you can glean from overhearing the occasional interaction through a door and what the peephole reveals. It's a slow thing to notice. Peep is such an accusatory word it's my innocent fish-eye look out into the public corridor. An Airbnb next door is not an imminent crisis by any means, but when I mentioned it to a friend, he said, You've got to report that! Not only do unauthorized short-term rentals violate the lease agreement, they eat into Toronto's precious rental stock. Further poking around on the Airbnb site revealed rentals that match my building. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.