aid: Legal Aid funds three refugee law clinics one in Toronto, Hamilton and Ottawa, according to NOW Magazine. The clinics provide an array of services, from assistance with various refugee applications to representation at hearings. I will pick up on these themes today as I address Legal Aid's role in refugee and immigration, tenancy, disability, employment, social assistance and consumer law matters. People living outside of those cities should contact Legal Aid Ontario to see what kind of assistance they can receive from the clinics or other sources of help. If Legal Aid Ontario LAO staff determine that your matter has merit and you are financially eligible, they may provide you with a certificate for a lawyer of your choice to work a specific number of hours on your case. Immigration matters are generally funded through the certificate program, which is the same system as criminal and family matters. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

joke: The odd thing is, I don't feel it, according to Rabble. Not a bit. Sounds better in Latin. So when I first encountered ageism, I went into denial. But it isn't. Or laughed as though it was a joke. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

lives gangaram: Mohammed Shamji appeared on a charge of first-degree murder, according to Metro News. Pinned to her jacket was a purple ribbon to honour victims of domestic violence. Elana Fric-Shamji sat silently in a north Toronto courtroom, watching as Dr. One day later, in a downtown Toronto court, Lascelles Allen chose to go to trial to face a first-degree murder charge in the violent death of his ex-girlfriend, Suraiya Gangaram. Fric-Shamji, 40, from a Croatian family based in Windsor, was a married mother and family physician living in a million-dollar North York home. The victims in both killings led different lives Gangaram, 31, a Trinidadian immigrant, was a single mom living in Toronto community housing on Danzig St. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

premier: This is an opportunity to assess the character of the candidates, according to Huffington Post Canada. We cannot allow ourselves to attack fellow Conservatives who advance those ideas and policies, he said. Erin O'Toole made the commitment in a release Monday that called for Tories to stay united in what he hopes will be a contest of ideas. Conservative leadership candidate Erin O'Toole speaks during a debate in Saskatoon on Nov. 9, 2016. But when Tories attack each other, he said, the only winners are Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne. Photo Liam Richards/CP It's tempting to succumb to personal attacks in an environment where the loudest and most outrageous statements win the most attention. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

property transfers: But prices are expected to continue rising amid a market of too few available homes, according to The Chronicle Herald. Expectations that foreign buyers would flock to Victoria to avoid the 15-per-cent Metro Vancouver home tax has not happened, instead purchasers are arriving from other areas of the country, outgoing Victoria real estate board chief Mike Nugent said Monday. The Victoria Real Estate Board says a repeat of last year's record-smashing property sales that saw constant bidding wars on southern Vancouver Island is not in the forecast for 2017. There's certainly no evidence so far of showing a big shift of foreign buyers to Victoria, he said. In the latest numbers, Nov. 1 to Nov. 30, there were 39 property transfers involving foreign buyers. As soon as it was implemented everybody phoned and said, 'what are the numbers like You must be getting an avalanche.' Government data shows there were 90 deals involving foreign buyers in Victoria between June 10 and Aug. 1, before the tax was implemented. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

street: The data was collected from 2005 to 2016, according to CTV. Over that 11-year span, nearly 37,000 individuals were street checked, some on multiple occasions. Close to 20 per cent of people being street checked are visible minorities. Of those, 4,100 people - or 11.08 per cent - were identified as black, in a community with a black population of about four per cent. It doesn't mean there is any type of criminality; it normally is location or time of day specific. When an officer feels there is some level of suspicion or something going on, they then record that observation or interaction in what we call a street check form, says the Deputy Chief of Halifax Police Bill Moore. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sunday mass: It's inspiring to see, Father Mark Filips told CBC News after mass on Sunday, according to CBC. Young people, old people, everybody in between coming together in such great numbers. Dominic's Roman Catholic Church in Neepawa, Man., on any given Sunday of the year, plan to arrive early or you might have to stand. Average attendance for a Sunday mass at the church, in the town about 170 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, is between 250 and 300 people, according to Filips. Filipino immigrants boost congregation This past Sunday, many of the seats in the church's basement, where services are held while the main sanctuary is undergoing renovations, were filled with Filipino immigrants. But it's not just the number of people filling the seats that is gaining attention, it's also about who is coming. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

syrian families: Three-quarters of them are for Syrian refugees, according to CBC. Minister for Immigration, Diversity and Inclusion Kathleen Weil announced the news on Monday. More than 10,000 applications have been accepted by the province and are awaiting approval from the federal government. Frustration as Westmount synagogue waits for sponsored Syrian families to arrive'We're trying' Syrian refugees gather in Montreal to mark 1 year since first arrivals All applications that we receive before Jan. 26, 2017 will be processed, said Weil in a statement. Jacques Boissinot/Canadian Press Last month, the federal government said it would limit the filing of new refugee applications sponsored by the private sector for 2017, as it has become increasingly difficult for the government to process files within a reasonable time frame. Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil said Quebec will process all applications for refugees that arrive before Jan. 27, 2017. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

trump: Perhaps expressions of popular rage, like the Brexit vote and the Donald Trump election, have brought the tide of indignation to full flood, from where it might soon recede, according to The Chronicle Herald. Or are we doomed to yet more anger, more pique, more outrage In 11 days, Trump will be sworn in as president of the United States and the great anger of 2016 will have reaped its reward. When have we had more The left hates the right, populists hate elites and the rich-versus-poor resentment index has never been higher. Trump got there in a rage-riding campaign against foreigners, minority and women's rights, free traders, liberals and elites, as well as random celebrities. He exploited all-American anger among those who feel denied their share of jobs or income or government benefits because someone else also gets a chunk, someone less deserving, even foreign perhaps. It felt like a new enemy got added every day. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

yonge st: But Oliver couldn't care less, according to Hamilton Spectator. After 40 years in the gold-buying game, the veteran pitchman from those corny commercials is not only in expansion mode, he's also changed his tune recently with a return to his retail roots at his new store on Yonge St. north of Wellesley. In fact you probably consider him kooky more than anything whether covered head to toe in silver spray paint or dressed as the Loan Arranger cowboy in his television ads. It's like I've come full circle, he says. T was both a customer and appeared in an old commercial watches, coins and even teeth, and then shipping them off to a refinery for profit, Oliver also set aside some of the nearly new trinkets in his safe because they were just too beautiful to send to a smelter, he explains. In his decades of buying bling like gold chains Mr. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

york list: In 2016, the media fawned over Justin Trudeau, according to Huffington Post Canada. The Economist ran a cover story titled Liberty Moves North Canada's Example to the World and our immigration website became so popular it crashed on the night of the U.S. election. Our country topped the New York Times' list of the 52 Places to Go in 2017 and was lauded in the Guardian for being one of the only nations that touts diversity over nativism. For a country that's historically been known as a wallflower, the attention is long overdue. In short We shouldn't become American. But we shouldn't become braggadocious and let our national ego inflate. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cabinet posts: Among the ministers who could be moved is International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland, who is believed likely to replace Stephane Dion at Foreign Affairs, according to Brandon Sun. Freeland, a former economics journalist with extensive contacts in the United States, is credited with deftly navigating through some eleventh-hour obstacles that threatened last fall to scupper the Canada-European Union free trade agreement potentially valuable experience for dealing with the incoming Trump administration. Sources tell The Canadian Press that the shuffle will involve up to a third of Trudeau's cabinet posts. Trump, whose inauguration takes place Jan. 20, has vowed to adopt an unapologetically protectionist, America-first policy on trade, including re-opening or even tearing up the North American Free Trade Agreement. His prickly demeanour could also be ill-suited to dealing with the unpredictable Trump, who has demonstrated a tendency to easily take offence. Dion's tenure at Foreign Affairs has been a rocky one, marred by controversy over his approval of a 15-billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

city jail: Steinle's shooting death thrust San Francisco into the national debate over immigration The man charged with murder in the July 2015 slaying, Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, was a repeat drug offender who was transferred to the city jail to face a marijuana sales charge after he completed a federal prison sentence for illegally reentering the country, according to Brandon Sun. The district attorney dropped charges, and the sheriff's department released Lopez-Sanchez three months before Steinle's death, ignoring a request by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to keep him behind bars. The judge, however, allowed a negligence claim against the federal government to move forward. San Francisco's so-called sanctuary policy bars city employees from co-operating with federal immigration officials in deportation efforts. In their lawsuit, Steinle's family cited a statement by immigration authorities that Lopez-Sanchez would have been deported and Steinle's death prevented if sheriff's officials had notified them about his pending release. Mirkarimi cited the law in a 2015 memo to deputies that prohibited them from providing certain information to federal immigration authorities, including the date an inmate is released, according to Spero's ruling. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

decision monday: The move is part of a rapid rise for a player who had never started a college game until this season but is now projected as a potential first-round pick, according to The Waterloo Record. Trubisky said in a teleconference he wanted to jump right in to learning NFL offences. The junior announced his decision Monday to leave school on The Players Tribune. I know I could've come back to North Carolina and they would've prepared me and got me ready for next year, Trubisky said. In his only season as the Tar Heels' starter, Trubisky set program records with 3,748 yards passing and 30 touchdowns, as well as for completions 304 attempts 447 and total offence 4,056 . The Mentor, Ohio native also ranked in the top 10 nationally by completing 68 per cent of his passes after two seasons seeing spot duty. But I just feel like since the opportunity is here, the best opportunity for my career is to take the next step and develop and get ready for the NFL this way. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

home: The most tangible factor in the turnaround, though, has to be the defence, according to Guelph Mercury. Amir Coffey had 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting, helping the Gophers stave off another setback at home with a 78-68 victory over Ohio State on Sunday night. Newcomers to the lineup have provided instant sparks and critical production. You can't take for granted the little things at home because you're going to have a great crowd, Minnesota coach Richard Pitino said. What's going to win the game is great defence. That's not what's going to win you the game. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

property transfers: But prices are expected to continue rising amid a market of too few available homes, according to Brandon Sun. Expectations that foreign buyers would flock to Victoria to avoid the 15-per-cent Metro Vancouver home tax has not happened, instead purchasers are arriving from other areas of the country, outgoing Victoria real estate board chief Mike Nugent said Monday. The Victoria Real Estate Board says a repeat of last year's record-smashing property sales that saw constant bidding wars on southern Vancouver Island is not in the forecast for 2017. There's certainly no evidence so far of showing a big shift of foreign buyers to Victoria, he said. In the latest numbers, Nov. 1 to Nov. 30, there were 39 property transfers involving foreign buyers. As soon as it was implemented everybody phoned and said, 'what are the numbers like You must be getting an avalanche.' Government data shows there were 90 deals involving foreign buyers in Victoria between June 10 and Aug. 1, before the tax was implemented. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

birth certificates: But when the two men returned to Milan with their newborns, a clerk at the registry office refused to transcribe the babies' birth certificates, barring the men from registering the boys as their legal children, according to Hamilton Spectator. Cases like this have happened before in Italy, where surrogacy is illegal and Italian couples face problems in having babies born to surrogates abroad legally recognized as their own. The babies were the sons of a gay Italian couple who had used in vitro fertilization to have children. What's not common is the decision a court in Milan issued last week despite being twins, the court said, the two boys aren't brothers. The couple has decided to remain anonymous to preserve their privacy and the Italian media is not publishing their names. After the clerk's refusal, the couple in Milan had sued to be allowed to register as their children's parents. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

celebrity clique: On a second visit to the Mar-a-Lago club around New Year's, Fabio huddled with incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer and offered his assistance on veterans' issues, according to Metro News. I want to help, said Fabio, who plans to be in Washington for Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration. Fabio, who goes by his first name only, said he hit it off with the newly elected Republican, who asked the brawny model how he stays in shape. Fabio's embrace of Trump puts him in an exclusive and eclectic club celebrities who not only support the president-elect, but are willing to do so publicly. While most modern presidents have had a celebrity clique, Obama's crowd has been especially glitzy. The entertainment industry's liberal bent, combined with election-season outrage over Trump's controversial comments on women and minorities, left Trump persona non grata with many A-listers, particularly those who have rolled in President Barack Obama's circles. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

donald trump: May has said for months that she will invoke Article 50 of the EU's key treaty, triggering two years of EU exit talks, by March 31, according to Hamilton Spectator. But she has refused to reveal details of Britain's goals or negotiating strategy. In her first interview of 2017, May also said Donald Trump had made unacceptable comments about women but stressed she's had good conversations with the U.S. president-elect about the vital trans-Atlantic relationship. May argues that to do so would weaken Britain's hand, but the lack of detail has fuelled allegations that government plans for Brexit are in disarray. In an interview with Sky News, May insisted the government is not at all muddled. Ivan Rogers, who resigned as Britain's EU envoy last week, criticized politicians' ill-founded arguments and muddled thinking about the EU exit. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

i need: She is travelling to northern Greece, where nearly 60,000 refugees are stranded, with the hopes of helping some of the refugees who are expectant mothers, according to CTV. Even in the best of situations giving birth still a really intense and life-changing powerful event, she said. Something just clicked and I thought there are mothers and babies there and I know about mothers and babies, so I need to go there and help out, Cymbalist told CTV Montreal. As a long-time doula, Cymbalist's job is to accompany women before, during, and after pregnancy. As for any potential language barriers she may face in Greece, Cymbalist told CTV Montreal that she's not worried. She helps teach women about breast-feeding and coping with conflicting emotions that come with new motherhood. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sunday afternoon: Richard Lautens / Toronto Star Order this photo By Megan Dolski Staff Reporter Sun., Jan. 8, 2017 It was a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon on the beaches of Etobicoke as a group of swimmers stripped down and waded into the glistening waters of Lake Ontario, according to Toronto Star. It was -9C degrees outside, but felt more like -20C with the wind chill. Richard Lautens / Toronto Star Order this photo Yaro Polowianiuk makes a splash on his first dunk at the Toronto Winter Swimming Club. You could see puffs of clouded breath as swimmers giddily submerged themselves into the frigid lake next to a confused flock of lingering Canada geese floating near ice-capped rocks. No, they said, it wasn't too chilly out for a dip this was just a regular weekend meet up for Toronto's Winter Swimming Club. Those on their way out of the water exited, euphoric, but with rouge-tinted skin coloured from the cold. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

syrian community: In Manitoba, about 1,000 have settled in the province over the past 12 months, according to CTV. On Saturday, Manitoba's Syrian community said thank you. It's been one year since the Canada began welcoming Syrian refugees, offering safety and opportunity to families from the war-torn country. About 300 people gathered at the Freight House Community Centre to show how much the kindness has meant. We like Canada, said 15-year-old Mohamad. It's good. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

year: She said I am so excited for this new chapter in my life! And Lindsay's manager Scott Carlsen added to Mail Online Lindsay in a period of renewal, and is very excited for what the new year holds, according to Hamilton Spectator. We are extremely happy here at team Lohan, thrilled to see everyone's reactions over the next year as we have some big projects lined up. The 30-year-old actress is in a period of renewal and has chosen to wipe her accounts so that she can start 2017 off with a clean slate. Lindsay recently revealed that having part of her finger ripped off in a fishing accident in Turkey last year helped her to put her life into perspective and has been a huge factor in her decision to continue volunteering with refugees. If that didn't happen to me, if I didn't lose a part of myself essentially - and I weirdly think about this when I meditate - I wouldn't have stayed in Turkey. She explained Losing half of my finger and getting it back was one of the best things that happened to me. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

veteran doula: It's all part of her mission to assist pregnant and breastfeeding mothers in refugee camps in Greece, according to CTV. Cymbalist is a veteran Doula and her job is to help pregnant women through pregnancy and childbirth. Along with her luggage she'll be taking a giant care package containing onesies, baby blankets and diapers. Nearly 60,000 refugees are stranded in Greece, mostly Syrians. Women are still giving birth. While they wait, life goes on. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

war-ravaged lands: The International Rescue Committee and volunteers of Soft Landing Missoula stepped in to help after the community offered to help the latest refugees resettle in Montana, according to Metro News. County Commissioner Jean Curtiss said in an email that her office hasn't been in contact with any of the refugees, but she believes community members are doing all they can to welcome the families. Missoula has become a refuge for more than 40 men, women and children from war-ravaged lands in Africa and Iraq, more than 30 years after last of some 550 refugees from Southeast Asia, most of them Hmong who supported U.S. efforts in the secret war in Laos, were brought to western Montana. These refugee families have been through a lot so having a safe and supportive community to relocate in is a blessing for them, Curtiss said. The move has not been without controversy. In return the fabric of the Missoula community has been made even more beautiful with the culture, experiences, music and lives of our new neighbours from around the globe. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

birth certificates: But when the two men returned to Milan with their newborns, a clerk at the registry office refused to transcribe the babies' birth certificates, barring the men from registering the boys as their legal children, according to The Waterloo Record. Cases like this have happened before in Italy, where surrogacy is illegal and Italian couples face problems in having babies born to surrogates abroad legally recognized as their own. The babies were the sons of a gay Italian couple who had used in vitro fertilization to have children. What's not common is the decision a court in Milan issued last week despite being twins, the court said, the two boys aren't brothers. The couple has decided to remain anonymous to preserve their privacy and the Italian media is not publishing their names. After the clerk's refusal, the couple in Milan had sued to be allowed to register as their children's parents. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.