muslim-majority countries: At least six people were killed and 18 were wounded, according to Guelph Mercury. On both sides of the border, it seemed, anti-Muslim sentiment was driving the news. As President Donald Trump faced a storm of protest against his executive order banning travelers and immigrants from a number of Muslim-majority countries, a mosque in Quebec City was attacked by a white nationalist gunman on Sunday night. But the Canadian and American governments struck very different notes the next day. Addressing the House of Commons, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the assault on the mosque a terrorist attack. And as long as Trump is in the White House, the contrasts between his divisive, nationalist presidency and Canada's current embrace of inclusiveness and multiculturalism seem likely to grow even more stark. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

social-media history: It is too early to know what prompted the crimes and, so far, accused shooter Alexandre Bissonnette has been charged with murder and attempted murder, but not terrorism, according to Guelph Mercury. Still, Bissonnette's social-media history suggests he was a fan of far-right, anti-immigrant French politician Marine Le Pen. But the shootings at a Quebec City Islamic centre may well represent the flip-side of that coin the hate-killing of Muslims. Canada's spy agency and academic researchers have been quietly probing the phenomenon of right-wing extremism, and the concerns will figure into federal plans for a national office of counter-radicalization. But under the heading Domestic Extremism, the spy service also underscored the recent development of a Canadian online anti-Islam movement, similar to ones in Europe. In a September 2014 briefing to federal officials, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service warned of the threat posed by terrorist groups al-Qaida, Hezbollah and the more radical Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

weekend chaos: Trump denied that his order, which suspends all immigration for citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries for 90 days, was to blame for weekend chaos at the nation's airports, instead pointing to computer glitches, demonstrations and even the fake tears of Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, according to Guelph Mercury. The president publicly shifted his focus, signing an executive action aimed at cutting regulations for small businesses and teasing his plans to unveil his Supreme Court pick Tuesday night. Protests persisted at major airports, and concern mounted from U.S. diplomats and members of his own party. But the immigration ban remained at the forefront of his first fortnight in the White House and prompted predecessor Barack Obama to wade into politics for the first time since leaving office. Obama spokesperson Kevin Lewis alluded to but did not specifically mention Trump's order but added that Obama was heartened by the civil engagement being seen across the country. A spokesperson for the former president said Monday that Obama fundamentally disagrees with discrimination that targets people based on their religion. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ban refugees: I am heartbroken that today President Trump is closing the door on children, mothers and fathers fleeing violence and war, the Nobel Prize laureate wrote, according to Huffington Post Canada. I am heartbroken that America is turning its back on a proud history of welcoming refugees and immigrants the people who helped build your country, ready to work hard in exchange for a fair chance at a new life. The new policy, which was signed on Friday, called to ban refugees and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia. She continued I am heartbroken that Syrian refugee children, who have suffered through six years of war by no fault of their own, are singled-out for discrimination.I am heartbroken for girls like my friend Zaynab, who fled wars in three countries Somalia, Yemen and Egypt before she was even 17. She learned English, graduated high school and is now in college studying to be a human rights lawyer. Two years ago she received a visa to come to the United States. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian centre: Paul Caulford, primary care lead at the Canadian Centre for Refugee & Immigrant Health Care in Scarborough, according to Metro News. The federal government pays resettlement agencies to house Syrians temporarily and help them adjust to Canadian life. Many aren't being connected to continuous and comprehensive primary care after leaving temporary housing, said Dr. That includes connecting them with permanent housing, education and healthcare. He described two problems. But the transition from hotels or shelters to permanent housing is proving a point of risk on the journey, Caulford said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian citizen: I denounced the lack of resources being dedicated to reducing the backlog of spousal immigrant applications and the egregious wait times that foreign spouses of Canadian citizens had to suffer, according to Huffington Post Canada. At the time then, the backlog kept spouses apart for more than 24 months and created enormous pressure on the emotional health and stability of families. Photo Chris Bolin/Reuters Last year, during the week of the U.S. presidential election, in an opinion piece published here at Huffington Post, I criticized Canada's immigration system. As a foreign immigrant married to a Canadian citizen, I felt that waiting two years to process a spousal visa was way too long and completely outrageous. And I didn't believe that even if he won that he would actually have the tenacity to go through with trying to build such a monstrous wall between the U.S. and Mexico. In my opinion piece, I declared that Canada's immigration backlog was as harmful and ridiculous as building a wall between two countries . At the time, like many people and almost all the pollsters in the world, I underestimated Trump's chance of winning the election. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

communities lewis: In his first statement on behalf of the former president, Lewis said Obama was heartened by the amount of engagement taking place in U.S. communities, according to Hamilton Spectator. Lewis, a former White House official, pointed out that Obama used his last official speech as president to talk about Americans' responsibility to be guardians of our democracy, even in nonelection years. The president fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating against individuals because of their faith or religion, Obama's spokesperson, Kevin Lewis, said. Citizens exercising their constitutional right to assemble, organize and have their voices heard by their elected officials is exactly what we expect to see when American values are at stake, Lewis said. But he rejected comparisons between Trump's recent actions and Obama's foreign policy decisions. Trump denies immigration restriction caused airport chaos Canadian protesters decry Trump's U.S. travel ban; urge Trudeau action Trump travel ban will hurt trade Black Berry CEO Lewis didn't specifically invoke Trump's immigration order. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

country agreement: Bernard Weil / Toronto Star By Nicholas Keung Immigration reporter Mon., Jan. 30, 2017 Refugee advocates are calling on Ottawa to immediately suspend a U.S.-Canada bilateral pact that bans refugees from crossing the border for asylum, arguing the United States is no longer safe for refugees, according to Toronto Star. The Safe Third Country Agreement came into effect in 2004 to prevent refugees from making asylum claims in both countries, clogging up the system. Advocates are urging Canada to open up further to refugees, in light of the U.S. cutback for 2017. It has significantly slashed the number of claims lodged on both sides of the border. Withdrawing from the agreement would mean all asylum seekers currently in the U.S. could access Canada's refugee system without having to risk their lives by turning to human smugglers, she added. The U.S. was never safe for all refugees and is now even less safe, said Janet Dench of the Canadian Council for Refugees. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

dana boente: By Monday night, she was out, according to CTV. The acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, has betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States, the White House press secretary's office said in a statement. Acting Attorney General Sally Yates earlier Monday ordered Justice Department lawyers to stop defending the executive order, which temporarily suspends the U.S. refugee program and bars all immigration for citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries for 90 days. Trump named Dana Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to serve in Yates' place until Sen. The Yates decision came as Trump pressed into his second week in office defending his sweeping immigration ban. Jeff Sessions, his permanent pick for the position, is confirmed by the Senate. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

executive team: Chen said in a statement that he is disheartened and does not agree with the sharpness of the executive order, according to The Chronicle Herald. Trump signed an executive order Friday that doesn't allow citizens from Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and Libya to enter the U.S. for 90 days. BB CEO John Chen says U.S. President Donald Trump's ban on people from seven predominantly Muslim countries entering America will hurt trade. Chen says the move will make it more difficult to conduct business globally and hurt trade. Chen, himself an immigrant, says more than half of Black Berry's executive team and many of the company's employees are immigrants. He says Black Berry hopes the U.S. administration will find better ways to handle such matters in the future. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

harley finkelstein: My dad was an immigrant when Canada let in 40,000 Hungarians into the country during the Hungarian revolution in 1955, according to Metro News. Our family is here because of Canada's inclusive policies and warmth. Harley Finkelstein, the company's chief operating officer, said his own family's experience shows the value of immigration. I'll never forget that, he said in an email. He also said the company needs to be able to attract talent from around the world. He said the company has a strong belief in inclusion and diversity. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

house officials: His comments came after White House officials, responding to the widespread uncertainty about the order, held a briefing with reporters Sunday evening to argue that the order's rollout was a massive success story, according to Hamilton Spectator. Earlier that day, Trump sought to clarify the exact reach of his ban, saying in a statement that his action is not a Muslim ban. In a series of tweets, Trump sought to minimize its impact on travelers following confusion, angst and two days of protests that have erupted across the country since he signed the order. But critics remain concerned over the exact limits of its scope, legal questions about its constitutionality and whether the Trump administration will comply with orders from federal judges to temporarily halt the travel ban. Tens of thousands of people protested his immigration order outside the gates of the White House, in Boston's Copley Square and in New York's Battery Park, with its views over the Statue of Liberty. Intense protests cropped up in airport terminals from coast to coast on Saturday and Sunday, meaning both weekends of Trump's presidency so far have been marked by heavy public demonstrations against him. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration process: She said the country must focus on incentives to lure foreign skilled workers, adding in an email that talent is not defined by borders and if they choose to come to Canada, the entire ecosystem will be better for it, according to Toronto Star. Allen Lau, CEO of Toronto-based online storytelling app Wattpad, said along with measures recently unveiled by Ottawa to shorten the immigration process for foreign-born tech workers, what Donald Trump is doing actually may actually help Canada. Canada has an opportunity to be a country where the best talent from around the world can move here and do their life's work as never before, said Alexandra Clark, director of policy and government affairs at Ottawa-based e-commerce platform Shopify. He said the U.S. president's travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority nations could at least partially bridge a substantial gap in tech talent in Canada. Americans who I know have contacted me, and are looking at what are other countries they might want to move to, he said, although he called it premature to speculate about tech companies moving north to flee Trump. Article Continued Below And Lau said that the travel ban is already having an impact. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

business announcement: White House officials called the directive a one in, two out plan, requiring government agencies requesting a new regulation to identify two others they will cut, according to Guelph Mercury. Trump signed the order in the Oval Office surrounded by small business leaders, saying it would massively cut regulations and calling it the biggest such act that our country has ever seen. Later he shifted the focus away from the weekend's immigration turmoil, signing an executive action aimed at cutting regulations for small businesses. Trump's business announcement came as protests continued around the country over his immigration order. Trump also said swift action was important, noting that there are a lot of bad 'dudes' out there. Early Monday, he took to Twitter to defend the move, saying that only 109 out of 325,000 people were detained and held for questioning. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

communities lewis: In his first statement on behalf of the former president, Lewis said Obama was heartened by the amount of engagement taking place in U.S. communities, according to Guelph Mercury. Lewis, a former White House official, pointed out that Obama used his last official speech as president to talk about Americans' responsibility to be guardians of our democracy, even in nonelection years. The president fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating against individuals because of their faith or religion, Obama's spokesperson, Kevin Lewis, said. Citizens exercising their constitutional right to assemble, organize and have their voices heard by their elected officials is exactly what we expect to see when American values are at stake, Lewis said. But he rejected comparisons between Trump's recent actions and Obama's foreign policy decisions. Trump denies immigration restriction caused airport chaos Canadian protesters decry Trump's U.S. travel ban; urge Trudeau action Trump travel ban will hurt trade Black Berry CEO Lewis didn't specifically invoke Trump's immigration order. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

executive team: Chen said in a statement that he is disheartened and does not agree with the sharpness of the executive order, according to Guelph Mercury. Trump signed an executive order Friday that doesn't allow citizens from Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and Libya to enter the U.S. for 90 days. BB CEO John Chen says U.S. President Donald Trump's ban on people from seven predominantly Muslim countries entering America will hurt trade. Chen says the move will make it more difficult to conduct business globally and hurt trade. Chen, himself an immigrant, says more than half of Black Berry's executive team and many of the company's employees are immigrants. He says Black Berry hopes the U.S. administration will find better ways to handle such matters in the future. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration: Look at how many different political parties are trying to rise to power by using Islamophobia, Zaman said, according to The Chronicle Herald. A look at Trump's executive order on refugees, immigration Trump's immigration actions mark sharp shift in US policyUS judge bars deportations under Trump travel ban Muslims, Latinos unify over Trump's immigration, border plan It's happening all around the world . . . We can no longer be complacent and trust the system will work on our behalf, because the system is breaking down. Halifax social activist Rana Zaman said Nova Scotian Muslims are worried by a rising tide of xenophobia. The proof is next door in the U.S. . Zaman was at an event for Muslim women and children Saturday, and there was great concern about the anti-immigrant aftermath of the Trump inauguration. Most cannot believe it's happening, she said. The reaction from the ladies was absolutely they were horrified. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

janelle monae: Their words varied from tender personal reflections to full-throated battle cries, but they were nearly uniform in channeling the nationwide demonstrations sparked by Trump's halting of immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim nations, according to Hamilton Spectator. The SAG Awards culminated with the evening's top honour, best movie ensemble, going to the cast of Hidden Figures, an uplifting drama about African-American mathematicians who aided NASA's 1960s space race, starring Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monae and Octavia Spencer. In speech after fiery speech at Sunday night's Screen Actors Guild Awards, winners struck a defiant tone against Trump's sweeping immigration ban. Henson concluded the show the same way its first presenter, Ashton Kutcher, began it with the kind of pointed politics that have traditionally been more an aberration than a constant at Hollywood award shows. We win. This story is about unity, said Henson, who stars alongside Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae in Hidden Figures. ''This story is about what happens when we put our differences aside and we come together as a human race. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

julia: Among the first to speak out was Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfus who took home the first award of the night for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series, according to Huffington Post Canada. It was her second time claiming the title for her role in Veep and fifth time receiving the award overall. And, as expected, Hollywood had something to say about it. Julia Louis-Dreyfus has slam-dunked her speech targeting Trump This Ban is Un-American. The winner is me. SAGawards Aaron Vallely Vallmeister January 30, 2017 Whether the Russians did or did not hack the voting of tonight's SAG Awards, I look out on the million or probably even million and a half people in this room and I say this award is legitimate and I won, she began, referencing Trump's presidential win and inauguration before declaring I'm the winner. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

linda maxwell: The protest of around 30 people was organized by the group Ourrevolution.ca, formerly the group B.C. for Bernie, according to Metro News. Vancouverites vigilant after Quebec mosque attack, Trump order Half of Canadians believe entering the U.S. will get worse under Trump pollU.S. travel ban hits Vancouver refugee, business, and faith communities hard Andy and Linda Maxwell said they would be back to protest tomorrow. We need to now, more than ever, get out of our beds, get out of our heads, get offline, voice what's right, said Nathan Barrett, a Vancouver resident who joined the protest at noon on Jan. 30. Andy is an American citizen who recently became a landed immigrant in Canada; Linda is Canadian. We went to the Women's March, we went to a rally in Olympia trying to get the Electoral College to vote to change, Linda said. They lived in Washington State for 10 years before moving to Vancouver. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

muslim countries: They carried signs with slogans that read, Do not scapegoat Muslim people, We will not go quietly, and Help refugees escape war, according to Toronto Star. Nazerah Shaikh, her daughter and her three nieces carried signs reading The 6ix supports the Seven, and including the flags of the seven predominantly Muslim countries against which Trump has leveled travel bans and restrictions. Protesters began lining the sidewalk outside the consulate on around 8 a.m., but quickly spread into the street. Article Continued Below We're disgusted and sad. Their citizenship is pending, and they have family here that they want to come and see, but they're not sure they can. That's why we're here, Shaikh said. react-text 160 Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the U.S. consolate on University Avenue this morning to protest the immigration policies of U.S. President Donald Trump. /react-text Andrew Francis Wallace / Toronto Star We do have close friends in Detroit who had to cancel travel plans because of these policies. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

order saturday: It is a dangerous place, obviously, because we are fighting ISIL . But nonetheless really good progress is being made, according to CTV. Trump signed an executive order Friday barring citizens from Iraq and six other predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. for 90 days. Great progress is being made and there's no concern for the security of our troops, Sajjan told reporters on Monday. He signed another order Saturday directing U.S. Defence Secretary James Mattis to present a new strategy for fighting ISIL within 30 days. The immigration order has been particularly controversial, with warnings it will drive a wedge between Iraqi and coalition forces in the fight against ISIL. There have also been fears that it could help terrorist groups recruit new members. The orders come as more than 200 Canadian soldiers are on the ground in Iraq, where they are helping Kurdish forces fight ISIL. They also come as Canadian commanders prepare options for the next phase of the mission, whose current mandate is set to expire in March. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

pagtakhan: It just takes the confidence that any individual or business has in the system and says to them 'I don't know what is going on' and that isn't good for anybody, said Pagtakhan, according to CBC. Protests and rallies have spread across North America after the 90-day immigration ban came into effect. Winnipeg immigration lawyer Reis Pagtakhan said at first, it seemed the ban would suspend new visas for a 90-day review of the American process, but he said its bizarre rollout has entangled many and is leaving even more people confused. Trump's travel ban prompts human chain protest at U.S. Embassy in Ottawa Winnipeg immigration lawyer Reis Pagtakhan called the roll out of Trump's new travel ban bizarre. Pagtakhan said restrictions on people travelling from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen all predominantly Muslim countries and unclear immigration policies could have a negative impact on the U.S. economy. CBC Pagtakhan thinks the restrictions weren't well thought out and said even though the ban no longer affects people with green cards, the government likely captured more people with the restrictions than they intended to. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

scholars point: This seems to be just the beginning of a wave of litigation over this order's potential constitutional challenges, says Yvonne Tew, a constitutional law professor at Georgetown Law school in Washington, D.C. Legal scholars point to constitutional and statutory challenges that could strike down the executive action that would affect some 218 million people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Sudan and Yemen over 90 days, according to CBC. The order also puts an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees. Enforcement of the order, which unleashed chaos at airports and sent families into immigration limbo, appeared to still be taking shape as the weekend drew to a close, with Trump's own White House chief of staff contradicting himself on a major exclusion for green card holders. Experts say the possible legal challenges could draw upon The Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects against depriving anybody's liberty without due process of the law. The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits government actions that favour any one religion. The Equal Protection Clause of the Fifth Amendment, which bars the government from discriminating individuals from equal protection of the laws. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

technology companies: Temporary worker permits for high-skilled workers are known as H-1Bs, and leaks of draft executive orders, still unverified, suggest Trump might revamp the program, which has allowed Silicon Valley companies to bring foreigners with technical skills to the U.S. for three to six years, according to CBC. Currently the system is lottery based, and capped at 85,000 workers a year. The immigration issue is especially problematic for Silicon Valley, the southern San Francisco Bay area where many startup and global technology companies are based, as the industry increasingly relies on foreign engineers and other technical experts for a sizable percentage of its workforce. Trump pushes Big 3 to build more cars in America While the tech industry insists the H1-B program is vital, it has drawn fire for allegedly disadvantaging American programmers and engineers, especially given that the visas are widely used by outsourcing firms. Trump's actions are hurting Netflix employees around the world, and are so un American it pains us all.'- Reed Hastings, Netflix CEO I share your concerns about Trump's immigration order, Apple CEO Tim Cook wrote in a memo to employees that was obtained by The Associated Press. Trump's attorney general nominee, Senator Jeff Sessions, is a longtime critic of the program. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

american democracy: Trump ban protested outside U.S. consulate in Toronto The Canadian Press On the periphery of the protest, American citizen Anne Rubenstein said she felt deeply ashamed of her country, according to Globe and Mail. Related How does Trump's immigration ban affect you A Canadian guide Read more Would-be Americans have dreams dashed by Trump's executive orders on immigration Related Anger, sadness as small Vermont city loses chance to rebuild with refugees I can barely find the words for how angry and pained I am that President Donald Trump with one executive order has spit on the things that were the very foundations of American democracy, said Rubenstein, who is currently teaching history at York University. The peaceful protesters, who also expressed sympathy for the victims of Sunday's mosque massacre in Quebec City, blocked traffic, held placards, chanted, and marched a short distance to city hall and back to the consulate as Toronto police kept an eye on them. Word of the protest, organized via social media by groups such as No One is Illegal, prompted the U.S. consulate to announce on Sunday that it was essentially closing operations for the day. The move created chaos at airports across the U.S. over the weekend as confusion abounded over who was affected by the ban and to what extent. On Friday, Trump signed a 90-day executive order to stop citizens of seven Muslim countries Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and Libya from entering the U.S. and to bar asylum seekers. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.