island nations: The Australian government pays both countries to house the refugees, because it refuses to settle any of them in Australia, according to Metro News. That has resulted in many of them languishing inside the detention facilities for years. A look at what's at stake AUSTRALIA DOESN'T WANT BOAT REFUGEESUnder the Obama administration, the U.S. agreed to resettle a group of refugees who are being held at detention camps on the impoverished Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea. The conditions at the camps are grim and reports of detainees suffering abuse and attempting suicide are frequent. The refugees are, in fact, among around 1,250 asylum seekers who were transferred to the island detention centres after being intercepted while trying to reach Australia by boat. UNCLEAR HOW MANY ARE GENUINE REFUGEESPresident Donald Trump has repeatedly described the refugees as illegal immigrants and said in a tweet that there are thousands of them. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

city: There was this feeling of Oh, here we go again.' In photos Hundreds gather at second funeral for mosque victims in Quebec City In Photos Hundreds gather in Montreal for funeral service of three Quebec City mosque victims Related 'I won't be scared of praying here' Quebec City mosque reopens for worship Read more Worshippers open doors to attacked Quebec City mosque, share their sorrows Sunday's murderous attack on the Quebec City mosque had eerie similarities to a firebombing attack on Masjid Al-Salaam, Peterborough, Ont.'s only mosque, less than 15 months ago, according to Globe and Mail. There was one profound difference six lives lost in Quebec, none in Peterborough but both attacks came around evening prayer, the fortunate difference in Peterborough being that the people had left before the attacker smashed through a window and set an accelerant on fire. Abdella says. The Peterborough incident had taken place the day after ISIS-claimed terrorist attacks in Paris had killed 130 people. This person is out there still, says Mr. Unlike in Quebec City, where 27-year-old Alexandre Bissonnette was quickly arrested and charged with six counts of murder and five of attempted murder, the firebomber in Peterborough has never been found. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

muslim countries: This is a particular subset of children who require life-saving surgery, so, absent that surgery, they will certainly die, Hoskins told reporters Friday afternoon at Queen's Park, according to Toronto Star. I felt, particularly in light of the occurrences in the past week in Quebec, that Canadians and Ontarians would feel comfortable and confident in expressing our openness, our willingness, our generosity, he said, referring to Sunday's attack on a mosque that left six men dead. In the wake of Trump's temporary immigration ban against citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries, which has affected thousands of families, Health Minister Eric Hoskins offered a prescription to help. What we're saying is that Canada is a country that has always looked to ways that it could reach out and support vulnerable people around the world. Sick Kids has been approached by a number of hospitals in the United States with regard to a number of cases, he said, noting most are for highly specialized cardiac care for infants as young as 4 months old. Article Continued Below Hoskins, a former aid worker in the Middle East and Africa and co-founder of War Child Canada, a non-governmental organization that helps kids from war zones, said Toronto's world-renowned Hospital for Sick Children is on the case. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

october show: The total included an influx of Syrian refugees, along with provincially nominated families and entrepreneurs, according to CTV. A news release from the province today says that the province is also expecting to accept another 2,150 people under the provincial nomination program this year. The province's Immigration Department says preliminary figures for last year to the end of October show 4,835 newcomers -- including refugees --arrived in Nova Scotia, the highest number since the war. The Ivany Report, an economic blueprint for the province, has urged the province to increase immigration due to a declining birth rate and out migration. The report urged the province to attempt to attract up to 7,000 immigrants a year by 2024 and to embrace a greater ethnic and racial diversity in the makeup of the newcomers. It has predicted that within 15 years there will be 100,000 fewer people of working age in the province, and Nova Scotia cannot count on its natural birth rate to replace the workforce. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

october show: The total included an influx of Syrian refugees, along with provincially nominated families and entrepreneurs, according to CTV. The province says it is also expecting another 2,150 people under the provincial nomination program this year, but it doesn't indicate how many more refugees may arrive. The province's Immigration Department says preliminary figures for last year to the end of October show 4,835 newcomers -- including about 1,500 refugees -- arrived in Nova Scotia, saying it's the highest number in decades. However, Don Mills, a pollster who has supported a business push to increase immigration in the province, said he sees the figure as an improvement that is still short of what the province needs to replace an aging workforce, and notes the boom in refugees may decrease. But we have to ramp it up even quicker. We're going on in the right direction, he said in an interview. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

post-industrial city: But now, Utica is beset with new anxiety in the age of Trump, according to The Chronicle Herald. The president's order restricting refugees and travel from certain Muslim countries has immigrants in Utica feeling uncertain about their place here. An influx of thousands of refugees from around the world over the past few decades is credited with injecting new energy and optimism into this faded post-industrial city of 62,000. Some also worry they will not be able to bring over family members fleeing war zones and refugee camps. It makes me terrified. There's one saying my mom used to tell me in camp in Iraq A refugee will always be a refugee, said 18-year-old Manal Alawsaj, a Palestinian who just became a citizen. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

recruits: He says that while putting captured ISIS fighters on trial for terrorism may be easier than prosecuting them for slavery, genocide and the persecution of minorities, it will not cut off the flow of recruits to the militant group. '869750339623', 'playlist Selector' 'container Selector' ' container93428467', 'ciid' 'caffeine13966884' ; How to hold ISIS accountable for war crimes 9 55 It's a relatively quick way to prosecute individuals, but with a lot of possible joiners of these groups, if you prosecute an ISIS member as a terrorist, it may serve as an incentive to others to join because they'll say 'Well, if we're terrorists, what about George Bush, what about Tony Blair and so forth,' Wiley told CBC'sPower & Politics, according to CBC. We really feel that this counterterrorism effort needs to be coupled with a criminal prosecutorial effort, which reveals groups such as the Islamic State to essentially be criminal syndicates engaged in murder, narcotics trafficking, sexual slavery and so forth to leave aside the terrorist label wherever possible, Wiley said. Bill Wiley, executive director for the Commission for International Justice and Accountability, has been working with investigators on the ground to tie crimes such as systematic murder, rape, slavery and torture to the ISIS leadership. Rampant corruption a hurdle to bringing Yazidis to Canada Yazidi women 'They raped us; they killed our men'MPs chart new course by bringing Yazidi survivors to Canada Wiley, a lawyer and former Canadian Forces officer, has worked on war crimes investigations with the Department of Justice Canada and the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Other donors to the group include the United Kingdom, Germany and the European Union. During an appearance before a parliamentary committee last November, Wiley told MPs that his group's annual operating budget stands at about 10.5 million and that Canada had provided the group with 3.3 million in funding over the previous 18 months. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugee claimants: The board has seen a dramatic increase in the number of inland refugee claimants those who arrive in Canada and seek asylum from 10,751 in 2013 to 16,914 in 2015, according to Toronto Star. Just nine months into 2016, 16,279 claims had been filed and the yearly tally, which isn't yet available, is expected to reach 20,000.U.S. President Donald Trump's anti-refugee and anti-immigrant policies coupled with as Ottawa's recent move to lift the visa requirements for Mexican travellers mean Canada is expected to see its annual asylum claims peak again this year. Cole Burston / Toronto Star file photo By Nicholas Keung Immigration reporter Fri., Feb. 3, 2017 The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada says it is changing its approach for scheduling asylum hearings in order to cope with increasing refugee claims and global instability. In a terse notice, the board said it will redeploy up to half of its capacity to address its backlog of claims, which stands at more than 21,000, while the rest of staff will continue to focus on newly arrived claims that must be heard within 60 days under the controversial statutory timelines imposed by the former Conservative government. If they don't have a security clearance at their first hearing, lawyers say, claimants are doomed to wait in a black hole until a new hearing is scheduled. In the last year or so, lawyers have been complaining of delays by the Canada Border Services Agency in issuing security clearances, which refugees need before their claims can be heard. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

square space: U.S. Super Bowl commercials in Canada test future of CRTC ad policy Companies are shelling out 5 million US for a 30-second spot, and both 84 Lumber and Budweiser feature at least minute-long ads displaying both Mexican and European characters, according to CBC. Honda and Bud Light, meanwhile, reached back into the past. At least two of the commercials for Sunday's Super Bowl telecast feature themes that contrast with President Donald Trump's recent ban on Muslim immigrants and his proposal to build a wall between the U.S.A. and Mexico. While T-Mobile, Square Space and Avocados went for the traditional big names-humour motif. And thanks to a change in regulation from the CRTC, Canadians will have the option of watching all the commercials during the game, rather than on social media after the game as in past years. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

staff kouvalis: He says a campaign should be about the candidate and not the conduct of the candidate's staff, according to The Chronicle Herald. Kouvalis attracted considerable attention in the media and online after being quoted as referring to a constitutional expert who was critical of Leitch's policies as a cuck, short for cuckhold. Nick Kouvalis posted on Facebook that he is quitting because it has become clear he has become a distraction to Leitch's campaign. The word has been used amongst the American alt-right movement to describe Republicans who they perceive to be emasculated or selling out. Kouvalis also admitted last month that he posted false information about the governing Liberals in an effort to draw out left-leaning voters. Kouvalis later apologized for the slur. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

tear-streaked face: The jury found three other men not guilty, according to Vancouver Observer. Christhurajah's wife, Mary Patrishiya, sobbed outside the courtroom after learning the result of the bail hearing. Last week a jury was unable to reach a verdict in the case of Christhurajah, who is accused of organizing the voyage of the MV Sun Sea, a rickety cargo ship that transported 492 Tamil asylum seekers from Thailand to Canada in August 2010. I have no words, she said, covering her tear-streaked face with both hands. Christhurajah's six-year-old daughter was with her mother outside court on Thursday. I'm going to hug him, she added when asked about the first thing she would do when she saw her husband. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

tools i: Perhaps I should have read George Orwell's 1984 more closely, according to Rabble. I have been working to organize within the political system in the U.S. and Canada for decades and, now, all I can do is resist. Perhaps I lacked imagination. As I am drawn into new networks of organizers who are building locally and globally to oppose the attacks on everything we believe in, I am inspired by the tools I am finding. Please share any additional tools and campaigns you are building. I hope you find these Canada-focused recommendations useful as you build your ability to resist and fight back. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

university professor: Kouvalis's abrupt resignation came on the heels of several public controversies, according to CTV. Last month, Kouvalis was criticized after telling Maclean's that he posted false information to Twitter about the Liberal government in an effort to make the left go nuts. Nick Kouvalis, who worked on Tory's 2014 campaign, announced on Thursday that he was stepping down from his position with Leitch's campaign due to the fact that he had become a distraction. Kouvalis also apologized last week after he used a slur against a constitutional expert and university professor who was critical of Leitch's policies on Twitter. Kouvalis, I had clearly expressed to him my complete rejection of his actions in connection with the Leitch campaign, Tory said in the statement issued early Friday morning. Prior to this decision by Mr. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

values: We must never allow our values to become the collateral damage of a search for greater security, according to Huffington Post Canada. Shutting our door to refugees or discriminating among them is not our way, and does not make us safer.'' A special envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees since 2012, Jolie says refugees recommended for resettlement are often survivors of terrorism and torture or may be in need of advanced medical care. Every time we depart from our values we worsen the very problem we are trying to contain,'' Jolie writes. Refugees seeking entry to the U.S. already undergo extensive screening by various federal agencies, she says. Every government must balance the needs of its citizens with its international responsibilities. The global refugee crisis and the threat from terrorism make it entirely justifiable that we consider how best to secure our borders,'' she writes. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

video friday: The two-minute film focuses on 12-year-old Ahmed and 92-year-old Harry, according to Huffington Post Canada. With cuts to footage of Syrian refugees and archival clips from World War II, both share harrowing stories of fleeing war and fearing for their lives during their journey to a safer place. To drive home that point, UNICEF released a video Friday that draws striking parallels between two refugee crises, more than 70 years apart. Footage of Syrian and World War II refugees fleeing war, travelling by boat. Harry survived World War II by leaving Berlin, Germany, finding sanctuary in the United Kingdom. Photo UNICEF screengrab Ahmed left Damascus, Syria and eventually reunited with his family in Sweden. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

collateral damage: Every time we depart from our values we worsen the very problem we are trying to contain, Jolie writes, according to Guelph Mercury. We must never allow our values to become the collateral damage of a search for greater security. She also says in a New York Times editorial Thursday that the U.S. decision to suspend refugee resettlements and visits from several Muslim-majority countries isn't the American way. Shutting our door to refugees or discriminating among them is not our way, and does not make us safer. Refugees seeking entry to the U.S. already undergo extensive screening by various federal agencies, she says. A special envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees since 2012, Jolie says refugees recommended for resettlement are often survivors of terrorism and torture or may be in need of advanced medical care. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

group hamas: He says a campaign should be about the candidate and not the conduct of the candidate's staff, according to Guelph Mercury. Kouvalis said last month that he posted false information about the governing Liberals in an effort to draw out left-leaning voters. Nick Kouvalis posted on Facebook that he is quitting because it has become clear he has become a distraction to Leitch's campaign. Last year Kouvalis tweeted a list of billions of dollars Justin Trudeau's Liberal government had supposedly given to international aid organizations in the last year, including 351 million for the designated terrorist group Hamas. Kouvalis also attracted media attention after using a slur against a constitutional expert who was critical of Leitch's policies. He later said the information was false, telling Maclean's magazine that he posted it to make the left go nuts. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

guy berryman: Speaking about the cause, Chris said Every year MOAS rescue thousands of people who risk death at sea while searching for a better life, according to Guelph Mercury. But for an accident of geography, those people could be us and we could be them. The band - Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland and Will Champion - have thrown their support behind Malta-based search-and-rescue charity MOAS Migrant Offshore Aid Station and will work with the organization on a long-term basis to aid its humanitarian work with migrants and refugees fleeing war and persecution in the Middle East. For this reason, we're proud to support MOAS' life-saving work. MOAS was founded in 2014 and is a non-profit organization that operates on the front line of the Mediterranean migration crisis. The announcement was made via a fundraising film called 'Rescue Humanity' which features the Coldplay frontman performing an a cappella version of Coldplay's 'Don't Panic' which is laid over real footage from a recent MOAS rescue which was filmed by artist Adam Broomberg. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

american counterparts: This atrocity occurred at a place of worship during prayer, according to Rabble. It is not a coincidence that a similar crime was committed in a African American Church in Charleston, South Carolina less than two years ago. Six innocent men were murdered, many others grievously wounded and families harmed in Qu bec City on January 29. Extreme right wing groups fomenting violence are now in Canada with connections to larger American counterparts. CRTC regulations prohibit fake news on Canadian television and radio. In light of this, what steps can the Canadian government use to combat hate crimes A properly funded free press could do a better job investigating those who promote hatred and fear. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

american president: Men shot, here in Canada, because they prayed at a mosque instead of a church, according to Rabble. South of the border people are demonstrating against President Trump's racist and xenophobic executive order cracking down on Muslim immigrants and refugees. Monday, we stood together in shock, mourning the six innocent victims of this political agenda of racism and intolerance. Hundreds of civil rights lawyers have flooded airports to help vulnerable immigrants, citizens have taken to the streets, and political leaders around the world have spoken out strongly against the actions of the American President. It's hard to believe that it was only a week ago that I marched down Laurier with my 10-year-old daughter, eight-year-old son, and thousands of Ottawa women and men who support us. Canada's Prime Minister took to Twitter with a message of hope, but has yet to speak out against the dangerous rhetoric and actions of Donald Trump. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

asylum: Some asylum seekers have been hospitalized from the frigid conditions, and analysts say border crossings are on the rise, according to CTV. To have this sudden surge that we have experienced, and we expect that that will continue, is quite overwhelming, Rita Chahal of the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council told CTV News. Since January, 39 refugees have crossed into the snowy Manitoba wilderness in hopes of finding asylum in Canada. Trump's controversial ban puts a 90-day freeze on travellers to the U.S. from seven countries Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Sudan. One of the 10 recent asylum seekers included a man who said he risked the cold trek from Minnesota to Manitoba on Saturday out of fear of Trump's policy. It also suspends America's refugee program for at least four months, a move that has left many asylum seekers carrying valid U.S. visas stranded overseas. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

asylum: But immigration advocates say the new U.S. president has signed more than one border-related executive order in recent weeks that has put the asylum system in jeopardy, according to Toronto Star. They're urging Canadian officials to temporarily suspend the so-called safe third country agreement until everyone can fully understand how all of Trump's orders will affect people seeking protection. Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS By Stephanie Levitz The Canadian Press Thu., Feb. 2, 2017 OTTAWA Donald Trump's suspension of refugee resettlement doesn't appear to affect the U.S. asylum system, negating any need for Canada to revisit how the two countries handle asylum claims at the border, the federal Immigration Department says. Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen had already indicated the agreement would remain untouched as Canada monitored the impact of Trump's moves suspending immigration from seven countries for 90 days and all refugee resettlement for 120 days.A statement from Hussen's department late Wednesday, however, spelled out the government's rationale in the face of pressure from advocates and opposition parliamentarians for a policy response to the U.S. travel ban. Caron said the agreement is focused on how to handle people who show up at either land border to make asylum claims, not the resettled refugees covered by Trump's edict. Article Continued Below Our government has no indication that the executive order has any impact on the American asylum system, said the statement from spokesperson Nancy Caron. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

building walls: America's history also is replete with efforts to shut the golden door to arrivals from China, from Eastern and Southern Europe and most recently, from predominantly Muslim nations, according to The Chronicle Herald. America's relationship with immigration is ... complicated. It's a nation that welcomes the world's wretched refuse, a nation built by immigrants, a nation whose very motto is E Pluribus Unum Out of Many, One. Many of us politicians, people who are speaking out against the impact of the administration's actions are saying, 'We are a nation of immigrants. But we also have a long record of barring immigrants, denigrating them, building walls. This goes against our most important values.' And that is absolutely true, said Erika Lee, director of the Immigration History Research Center at the University of Minnesota. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canada: But no good deed goes unpunished, so Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should be very careful, according to Hamilton Spectator. Canadians felt good when Trudeau responded to Trump's ban on Syrian refugees by tweeting To those fleeing persecution, terror and war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Unlike Mexico, Canada thinks that Trump is not planning to hurt it. Diversity is our strength. Feeling morally superior to Americans is one of Canadians' favourite pastimes, and in this case it is self-evidently true. Welcome to Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian officials: They're urging Canadian officials to temporarily suspend the so-called safe third country agreement until everyone can fully understand how all of Trump's orders will affect people seeking protection, according to The Chronicle Herald. Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen had already indicated the agreement would remain untouched as Canada monitored the impact of Trump's moves suspending immigration from seven countries for 90 days and all refugee resettlement for 120 days. But immigration advocates say the new U.S. president has signed more than one border-related executive order in recent weeks that has put the asylum system in jeopardy. A statement from Hussen's department late Wednesday, however, spelled out the government's rationale in the face of pressure from advocates and opposition parliamentarians for a policy response to the U.S. travel ban. Caron said the agreement is focused on how to handle people who show up at either land border to make asylum claims, not the resettled refugees covered by Trump's edict. Our government has no indication that the executive order has any impact on the American asylum system, said the statement from spokesperson Nancy Caron. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

catherine lucey: I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution, Trump said during remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast, a high-profile event bringing together faith leaders, politicians and dignitaries, according to Toronto Star. Trump also defended his recent executive order on immigration, decrying generous immigration policies and arguing that there are people who seek to enter the country for the purpose of spreading violence or oppressing other people based upon their faith. The Associated Press By Catherine Lucey The Associated Press Thu., Feb. 2, 2017 WASHINGTON Declaring that religious freedom is under threat, President Donald Trump vowed Thursday to repeal a rarely enforced IRS rule that says pastors who endorse candidates from the pulpit risk losing their tax-exempt status. He also pledged to take more immigration action in the name of religious liberty. Article Continued Below He did not detail how he might scrap the IRS rule, which he has previously pledged to do away with. Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump In the coming days we will develop a system to help ensure that those admitted into our country fully embrace our values of religious and personal liberty and that they reject any form of oppression and discrimination, Trump said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.