rana sanaullah: Rana Sanaullah also embraced some sectarian leaders whose groups have been accused of fomenting violence against minority Islamic sects, raising questions about his commitment to ridding Punjab of militants, according to Metro News. Two police officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the operations, said another 36 militants died in shootouts with police and in paramilitary operations since the sweep began last month. The roughly two-week operation comes despite the provincial law minister's defence of some groups designated as terrorist organizations and banned by Pakistan but resurrected under new names. In an interview with The Associated Press, however, Sanaullah questioned the label of terrorist for anti-Indian militant groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, which has resurfaced as Jamaat ud Daawa. They are related to Kashmir. Last month, Pakistan placed Hafiz Saeed, a declared terrorist with a U.S.-imposed 10 million bounty on his head, under house arrest, yet Sanaullah questioned allegations against Saeed, who is connected mostly to militant attacks in Indian-held Kashmir, a Himalayan region whose ownership is contested by both Pakistan and India and claimed by both in its entirety. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugee claim: Rempel took to Facebook Friday to share her reaction to a report from The Globe and Mail that said the RCMP has yet to charge hundreds of asylum seekers who have come into Canada by foot in recent months to claim refugee status, according to Huffington Post Canada. Conservative MP Michelle Rempel asks a question in the House of Commons on Feb. 10, 2017. And Rempel is calling on the Liberal government to state clearly if it believes the United States is a safe country. Photo Justin Tang/The Canadian Press According to The Canadian Press, 435 people have crossed the Canada-U.S. border illegally in places such as Emerson, Man. since Jan. 1. CBSA then determines if they are eligible to make a refugee claim. They have been arrested by the RCMP or local police and transferred to the Canada Border Services Agency for criminal background checks. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

toronto mosque: Police investigate anti-Muslim rally outside Toronto mosque and alleged hate speech inside A statement needs to be made and that this is part of a larger opening conversation to how everybody feels in the community no matter what their religious beliefs, said organizer Alan Asher, according to CBC. Everybody has concerns and everybody would like to feel that they're a part of the process that moves us to the future. The refugees welcome rally and march is scheduled for Saturday in the northeastern Ontario city, and is designed to counter a number of planned events across the United States and Canada supporting U.S. President Donald Trump and opposing more open immigration policies. Asher said he doesn't believe anti-immigration beliefs are supported in Sudbury and among the majority of Canadians. An anti-Muslim rally outside a Toronto mosque in February drew widespread attention; Asher said the goal of Saturday's event is to show support and share a moment of mutual respect with the local Muslim community, especially since immigration is a big part of northeastern Ontario's history. A statement needs to be made. -Rally organizer Alan Asher We feel more comfortable feeling that the work we do as a community can prevent that type of platform from developing at all. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

visit friends: He said the only answer was to fight and oppose Trump, but he can't do that because he's not a citizen, according to CTV. The 76-year-old Stewart stars in X-Men and Star Trek. The British actor said on Thursday's episode of The View that he and his wife went to Washington last month to visit friends and to ask them what they could do about Trump. He reprises his role as X-Men founder Professor X in the Wolverine tale, Logan, which opens Friday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

walworth: Richard SXSW organizers responded by saying that Felix Walworth, who goes by the stage name Told Slant, had misunderstood their policies and that no artist in the festival's 30-plus-year history had been reported to federal immigration agents, according to CBC. Walworth's tweet drew swift reaction on social media and comes amid heightened fears of immigration crackdowns under U.S. President Donald Trump. New York musician Felix Walworth, who goes by the stage name Told Slant, shared the details of the SXSW contract online. After looking through this contract sent to me by sxsw I have decided to cancel Told Slant's performance at the festival Felixixix666 Walworth singled out a portion of the event contract that states SXSW will notify the appropriate U.S. immigration authorities if organizers determine an artist acts in ways that adversely affect the viability of their official SXSW showcase. the managing director of sxsw accused me of pasting together two parts of the contract to make it sound worse than it is. SXSW envelops Austin each year with hundreds of unofficial events around the city in addition to the official showcases that require festival credentials. Here's a video Felixixix666 SXSW co-founder Roland Swenson said in a statement the contract clause was merely a safeguard in case an artist does something truly egregious such as disobeying rules about pyrotechnics, starting a brawl or causing safety issues. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

friday i: The 30-second spot marks the first time MI6 has advertised in cinemas, according to Brandon Sun. Officials say they are seeking to promote more diversity in the service. The goal is to attract more women and ethnic minorities into the ranks of agents made famous by the fictional spy James Bond. Director Alex Younger said Friday I want everyone to know that, regardless of background, if you have the skills we need and share our values, there is a future for you in MI6. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

part autobiography: Rating NNNJohn & Waleed is part autobiography and part musical journey, according to NOW Magazine. John Millard, from Kitchener-Waterloo, and Waleed Abdulhamid, from Sudan, have worked together for years as artists in residence at the Young Centre. See listing. 17- 38, matinee pwyc. 416-504-7529, passemuraille.ca. With director/dramaturg Marjorie Chan and dramaturg Andy McKim, they've assembled a show that looks at where each comes from, the kind of music he makes and how their lives have intertwined. The songs are in English and Arabic, a blend of the two men's backgrounds, childhood melodies, folk songs, a call to prayer and politically inspired tunes. You can see the evening as a concert, but its reach is wider a brief, non-technical look at Western versus Eastern music, the history of a string instrument, some thoughts on immigration in the past and today, a subtle but pointed reminder of slavery's horrors. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

something: It's really important for all Canadians to consider that this is something we cannot continue to ignore, we cannot continue to stigmatize, according to Vancouver Courier. We need to start addressing this as the real societal health problem it actually is. This is a crisis that seems for most Canadians to seem very far away, something that's limited to rough parts of town, he said at a press conference at the Vancouver Convention Centre. No media was present when Trudeau joined a roundtable discussion about what he described as nothing short of an absolute tragedy earlier that morning. CanadianPM CanadianPM March 3, 2017Trudeau said it was an incredibly emotional opportunity to hear the stories of the amazing first responders who are suffering from mental strain and exhaustion as they cope with the hundreds of daily overdoses. He and minister of national defence Harjit Saijan, a former Vancouver Police Department officer, also did a ride-along with the police in the DTES.PM Trudeau and Minister Sajjan discuss ways to fight the opioid crisis with first responders and health care professionals in Vancouver. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sxsw i: The contract goes on to state, accepting and performing unofficial events may result in immediate deportation, revoked passport and denied entry by US Customs Border Patrol at US ports of entry, according to NOW Magazine. After looking through this contract sent to me by sxsw I have decided to cancel Told Slant's performance at the festival Told Slant Felixixix666 March 2, 2017South by Southwest founder Roland Swenson quickly responded to the controversy in an official statement to the A.V. Club writing, violating U.S. immigration law has always carried potentially severe consequences, and we would be remiss not to warn our participating acts of the likely repercussions. SXSW will notify the appropriate U.S. immigration authorities, reads the contract. Swenson's statement makes mention of SXSW's opposition to the travel ban imposed by the Trump administration before insisting the current stipulations around showcases has been in the artist Performance Agreement for many years. Walworth announced via Twitter that he has decided to cancel Told Slant's performance. Full statement available at avclub. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

world premiere: Opening with the world premiere of Puck Of The Irish Friday, 8 pm a documentary about Irish immigrants' influence on the development of Canadian hockey, the festival rolls through the weekend with a short-film showcase Saturday, 7 pm an Irish animation showcase Sunday, 3 pm and a couple of features, according to NOW Magazine. Expand The Flag flies high at this weekend's festival. Rating NNNNThis year's Toronto Irish Film Festival, which kicks off today at the TIFF Bell Lightbox and runs through Sunday March 5 is much the same as the previous six festivals, in that the content is very Irish and very satisfying. The Flag Saturday, 4 pm is a broad comedy about an out-of-work builder Pat Shortt, whom you may recognize from Lenny Abrahamson's Garage or John Michael McDonagh's Calvary who enlists some pals in a half-baked scheme to liberate an Irish heirloom from English custody in time for the centennial of the 1916 uprising. Alex Murphy and Chris Walley are entirely watchable as the two leads, and director Peter Foott finds a loose, rambling tone that suits their chemistry. The Young Offenders Saturday, 9 15 pm which screened at TIFF Next Wave last month, is also a caper picture, sort of, following a pair of self-styled rebels as they cycle through County Cork looking for a bale of cocaine. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

attorney: Domestic abuse victim advocates criticized the arrest, saying it would dissuade other crime victims from reporting their abusers for fear of being deported, according to Metro News. Her attorney has said Gonzalez is afraid and traumatized. She had just obtained a protective order against her alleged abuser when agents took her into custody. Federal authorities say Gonzalez has deported several times and has a criminal record. She was most recently deported to Mexico on Jan. 23. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

bill c: The legislation would revoke some of the measures passed by the previous Conservative government, including a provision that would allow the government to revoke the citizenship of dual nationals convicted of terrorism or treason, according to Hamilton Spectator. The bill also eases up some residency and language requirements imposed by the Conservatives. He says he would carefully consider any amendments the Senate proposes to Bill C-6, echoing comments made last fall by his predecessor, John McCallum. Hussen has defended the bill before the Senate social affairs committee. While the bill ends the possibility of taking citizenship from dual nationals involved in terrorism, it still allows for revoking the citizenship of people who make false applications, or for reasons of criminality or human rights abuses. He says he believes the legislation is sound, even though there is no guarantee of an independent appeal when someone loses their citizenship because of a fraudulent application. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

border crossings: Meanwhile, some 435 people have crossed illegally into Canada in places like Emerson, Man. about the same number of illegal entrants per month as last year, according to Hamilton Spectator. While the RCMP say they have yet to lay charges against anyone who has come across the border illegally in recent months, border officials also say most have been deemed eligible to make asylum claims. Since the start of this year, 1,698 people have presented themselves at Canada-U. S. border crossings and asked for refugee protection, compared with 728 people who did so during the same period of 2016. That means none can be charged with crossing illegally into Canada until after those claims are heard, a process that will take months. Here are the answers to some common questions about what's happening at the Canada-U. S. border. 1. Officials who hosted Thursday's technical briefing declined to say at what point they'd consider the rising number of claimants a trend, or whether warmer weather could increase those crossing into Canada between border points. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

daniela vargas: Rogelio V. Solis / The Associated Press By Samantha Schmidt The Washington Post Thu., March 2, 2017 About two weeks ago, Daniela Vargas hid in the bedroom closet of her Jackson, Miss., home after watching immigration officials handcuff her father in the family's driveway, according to Toronto Star. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained the 22-year-old's father and brother, Argentines who were living in the country illegally, amid the Trump administration's aggressive deportation effort that has riled immigrant communities across the country. Vargas was detained by ICE agents following the conference. Although Vargas was in the United States under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program which allows young immigrants living in the country illegally to stay and obtain work permits she feared that immigration officials would come after her next. Today my father and brother await deportation, she said, while I continue to fight this battle as a dreamer to help contribute to this country which I feel that is very much my country. But those fears did not stop Vargas from speaking out at a news conference Wednesday at Jackson City Hall, alongside immigrant rights advocates. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

nov: That's because foreign travellers faced a Nov. 10 deadline to obtain so-called electronic travel authorizations online before they could fly into Canada, according to CBC. They apparently flooded the website before that deadline to pay 7 online for electronic delivery of the mandatory travel documents, known as eTAs. CBC News has learned that the website for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada was already in trouble hours before Donald Trump's victory became clear on Nov. 8, the day of the U.S. presidential election. Technicians took more than 32 hours on Nov. 8-9, 2016 to fix Canada's immigration website, which was flooded with applications from travelers looking for transit documents before a key deadline. By about 2 p.m. The rush seemed to catch Canada's immigration officials off guard. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration officer: That's what the media loves to do, you guys love to ridicule me, according to CBC. And so I'm delighted that now, unfiltered, the Canadian public can see what I'm talking about, said Leitch when asked whether the video's popularity reflected belief in her message, or incredulity at its production value. Speaking to the Calgary Eyeopener Thursday, Leitch said the video widely lampooned for its bizarre staging and delivery has been viewed by more than 500,000 people and has roughly a million Facebook impressions. Screening immigrants and visitors Leitch is a controversial candidate thanks to her proposal that all immigrants, refugees and visitors to Canada should have a face-to-face interview with an immigration officer and be screened for Canadian values. Kellie Leitch would charge immigrants for Canadian values test Leitch pointed to the fact Canada used to screen immigrants until 2002, with officers awarding points to based on objective criteria, but also on subjective personal suitability criteria. Those values, Leitch said, are hard work, generosity, freedom, tolerance and equality of opportunity. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration officials: The story should have specified that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program allows young immigrants living in the country illegally to stay and obtain work permits, according to The Chronicle Herald. Source Source The Associated Press In a story March 1 about an immigrant from Argentina who was detained by immigration officials in Mississippi after appearing at a news conference, The Associated Press reported that the immigrant, Daniela Vargas, was renewing her permission to stay in the country legally. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

life blends: Rick Madonik / Toronto Star By Shree Paradkar Columnist Thu., March 2, 2017 Aloneness, according to Toronto Star. It hits first, long before the loneliness does, long before the eager anticipation of a new life blends with the realities of a new country. From left, Eta Woldeab, Debbie Douglas, Krittika Ghosh, Fayza Abdallaoui and Siham Chakrouni. Every year, when more than 100,000 women enter this country, sometimes alone, sometimes with their families but always with their dreams and expectations, the aloneness is a reset button, a hopeful one, representing new beginnings and endless possibilities. Verbal, sexual, racial. The first tentative friends, the first shopping mall, the first grocery store, the first snow and then, for some women, the first brush with abuse. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

lights choir: The Nova Scotia Mass Choir is a two-time ECMA award-winning multicultural gospel choir from Halifax and will be celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, according to The Chronicle Herald. The last time these two choirs performed together was nearly 20 years ago. The Shining Lights Choir which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year is an initiative of the Metro Non-Profit Housing Association and is made up of people living without housing or income assistance. The one-hour concert will begin at 7 30 p.m. and admission is by free-will donation. All proceeds will go to Metro Non-Profit Housing Support Centre. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

majority: Now, a chasm is there to swallow up anyone who tries to make a connection between Liberal promises and Liberal policy, according to Rabble. Best not to try. Immediately following the 2015 election, cracks between the Liberals rhetoric and their actions became apparent. And yet, a majority of Canadians want that rhetoric to be reality. The usual logic of democracy says if you don't like the government, elect someone else. A majority wants electoral reform, climate action, an end to privatization, redistribution of wealth, and meaningful reconciliation with Indigenous nations. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

time frame: Between Jan. 1 and Feb. 21 of this year, the federal government dealt with nearly 4,000 asylum cases, compared to 2,500 in the same time frame in 2016, according to Globe and Mail. So far this year, 435 people were arrested at the border by the RCMP before being transferred to the CBSA. The federal officials, who spoke on condition that they would not be named, represented the key agencies involved in border issues, namely the RCMP, CBSA and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Still, federal officials confirmed that numbers are on the rise. They pointed out there have historically been large variations in the arrival of asylum seekers in Canada. Last year, the officials said Canada dealt with 24,000 asylum claims, including 2,500 people who were intercepted by the RCMP. The government of Canada has always managed these fluctuations, a federal official said. In 2001, for example, there were nearly 45,000 cases, compared to 10,400 in 2013. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

people: The Criminal Code includes guidance that says sentences shall take into account evidence that the offence was motivated by bias, prejudice or hate based on race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, or any other similar factor, according to CTV. While some people choose to call that a hate crime after the fact, hate crime is not an offence that police can charge a person with. Lawyer Mark Freiman, who served as Ontario's deputy attorney general and once prosecuted a case against Holocaust-denier Ernst Zundel, says that what many people refer to as hate crimes are cases where judges have taken a guilty person's hateful motivations into account during sentencing. A person accused of drawing swastikas may be charged with mischief, and then it's up to the judge to decide whether to impose a longer sentence if she or he believes the crime of mischief was motived by hate. The federal Department of Justice has noted this problem of definition. Complicating things further, police may or may not record that incident as a hate crime in their statistics, depending on their own policies, which vary across the country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

assault charges: The day on March 8 takes place a little over a month after the Women's March on Washington, according to NOW Magazine. The historic protest against Donald Trump and his sexist, racist presidential campaign sparked dozens of satellite marches around the globe, including one in Toronto attracting 60,000 participants. For many reasons, International Women's Day feels more vital this year than ever. That rally was just the tip of the iceberg. Last March, Jian Ghomeshi was acquitted of all five sexual harassment and assault charges held against him. This past year saw hundreds of more incidents where women, racialized women, Muslim women, Black women, Indigenous women, transgender women and members of the LGBTQ community continued to be marginalized. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

bill c: The legislation would revoke some of the measures passed by the previous Conservative government, including a provision that would allow the government to revoke the citizenship of dual nationals convicted of terrorism or treason, according to Brandon Sun. The bill also eases up some residency and language requirements imposed by the Conservatives. He says he would carefully consider any amendments the Senate proposes to Bill C-6, echoing comments made last fall by his predecessor, John McCallum. Hussen has defended the bill before the Senate social affairs committee. While the bill ends the possibility of taking citizenship from dual nationals involved in terrorism, it still allows for revoking the citizenship of people who make false applications, or for reasons of criminality or human rights abuses. He says he believes the legislation is sound, even though there is no guarantee of an independent appeal when someone loses their citizenship because of a fraudulent application. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

boho silhouettes: Some highlights CHLOE DESIGNER BIDS FAREWELLThe final chapter in Clare Waight Keller's reign strayed not too far from the hippy-chic '70s DNA that's now synonymous with the Chloe house, according to Brandon Sun. It was a play-it-safe moment to cap six years at the helm of one of Paris' most iconic fashion houses. But politics also was in the air with France's culture minister saying the rise of nationalism could threaten Paris' multicultural fashion industry. Diaphanous jabot collars, fluttery layers of cascading chiffon, oversize retro fur coats and exaggeratedly billowing slung pants were on this season's menu of loose boho silhouettes. But, at times the garments and collection though executed to perfection seemed to lack a little soul. The '70s penchant for colour was also clearly referenced in the 43-piece collection's use of prints and lashings of icy pastel hues shades of mint, peach and lilac that merged into earthy tones. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian press: Abdi Ahmed with Immigration Partnership Winnipeg says people are risking their lives to reach Canada because they are searching for a safe place, according to The Waterloo Record. Ahmed says that given so many people have crossed the border during the coldest months of the year, many more are likely to do so as the weather warms up. Some 169 people have already crossed the border on foot in sub-zero temperatures in the last few months. He says his group anticipates more families will make the journey and local agencies will be hard-pressed to take care of them. By The Canadian Press The United Way has set up a website helprefugees.ca so people across the country can donate to help asylum-seekers. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.