canadian politicians: U.S. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly is coming to Ottawa on Friday, the first member of President Donald Trump's inner circle to accept an invitation to head north for meetings with his Canadian counterparts, according to CBC. That might not sound like a big deal, but it is. A return visit. For weeks now, Canadian politicians have trekked south to meet members of the U.S. cabinet and Congress, each visit built around the singular purpose of reminding, convincing and cajoling the Americans into understanding that the economic relationship between the two countries supports jobs and investment on both sides of the border. It's a partner and valued friend. Canada, they say, is more than just a neighbour. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian press: Len Van Heest of Courtney, B.C., was deported to the Netherlands this week after a string of criminal convictions for uttering threats, mischief and assault that his lawyer says were linked to his mental illness, according to Toronto Star. His brother Daniel Van Heest expressed his anger at judges and immigration officials who allowed the deportation to happen. Daniel Van Heest / THE CANADIAN PRESS By Laura Kane The Canadian Press Wed., March 8, 2017 VANCOUVER Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen is facing calls to reverse the deportation of a 59-year-old man with bipolar disorder who lived in Canada since he was eight months old. He said his brother is now in the care of family in the Netherlands with the help of the Salvation Army. The system is skewed. Needless to say his mental faculties have been stressed to the max, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

facility: The Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General issued a report alleging health risks and safety concerns at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange, which holds immigration detainees, according to Metro News. The Orange County Sheriff's Department runs the facility under contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. An internal government watchdog raised concerns Wednesday about reports of spoiled food, mouldy showers and the mixing of high- and low-risk detainees at a Southern California immigration detention facility. The Sheriff's Department said it took part in the review, adding in a statement that it remains committed to the health and safety of all immigration detainees. Immigration activists have been critical of conditions of such detention centres in other states, including Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. The facility held 528 immigrants Wednesday, ICE said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

food products: I think the aging population can certainly provide opportunities, according to The Chronicle Herald. It's another sector for growth, for young people to provide services and products needed by them, Eileen Lannon Oldford, CEO of Business Cape Breton, said in Halifax Thursday. Local entrepreneurs are already providing services such as lawn-mowing, home maintenance, personal assistance and healthcare and have now started employing more people as their startups expand. She told the Chronicle Herald that new entrepreneurs bring great ideas, including a diverse range of food products and services for elderly Capers. In addition, Oldford said a large population of elderly Capers means more potential opportunities in the medical and scientific field despite an ongoing provincewide doctor shortage that is especially acute in Cape Breton. Oldford spoke after a provincial standing committee meeting that brought together MLAs and representatives from Cape Breton Regional Municipality and local business organization including her own. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

jerry weinstein: On Thursday, Israel beat the Netherlands 4-2 to finish in first place in Pool A with a 3-0 record, according to Hamilton Spectator. Next up for Israel is the second round in Tokyo with a chance to advance to the semifinals. Just 41st in the world rankings, Israel beat third-ranked South Korea 2-1 in its opening game and then defeated fourth-ranked Taiwan 15-7 on Tuesday. South Korea won the bronze medal at the 2006 WBC and silver in the 2009 edition and was one of the pre-tournament favourites to win a medal again. But Israel's 73-year-old manager, Jerry Weinstein, said he's not surprised by the early success. Beating them on home soil was a huge upset. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

monday march: But our cheers were short lived, according to Huffington Post Canada. You have brought disappointments to some hearts, mine included. We felt that as an immigrant Canadian you would surely bring to your position a new and hopefully more compassionate perspective on what it may mean to be Canadian. On Monday March 6, 2017 you deported Len Van Heest, a Canadian for the last 59 years. At the age of seven months and in diapers, he legally landed in Canada with his family. Yes, a Canadian but without the citizenship papers. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

paper doll: Created by Ruth Handler, Barbie presented a modern, 3D alternative to the traditional paper doll, according to CTV. Her voluptuous figure was inspired by an adult German doll called Lilli however the name Barbie came from Handler's nickname for her daughter, Barbara. Standing 11 inches tall in a black and white one-piece, Barbara Millicent Roberts Barbie would go on to both inspire and incite controversy with a flip of her cascading blonde ponytail. In her 58 years, Barbie has lived a number of adventures pursuing highfalutin careers in surgery, as an astronaut, a special education teacher, a paratrooper, Canadian Mountie, a Sea World trainer, a cat burglar, a news anchor, Paleontologist, ballerina, a rapper, and NASCAR driver, and even President of the United States. After the on-and-off couple announced their divorce in 2004, rumour has it that the pair rekindled shortly afterwards, once Ken had a much-needed makeover. Barbie may or may not be celebrating with longtime love Ken. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rebel group: We condemn the conflict which brought disaster to innocent people, Geng told a regular news briefing, according to The Chronicle Herald. This week, the Myanmar government said at least 30 people were killed in fighting triggered by a pre-dawn attack by an ethnic rebel group. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China is calling for an immediate cease-fire, and that authorities in the border area have offered shelter and assistance to the refugees. It said the attack by the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army on the government-controlled town of Laukkai killed five policemen and five civilians. We call on all warring factions to be restrained, cease fire immediately, refrain from stoking up the clash and restore peace and stability to the border area with effective measures as soon as possible, he said. Geng said China is highly concerned about the situation. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugee claims: What is happening at our border right now is illegal, according to Huffington Post Canada. Conservative MP and leadership candidate Erin O'Toole. ----- Since the start of 2017, there's been a marked increase in the number of people arriving in Canada from the U.S. to seek asylum. NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan. More than 1,000 people have filed refugee claims at the Quebec-U.S. border since January, compared with about 200 during the same time last year. Some of those claimants entered Canada at official ports of entry formal border crossings where hundreds of thousands of people each year present their travel documents to border officers for inspection before being allowed into the country. In Manitoba, at least 107 people have filed asylum claims at the border since January, compared with 45 in the first two months of last year. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

study program: Al Tawil looks over, raises an eyebrow, and whispers, mess' or dirty' The girls had come to the Al Rashid Mosque after school Wednesday to paint, but also to practice their English, according to Metro News. The mosque has started a new after school Snack n' Study program primarily for Syrian refugee students to practice their English. I don't want to make a mess, she tells her friend, six-year-old Layan Al Tawil. Related Learning English remains one of the biggest barriers for Syrian refugees Edmonton schools open doors to influx of Syrian refugees I wanted to create a space for these kids where they feel welcomed and can speak to other kids going through the same circumstance showing them they aren't alone, said facilitator Hana Kadri, an education student at the University of Alberta. Many are still learning how to communicate with teachers and peers, which is where this new program comes in, Kadri said. Canada has opened its doors to thousands of Syrian refugees, but the biggest barrier for many remains learning the language. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

support arrangements: Illegal immigration is putting desperate asylum seekers and those who give them aid at risk, according to CBC. Manitoba boosts funds for asylum seekers, calls on feds to step up Pallister said Manitoba has done its fair share and accepted more than 200 asylum seekers since the start of 2017, the most per capita of any province. This problem needs the attention of the prime minister, Pallister said. Manitobans have responded generously and compassionately to this crisis, and so has our government. Pallister said he wrote to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to advise him of the situation and ask for a bilateral partnership agreement, similar to the model for government-assisted refugees, as well as an extension of current support arrangements for refugees. More refugees need more legal aid but will cost-sharing continue Pregnant woman, toddler among 19 asylum seekers rescued after crossing border in storm The premier said the province has diverted additional resources into health care coverage, temporary housing, employment income assistance, direct employment and labour market supports in response to the influx areas Pallister says the Trudeau government needs to help fund. '894295107552', 'playlist Selector' 'container Selector' ' container18488206', 'ciid' 'caffeine14018453' ; Premier Pallister calls for federal government to help Manitoba with refugee influx0 34 Newcomers have also been provided legal aid assistance and child protection placements for minors who have crossed the border. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

town hall: Graham made the comments on Mar. 1, at a town hall with U.S. Senator John McCain, according to Huffington Post Canada. The pair had been asked about immigration to the U.S., and how they felt about families being separated by President Donald Trump's position on immigration reform. Lindsey Graham joked at a CNN town hall last week that he had never met an illegal Canadian. Have you ever wondered why we're not being overrun by illegal Canadians We got two borders, one with Canada, one with Mexico. They may be out there. I've never met an illegal Canadian. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ban: Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said the executive order has hurt Oregon, its residents, employers, agencies, educational institutions, health care system and economy, according to Globe and Mail. Trump's revised ban bars new visas for people from six predominantly Muslim countries Somalia, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya and Yemen. Robart on Thursday granted Oregon's request to join Washington and Minnesota in the case opposing the travel ban. It also temporarily shuts down the U.S. refugee program. Hawaii Attorney General Douglas Chin said that the state could not stay silent on Trump's travel ban because of Hawaii's unique culture and history. Unlike the initial order, the new one says current visa holders won't be affected, and removes language that would give priority to religious minorities. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ukrainian troops: Fighting between pro-Moscow militias and Ukrainian forces in the eastern part of the country is more intense than it's been in months, according to Toronto Star. And Ukrainians worry they may be thrown under the bus by the Trump administration, with its focus on making nice with Moscow. Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS By Star Editorial Board Thu., March 9, 2017 Russia has stepped up its military pressure on Ukraine. In the face of all this, it was entirely right for the Trudeau government to announce this week that Canada will extend its military deployment in Ukraine for another two years. Some 200 Canadian soldiers based in western Ukraine will train Ukrainian troops in areas like bomb disposal and logistics. In strictly military terms, Operation Unifier doesn't amount to a great deal. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

york skyline: Lady Liberty, who for more than 130 years has proclaimed to the world Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, had disappeared, at least for a few hours, from the New York skyline, according to Rabble. International Women's Day has been celebrated on March 8 for more than a century, but this year's global day of action was marked with an added sense of urgency. The darkening also foreshadowed the next day, Wednesday, International Women's Day, which was organized as a strike this year A Day Without a Woman. A man who was caught on tape bragging about committing sexual assault is now the president of the United States. And when you're a star, they let you do it ... Grab em by the p y. I don't even wait. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian music: Yet in a very short time his life had dramatically changed, according to Brandon Sun. Until further notice, his family was his only priority, he said in November. Only a few days earlier, the pop crooner was announced as the host for this year's celebration of Canadian music. What that meant for the Junos wasn't entirely clear. Bell Media president Randy Lennox called the turn of events a truly Canadian moment, with two of Buble's longtime friends offering to help out. It wasn't until Thursday's announcement that rocker Bryan Adams and comedian Russell Peters would step in that everything was ironed out. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

jerry weinstein: On Thursday, Israel beat the Netherlands 4-2 to finish in first place in Pool A with a 3-0 record, according to Brandon Sun. Next up for Israel is the second round in Tokyo with a chance to advance to the semifinals. Just 41st in the world rankings, Israel beat third-ranked South Korea 2-1 in its opening game and then defeated fourth-ranked Taiwan 15-7 on Tuesday. South Korea won the bronze medal at the 2006 WBC and silver in the 2009 edition and was one of the pre-tournament favourites to win a medal again. But Israel's 73-year-old manager, Jerry Weinstein, said he's not surprised by the early success. Beating them on home soil was a huge upset. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

language training: We have limited resources like, frankly, all provinces, but more so because of the financial situation we've inherited, according to Brandon Sun. And it is unfair to stand by and watch ... while others are doing the heavy lifting, Pallister said. Pallister said he wrote to Trudeau more than a week ago to ask for money for housing, welfare, language training, legal aid and other services for border-crossers. We're proud to be part of Team Canada but we need the federal government to step up and do its job. The small community of Emerson, Man., has seen a sharp increase in the number of people walking over from the United States in recent months, away from official border posts. Pallister also wants Trudeau to call U.S. President Donald Trump to be sure that he understands the circumstances and the danger of the situation. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rebel group: We condemn the conflict which brought disaster to innocent people, Geng told a regular news briefing, according to Brandon Sun. This week, the Myanmar government said at least 30 people were killed in fighting triggered by a pre-dawn attack by an ethnic rebel group. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China is calling for an immediate cease-fire, and that authorities in the border area have offered shelter and assistance to the refugees. It said the attack by the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army on the government-controlled town of Laukkai killed five policemen and five civilians. We call on all warring factions to be restrained, cease fire immediately, refrain from stoking up the clash and restore peace and stability to the border area with effective measures as soon as possible, he said. Geng said China is highly concerned about the situation. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

u.s: During Wednesday's hearing, he admitted being granted U.S. citizenship in 1986, but maintained it was void because he did not intend to stay in the United States and that he abandoned his residency a year later, according to The Chronicle Herald. He said he also submitted an affidavit to void U.S. citizenship, listing reasons for his ineligibility. When he first appeared before the congressional Commission on Appointments' Foreign Affairs Committee last month, Yasay denied ever holding U.S. citizenship. Filipino citizenship is a requirement for appointment to the executive branch. Panfilo Lacson, head of the Foreign Affairs Committee, told reporters Yasay can no longer be reappointed and is considered out of the job. Sen. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

agenda friday: The office of Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale says the discussions will focus on traveller screening, immigration policy and visa issues, according to Toronto Star. Canada is grappling with a recent surge of would-be refugees coming north through remote border points as well as fallout from a U.S. ban on travellers from several predominantly Muslim countries. Susan Walsh / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS By Jim Bronskill The Canadian Press Wed., March 8, 2017 OTTAWA Thorny issues cropping up at the 49th parallel will be on the agenda Friday when new U.S. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly visits Ottawa. Read more Refugee advocates worry Canada will push U.S. for border crackdown Article Continued Below Canada's refugee acceptance rate peaked in four years Donald Trump's new travel ban renews pressure on Trudeau to speak out Kelly will have bilateral meetings with Goodale, Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould and Transport Minister Marc Garneau. react-empty 156 Other priorities for the two countries include continental security, namely plans to expand collection and sharing of data about people leaving Canada and the United States. Last month, a photographer saw people come down a road near Perry Mills, New York, to get over the border. The flow of immigrants who are crossing from the United States into Canada at unofficial border points is continuing. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

blizzard: The reeve of Emerson, on the Manitoba-U.S. border, says 19 people crossed into Canada in a blizzard overnight Tuesday, according to Metro News. If you've ever been in a Prairie blizzard, you know that is very, very risky, Goodale said Wednesday. The recent influx of asylum-seekers from the United States at remote border points often in desperately cold weather will be among the thorny issues on the agenda when new U.S. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly visits Ottawa. Who organized this, this movement, and did they actually contemplate letting people out on a roadside in the middle of a Prairie blizzard I think we'll want to explore the factors that lead to that kind of potentially dangerous behaviour. I think in this first conversation, it will be very important to ensure that we've got a common fact base. Canada and the U.S. must come to an understanding of who the migrants are, how and why they are making these journeys and how the situation might evolve in the days and weeks ahead, Goodale said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

border: TODD HEISLER / THE NEW YORK TIMES By Nicholas Keung Immigration reporter Alex Boutilier Ottawa Bureau Reporter Tues., March 7, 2017 On the eve of the U.S. homeland security secretary's visit to Canada, refugee advocates worry Ottawa could ask the Americans to beef up border enforcement to curb the flow of asylum-seekers coming into the country, according to Toronto Star. The surge of illegal crossings in recent months is expected to be a key issue on the agenda between Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale and U.S. Secretary John Kelly. The province has seen the most illegal border crossings so far this year. They have done it in the past and started arresting people coming up at the border. It would be really disturbing if Canada is going to push the U.S. to do that. Canadian officials can ask the Americans to boost enforcement, said Janet Dench of the Canadian Council for Refugees. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

business insider: Now his Do Not Pay AI is tackling something even weightier asylum claims, according to Huffington Post Canada. The chatbot, which works through Facebook messenger, asks users questions to help them fill out an asylum application for the U.S., Canada or the U.K. There's this huge problem among immigration lawyers where the majority of their time is spent filling out forms rather than actually challenging the legal complexities of the case, Browder told Business Insider. Stanford University student Joshua Browder designed a robot lawyer in 2015 to help people appeal parking tickets, work out compensation for delayed or cancelled flights and even help people who are HIV positive navigate the legal system. Browder demonstrates how the robot lawyer works The 20-year-old, whose grandmother fled Austria during the Holocaust, understands the challenges refugees face. He programmed the AI to use simple language instead of complex legal jargon and is hoping to translate it into other languages, like Arabic and Spanish. I hope it will allow anyone to have a right to safety, regardless of the ability to afford a lawyer, he said in an interview with Mashable. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

centres: A movement against violence against women was beginning to cohere, according to Rabble. But much of this was invisible to the general public. Services like rape crisis centres, women's centres and daycare centres had begun to spread beyond the big cities. The media, for the first of many times, was proclaiming that women's liberation was dead. In this milieu, a group of women in Toronto decided to organize the first International Women's Day celebration in English Canada. And ideological differences within the movement became ever more present as socialist feminists, liberal feminists and radical feminists staked their claims to the various issues. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

dominicans return: Lots of natural energy and excitement he'd never think to take those from the players on his Dominican Republic team, according to Hamilton Spectator. Managing the defending World Baseball Classic champions, Pena returned to Pirate City this week for the first time since 1986. Tony Pena got a flashback this week to what it was like to be a young Dominican baseball player in the United States. The five-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove Award winner signed with Pittsburgh as an 18-year-old and played for the organization until he was 29. The Dominicans return a few stars from the 2013 team, which not only garnered attention for winning the tournament, but for the flash with which they did. He and the Dominicans were in Bradenton on Wednesday for a scrimmage against the Pirates, their last before travelling to Miami for their WBC opener Thursday against Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.