children: The cases published Wednesday marked the first time an Italian court recognized the adoption of non-biological children by gay parents, the Arcobaleno rights group said, according to CTV. Roman Catholic Italy last year became the last holdout in Western Europe to recognize civil unions for same-sex couples, but only after sacrificing a provision to allow gay adoption. The Tribunal for Minors recognized the British and U.S. adoptions as legal here, allowing the Italian citizenship of the parents to be passed onto the children. Italian same-sex couples are now petitioning courts on a case-by-case basis to recognize adoptions granted overseas. Two fathers and two adopted children are a family. It's another step forward for the recognition of the rights of rainbow families, said Nichi Vendola, a gay politician who had a child with his partner via a surrogate in the United States. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

chris alexander: It's the morning after the would-be leaders' debate, and Alexander is looking relaxed, according to Huffington Post Canada. His hair is wet from a morning shower. I'm in it to win, the 48-year-old tells The Huffington Post Canada over breakfast at The Fairmont Macdonald in Edmonton. He is wearing blue jeans, a light blue cotton shirt, navy cotton blazer and light brown suede shoes. Chris Alexander listens during a federal Conservative Party leadership debate in Vancouver, B.C., on February 19, 2017. He's sipping black coffee and has just had an orange juice. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

crime rates: We've got universal single-payer healthcare and Americans don't, according to Huffington Post Canada. We have effective gun control laws and low violent crime rates and Americans don't. You know the drill. Personally, I think we often overdo our polite humble brag. But there is one issue where I have to concede that we have outdone the U. S. in a huge way the acceptance and resettlement of Syrian refugees. After all, we're far from perfect and really shouldn't be throwing critical stones at America's political glass house, no matter how big and poorly constructed it might be. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

group identity: In a wide-ranging speech to mark the 150th anniversary of Canada's constitution, Supreme Court of Canada Justice Richard Wagner offered a candid look at how identity politics have played out in the courts since the Charter of Rights' equality guarantees took effect in 1985, according to Toronto Star. He ended his remarks on an optimistic note, saying judges understand questions of personal and group identity better now and analyze claims of discrimination in a way that aims to ensure substantive equality. Sean Kilpatrick / THE CANADIAN PRESS file photo By Tonda Mac Charles Ottawa Bureau reporter Thu., March 9, 2017 OTTAWA A Supreme Court judge says Canadians should not worry about the arrival of refugees and migrants because Canada has the legal tools to ensure human rights and Canadian democratic values are respected when different cultural identities clash. Wagner said the notions of identity, human dignity and democratic values permeate the Charter and lay the foundations for looking beyond our own borders. Article Continued Below Speaking to reporters later, Wagner acknowledged that, while his speech was delivered to a legal and academic audience, there was a message for Canadians concerned about the influx of refugees and migrants. We can welcome refugees and migrants with the confidence that our society is able not only to manage our differences, but to thrive on them, said Wagner. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

hair salon: Attorney Michael Koribanics said an appeal is likely, according to Metro News. Echevarria received 75,000 in bribes from immigrants not in the U.S. legally in exchange for employment authorization documents from 2012 to 2014, prosecutors said, and in one instance he demanded and received sex. Arnaldo Echevarria, of Somerset, New Jersey, was found guilty Thursday of bribery, making false statements and harbouring a person living in the U.S. illegally. He also was convicted of concealing his girlfriend's immigration status and employing her in his hair salon while lying to ICE officials. He was given permission by ICE in December 2012 to open a hair salon in West Orange after he certified that the salon wouldn't conflict with his job and that he wouldn't employ people who were in the country without legal permission. Echevarria paid his girlfriend and other employees in cash to avoid paperwork, prosecutors said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

kurdish-led alliance: The SDF was predominantly Kurdish but over the past months, more Arabs have been recruited by the group ahead of the battle for Raqqa which has a predominantly Arab population, according to Metro News. Here's a look at the group WHAT IS THE SYRIAN DEMOCRATIC FORCES A Kurdish-led alliance that includes Arab tribesmen and Christian fighters. The group has been the most effective and trusted force by the United States to battle IS in the northern and eastern parts of Syria. The group which was founded in October 2015 has tens of thousands of fighters almost equally divided between Arabs and Kurds, according to Brig. Hussam al-Awwak, an Arab who heads public relations at SDF. Cihan Sheikh Ehmed, an SDF spokeswoman, said the coalition has between 50,000 and 54,000 fighters, and more than half of them are Arabs. Gen. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mykhailo chomiak: And this is the person chosen by the Trudeau government to be our Foreign Minister, dealing with a nation that is still a bubbling hotbed of contending factions, ethnic hatreds, and alternate versions of history, according to Rabble. Ukraine is a country where streets are now being named after Jew-killers, and where it is now illegal to refer to these butchers and their militias as anything other than heroes. So her grandfather, Mykhailo Chomiak, was a pro-Nazi Ukrainian collaborator -- so what Well... As it turns out, Freeland has quite an affection for the old man, whom she describes as someone who worked hard to restore freedom and democracy to Ukraine. Some just throw up their hands and say the situation there is and was too complex to permit moral judgements. But I cannot share in the apparent nostalgia for the past that leads some of my comrades to support the great Russian chauvinist Vladimir Putin, while the continual whitewashing by the West of the ultra-right influence in Ukraine deserves unqualified censure. Others pick sides. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

one-child policy: The couple took the girl in, named her Shanrong and raised her without telling her she had been abandoned, according to Toronto Star. I picked up the baby and she immediately stopped crying. DONNA MALONEY / TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO By Nicholas Keung Immigration reporter Fri., March 10, 2017 In the early morning of March 28, 1997, Zuan Zhong and his wife heard crying at their doorway and found a baby girl in a red jumpsuit in a basket.A red slip tucked under the newborn stated the baby's birth date and begged the family to look after the girl as their own because her biological parents could not afford to have another child in the household under China's then one-child policy. It's a new life in my hand and I couldn't abandon her again, said Zhong, 45, now a Toronto resident. She is an inseparable part of the family. Although we are not related by blood, she is my daughter in every way, in my flesh. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

people: Too many people have come to Holland with no education, no work experience, and they are coming here only for money from the government, he said, according to Metro News. Enough is enough. When the cook leaves the tidy, quiet neighbourhood next to The Hague's port and travels the few miles kilometres to more culturally diverse areas of the city, he sees a Netherlands not enriched by immigration, but ravaged by it. Such views make Duindorp one of the epicenters of the populist wave sweeping Europe, gate-crashing its politics and clouding its future. The spectre of uncontrolled floods of migrants from countries that don't share Europe's Christian heritage is a principal selling point of the far-right firebrand politics of the Netherlands' Geert Wilders and Marine Le Pen in France. Dutch elections on Wednesday, followed by polls later this year in France and Germany, will be a barometer of whether the storm is gaining strength. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

scaachi koul: She began working on her personal essay collection two years ago, at age 24, intending the book which she refers to as a catalog of misery to be a much lighter read, according to Toronto Star. But when Koul's editors at Doubleday Canada pushed her to dig deeper into her garbage soul, the underlying tenor of the book shifted. Vince Talotta / Toronto Star By Sue Carter Metro Fri., March 10, 2017 Scaachi Koul didn't set out to write One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter. It's a lot about loneliness and trying to make a connection, and it's a lot about how your history informs where you're going, Koul says. That was a hard lesson for me. I'm happy where it went, but sometimes you do need an editor to tell you that you don't have to be glib all the time. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sea air: In the last years, too many people have come to Holland with no education, no work experience, and they are coming here only for money from the government, and enough is enough, he said, according to The Chronicle Herald. We lost our country. When Van Vliet, a friendly bear of a man, leaves the quiet confines of Duindorp, with its neat brick houses, fresh sea air and cackling gulls wheeling overhead, and travels the few miles kilometres into the centre of The Hague to the city's more culturally diverse neighbourhoods, the cook sees a Netherlands not enriched by immigration, but ravaged by it. Such views make this corner of the Netherlands one of the epicenters for the disruptive wave of populism sweeping across Europe, gate-crashing its politics, testing its institutions and clouding its future. Of the Netherlands' 17 million people, just over one in five now has a foreign background. European populist leaders are exploiting the concerns of people like Van Vliet that immigration, particularly Muslim immigration, threatens to swamp them and their traditions, with the eventual risk of them or their children becoming strangers in their own lands. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

security sweep: Turkey's foreign ministry didn't immediately respond to a request seeking comment, according to The Chronicle Herald. The crackdown comes as Turkey has faced many destabilizing factors in recent years, including deadly extremist attacks, a failed coup and an influx of refugees from Syria. Based on remote monitoring, the report says that around 2,000 people, including 1,200 local residents and 800 security forces, were reportedly killed during the security sweep between July 2015 and December 2016. Meanwhile, Kurdish fighters some allegedly linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK rebel group have been making inroads in a fight against the Islamic State group in Syria. It seeks investigations so that perpetrators of unlawful killings are brought to justice, an end to unannounced, open-ended, 24-hour curfews, and reparations for victims and family members whose rights have been abused. The 25-page report, which draws on confidential accounts, satellite imagery and other sources, cites the destruction of nearly 1,800 buildings and the reported displacement of at least 355,000 people during the security sweep. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

star spot: Viewers weren't the only ones who noticed, according to Hamilton Spectator. Nick Viall, the titular bachelor, was also taken by Lindsay and gave her the coveted first impression rose during the season premi re. Wearing a floor-length red dress and sparkling smile, the 31-year-old attorney proved to be charismatic, witty and a league above the other contestants. The exchange happens every season, but Lindsay grabbed headlines because she made history as the first black woman to get that first rose. Lindsay would go on to hit many milestones on the reality TV series, most notably landing the star spot of the upcoming The Bachelorette. She even made it to the top three, but was sent home during the episode that aired March 6. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ukrainian government: The present Ukrainian government was elected in elections May 2014 presidential elections; October 2014 parliamentary elections that the international community Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe; Canada's bilateral election observation mission; several other international observations missions deemed to be meet international democratic standards, according to Hamilton Spectator. There was no coup in Ukraine. On February 22, 2014, Ukraine's Parliament, with a constitutional majority, removed former president Yanukovych from power after he fled the capital, Kyiv. The assertion of fascists in Ukraine's government is ridiculous. The article states that the government implemented divisive policies, such as banning the use of the Russian language and some of the country's most popular political parties. Far-right parties in Ukraine have almost no popular support certainly less than in many countries of western Europe none of the marginal far-right parties in Ukraine are in parliament or in government. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

vt .,: Alaoui, whose brothers and father live in the U.S., says she had never had an issue entering the United States before Feb. 4, according to CTV. On that day, she says she was treated differently based on religion. Fadwa Alaoui told CTV News Channel Friday that she was held at the Quebec-Vermont border for more than four hours last month before she and her family were turned back to Canada. Alaoui says she was trying to cross the border for a day trip to Burlington, Vt., with her cousin and two children, ages 18 months and five years. Alaoui says she was not expecting to be asked questions about Trump. The Montreal woman says border agents separated her from her cousin and questioned her about place of birth Morocco how often she goes to mosque, the name of her imam, the discussion in the mosque and her opinion of the politics of U.S. President Donald Trump. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

bob ferguson: Ferguson's action came a day after Hawaii launched its own lawsuit, according to Brandon Sun. Washington, Minnesota, Oregon, New York and Massachusetts planned to file a new complaint challenging the revised travel ban Monday. Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson said Thursday he was asking a federal judge to find that his order last month halting the old travel ban applies to the new one, too. Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh announced in a statement Friday that Maryland plans to join the lawsuit filed by Washington state. Ferguson and his fellow Democratic attorneys general are now doing what Republicans did when Obama was in office filing lawsuits to block policies. My message to President Trump is Not so fast, Ferguson said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

children: The cases published Wednesday marked the first time an Italian court recognized the adoption of non-biological children by gay parents, the Arcobaleno rights group said, according to Brandon Sun. Roman Catholic Italy last year became the last holdout in Western Europe to recognize civil unions for same-sex couples, but only after sacrificing a provision to allow gay adoption. The Tribunal for Minors recognized the British and U.S. adoptions as legal here, allowing the Italian citizenship of the parents to be passed onto the children. Italian same-sex couples are now petitioning courts on a case-by-case basis to recognize adoptions granted overseas. Two fathers and two adopted children are a family. It's another step forward for the recognition of the rights of rainbow families, said Nichi Vendola, a gay politician who had a child with his partner via a surrogate in the United States. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rotation returns: The 350-person team has focused on road construction, according to Brandon Sun. The team, which arrived in South Sudan in November, was Japan's first with an expanded mandate to use force if necessary to protect civilians and U.N. staff. Abe said Japan would not renew the mission after the current rotation returns in May. The Japanese military's use of force is limited by the post-World War II constitution. As South Sudan enters a new phase of nation-building, we have decided that we can now put an end to our infrastructure building efforts, Abe told reporters. Abe said Japan would continue to assist South Sudan in other ways such as with food and humanitarian support, and will keep some personnel at the U.N. peacekeeping command office. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sea air: In the last years, too many people have come to Holland with no education, no work experience, and they are coming here only for money from the government, and enough is enough, he said, according to Brandon Sun. We lost our country. When Van Vliet, a friendly bear of a man, leaves the quiet confines of Duindorp, with its neat brick houses, fresh sea air and cackling gulls wheeling overhead, and travels the few miles kilometres into the centre of The Hague to the city's more culturally diverse neighbourhoods, the cook sees a Netherlands not enriched by immigration, but ravaged by it. Such views make this corner of the Netherlands one of the epicenters for the disruptive wave of populism sweeping across Europe, gate-crashing its politics, testing its institutions and clouding its future. Of the Netherlands' 17 million people, just over one in five now has a foreign background. European populist leaders are exploiting the concerns of people like Van Vliet that immigration, particularly Muslim immigration, threatens to swamp them and their traditions, with the eventual risk of them or their children becoming strangers in their own lands. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

alexander st: Directed by Soheil Parsa, according to Toronto Star. Until March 19 at Buddies in Bad Times, 12 Alexander St. buddiesinbadtimes and 416-975-8555The 2015 premiere of this co-production by Modern Times Stage Company and Aluna Theatre was a big hit, winning six Dora and two Toronto Theatre Critics awards. BRIAN DAMUDE By Karen Fricker Theatre Critic Thu., March 9, 2017 Blood Weddings By Federico Garcia Lorca, translated by Langston Hughes, adapted by Melia Bensussen. It's evidence of that success that the production is back again in Soheil Parsa's original staging; revivals in the independent theatre sector are rare. This kind of total conception is necessary for a convincing staging of Garcia Lorca's 1932 tragedy, given its elemental, mythic qualities, which are anachronistic in the present day. Article Continued Below The production affirms Parsa's status as one of the most skilled and visionary directors on the Toronto scene visionary in his capacity to deliver a compelling concept embracing all aspects of performance, from text to design to the work of the actor. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

arts awards: The Emmy-winning actor whose popular TV and film credits include Family Ties, the Back to the Future trilogy, Spin City, Rescue Me and The Good Wife spoke with CBC's Eli Glasner following Thursday morning's awards announcement, according to CBC. Fox shared his thoughts on a variety of topics, from his memorable Oscar night, why he continues to speak out on issues like immigration and how being Canadian sets artists apart. Fox is one of the newest laureates of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards. I've got to start by congratulating you on the Oscars bit with fellow Canadian actor Seth Rogen . A Yeah, that was fun. What were we doing there Where were you when the show ended We were in the green room in the back and we decided to leave to get a head start because traffic is just crazy around the Oscars and we wanted to get to the after party. We had a moment when he acknowledged me from Burnaby B.C., where he attended high school him from Kerrisdale. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

b.c .,: His brother Daniel Van Heest expressed his anger at judges and immigration officials who allowed the deportation to happen, according to CTV. He said his brother is now in the care of family in the Netherlands with the help of the Salvation Army. Len Van Heest of Courtenay, 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. Needless to say his mental faculties have been stressed to the max, he said. Mentally ill people should never be deported. The system is skewed. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canada refugees: But in Middle East countries neighbouring Syria, an estimated 5,000 refugees are still waiting, despite being already matched with private sponsors in Canada, according to CTV. Ian Urquhart, a journalist and volunteer with Canada4Refugees, told CTV News Channel on Thursday that 5,000 privately-sponsored refugees are still waiting after the initial promise to relocate. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was applauded at the UN General Assembly in September when he spoke about how Canada has welcomed Syrian refugees with open arms. Urquhart recently wrote an op-ed in the Toronto Star urging Ottawa to eliminate the backlog of privately sponsored Syrians overseas. This has resulted in a backlog of refugees waiting to come to Canada. In an interview with CTV's Your Morning Thursday, Urquhart said that when the government hit its target of 25,000 refugees at the end of February 2016, they pulled resources from processing all those refugees. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian music: Yet in a very short time his life had dramatically changed, according to Metro News. 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.

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.