robert watson: The president added more uncertainty to the future of U.S. immigration policy this week, ordering a review of the American H-1B visa program, which he argues allows tech companies to avoid hiring American workers in favour of cheaper international ones, according to The Chronicle Herald. The review bodes well for Canada, said Robert Watson, president of Information Technology Association of Canada. But what they'll be watching for now is whether the planned June launch of their Global Talent Stream program could be a way to benefit from what Trump has done in his tenure so far. Even if the executive order is just to do a review of it, it becomes tone from the top, he said. American technology firms argue the H-1B program is needed because it encourages students to stay in the U.S. after getting degrees in high-tech specialties and because companies can't always find enough American workers with the skills they need. Companies have to start looking elsewhere and ensure there's something better to do. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

week: Their report was realeased was released last week, according to Toronto Star. ANDREW FRANCIS WALLACE / TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO By Noor Javed News reporter Kristin Rushowy Queen's Park Bureau Wed., April 19, 2017 York Region trustees have dismissed their controversial director of education, one week after a report by provincial reviewers detailed disturbing concerns about his leadership and following months of turmoil at the school board.J. Philip Parappally is no longer at the helm of the province's third largest board, according to an internal memo first obtained by the Star that was sent to all staff Wednesday morning. COLE BURSTON / FOR THE TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO Education Minister Mitzie Hunter appointed two troubleshooters to look into concerns about the scandal-plagued York Region District School Board in January. Trustees, together, publicly promised to make positive and immediate changes, board Chair Loralea Carruthers said in an interview. He worked at the York board for many years. We wish the former director the very best. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

washington post: Castro, a U.S. citizen and migrant rights activist who has worked in San Diego, Tijuana and other border communities, said he had run out of Mexican pesos and was unable to pay for a taxi or bus with U.S. dollars, according to Toronto Star. He claimed he was being followed by a criminal organization for the past several days, and he feared for his life. Facebook By Samantha Schmidt The Washington Post Wed., April 19, 2017 Stranded on the shoulder of a busy highway in a crime-ridden area of Mexico, Hugo Castro took to Facebook Live to broadcast a desperate call for help. On Thursday evening, the group cornered him on the road to Puebla, Mexico, about 106 kilometres southeast of the capital. Please, someone come here. It's like they're hunting me, Castro, 45, told those watching on Facebook Live, describing his location by pointing out the nearby gas station and metal arch. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

west africa: Police say nine people from West Africa were in the vehicle, according to The Chronicle Herald. They were processed by the CBSA Canada Border Services Agency and they've been released into Canada, RCMP Insp. Mounties say a woman was stopped last Friday on the Canadian side of the border between the North Portal and Northgate crossings, the legal entry points into Saskatchewan from North Dakota. Donovan Fisher said Wednesday. RCMP would not confirm the ages, gender or nationalities of the refugee claimants. They've made claims for refugee protection. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

workers: New Zealand's Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse said in a speech that the government was unapologetic that industries relying on overseas workers are finding it harder to recruit people from abroad, according to Metro News. We are absolutely committed to the principle of kiwis first, he said, using an informal term for New Zealanders. The changes come a day after Australia said it would scrap a temporary visa for skilled overseas workers and after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order he said should help American workers whose jobs are threatened by skilled immigrants. The changes include new income thresholds. To qualify as highly skilled, they will need to earn at least 150 per cent of the median income. To qualify as skilled, immigrants will need to get a job in which they earn at least the median income. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

donald trump: They fled brutal civil war, famine, oppressive regimes to find themselves here, at an ordinary high school pre-prom fete in this once-dying New England mill town, revived by an influx of some 7,500 immigrants over the last 16 years, according to Brandon Sun. Rodrigue smiled and waved at his daughter, proud she is a part of it It will help her in life, he said. These teenagers speak dozens of languages, and hail from a dozen African nations. The world is not all white. But he also agrees with Donald Trump that there should be no more of them, at least not now. Rodrigue believes the refugees resuscitated his town plugging the population drain that had threatened to cripple it, opening shops and restaurants in boarded-up storefronts. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

review: The president added more uncertainty to the future of U.S. immigration policy this week, ordering a review of the American H-1B visa program, which he argues allows tech companies to avoid hiring American workers in favour of cheaper international ones, according to Brandon Sun. The review bodes well for Canada, said Robert Watson, president of Information Technology Association of Canada. But what they'll be watching for now is whether the planned June launch of their Global Talent Stream program could be a way to benefit from what Trump has done in his tenure so far. Even if the executive order is just to do a review of it, it becomes tone from the top, he said. American technology firms argue the H-1B program is needed because it encourages students to stay in the U.S. after getting degrees in high-tech specialties and because companies can't always find enough American workers with the skills they need. Companies have to start looking elsewhere and ensure there's something better to do. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

workers: New Zealand's Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse said in a speech that the government was unapologetic that industries relying on overseas workers are finding it harder to recruit people from abroad, according to Brandon Sun. We are absolutely committed to the principle of kiwis first, he said, using an informal term for New Zealanders. The changes come a day after Australia said it would scrap a temporary visa for skilled overseas workers and after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order he said should help American workers whose jobs are threatened by skilled immigrants. The changes include new income thresholds. To qualify as highly skilled, they will need to earn at least 150 per cent of the median income. To qualify as skilled, immigrants will need to get a job in which they earn at least the median income. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

border controls: Centrist Emmanuel Macron called for national unity and stronger intelligence, according to CTV. Le Pen and Macron are among four leading candidates seen as most likely to progress from Sunday's first round and to reach the May 7 runoff between the top two. While national security previously has been a strong theme in the campaign, far-right candidate Marine Le Pen hardened her tone on foreign extremists and border controls in the wake of the arrests that came days before the first round of voting. As the government prepared to flood streets with more than 50,000 police and soldiers to safeguard the ballot, Interior Minister Matthias Fekl said police thwarted an imminent terror attack, arresting two men in the southern port city of Marseille. It said police seized guns and explosives of a type previously used in attacks in France and Belgium inspired by the Islamic State group. Both are suspected Islamic radicals, according to the Paris prosecutors' office, which is leading the probe. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

art gallery: The centre which features a museum and an art gallery and has been preserving the history of the community for decades will serve as our mobile broadcast centre, according to CBC. Host Mark Connolly and the crew will be live on location Thursday morning from 6 a.m. until 8 30 a.m. For the latest edition of Mark About Town, Edmonton AM will be broadcasting live from the Multicultural Heritage Centre. Swing by for free coffee, tea and tasty hand pies, miniature pies perfect for nibbling. When you're not sampling local delicacies, listen in as we hear about some of Stony Plain's most interesting people, developments and accomplishments. And the on-site restaurant Homesteader's Kitchen will be cooking up a special hot breakfast buffet for 7. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

camp occupants: Ruiz said the camp occupants had been demanding for months to be moved to a third country, but no one would take them, according to Globe and Mail. Congo's government, mindful of threats to its stability from past refugee influxes, and from the armed groups that frequently roam its lawless east, is also keen to move them. The United Nations estimates about 3 million South Sudanese have been uprooted by the violence in their country, the biggest cross-border exodus in Africa since the 1994 Rwandan genocide. On Friday, eight of them agreed to be repatriated to South Sudan's capital Juba. They're saying if the eight were transferred to South Sudan, why shouldn't we be able to go to a third country Ruiz said. Others fear going back and are frustrated at being confined in the tiny camp in eastern Congo. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian mother: What is the composer's back story, what is the orchestra doing asks the cellist who performs with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Thursday, Friday and Saturday, according to Hamilton Spectator. On Thursday at the Conrad Centre for the Performing Arts, Moser performs Intersections Magnetar, a piece he commissioned to show off his skills on the electric cello. This keen interest in everything and everyone influences the German-born cellist's performance given he also wants to know as much as possible about the music and what is going on around him on the stage. The concert is in collaboration with the Institute for Quantum Computing. Moser was born in Germany to a Canadian mother and German father. On Friday and Saturday, he returns to the classical genre performing Dvo k's highly emotional Cello Concerto at Centre in the Square. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigrant population: Thus the members are selected from, or appointed by, our elected representatives, according to Hamilton Spectator. To suggest, as Dr. Khan wants to see the police board as 'representative of our 'village', and asks why there are no people of colour, no hijab-wearing member, no LGBTQ member, no Sikh member He is apparently unaware that the board is composed on only seven members three representatives of city council, three appointed by the provincial government, and one citizen appointed by council. Khan does, that this is a country club approach is entirely false. This office serves the aboriginal, faith, LGBTQ, newer immigrant population plus the wide ranging diverse demographic of the city of Hamilton. Further, there is a Community Relations Office which serves as the bridge between the police service and the city's diverse minority groups. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

loukman ghouti: When Loukman Ghouti, 19, first arrived in Halifax from Algeria as an international student he remembers feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything from the bus system to accommodations and grocery shopping, according to Metro News. One of the most difficult and biggest things for me was finding a safe place to live. Here For You is an initiative of the Dalhousie Arabic Society and was created to provide mentorship, guidance and advice to Arabic-speaking refugees and other newcomers. Where was the best place for me to live as a student and being alone, the first year neuroscience student recalled. I know not all Arabs are Muslim, but for me it was really hard to know where to go to get good priced halal food. One of the other things was where to find halal food. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

nova: We want them to make it their home, according to The Chronicle Herald. I can see the beginnings of this in recent reports, in the construction downtown and in the growth of our economy. We want people to come to Nova Scotia for more than a vacation. But let's face it, we still have a long way to go. Last year, Nova Scotia had the largest growth in new Nova Scotians since World War II. We can't lose that momentum, especially at a time when the tendency toward protectionist and exclusive interests seems to be on the rise. One of the best ways to achieve this is through continued growth in immigration. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

office areas: This place is a second home for a lot of people, according to CBC. That's where they come and spend their time, bring their kids, bring their families. It's a heartbreaking incident, said centre manager Bassam Fares. Just after 5 a.m., an underground water pipe burst in the utility room at the centre at 6104 172nd St., pushing mud and water, up to one metre in depth, onto the main floor, centre officials said in a news release Tuesday. Supplied The main floor is home to two prayer halls, an atrium, a multi-purpose area, preschool, washrooms and office areas. An office near the pipe that burst is filled with mud which forced its way through the wall. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

park street: But Fares saw huge possibilities if he could get the outdated zoning regulations changed, according to The Chronicle Herald. He soon tabled the bold idea for the Trillium 22 stories of luxury condos and retail space that would change the streetscape along South Park Street forever. Limited by zoning to a maximum of 50 ft. in height, the land didn't hold a lot of appeal, even though it edged one of the busiest pedestrian areas in Halifax. After three years of negotiations, city officials finally approved the plan and Fares broke ground in the summer of 2008. Fares' bank quickly developed cold feet. Then in July the U.S. investment bank Bear Stearns announced that two of its hedge funds had imploded, the first indication that the bottom was dropping out of the U.S. economy and the subprime mortgage bubble was bursting. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

people: This one image galvanized the world and was responsible, in a large part, for spurring many people in the western world into action, according to The Chronicle Herald. Among those people were Leah White and Kate Seaman of the Rotary Club of Kentville. He had been aboard a boat with his family and countless other refugees fleeing a dangerous, war torn homeland and seeking peace and security when the vessel capsized. Through the club, they formed the Valley Newcomers Committee and began raising money to bring to Canada one of the many families that so desperately needed help. On a cold night in February 2016, the Khatibs stepped off a plane in Halifax. After months of tirelessly wading knee deep through red tape and the paperwork necessary to bring refugees to Canada, the committee heard that they had been assigned a family family No. 52 and they would be arriving in record time. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

software hub: The caption below Greater Moncton, New Brunswick, Wants You! New Brunswick, on the whole, has seen a decline in population in recent years, according to CBC. But the Moncton area is growing and recently surpassed Saint John as the biggest city in the province. At the centre of the pitch to would-be workers, an ad portraying the fictional Uncle Sam with a Canadian flag in the background. The city's advanced telecommunication infrastructure, bilingual workforce and low-cost of doing business have turned it into a software hub, but a shortage of skilled workers has been a challenge for local businesses. So officials in a region hoping to boom devised a provocative plan to not go bust. Moncton area seeks to import 700 skilled American workers There aren't enough qualified locals or Canadians willing to relocate, says Donald Arseneault, minister responsible for population growth in the province. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

toronto streets: They're promoting car dealerships or jewelry or maybe an upcoming Bruno Mars concert, according to Toronto Star. Advertisers like them because they're mobile, highly visible and can target multiple audiences. Vince Talotta / Toronto Star By Chris Hampton Special to the Star Tues., April 18, 2017 You've seen them downtown cube vans fitted with outsize LED screens, crisscrossing the core like roving billboards. For some of the same reasons, an artist-run centre has partnered with a local film and video festival to hire one, just for an evening, to tour art around Toronto streets. The van will start at the Royal Cinema at 6 30 p.m., stopping an hour later at Yonge-Dundas Square, then circling downtown until stationing outside the opening party at Niagara Custom Lab for 10 p.m. On April 20, the opening night of Images Festival, Younger Than Beyonc Gallery will present the video creations of five emerging artists and artist teams screened on an LED advertising van tasked to cruise the city. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

year prohibition: But with it came with some unexpected proposals that are likely to be in conflict with our charter rights, according to Huffington Post Canada. These are the ones aimed at curbing impaired driving. Last week, legislation was tabled by our government, seeking to end the 94-year prohibition against the drug. While the bill's main focus is centred around the legalization of marijuana, controversy is raging over the impaired-driving provisions. Minister of National Revenue Diane Lebouthillier, Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Jane Philpott, Minister of Health and Parliamentary Secretary Bill Blair listen to a question after announcing the legalization of marijuana during a news conference in Ottawa, Thursday April 13, 2017. They seek to create a scheme that would involve arbitrary and mandatory roadside breath tests for motorists. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

york jets: It's always good to get back started, especially when you are coming to a new team, McCown said Monday in quotes issued by the team, which reported for its first day of the off-season program at its training facility in Florham Park, New Jersey, according to Hamilton Spectator. It's good to meet everyone and get acclimated. The New York Jets are the 10th team the veteran quarterback has been with since 2002, so he's sort of an expert in getting acquainted with teammates in new surroundings. But it's the first day in a long process and I'm excited to be part of it. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith became free agents and weren't re-signed, leaving New York only with the unproven Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg at the position. McCown was signed in March to a one-year, 6 million contract to try to help stabilize the Jets' shaky quarterback situation. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

supporters monday: But the Yes California Independence Campaign faltered after its president, Louis Marinelli, revealed ties to Russia, according to Brandon Sun. Marinelli said in a lengthy message to supporters Monday that he is seeking permanent residence in Russia because of his frustration, disappointment and disillusionment with the United States. The drive to make the nation's most populous state its own country, with what would be the world's sixth-largest economy, has drawn extra interest after last year's election of Republican Donald Trump as president. The secretary of state's office confirmed that Marcus Ruiz Evans, the group's vice-president, withdrew the California Nationhood ballot measure. The coalition plans to file its own ballot measure in coming weeks, without the baggage of Marinelli's Russian ties, said Steve Gonzales, the new group's secretary-treasurer and board member. Evans said he was leaving the Yes California group and joining the California Freedom Coalition, which he described as a grassroots organizing effort that evolved since last year's election. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

dalhousie university: We do a lot before their arrival, facilitate their rooms, get their classes set up, and stuff like that, according to Metro News. Once they're here, we're really just their friends, said Dobson. In Dobson's second year at Dalhousie University, the now fourth-year political science student became involved in the World University Service of Canada WUSC an organization that supports refugee students coming to Canada for school. Students like Dobson also help the new students with things like applying for student loans, scholarships, and just getting them familiar with Halifax and Nova Scotia. Before September 2016, WUSC raised money to bring four refugee students to Dalhousie. She has served as the student refugee program coordinator for the Dalhousie chapter of WUSC for the past two years. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

guatemala massacre: He's one of four former soldiers arrested by U.S. authorities in 2010 on allegations of participating in the killing of more than 200 people in the village of Las Dos Erres, according to CBC. Jorge Sosa guilty of lying about 1982 Guatemala massacre Accused Guatemalan war criminal extradited Sosa, 59, is now serving a 10-year sentence for immigration fraud in the United States, where he also held citizenship until it was revoked in 2014. The federal government said in newly filed court documents that Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes concealed his role in a 1982 massacre by the Guatemalan military when he obtained Canadian citizenship a decade later. Canada has opted to strip citizenship in only a handful of modern-day war crimes cases. He left Guatemala in 1985 and sought asylum in the United States, claiming he was fleeing guerrillas. Sosa was arrested in Lethbridge, Alta., in 2011 and extradited to California, where he stood trial for lying about the massacre on his naturalization forms. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

kellie leitch: Leitch didn't mind she found a much better place to sit, right in front, according to Toronto Star. The two Conservative MPs may be seat mates in the back row of the House of Commons these days, but their campaigns to take over the permanent leadership of the party couldn't be much farther apart. Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press photos By Stephanie Levitz The Canadian Press Mon., April 17, 2017 OTTAWA When Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai was speaking in Parliament last week, Kellie Leitch gave her seat to Conservative leadership rival Erin O'Toole's daughter Mollie so she could bear witness to history alongside her dad. Leitch is on the populist path; the centrepiece of her campaign is a requirement that all newcomers be interviewed to verify their Canadian values. I talk about Canadian values, one of those values being hard work. She rails against out-of-touch elites, though some suggest the former cabinet minister and pediatric orthopedic surgeon is one herself. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.