speech: Huh is the reaction that statement should have elicited among active listeners, particularly in the middle of a wide-ranging speech full of information about how identity politics have played out in the courts since the Charter of Rights equality guarantees took effect in the mid-1980s, according to CBC. That Wagner found it necessary in his speech to comfort those in Canada who worry about the legal threat of refugees he probably meant Muslim ones coming from Syria to escape war is a good reflection of Canada's current political attitude and climate vis-a-vis newcomers. Although the main thrust of his speech was the impact of identity politics on Canadian society, the justice made a point in his speech of noting something that says a lot about contemporary Canada he said Canadians who fear the possibility of refugees coming in to change the country's legal culture have nothing to worry about. There's been a rise in this country's level of intolerance as of late, due in part to the stoking of right-wing populism down south as well as Canada's own post-9/11 fears and xenophobia. It'd be na ve to think that this prolonged attitude hasn't had any effect on perceptions of refugees coming into this country, recently mainly from Syria. 1 in 4 Canadians want Trump-style travel ban, poll suggests Canadians aren't as accepting as we think and we can't ignore it, writes Angus Reid It's difficult to square this trend with the self-congratulating tone and image of Canada's relationship with refugees in general, which to the Trudeau administration's credit has involved the absorption of more than 25,000 Syrian newcomers in the past couple of years. Polls on Canada and religion done by Angus Reid in 2013 and 2015 have shown that a substantial portion of Canadians hold a negative view of Islam. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

steven seagal: ALEXEY DRUZHININ / AFP/Getty Images By Amy B Wang The Washington Post Sat., May 6, 2017 Steven Seagal, the American actor best known for his role in 90s action movies such as Hard to Kill and Under Siege, has been blacklisted from Ukraine as a national security threat, according to Toronto Star. Seagal is banned from entering the country for five years on grounds he has committed socially dangerous actions . . . that contradict the interests of maintaining Ukraine's security, according to a Ukrainian security service letter published by the news site Apostrophe and reported by the Guardian. The Ukrainian government has now banned Seagal from the country for five years, citing socially dangerous actions . . . that contradict the interests of maintaining Ukraine's security. The 65-year-old actor has for years cultivated a friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, bonding over their love of martial arts and shared macho images. In an interview then, Seagal defended Russia's annexation of Crimea, saying that Putin's desire to protect the Russian-speaking people of Crimea, his assets, and the Russian Black Sea military base in Sevastopol . . . is very reasonable, the Moscow Times reported. Though the Ukrainian security letter does not outline specific statements that got the actor banned, Seagal once participated in a pro-Putin motorcycle rally in Crimea, a disputed peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014 after Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was overthrown in a revolution. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

toronto: No pomp, nor any circumstance, according to Toronto Star. It was a momentous anniversary though, 20 years to the day that Bill 103 made its way through the Ontario legislature for its third and final reading, after which then-lieutenant-governor Hilary Weston signed it into law. ANDREW STAWICKI / TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO By Shawn Micallef Columnist Sat., May 6, 2017 April 21 passed by Torontonians without much, if any, notice. It would radically change Toronto. This is simply Toronto now. Sometimes called the City of Toronto Act of 1997, it took effect on Jan. 1, 1998 and amalgamated the six municipalities of Metro Toronto, a municipal entity created in 1954, into what we still sometimes call the Toronto megacity, though as time passes the idea of megacity means less and less. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

war-ravaged busan: The son of North Korean refugees, he waited in line as a boy in war-ravaged Busan for free U.S. corn flour and milk powder, according to CTV. Imprisoned as a university student for trying to topple South Korea's military rulers, the dictatorship later forced Moon into South Korea's elite special forces. Moon, the current front-runner in Tuesday's election, has led a life that seems custom-made for a starring role in South Korean opposition politics. He became a human rights lawyer and then rose to what the media called King Secretary to the last liberal leader of the country, with whom he worked to reconcile with North Korea. Moon, 64, who lost to Park in the 2012 elections by a million votes, says this election will probably be the very last challenge in my life. He later defended that mentor from corruption charges. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

water levels: The RCMP say the 59-year-old man went missing early Friday while checking water levels for Cache Creek and he was last seen near the water, according to Huffington Post Canada. Cache Creek Fire Chief Clayton Cassidy went missing while checking the water levels near the creek early Friday. Searchers, including the Kamloops Search and Rescue team, a helicopter, a swift-water rescue team, a canine unit and dozens of volunteers are looking for Clayton Cassidy. Photo B.C. RCMP Police say Cassidy's vehicle was also found near the creek. We searched for several hours by helicopter and now we are focusing more on shore and land based searching,'' he said. Kamloops Search and Rescue manager Alan Hobler that an aerial search was unsuccessful. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

pen: AP Photo/Christophe Ena Enlarge Image French far-right presidential candidate, Marine Le Pen exits a voting booth before casting her ballot in Henin Beaumont, France, Sunday, May 7, 2017, according to Brandon Sun. Voters across France are choosing a new president in an unusually tense and important election that could decide Europe's future, making a stark choice between pro-business progressive Emmanuel Macron and far-right populist Marine Le Pen. Voters across France are choosing a new president in an unusually tense and important election that could decide Europe's future, making a stark choice between pro-business progressive candidate Emmanuel Macron and far-right populist Marine Le Pen. AP Photo/Francois Mori PARIS - Ripping up France's political map, French voters elected independent centrist Emmanuel Macron as the country's youngest president Sunday, delivering a resounding victory to the unabashedly pro-European former investment banker and dashing the populist dream of far-right rival Marine Le Pen. The European anthem Ode to Joy played as he strode out to address the swelling crowd. Macron, who had never run for office before, celebrated with thousands of jubilant, flag-waving supporters outside the Louvre Museum in Paris on Sunday night. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugee claimants: Only, Rivas' journey didn't happen in recent months, and the president whose policies he was fleeing was Ronald Reagan, not Trump, according to Brandon Sun. While the scenes playing out at the Canadian border have garnered worldwide attention, northward migration is hardly unprecedented, says an author and historian who has studied the issue. It's a story that has recently become familiar to Canadians as the country has seen a rise in the number of refugee claimants crossing its southern borders a phenomenon some have linked with rising anti-immigrant rhetoric and the election of U.S. President Donald Trump. There's a long history of people crossing the border fleeing U.S. policy and seeking refuge in Canada, whether you're looking at African-Americans fleeing slavery in the 19th century, draft dodgers in the 1960s and '70s, then refugees from Central America and other countries in the 1980s and '90s, John Rosinbum said in a phone interview. The move sent thousands of would-be refugees heading toward Canada, many of them originally from Central American countries such as Guatemala and El Salvador. In November 1986, exactly 30 years prior to Trump's election, Reagan signed the Immigration Reform Control Act, which stated that illegal immigrants who could not prove they had resided in the country for five years could be deported, and employers who hired them could be penalized. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rescue crews: He was last known to be checking creek flow levels at a campground east of the village as snowmelt and rain was causing floods in the region, according to Brandon Sun. Mayor John Ranta said Saturday there is still no sign of Cassidy but we remain cautiously optimistic that he will be found alive, although hope is fading for that. Clayton Cassidy of Cache Creek in B.C.'s Interior disappeared early Friday morning, RCMP said. Search and rescue crews from Kamloops, Vernon, Pemberton and Ashcroft have been involved in the effort to locate the 59-year-old fire chief. Heavy machines have been brought in to remove piles of broken wood from the front of the fire hall. Waters were still moving very fast Saturday and where water has receded, branches, mud and debris have been left behind. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

teens: Defence attorneys said the sex was consensual, according to Brandon Sun. They pointed to text messages in which the girl agreed to a sexual encounter; an explicit video the girl sent one of the teens; and security camera footage, which they said shows the girl running to meet one of the teens and willingly entering the restroom with him. Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy said at a Friday news conference that the rape and sex offence charges were being dropped after a painstaking investigation of the girl's claim that the two teens raped her in the bathroom at Rockville High School. McCarthy said the girl was interviewed multiple times and the investigation revealed a lack of corroboration and substantial inconsistencies. He refused to answer any questions after reading a statement. The original charges cannot be sustained, and prosecution is untenable on those charges, McCarthy said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

agents: Otherwise, Rabner said, immigrants due in court but afraid of deportation won't show up, posing a public safety risk, according to Metro News. Middlesex County Sheriff Mildred Scott told WNYC radio http //bit.ly/2qLTZZr federal immigration enforcement agents arrested an immigrant in a courthouse last week. New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner asked the Homeland Security Department last month to add courthouses to a list of sensitive locations immigration enforcement agents avoid. The person was in the U.S. without legal documentation. Scott said she cannot block federal agents from making arrests in the courthouse. Middlesex County officers assisted in the arrest, which violated county policy. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

border fence: More than 100 schoolchildren cheered, and Mexico's top immigration official in the region applauded them at a public celebration of the 10-kilometre 6.2-mile swim from Imperial Beach, California, according to Metro News. Organizer Kim Chambers of New Zealand, who is living in San Francisco as a legal permanent resident of the U.S., was overwhelmed by the jubilant reception. Swimmers from the United States, Mexico, Israel, New Zealand and South Africa were escorted by a Mexican Navy ship as they reached a beach in Tijuana, a short distance from a border fence that juts into the Pacific Ocean. At the end of the day, water connects all of us, she said. Chambers, 39, came up with the idea shortly after a group swim across the Red Sea from Jordan to Israel to raise environmental awareness. It doesn't matter which way you're going. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

border: Falk, whose riding includes Emerson, has criticized the federal government for its handling of the situation, as hundreds of migrants have illegally crossed the border seeking asylum, according to CTV. Last month, Canadian Border Services Agency announced 170 asylum seekers were apprehended entering Manitoba in March. Provencher MP Ted Falk and Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel, along with Emerson-Franklin Reeve Greg Janzen, will hold a joint press conference Friday morning at the former Emerson/Noyes border crossing. Falk has accused the asylum seekers of jumping the queue and taking advantage of Canada's generosity. Under the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement, refugee claimants must apply for asylum in whichever country they arrive in first, but it only applies to people who arrive at official entry points. He has called on the government to close the loophole that he says encourages people to cross the border in fields and ditches, rather than at official crossings. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

calgary court: The forewoman tearfully answered not guilty when asked for the verdict on Joshua Cody Mitchell's second-degree murder charge, according to CTV. Tears were running down the faces of about half of the seven-woman, five-man jury. The reaction from the jurors in Calgary Court of Queen's Bench was far different. Maryam Rashidi, 35, had been laid off from her engineering job and had recently started work at the Centex station in Calgary when she was killed two years ago while trying to stop Mitchell from taking off without paying for 113 in fuel. She died of devastating injuries. Court heard he swerved his truck to try to shake Rashidi off after she climbed on the hood and then ran over her when she fell. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

divisions: Sunday's French election, she says, marks a profound change in European political alignments from left versus right, to globalization versus national sovereignty, according to Rabble. The old left did have something called internationalism as in The Internationale but it was the opposite of current globalization. She makes you rethink. Now those divisions have grown irrelevant or even reversed. Make a few substitutions and you've also encapsulated Donald Trump versus Hillary Clinton. Here's how rightist Marine Le Pen branded her rival, Emmanuel Macron, who's supposed to be left of her, however he styles himself, in Wednesday's TV debate the candidate of savage globalization, Uberization, precarity, social cruelty, the war of all against all, economic pillage the dismemberment of France by great economic interests. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

emerson: After the news conference, a group of local residents got in a heated conversation about an interview Emerson-Franklin Reeve Greg Janzen did with NBC News, published on Wednesday, in which he spoke about a local man finding asylum seekers in the community, according to CBC. There's a streetlight outside his place and sees six, seven, eight people all black people they are not from Emerson, Janzen said in the interview. Ted Falk and Michelle Rempel held a news conference to call on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to visit the town, which has faced a surge in asylum seekers entering Canada. Emerson resident Joyce Dayton, left, argues with Tanya Neufeld following a press conference to discuss the increase of illegal crossings near Emerson, Man., Friday, May 5, 2017. It's about our country and what is right and what is wrong, Dayton said. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Trevor Hagan Joyce Dayton, who has lived in the community for 17 years, called the reeve's comments racist, but resident Tanya Neufeld argued it wasn't. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

homeland office: The report also disclosed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been locked out of computer systems for periods ranging from several minutes to days, according to The Chronicle Herald. Some agents kept their passwords written out on their desks, creating a security risk, the report said. Agents and analysts must use 10 to 40 passwords to access the computer systems and 40 per cent of the cases investigated one year turned out not to be overstays, said the report by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General. One agent said nearly one in five of the visa holders he investigated had already left the country, and pursuing those leads took 225 hours of his time, according to the report. The report addresses an issue that the administration of President Donald Trump will have to solve as he makes immigration enforcement a top priority of his administration. The time being wasted on investigating false leads increased the risk that legitimate overstays were being overlooked, the report said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

hurricane landfall: Another 760,000 were forced from their homes, according to Huffington Post Canada. A flooded Brooklyn Battery park Tunnel Oct. 30, 2012 as New Yorkers clean up the morning after Hurricane Sandy's landfall. In the weeks that followed, her family went without power or heat. Photo Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Churches provided blankets for cold nights while Lizbeth's family ate hot dogs and Salvadorian pupusas donated by food trucks. Lizbeth turned it down, ashamed at needing help. Still without power at home, she returned to school and a teacher offered her a warm shower in the school's basement. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

inventoried collection: Case 0519 carried Psalms and Revelations, torn from a Spanish Bible, according to Hamilton Spectator. Case 0377 kept a single grain of rice inside a hollow cross. Case 0469 was found with a bracelet, a simple green ribbon tied in a knot. One side of the grain read Sara, and the other read Rigo. All 212 were unauthorized immigrants who died in Texas trying to evade Border Patrol checkpoints by walking across the rugged terrain. The belongings are part of a border-crossers' morgue at a Texas State University lab in San Marcos an inventoried collection of more than 2,000 objects and 212 bodies, the vast majority unidentified. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

jon cryer: The networks will be showing off new series starring the likes of Carol Burnett, Felicity Huffman, Jon Cryer, Eva Longoria, David Boreanaz and Lauren Graham, according to Hamilton Spectator. Colm Feore, Emily Van Camp and Bruce Greenwood are among the Canadian-born stars hoping their show is the next big thing. What will they be buying ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and The CW will showcase their new wares at their annual upfronts to advertisers beginning the week of May 15. There are fewer remakes this year, although NBC is bringing back Will & Grace and The CW is re-booting Dynasty. Among the imports guaranteed to return is No. 1 draw The Big Bang Theory, which has already been renewed by CBS for two more seasons. The superhero trend has also cooled, with Marvel's Inhumans being one exception. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

joshua cody: The forewoman tearfully answered not guilty'' when asked for the verdict on Joshua Cody Mitchell's second-degree murder charge, according to Huffington Post Canada. Tears were running down the faces of about half of the seven-woman, five-man jury. The reaction from the jurors in Calgary Court of Queen's Bench was far different. Maryam Rashidi, 35, had been laid off from her engineering job and had recently started work at the Centex station in Calgary when she was killed two years ago while trying to stop Mitchell from taking off without paying for 113 in fuel. Maryam Rashidi was killed while trying to stop a driver from leaving a Centex gas station in Calgary. A crime scene is shown following a fatal hit-and-run in June 2015. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

club: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP By The Associated Press Fri., May 5, 2017 NEW YORK J.K. Rowling is launching a free online book club for fans and newcomers to her Harry Potter series, according to Toronto Star. The Wizarding World Book Club will launch in June in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the first in what would become a seven-book series. The Wizarding World Book Club will launch in June in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The online community aims to surprise and delight those who have never read a Harry Potter book, as well as returning readers who want to join the conversation, says Pottermore, Rowling's digital publishing arm. Article Continued Below Delivered daily The Morning Headlines Newsletter Subscribe The Toronto Star and thestar, each property of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, One Yonge Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5E 1E6. The club says its goal is to create a global community of Harry Potter readers who are communicating with each other as they are reading the same book, at the same time. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

potter book: The online community aims to surprise and delight those who have never read a Harry Potter book, as well as returning readers who want to join the conversation, says Pottermore, Rowling's digital publishing arm, according to Metro News. The club says its goal is to create a global community of Harry Potter readers who are communicating with each other as they are reading the same book, at the same time. The Wizarding World Book Club will launch in June in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the first in what would become a seven-book series. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rtl radio: She claimed an ideological victory for her populist, anti-immigrant worldview in an election that could change Europe's direction, according to Hamilton Spectator. Macron acknowledged that the French are exasperated by the government's ineffectiveness, but he dismissed Le Pen's vision of an infuriated country. In an interview with The Associated Press in the final hours of a hostile, topsy-turvy campaign, Le Pen said that win or lose, we changed everything. She speaks for no one Madame Le Pen exploits anger and hatred, Macron told RTL radio. He told the news website Mediapart that would not have been democratically honest. The pro-business Macron said he has not bowed to pressure to change his platform to appeal to a broader electorate on the left or the right since winning the first round of the presidential election on April 23. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

need: They accused the Liberal government of taking a soft stand on the potential safety threat of illegal migrants, according to CTV. We need to protect the integrity of our borders, Falk said. Conservative MP Ted Falk and immigration critic Michelle Rempel visited Emerson to get a first-hand look at the issue. That message sparked some anger in the crowd. Speaking directly to Rempel, Dayton said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has opened the gate. We don't need a bunch of political people coming here stirring up hatred and discrimination, resident Joyce Dayton told CTV News. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

safety threat: Tory MP's visit to Manitoba border sparks heated refugee debate The Canadian Press The two were quickly challenged by resident Joyce Dayton, according to Globe and Mail. Following the Midwest Passage Asylum seekers take a cold journey to Manitoba via Trump's America Read more Influx of refugees fleeing U.S. is putting Ottawa to the test Trudeau has opened the gate. Local MP Ted Falk and immigration critic Michelle Rempel reiterated an accusation Friday that the Trudeau government is being soft on migrants and the potential safety threat the pose. He's welcoming people, like we always have in Canada, Dayton said to Rempel. Another area resident, Tanya Neufeld, sided with Rempel and confronted Dayton. All we're asking today is that people come to Canada legally, Rempel replied. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

search: The RCMP say the 59-year-old man went missing early Friday while checking water levels for Cache Creek and he was last seen near the water, according to The Chronicle Herald. Police say Cassidy's vehicle was also found near the creek. Searchers, including the Kamloops Search and Rescue team, a helicopter, a swift-water rescue team, a canine unit and dozens of volunteers are looking for Clayton Cassidy. Kamloops Search and Rescue manager Alan Hobler that an aerial search was unsuccessful. Cassidy was given a Medal of Good Citizenship by the B.C. government last year for his efforts helping Cache Creek residents during a devastating flood in May 2015. We searched for several hours by helicopter and now we are focusing more on shore and land based searching, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.