news release: The government's previous target was 150,000 for this year, which it should come close to reaching, according to CBC. Census brings P.E.I.'s 150K population goal into questionP.E.I. population growing quickly, but so is out-migration If we hope to sustain our prosperity and quality of life, we need to square-up to our opportunities and challenges related to population, said Premier Wade Mac Lauchlan in a news release. The target is 160,000 people by the end of 2022. Focus on rural communities The plan will focus on growing the population in rural communities across the Island. People are finding new ways to do things. That's ultimately what it's about, is to see that for communities to do well, there have to be people, there have to be opportunities, there have to be businesses that are starting, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

novak djokovic: It's also the latest reason to wonder when a new face will emerge among the elite, because there eventually will come a point yes, there really will when the group that was once known as the Big 3, then came to be called the Big 4, and now is considered by some to be a Big 5, is no longer running the sport, according to The Chronicle Herald. With the French Open starting Sunday, No. 1 Andy Murray, No. 2 Novak Djokovic, No. 3 Stan Wawrinka and No. 4 Rafael Nadal No. 5 Roger Federer is skipping Paris all have designs on another major trophy. For the first time in the history of the ATP computer rankings, which date to the early 1970s, the men sitting at Nos. 1-5 are all 30 or older, the latest sign that the current crop of stars has enviable staying power. But could someone such as Alexander Zverev, who just turned 20 last month, or the supremely talented and supremely enigmatic Nick Kyrgios, 22, or Dominic Thiem, 23, make a breakthrough for the up-and-coming kids We're probably coming to the end of one of the greatest eras of tennis that, certainly, I've ever seen, ATP Executive Chairman and President Chris Kermode said, and what we need to do as a sport is look to the next generation of players. That quintet has won 46 of the last 48 Grand Slam titles, a dozen-year stretch of dominance. Federer is 35, Wawrinka is 32, Nadal turns 31 on June 3, and Djokovic and Murray turned 30 this month. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

pepper spices: Steve Russell / Toronto Star By Nicholas Keung Immigration reporter Wed., May 24, 2017 With the aroma of traditional Syrian delicacies permeating the air, what's usually the drivers' support centre at Uber's Toronto office was transformed into an intimate story-telling party Wednesday night, according to Toronto Star. The guests from Matthew House, a refugee shelter in the city, were welcomed by Uber staff, mingling over faruj batata, a chicken dish with potatoes, a Syrian rice concoction with seven pepper spices, and ouzi, a puff dough pastry stuffed with ground beef and green beans. The dinner is one of a series and is aimed at fostering understanding and building communities. The food, for Toronto's first Refugees Welcome dinner, was prepared by Syrian couple Amir and Nour Fattal, who arrived here from Turkey in July after they were sponsored by a group of Toronto residents. We had problems in our country. It's great to meet new people, said Ali Mahmud, 37, who fled Eritrea for Canada in January and was granted asylum two months ago. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

pope francis: And a big ol' we feel ya, girl to Trump, who seemed caught off-guard by the question, which took place Wednesday during President Donald Trump's visit to the Vatican, according to Hamilton Spectator. To further complicate the situation, it involved a translator. So props to Pope Francis for trying to chat up first lady Melania Trump about potica, a baked specialty from her native Slovenia. According to accounts from such sources as the Associated Press and the Guardian, the pope gestured toward the president and asked something along the lines of, What do you give him to eat Potica Now here's where it gets interesting. The AP concluded that she eventually caught on and said, Potica, ah yes, while the Guardian suggested she said pizza. Interpretations on the scene differ, though it seemed that at least momentarily the first lady thought the Pope was talking about pizza. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

questions: Since his announcement, the question that consistently comes up in public and private conversation is whether Singh, a man with brown skin and a turban, could be elected as Prime Minister in Canada, according to Huffington Post Canada. We reminded that Canada is a country which is still overwhelmingly white, Christian, and often grapples with challenges around race and racism. If successful, Singh will become the first racialized leader of a major Canadian political party. The first thing that comes to mind when such questions arise is how many times the same questions were asked about the first black president of the United States, Barack Obama, and how bleak his bid for the presidency seemed to many Americans. He was able to use his charisma and political acumen to build a coalition of urban liberals, blue collar workers, and racialized minorities. After all, how could a black man be elected president less than 200 years after the end of slavery How could someone from a racial group which had a mere 50 years earlier not been allowed to drink from the same fountain as their white co-citizens be elected in a country where white people still formed a strong majority However, Barack Obama proved the naysayers wrong in 2008 when he was elected on a wave of hope and optimism. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rent strike: In a recent news release, a spokesperson for the group said that the landlord of three of the six buildings has begun issuing eviction notices to the striking tenants because they did not pay their May rent, according to Rabble. The background to this rent strike is an increasingly problematic rental market in Toronto. The tenants are protesting proposed rent increases as well as what they claim are serious maintenance issues in their units. As property values in Toronto increase, so does the market rate for rental units. This creates incentive for landlords to get their long standing tenants out so they can rent the unit to a new tenant at a much higher rate given the increase in market rates. The Ontario Residential Tenancies Act RTA contains rent control provisions that limit the percentage by which a landlord can increase the rent for existing tenants but not when the unit turns over and a new tenant moves in -- at that point the landlord can raise the rent for the unit without limit. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rights-based response: Refugee Claimants The stories behind the headlines was an event put on by Amnesty International Winnipeg at the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba offices on Isabel Street, according to CBC. From Somalia to Manitoba A look at the long journey of asylum seekers Asylum seekers arrested at illegal crossings so far in 2017 nearly half of 2016 total Simbandumwe said it's important to share the stories of people who have gone through hardship to find safety and security in Canada. Louise Simbandumwe, a volunteer with Amnesty International, said the event was held to talk about the need to ensure that we have a compassionate and human rights-based response. She became a refugee in 1972 after family members were killed in massacres in Burundi, a country in East Africa bordered by Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Wearing a black shirt with clear white text that said human rights extremist, Simbandumwe spoke about how an increase in refugee claimants and asylum seekers has generated a lot of discussion and debate. She was with her parents in India at the time, and they learned they wouldn't be able to return home because their lives were at risk. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

toronto advocates: With more refugees pouring in, Toronto advocates ringing alarms about federal funding But while it's not known yet exactly which services will be cut to address the organization's 40 per cent shortfall in its immigration and refugee program, many are worried about the impact on refugees as the organization makes its case for additional provincial and federal support, according to CBC. When I say that the cuts will be devastating, I mean that literally they could result in a return to persecution, torture or death, Osgoode Hall law professor Sean Rehaag told CBC Toronto. The mounting concern comes as the arm's-length provincial agency launches a consultation process to look into what it calls the difficult choice to temporarily suspend some of the services, beginning July 1. LAO is using a really problematic negotiating tactic here. LAO would never bargain with a vulnerable population. Rising demand for refugee services a 'reality' Legal Aid Ontario disputes that. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

travel ban: Video U.S. appeals court refuses to reinstate Trump's travel ban Reuters In a 10-3 vote, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the ban likely violates the Constitution, according to Globe and Mail. And it upheld a lower court ruling that blocks the Republican administration from cutting off visas for people from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Trump's administration vowed to take the fight to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Richmond, Virginia-based 4th Circuit is the first appeals court to rule on the revised travel ban unveiled in March. A second appeals court, the 9th U.S. Circuit based in San Francisco, is also weighing the revised travel ban after a federal judge in Hawaii blocked it. Trump's administration had hoped it would avoid the legal problems that the first version from January encountered. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

years unremarkably: This image was shot for VII in June of 2016, according to Toronto Star. Ali Arkady / VII for The Washington Post file photo By Mitch Potter Foreign Affairs Writer Thu., May 25, 2017 When Iraqi photographer Ali Arkady was a little boy, it seemed war was everywhere. Mitch Potter/Toronto Star In 2014 Arkady joined the VII Photo Mentor Program a rare prize handed to just five shooters among 150 global applicants. His earliest memories include the sights and sounds of Saddam Hussein's war with Iran rockets, artillery, tanks and soldiers were for years unremarkably normal in his hometown of Khanaqin, just seven kilometres from the eastern border. That same year saw Saddam's ruthless al-Anfal campaign pound Iraq's Kurdish minority with the combined weight of his military and intelligence services. That was his reality until ceasefire took hold in the summer of 1988, when he was 6. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

attention officials: The son of Libyan parents who immigrated to Britain in the early 1990s, Abedi has been identified by British authorities as the bomber who attacked the Ariana Grande concert Monday night, according to Brandon Sun. While Home Secretary Amber Rudd said he was on the radar of the intelligence service up to a point, it was not clear how much attention officials had paid to his activities and whether authorities could have stopped him. While some claim Salman Abedi had been banned from the mosque he attended for statements glorifying terrorism and his angry rhetoric even prompted an acquaintance to report him to the authorities, others deny that account, saying he never showed any worrying or erratic behaviour. As a portrait of the alleged bomber emerged, it was complicated by contradictory accounts over whether Abedi held views that had sparked concern before Monday's attack. He was glorifying terrorism, Shafiq told The Associated Press. Mohammed Shafiq, who heads the Manchester-based Muslim organization Ramadhan Foundation, said some of Abedi's past statements had prompted a Libyan community activist in Manchester to report him to the national counter-terrorism hotline two years ago. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

hilltop compound: They also claim east Jerusalem as their capital, and live in neighbourhoods under Israeli control that suffer from poverty, neglect and poor services, according to Brandon Sun. These stark contrasts are on display this week. But for Palestinians, there is little to celebrate. Parades, light shows and festivals are being held throughout the city as Israeli Jews celebrate the capture of Jerusalem's Old City from Jordanian troops half a century ago. The Old City is home to the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, and the adjacent hilltop compound revered by Jews as the Temple Mount, the spot where the biblical Temples once stood. The victory was hailed by Jews as marking the symbolic return of control over Judaism's holiest sites after 2,000 years in exile. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugee status: None has been charged with a crime, according to Brandon Sun. About half are seeking refugee status, although only about 0.3 per cent of such applicants are awarded asylum in Japan. Supporter Mitsuru Miyasako told reporters Thursday many had been recruited to work in Japan during the bubble economy about 30 years ago but are now being told to go home. Many have had children in the country. Thirty people in another city joined. The hunger strike, which started May 9 with 22 people in a Tokyo immigration detention centre, expanded to 70 people there. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

anti-muslim group: People accused school administration of not disciplining students who were Syrian refugees, which the school refuted, according to Metro News. Our involvement is really about providing a reassurance to students and families that everyone should feel safe, said AMPAC spokesperson Aurangzeb Qureshi. The protest at Linday Thurber Composite High School was attended by at least two groups an anti-Muslim group called Worldwide Coalition Against Islam and another group called Soldiers of Odin and was held in response to a scuffle between students last week. There should be no reason why any student, regardless of faith, religion, cast or creed shouldn't feel safe in school. function set Cookie related path / ; Related Red Deer school condemns anti-immigrant protest sparked by fight between students Alberta politicians condemn Confederate-style flag displayed at Red Deer protest He said the organization is concerned to see groups such as Soldiers of Odin, which the Anti-Defamation League has labeled a hate group, on school campuses. Since AMPAC set up an Islamophobia reporting hotline in mid-2016, they have seen calls rise from one a day to an average of three or four a day. When you have students, regardless of what their religion or background might be, attempting to confront hate groups on school property ... that should not be taking place, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian-born stars: Last year he also starred in the Toronto-shot Family Channel sitcom Raising Expectation alongside Molly Ringwald, according to The Chronicle Herald. Other Canadian-born stars who've also found themselves returning to shoot TV here in recent years include Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy of Schitt's Creek and Anna Paquin of Bellevue. While the Vancouver-born star once had to work south of the border to gain fame on series including Beverly Hills, 90210, he's now able to live at least half of the year back on home soil shooting the dramedy Private Eyes, which debuts its second season Thursday on Global. I think what happened in the TV industry a few years ago was that the TV industry left California and it moved other places, and I think that Toronto and Vancouver were big winners in that migration, Atlanta was a big winner in that migration, New York was a big winner in that migration, said Priestley. Well, for the most part. But the industry has left California and people like me who work predominantly in TV, I go where the interesting work is and ... it brought me here. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

county seat: Sitting around a table at a mini-mall in the county seat of Bakersfield, a couple of old friends complain about illegals, according to CBC. They're thrilled that the U.S. president is fulfilling his promise to crack down on them. And when you see both in the same field, you're probably in Kern, the biggest Republican county in the state. There's too many people up there that are too liberal that are willing to give our country away or our state away.'- Ron Reece, Bakersfield resident You don't let people invade your country! says Ron Reece. I earned mine, let them earn theirs! Since Trump signed an executive order tightening border security, the number of illegal immigrant arrests is up 38 per cent over the same period last year, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE . Reece, a former cop, says illegal immigrants who commit crimes have been coddled by state politicians in the capital, Sacramento. It's whoever wants what for free gets it, says George Henderson. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

government: Rempel said the Canadian government has to speak out on these issues, according to Metro News. LGBTQ minorities, especially in Iran, have been one of the most persecuted groups of people on Earth, she said. Calgary Conservative MP Michelle Rempel is sponsoring the petition, which demands that the government to condemn attacks against LGBTQ minorities in both Iran and Chechnya. Horrible stories of persecution against LGBTQ communities in Chechnya have emerged recently, with reports of people being assaulted and even killed for being gay. The program has been renewed on a rotating basis, but groups want the government to commit to it permanently. Parliament has been studying a program that allows for LGBT groups in Canada to help sponsor refugees from around the world. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

health supplies: From the Syrian side of the border zone, Ambassador Nikki Haley gazed up at a Turkish flag plastered onto signs marking the entrance into that nation's territory, according to The Chronicle Herald. Syrian refugees once flooded through the run-down Bab al-Hawa Border Crossing until officials cracked down. That reality is far removed from America's years-old hope for President Bashar Assad to leave power and speedily end the civil war. These days it's only aid convoys that pass back and forth, trying to meet an unrelenting demand for food, health supplies and other basic needs in the Arab country. Underscoring the danger, security officials spirited her away from the border after unmarked vehicles were spotted moving toward the area. Ferried to the border in an armoured motorcade, Haley walked to within just a few feet of entering the Arab land, becoming the highest-ranking U.S. official to come so close to Syrian territory in years. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

language skills: The career pathway program will make loans of up to 15,000 available to people who have been internationally trained but who can't get jobs in their fields because their credentials aren't recognized, said Alex LeBlanc, the executive director of the association, according to CBC. There was data to support that there was a financial element to why immigrants were having trouble getting their credentials recognized.'- Alex LeBlanc, New Brunswick Multicultural Association Applicants must have credentials that are valid in their home countries, be unemployed or under-employed, have significant language skills in either English or French, and be accepted into whatever upgrading program the loan will be used for. Now the New Brunswick Multicultural Association has launched a loan program to help newcomers and permanent residents get over that barrier by upgrading their credentials. LeBlanc told Information Morning Fredericton that in past years, about a quarter of immigrants settling in New Brunswick arrived with jobs. The interest rate on a career pathway loan is prime plus one per cent and the borrower will make interest-only payments while studying. But many face financial obstacles that include the cost of writing exams, paying tuition, and living or travel expenses related to getting their credentials recognized in Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

libya: Additional arrests were made both in Britain and in Libya in the bombing that killed 22 people and wounded scores more, according to CTV. Among those taken into custody in Libya were the suspected bomber's father and his younger brother, the latter of whom confessed to knowing all the details of the attack plot, Libyan anti-terror authorities said. Officials scoured the background of the British-born ethnic Libyan identified as the bomber, saying he was likely part of a wider terrorist network. I think it's very clear this is a network we are investigating, said Chief Constable Ian Hopkins of the Manchester Police, as authorities raided British properties thought to be connected to Salman Abedi, the 22-year-old suspected bomber who grew up in Manchester and died in the attack. Meanwhile, officials probed possible travel by the alleged bomber, looking for clues to new threats. British Home Secretary Amber Rudd said Abedi likely did not act alone in the strike at the close of an Ariana Grande concert Monday night and that he had been known to security forces up to a point. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

peace deal: Myanmar's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, faces high expectations from ethnic groups and the international community to end conflicts between ethnic armed groups and the army that have lasted for nearly seven decades, according to The Chronicle Herald. Suu Kyi said Wednesday that her government would not pressure the ethnic groups into a peace deal, and would allow for open negotiations. Delegates filled a conference hall in Naypyitaw for the start of the five-day talks, which come nine months after a first round of talks was held. We will not resort to exerting pressure through populist politics to achieve our goals, but we will instead strive to reach an agreement acceptable to all with open, frank and inclusive dialogue, she said during her opening speech. In Kachin State, in the country's north, more than 100,000 people have been forced from their homes over the past six years due to ongoing fighting between the groups and government troops. Despite overtures made by Suu Kyi, ongoing clashes between the army and the ethnic armed groups continue in some parts of Myanmar. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

prison: She said the captain was briefly treated at a hospital for shock following his conviction, according to CTV. It's a ridiculous ruling, said lawyer Kim In-sook. A lawyer for the captain said her client was being punished for having consensual sex with his partner in a private space. She said the military penal code, which makes homosexual activity punishable by up to two years in prison, was unconstitutional because it tramples on basic human rights and dignity. Kim said it's unclear whether her client would appeal his six month prison sentence that was suspended by a year because he felt tormented by the legal process. South Korea's military, which doesn't reveal how often it pursues cases against soldiers suspected of being gay, didn't immediately make a statement. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

racalmuto pedestrians: And that's where he set his monument to the man on Racalmuto's main drag Via Garibaldi where Sciascia had been wont to mingle, an ink in the waters of community, according to Hamilton Spectator. The sidewalk is, in effect, part of the work. So when Giuseppe Agnello set about creating a memorial statue of Sciascia after the writer died in 1989, the renowned sculptor knew the street had to be part of it. Now in Racalmuto pedestrians pass by Sciascia in midstride, life-size, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a cigarette, with eyes that like the eyes in some paintings seem to follow you everywhere, ready to strike up a conversation. Still circulating in the traffic of his people. The writer, walking. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugee claim: The 25-year-old chef, who dreams of one day opening his own restaurant, has crossed the first hurdle to establishing a new life in Hamilton, according to Hamilton Spectator. Beltran has been granted an exception to the Safe Third Country Agreement to enter Canada and make a refugee claim. Alvaro Beltran's long run from El Salvador's notorious gangs is over, for now at least, and maybe forever. If successful, he will become a permanent resident of Canada. Margaret Rivas,A refugee from El Salvador and now a permanent resident I was praying to God and putting myself in His hands and hope that He's going to make the doors open, Beltran said. I felt very happy because I was in a safe country that I knew Canada would be, but I felt sad because I left my country and part of my family, my friends, my work. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rock concert: The children are innocents, who don't create the conditions that supposedly motivate the bombers, are helpless to stop them, and cannot do anything about the ultimate outcome, according to Toronto Star. Indeed, it seems children are always victims of terror, from horrible acts of violence, such as this week at a rock concert in Manchester where 22 people, including teenagers and an 8-year-old girl, were killed, to all-out wars in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere. BEN STANSALL / AFP/GETTY IMAGES By Bob Hepburn Politics Wed., May 24, 2017 For children, suicide bombers are a special hell. Why do the suicide bombers do it Why do they target helpless children Despite having lived in, worked in and visited the Middle East and the Arab world since the early 1990s, I still cannot figure out what these guys think they will accomplish by blowing themselves up, along with dozens of innocent kids. And so I understand intellectually the often-stated reasons for such attacks, which is they are designed specifically to frighten civilians and to wreck havoc on communities. react-empty 166 I've also read many of the hundreds, if not thousands, of books and academic papers written about what motivates suicide bombers, from their hatred of American aggression to lack of self-esteem, ethnic persecution, religious intolerance and more. Article Continued Below Over those years, I witnessed much death, violence, poverty, greed, corruption, hatred, oppression and religious extremism.I've listened to young and old people tell me how every insult and perceived slight affects their personal dignity and the dignity of their family, their ancestors, their tribe, their community and their religion. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

terry mcauliffe: Terry McAuliffe has pardoned a minor driving offence committed years ago by an immigrant mother of two, saying he hopes it will help prevent her deportation, according to Metro News. Immigration advocates have protested the arrest of 30-year-old Liliana Cruz Mendez of Falls Church, who was taken into custody this month after going with her lawyer to a check-in appointment at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office. Virginia Gov. They say her case is emblematic of tougher immigration policies under President Donald Trump. Cruz Mendez's children, 10 and 4, are U.S. citizens, and her husband has a work permit and is pursuing a green card, according to the advocacy group CASA. If President Trump and his administration are serious about making our nation safer, they will release Ms. McAuliffe acknowledged his pardon may not affect Cruz Mendez's case, but said he wants to send a clear message that tearing this family apart will not make our Commonwealth or our country safer. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.