immigrantscanada.com

Independent topical source of current affairs, opinion and issues, featuring stories making news in Canada from immigrants, newcomers, minorities & ethnic communities' point of view and interests.

passport rules: Schwarz was born and raised in Kitchener, Ont, according to CBC. His eldest daughter Akira, 9, was also born in Kitchener and both Schwarz and his daughter are dual citizens of Canada and Australia. That influx has led to weeks-long processing delays and stress for expats. 5-year-old refused flight home to Vancouver over new passport rules Dual citizens heading home for holidays need Canadian passports Travelling overseas is stressful enough, but this is making things significantly worse, said Nathan Schwarz. I've been keen to take the girls back to Canada for a period of time, said Schwarz. I wanted to show her the town she's named after, and I figured the girls are now old enough that they'd be able to remember going there. One daughter's actually named after a Canadian town Elora. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

place autoplay: He has high praise for his father and mother, Vesna, who is sitting beside him, according to Huffington Post Canada. The feeling is mutual, and you can see it in this video TAG START player CA Play In Place Autoplay for AOL Canada function commercial video var TAG END date 5/30/17 My daughter said one great thing when Milos was born, Vesna says. Milos Raonic is talking about the sacrifices his parents made for him when he was growing up, before he was a Canadian tennis superstar. She said he completed us as a family. They left their home country of Montenegro because they wanted a more stable life for their three children, Momir, Jelena and Milos. The Raonics' story is like many other stories of immigrants who came to Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

river boyne: Brosnan had always been a fan of Moore since he starred as Simon Templar in spy TV series 'The Saint' in the 60s, according to Hamilton Spectator. In an essay penned for Variety magazine, he wrote Only on reflection do I see how much of an influence Roger Moore had on me as a young Irish immigrant lad from the banks of the River Boyne. The 'Mama Mia' star has recalled how he only realised the 'Moonraker' actor had influenced his decision to dedicate his life to the movie industry now he's older. I guess the combination of Bond and the Saint ignited a flame for fame in my heart of innocent wonder. Roger as the Saint made me believe in his world. I wanted to be up there. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

school buildings: Now his arrest is hurting the push for a bill that would allow students without legal immigration status at the state's public colleges and universities access to financial aid, according to Metro News. Cruz, who had testified himself in favour of the legislation, was charged on May 7 with more than 100 counts of misdemeanour vandalism. A student originally from Mexico, Eric Cruz Lopez was among the most visible immigration activists on the University of Connecticut campus up until he was charged with spray-painting expletives about President Donald Trump on the walls of school buildings. Police said he gave a statement admitting to the vandalism and offering to discuss restitution. The case led state House leaders to postpone a planned vote last week on legislation that would open up 165 million in institutional financial aid to students without legal status at public colleges and universities. He did not respond to requests for comment. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

second-generation libyan: Did he condone such acts No, according to Globe and Mail. Did he condemn such acts Yes, they answered. Stunned, I asked Did Prophet Mohammed ever kill children and unarmed adults No, they answered. I concluded So, who will you follow Mohammed, or the opposite They acknowledged the former. Much has been written about the life of the assailant, Salman Abedi, a second-generation Libyan born and raised in Britain. I thought of this exchange following the terrorist attack in Manchester last week. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

square miles: However, many in both countries are concerned about how the forces bolstered by the coalition will leverage their influence and arms once the militants are vanquished, according to The Chronicle Herald. Numerous Iraqi groups that benefited from the training and arms have been accused of human rights violations. Weapons, training and airstrikes by the coalition have aided ground forces in both Iraq and Syria, allowing Iraq's military, Iraqi Kurdish fighters and Syrian Kurdish fighters to retake some 55,000 square kilometres 21,235 square miles of territory from the Islamic State extremists in the nearly three-year fight. The Trump administration's decision to provide Syria's Kurds with more advanced weapons has raised concerns among the various players in Syria's complicated battlefield. Coalition spokesman Col. U.S. officials have said new weapons to be supplied would include heavy machine-guns, ammunition, mortars and possibly TOW anti-tank missiles. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

tax havens: Since 2013, Cyprus has had a program that allows people to invest large amounts of money in the country in exchange for citizenship that gives them a passport that can be used to travel throughout the European Union, according to CTV. Now, there are concerns that foreigners are taking advantage of the program to park their money offshore, gain access to a passport that allows them travel easily across Europe, and avoid the prying eyes of their own governments. But in Cyprus, it can be as easy as shelling out some cash. Many countries in the world provide residency in exchange for investment, and many others are used as tax havens, such as the Cayman Islands and Panama. In three months, even without stepping a foot onto the island, you can actually become a citizen, Onaran told CTV's Your Morning from New York Tuesday. But Yalman Onaran, a senior writer at Bloomberg News who recently investigated the Cyprus program, says what makes that country unique is how quickly it will issue a EU passport in exchange for money. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

train: Authorities say Jeremy Joseph Christian started verbally abusing two young women, including one wearing a hijab, according to Toronto Star. When three men on the train intervened, police say, Christian attacked them, killing two and wounding one. The attack aboard a light-rail train happened Friday, the first day of Ramadan, the holiest time of the year for Muslims. Court documents released Tuesday for the first time mentioned a fourth man who was the first to intervene and was not attacked, but they did not identify him by his full name. He has been appointed public defenders. Christian, 35, was defiant during his brief initial court appearance Tuesday, shouting You call it terrorism, I call it patriotism! Read more Article Continued Below Suspect in Portland stabbings ranted about Muslims, police say react-text 153 Jeremy Joseph Christian shouts as he is arraigned in Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland, Ore., on Tuesday. /react-text Beth Nakamura / The Associated Press Portland Muslims thankful for support after deadly attack, will raise money for victims He made repeated outbursts, saying, You've got no safe place! and Death to the enemies of America! react-empty 163 Christian, who faces aggravated murder and other charges, didn't enter a plea. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

wage hike: A community worker raised concern over how other service providers would have to pick up the slack, according to Toronto Star. A legal clinic executive wondered if the financial cuts disproportionally fell on refugees rather than family and criminal services. CARLOS OSORIO / TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO By Nicholas Keung Immigration reporter Tues., May 30, 2017 Legal Aid Ontario got an earful from attendees at public consultation this week focused on its 40 per cent cut to refugee legal services.A private lawyer questioned how legal aid justifies the cut when 300 of its staff made the province's Sunshine List with a wage hike last year. But one thing was clear no one liked any of the three options offered by legal aid to address its 13.1-million funding shortfall in 2017. The whole situation is a disgrace, said Marjorie Hiley, executive director of the Flemingdon Community Legal Services, who called in during the consultation at legal aid's Toronto headquarters, one of 11 sessions over three weeks before the service cuts kick in July 1. The service reduction for refugees is part of the Legal Aid Ontario's effort to save costs and balance a 26-million budget deficit. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

warehouse worker: He shared his accomplishment and the hard work it took to get him there in a post on Facebook, recounting flipping burgers in high school to pay for the SAT, caring for his younger siblings and hanging out his window to mooch off his neighbour's wifi to finish his homework, according to Huffington Post Canada. Lytle also wrote about the dismissive attitudes of people around him who didn't think he'd ever reach his goals. Shannon Satonori Lytle, the son of a warehouse worker and an immigrant, became the first person in his family to earn a university degree when he graduated from Harvard on May 25, 2017. I was scoffed at and told, From this part of Ohio, only the children of doctors and lawyers get to go to Ivy League Schools, ' the post reads. Lytle also talked about his fear when his laptop broke, as it had cost him 150 hours of work to buy in the first place. He sure did prove them wrong. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

greg abbott: After about 40 minutes, they began to cheer, drowning out the lawmakers below, according to Brandon Sun. Protesters also blew whistles and chanted Here to stay! and Hey, hey, ho, ho, SB4 has got to go, referring to the bill that Gov. Activists wearing red T-shirts reading Lucha, or Fight, quietly filled hundreds of gallery seats as proceedings began. Greg Abbott signed into law this month. The demonstration continued for about 20 minutes as officers led people out of the chamber peacefully in small groups. Some unfurled banners reading See you in court! and See you at the polls! State House leadership stopped the session and asked state troopers to clear the gallery. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

square miles: However, many in both countries are concerned about how the forces bolstered by the coalition will leverage their influence and arms once the militants are vanquished, according to Brandon Sun. Numerous Iraqi groups that benefited from the training and arms have been accused of human rights violations. Weapons, training and airstrikes by the coalition have aided ground forces in both Iraq and Syria, allowing Iraq's military, Iraqi Kurdish fighters and Syrian Kurdish fighters to retake some 55,000 square kilometres 21,235 square miles of territory from the Islamic State extremists in the nearly three-year fight. The Trump administration's decision to provide Syria's Kurds with more advanced weapons has raised concerns among the various players in Syria's complicated battlefield. Coalition spokesman Col. U.S. officials have said new weapons to be supplied would include heavy machine-guns, ammunition, mortars and possibly TOW anti-tank missiles. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

african americans: They openly make a reference that they are African and the others are black people, according to Huffington Post Canada. When I lived in the United States, I noticed that Caribbean people have a belief that they are better than African Americans because their culture is more connected to Africa. There are some people from Africa that believe they are different than people from the Caribbean. Some African Americans are less likely to have an interest in Africa or the Caribbean culture because their culture was taken from them by force during slavery. I have heard the stories of new African immigrants ridiculed by black people born in North America that have left some resenting those that were born here. Let's not forget some people that were not born in the continent of Africa, don't want to be connected to their original roots because of the negative images we see every day on television. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

age woman: They assume her father makes decisions for her, but it was her own decision to start wearing the hijab, a headscarf, at age 16, according to CBC. Woman don Muslim headscarves at 'Hijab for a Day' event Liberal MP's anti-Islamophobia motion set for debate on Wednesday They assume she doesn't speak English, when in fact she speaks it well. They assume she is a submissive woman but she regularly stands up for herself in the face of discrimination. It gets worse when you're not just a Muslim; you're a woman, you're visibly Muslim, possibly you're an immigrant, she told CBC's Jason D'Souza. They assume all of these things, she said, in part because of her heritage and her headscarf. When all those identities intersect, she said, it just makes it a lot worse. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ben fox: Luis Alonso Lugo / The Associated Press By Luis Alonso Lugo And Ben Fox The Associated Press Mon., May 29, 2017 WASHINGTON Nancy Vasquez left the turmoil in her native El Salvador behind and moved to the U.S., where she was able to support her family, buy a house and start a food-truck business catering to workers on the outskirts of Washington thanks to a temporary residency permit that has lasted for nearly 20 years, according to Toronto Star. But the seemingly stable life that Vasquez and several hundred thousand others have built under that legal residency program now appears to be on shaky ground. Vasquez said she is thinking about how she would sell her property and move back home. Immigrants and their supporters fear U.S. President Donald Trump's skepticism about immigration means he will take a harder line than his predecessors on a program that began as a humanitarian gesture to temporarily defer deportations of people from countries that were considered too fragile to take them back especially Central American nations devastated by war or natural disasters. She also wonders what she would do with her 11-year-old daughter, a U.S. citizen by birth. Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump Vasquez said she is thinking about how she would sell her property and move back home. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

council officer: He was bilingual growing up, thanks to his French-Canadian mom, according to Hamilton Spectator. And before he hit the big time on Saturday Night Live, the criminology and sociology major worked for the federal government at the Department of Public Works, with the Canadian Penitentiary Service, and Royal Mail Canada. The Oscar-nominated comedy star was born on Canada Day July 1, 1952 in Ottawa, no less. His father, an engineer from London, Ont., also worked for the federal government and was a Privy Council officer for then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau. I am thoroughly, through and through, a Canadian, the Emmy Award-winning actor, comedian, writer, producer and businessman said in a recent phone interview. And his grandfather was a Royal Canadian Mounted Police staff sergeant. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

time allocation: While the government has allowed more time for meaningful debate, it is ready to limit it through a measure known as time allocation, according to Globe and Mail. After opposition parties refused to consider Liberal changes that would have provided more predictability for government legislation, Ms. The legislation was sent back to the House, which rejected the Senate's amendments, setting the stage for a standoff between the chambers. Chagger bit back, saying they should expect time allocation more often on government legislation in order to speed up the passage of government bills. The Harper government used time allocation 91 times on 56 bills during its last four years in office. According to the Liberals, the government has used time allocation only 14 times on nine bills during its mandate. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

hima u.s: The Department of Homeland Security has designated Cambodia as Lunn's country of origin but Cambodia has denied Lunn is a citizen, according to Metro News. Lunn was jailed in October on unarmed robbery charges but continued to be held even after the charges were ultimately dismissed. The man was released from jail May 25.A corrected version of the story is below Refugee freed as US continues to seek country to take himA U.S. refugee and convicted felon sitting in jail as federal immigration officials tried to find a country that would take him has been released, pending the resolution of the deportation issueA U.S. refugee and convicted felon sitting in jail as federal immigration officials tried to find a country that would take him has been released, pending the resolution of the deportation issue.A federal judge in Boston ordered Sreynuon Lunn, 32, released from the Suffolk County jail Thursday and placed under electronic monitoring, U.S. District Court records show. Lunn has a felony conviction from a prior case, and a judge ordered him held on a so-called Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer. He was legally allowed into the country as a refugee and given lawful permanent resident status. Lunn was born in a Thai refugee camp to Cambodian parents fleeing the Khmer Rouge and brought to the United States as a 7-month-old child. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

islamic terrorism: We will repeal it and we will defend the rights of provinces to not impose a carbon tax, Scheer said to loud applause, according to Huffington Post Canada. TAG START player CA Play In Place Autoplay for AOL Canada function commercial video var TAG END date 5/29/17 Chong also did not clap when Scheer said Conservatives realize that radical Islamic terrorism is a threat to all Canadians. Ontario MP Michael Chong, who ran on a platform to impose a revenue-neutral carbon tax arguing that the Conservatives need to address environmental concerns, sat with his hands in his lap as Scheer told his colleagues the Liberals' carbon tax is just a cash grab. He later told Huff Post Canada he is comfortable with the term and noted that he's used it before. Chong quit former prime minister Stephen Harper's cabinet in 2006 because he could not support a motion calling on the House of Commons to recognize Qu b cois as an independent nation within Canada. When asked before the speech how he would work with Scheer despite their different environment viewpoints, Chong told reporters I think my track record shows that I have always been a loyal Conservative, but always somebody who is willing to fight for the ideas that I believe in. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

israeli army: They mobilized reserves to face Egyptian troops arrayed at the border, according to Metro News. They appointed the eyepatch-wearing military hero Moshe Dayan as minister of defence . They barricaded the streets with sacks of sand. For several weeks in 1967, the underdog Israelis genuinely feared that their young Jewish state would be wiped out, even with memories of the Nazi Holocaust in Europe still fresh. Then it was over in a shocking flash. Israel vastly expanded its territory, and was crowned a regional power. A pre-emptive airstrike on June 5 destroyed the Egyptian air force on the ground, and the Israeli army also pushed back Jordan and Syria. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

middle ground: And that middle ground seems to be a very confined space in today's Canada, according to Hamilton Spectator. While the Tories resisted the populist tides sweeping much of the world, while they rejected far-right economics as well as far-right intolerance that would have rendered them both unpalatable and unelectable, they also said no to candidates who preached a more progressive brand of conservatism. But just barely. Out of this battle over the party's future, Scheer emerged from Saturday's leadership event in Toronto as the answered prayer of the party establishment and, all things considered, a reasonable compromise. He stands crowned as the rightful heir to Stephen Harper and will proudly carry on the Harper legacy. This is an achievement for which he deserves congratulations. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

nyansapo festival: In a new series of tweets on the topic, Hidalgo said her firm discussion with organizers had yielded a satisfactory clarification the parts of the festival held on property would be open to everyone and non-mixed workshops will be held elsewhere, in a strictly private setting, according to Metro News. MWASI, the Afro-feminist collective sponsoring the three-day event, responded to the mayor's latest comments by saying it hadn't changed the festival program an inch. Mayor Anne Hidalgo had strongly criticized and threatened to cancel the upcoming Nyansapo Festival a day earlier because it was forbidden to white people. That's what was planned from the beginning, the collective said of how the public and private spaces would be assigned. France defines itself as a country united under one common national identity, with laws against racial discrimination and to promote secularism to safeguard an ideal that began with the French Revolution. Anti-racism associations and far-right politicians in France both had criticized the event over the weekend for scheduling workshops limited to a single gender and race. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

party lines: I am very excited about the prospect of delivering for the people of British Columbia what they voted for on May 9, and that was change, Horgan said, according to CTV. We can do great things when we work together. On Monday, John Horgan and Andrew Weaver announced their intention to use their parties' combined 44 seats in the provincial legislature to end Christy Clark's reign as premier and form an NDP minority government. We can do great things across party lines when we have a government in place that's anxious to do that. Few details of the NDP and Greens' plans have been shared yet, but the parties did confirm the agreement does not involve forming a coalition. Their announcement ends weeks of speculation that began after the election left Weaver and two other Green MLAs holding the balance of power, and ramped up significantly after the results were finalized by Elections B.C. last week. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

nova: For everyone else, here's a quick rundown of how you can vote If you are a Canadian citizen who is 18 years or older on election day and have lived in Nova Scotia for the six months or more before the day the election is called, then you have the right to vote, according to The Chronicle Herald. You can vote at your polling station from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day. Representatives from the Shannex and Northwood facilities say polling stations will be set up within their buildings. To find your polling station, phone Elections Nova Scotia, visit their website or check the Voter Information Cards you received in the mail. You will be asked for your Voter Information Card and to show your driver's licence or Nova Scvotia ID card. There will be wheelchair access at all stations, as well as volunteers to assist people. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

president: Some show the leaders in a group, while others depict them in individual portraits, according to CTV. The paintings are part of Syrian-educated, Brussels-based artist Abdalla Al Omari's Vulnerability Series, which is currently on display at the Ayyam art gallery in Dubai. The paintings depict such figures as U.S. President Donald Trump, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, Syrian President Bashar al Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin as sad, destitute individuals facing the daily struggles of migrant life. I wanted to take away their power not to serve me and my pain, but to give those leaders back their humanity and to give the audience an insight into what the power of vulnerability can achieve, Al Omari said. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau does not appear in any of the paintings posted online. Individual portraits in the series include a disheveled Trump holding a tired child and a family portrait, Germany's Angela Merkel surrounded by chickens, and former U.S. president Barack Obama dressed as a homeless man. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

radio today: We wanted to have something for everyone, said Mike McDaniel, CEO and President of the PNE. Our fair, very similar to a number of fairs in North America, these are the acts that are doing those circuits ... there are ones that will play these events, or they won't, according to CBC. People say, 'Why don't you get any artist that's on the radio today,' but it doesn't work like that. This year's summer concert series has something from every genre, according to organizers including Mother Mother for the indie rock crowd, Billy Currington for country music fans, and Colin James for those who love the blues. Country music artist Billy Currington is one of over a dozen artists appearing at the PNE this summer. McDaniel said there are multicultural acts also planned for other stages within the fair. Debby Wong/REX/Shutterstock The series' shows are at the amphitheatre. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.