african player: In another case, a hardline fan group segregated part of a stadium for people of Slavic appearance, the report alleges, according to Hamilton Spectator. Fans of Russian champion Spartak Moscow flew anti-Semitic banners. There were 89 racist and far-right incidents at Russian games in the 2016-17 season, slightly below the two previous seasons, according to Thursday's report by European anti-discrimination group FARE and Russia-based SOVA. In one case, an African player complained of racist abuse by an opponent during a Russian Premier League game. The Russian Football Union's disciplinary committee, however, has said it didn't detect a single racist incident in any of the top three divisions this season. The Russian football authorities and the government authorities have realized ... the way both of these competitions will be tarnished by the fear of racism occurring and they've taken some quite strong measures, FARE's executive director Piara Powar told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. The report comes ahead of the Confederations Cup, starting Saturday, and a year ahead of the World Cup. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

anti-migrant party: Inside, senators from an anti-migrant party, some holding stop invasion signs, interrupted the session, according to Metro News. Currently, foreigners born in Italy can seek citizenship only when they turn 18 and if they have lived in the country since birth. Right-wing protesters marched in Rome Thursday near the Senate, where the bill is being considered. The bill would allow those born in Italy to immigrant parents holding long-term residence permits to seek Italian citizenship as young as age 12 if they have done five years of schooling here. Some 800,000 children could become Italian citizens if the proposal becomes law. Foreign children not born in Italy could also apply, as long as they have done five years of schooling before becoming adults. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

audience laughter: I have this Russian guy ... believe me, it's true, it's true, according to Hamilton Spectator. While journalists were told the speech was not for reporting, a local television network broadcast audio portions on Thursday of Turnbull's comments to the backdrop of audience laughter. In a closed-door speech Wednesday night to journalists and lawmakers at Australia's equivalent of the White House Correspondents Dinner, Turnbull imitated Trump speaking about online opinion polls They are so easy to win. Trump has faced scrutiny over allegations his campaign colluded with Russia to influence the last U.S. election. Turnbull on Thursday played down his Trump impression, calling it affectionately lighthearted. A special counsel plans to interview top U.S. intelligence officials about whether Trump sought their help to get the FBI to back off a probe into former national security adviser Michael Flynn, according to three people familiar with the inquiry. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

bill c: Bill C-6 was designed to repeal many of the previous Conservative government's changes to how people become citizens and how they can lose that status, according to Toronto Star. Among other things, the legislation repeals a provision that strips dual citizens of their Canadian status if convicted of terrorism, treason or espionage. TOM HANSON / THE CANADIAN PRESS By The Canadian Press Thu., June 15, 2017 OTTAWA A Liberal bill that would make it easier for people to become Canadian citizens has passed the Senate, after over a year of back-and-forth in Parliament. But far more people lose their citizenship because it was obtained fraudulently and current law gives them no right to appeal, something not addressed in the Liberals' original bill. Article Continued Below The bill went back to the Senate and after a brief debate, passed by a vote of 51-29. The Senate proposed adding such an appeal and the Liberals agreed to that and several other amendments late last week. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

board: With 2017 application numbers expected to far exceed earlier projections, the board simply can't keep up, says the memo, obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act, according to CBC. Refugee who lost fingers to frostbite wins bid to stay in CanadaUN concerned about asylum seekers walking to Manitoba Update on asylum seekers only tells part of the story That puts the entire asylum system at risk, opposition MPs warned Thursday as they urged the Liberal government to do more than simply study the issue and then leave it to the board to find efficiencies to handle the problem. The Immigration and Refugee Board is already trying to whittle down its current backlog, but received no new money in the latest federal budget. Ensuring the right processes are in place to support government policy on immigration is essential, said Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel, warning the situation could erode public support for Canada's policy of welcoming refugees. And that's the government's fault. When the government ignores that, you start getting politicized rhetoric that's polarized on the right and the left, instead of being compassionate about people, Rempel said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

business people: Really, it's our cities, it's our communities that are the brokers for inclusion, according to CBC. He proposed a municipal nominee program, similar to the provincial nominee program, which allows skilled workers and business people chosen from around the world to get into a faster track toward settling into a province that needs them in the workforce. Where immigration is controlled at a federal level, integration happens at a local level, Alex LeBlanc, the executive director of the council, said in a presentation to the standing committee on citizenship and immigration. Calls for pilot municipal project Give cities the responsibility of selecting people, in partnership with employers, and then give cities a greater role in the integration and retention process, said LeBlanc, who was asked to speak to the committee about immigration to Atlantic Canada. But LeBlanc wants a municipal program to complement the provincial one, and he recommended running a pilot project in New Brunswick. Using the provincial program, New Brunswick has brought in 625 immigrants a year to answer certain workforce needs, and this program has dramatically increased the traffic to New Brunswick, LeBlanc said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

carlos vialard: Among the people representing refugee organizations were Carlos Vialard, site director for Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba, and Mwumvaneza Azarias Butariho of New Journey Housing, according to CTV. Dave Dessens, housing policy coordinator for the City Of Winnipeg, said many people have concerns about the imact of refugees on housing in Manitoba. The panel, organized by the City of Winnipeg at the Millennium Library, included the Carolyn Ryan, executive director of portfolio management for Manitoba Housing, as well as refugee service providers. Chief among them, fears that housing or funding is being taken away from other people in the province, particularly people who are homeless or low-income. Dessens also says if refugees are put on a list for Manitoba Housing they aren't given priority treatment over anyone else. In fact, in many cases that funding that assists those programs is in place and is not affected by refugees coming to the province, said Dave Dessens, housing policy coordinator for the City Of Winnipeg. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

citizenship cases: The bill does not spell out what Australian values are and critics argue that getting Australians to agree on what values they share is difficult, according to Metro News. Dutton said citizenship laws had to be reinforced to maintain public support for immigration and the value of citizenship during an increasingly challenging security environment. The law would give Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton power to write and revise an Australian Values Statement and it would reduce avenues to appeal his decisions on citizenship cases. The Australian community expects that aspiring citizens demonstrate their allegiance to our country and commitment to live in accordance with Australian laws and values and be willing to integrate into and become contributing members of the Australian community, Dutton told Parliament. There would also be values-based questions included in a citizenship test. Dutton said the values statement would cover respect for religious freedom and gender equality as well as commitment to the rule of law and Australia's parliamentary democracy. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cubans: The change was part of a thaw in relations with Cuba, which also agreed to start accepting the return of more of its people who get deported, according to Metro News. Now some Cubans have been detained at routine appointments with immigration officials, and many more fear they could be imperiled by old deportation orders or caught up in the increased arrests of non-citizens pursued by President Donald Trump's administration. They feel betrayed by former President Barack Obama's administration, which in its waning days stripped away a nearly automatic path to citizenship that had been offered since the 1960s to Cubans who arrived on U.S. soil, even those who showed up without a visa. I wasn't prepared for any of this. I don't know what is going to happen. How could I have seen this coming said Maykel Vargas, a Cuban who spent three months in detention after immigration officials took him into custody when he was trying to renew a temporary document. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

information act: With 2017 application numbers expected to far exceed earlier projections, the board simply can't keep up, says the memo, obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act, according to Hamilton Spectator. That puts the entire asylum system at risk, opposition MPs warned Thursday as they urged the Liberal government to do more than simply study the issue and then leave it to the board to find efficiencies to handle the problem. The Immigration and Refugee Board has been trying to whittle down the current backlog, but received no new money in the latest federal budget. Ensuring the right processes are in place to support government policy on immigration is essential, said Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel. When the government ignores that, you start getting politicized rhetoric that's polarized on the right and the left, instead of being compassionate about people, Rempel said. She said the situation could erode public support for Canada's policy of welcoming refugees. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

information act: Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen speaks during a news conference in Ottawa on Feb. 21, 2017, according to Huffington Post Canada. Photo Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press With 2017 application numbers expected to far exceed earlier projections, the board simply can't keep up, says the memo, obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act. The Immigration and Refugee Board is already trying to whittle down its current backlog, but received no new money in the latest federal budget. The Immigration Department memorandum was drawn up this spring amid a flood of people illegally crossing into Canada from the U.S. to claim asylum, dominating headlines and raising pointed House of Commons questions about the integrity of Canada's borders and immigration system. Since January, at least 2,700 people have been intercepted by the RCMP between legal border points; most went on to file claims. The department was asked to explore estimated backlogs at the Immigration and Refugee Board and the associated wait times under different scenarios, following a meeting about the U.S. border-crosser issue in March. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

information morning: Gerry Mills, executive director of the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia, said the organization was contacted by a community member who was upset by what she'd heard, according to CBC. Words can be weapons' The reality is words are usually taken at their face value and people in the public domain, and that includes bands, they have to understand that words can be weapons and that they can hurt, said Mills, whose organization is one of the largest immigrant-serving agencies in Atlantic Canada. Last week, CBC's Information Morning aired the song A Free Country by the Stanfields, in which frontman Jon Landry sings, I don't think much of strangers, much of you or your kind, you best fit in or you're free to find a better place to be. After Mills heard the complaint, she played the song for about 10 people at a meeting and said there was complete silence. Lyrics meant to be sarcastic The song, which Landry wrote in 2012, appears on the Stanfields's album For King and Country. There are many songs that have racist, sexist or have violent content and I wouldn't normally respond, but somehow when it's a band based in Halifax and when it gets played by the CBC in the morning to thousands of listeners here in Nova Scotia, it gets to be more personal, said Mills. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

islamic state: Danish said there was gunfire outside the mosque as the suicide bomber tried to force his way inside, but he was stopped by a police officer, who died in the explosion, according to The Chronicle Herald. Another policeman was wounded. Another five people were wounded, said Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish. The U.S.-based SITE, which tracks the online activity of extremist organizations, said the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack through its Amaq news agency. Last year IS claimed an attack on a Shiite shrine that killed 14 people. The Associated Press could not independently verify the claim, however the IS affiliate in Afghanistan has taken responsibility for past attacks against the country's minority Shiites. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sample questions: Applicants for Canadian citizenship must answer 75 per cent of the questions correctly in order pass the test, according to CTV. Our sample questions were developed by a Richmond, B.C., library that has a practice test based on the questions asked during the Canadian citizenship tests held across the country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sanctuary: In medieval Europe, serfs gained their freedom from feudal bondage when they moved to a city; after living there for a year, they were free members of that community, according to Huffington Post Canada. Sanctuary cities today are doing the same thing -- at least they try. It is no accident that the words city and citizenship have the same origin. By embracing residents without federal status, sanctuary cities seek to reframe political membership from the national to the local scale. Inspired by their American counterparts, several Canadian cities have declared themselves sanctuary cities. Photo Orchidpoet via Getty Images Many of America's largest cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, are sanctuary cities. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

technology event: Tory made the pledge Thursday at the Women founders and leaders in technology event, part of the Move TheDial initiative aimed at increasing female participation and leadership in Canadian tech, according to Toronto Star. Our city is home to a diverse array of talent that must be represented in the events and programming we put on for each other and for the world. . . Tory said. NYT FILE PHOTO By David Rider City Hall Bureau Chief Thu., June 15, 2017 Mayor John Tory says he and other Toronto city officials are less likely to attend tech and innovation events if they feature all-man panels and programming with little ethnic diversity. Diversity and inclusion are a huge part of our value proposition and I will be supporting and championing those events that help build that reputation at home and globally. He said he came up with the idea himself after observing many such events and speaking with people including Jodi Kovitz, founder of Move TheDial who was part of his trade delegation last fall to Israel. In written responses to the Star after the event, Tory said he, his advocate for the innovation economy Councillor Michelle Holland, economic development chair Councillor Michael Thompson and others at the city will prioritize the many events they attend based on the gender and ethnic balance of people being presented. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

code provisions: We will acknowledge and apologize for the role played by legislation, programs and policies in the historical discrimination faced by LGBTQ2 Canadians, Trudeau said, according to Globe and Mail. I believe that it's essential to make amends for past wrongs, not to simply gloss over them. Sporting rainbow-coloured socks for the occasion, Trudeau said his government is committed to acknowledging and addressing historical injustices experienced by Canadians for expressing their gender identity. The government is already moving to delete discriminatory Criminal Code provisions regarding consensual sexual activity that have been deemed unconstitutional. The Senate is also examining Bill C-16, which would add gender identity and gender expression to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination under both the Criminal Code and Canadian Human Rights Act. Bill C-39 is currently at first reading stage in the House of Commons after being introduced in March. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

year veteran: The person was not authorized to discuss the case publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, according to Toronto Star. The violence ended when the 38-year-old Lam turned the gun on himself and took his own life as workers ran from the packing facility and police closed in. Jimmy Lam, an 18-year veteran of UPS, appeared to single out the three slain drivers but investigators have yet to determine what set him off on Wednesday, an official in the San Francisco Police Department said. Friends and colleagues recounted several personal and professional troubles that Lam had been experiencing. But none of the men who were shot were managers, Cilia noted, adding that he knew of no disputes between Lam and the victims. Article Continued Below Read more Shooting at UPS centre in San Francisco leaves 4 dead, including gunman officials react-text 151 Three UPS employees were shot and killed on Wednesday at a San Francisco warehouse and customer service facility before the gunman shot himself, authorities and the company said. /react-text JOSH EDELSON / AFP/GETTY IMAGES Most recently, he was upset with UPS managers and had filed a grievance in March claiming he was working excessive overtime, said Joseph Cilia, Lam's friend and an official with the union that represents UPS drivers. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

alberta muslim: That's a 39-per-cent increase within a year, the most pronounced jump of any province in Canada, according to Stats Can, according to CBC. Aurangzeb Qureshi, spokesperson for the Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council, says the group started its Islamaphobia hotline as a direct response to a 2015 incident in Cold Lake where a mosque had the words Go Home scrawled across its wall. Police-reported hate crimes in Alberta rose from 139 in 2014 to 193 in 2015. It was the second time in a little over a year that the mosque had been vandalized. Hate crimes against Muslims in Canada up 60%, Stats Can reports Aurangzeb Qureshi isn't surprised by the rise of hate crimes in Alberta. In the first incident vandals left racist messages and broken windows. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

blood samples: The Canada Border Services Agency CBSA has the powers of arrest, detention and search and seizure, and can stop travellers for questioning, and take breath and blood samples without a warrant, yet there is no independent civilian oversight of the organization, said the B.C. Civil Liberties Association report, according to Toronto Star. This is a highly unusual situation in Canada. DARRYL DYCK / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILE PHOTO By Nicholas Keung Immigration reporter Wed., June 14, 2017 Ottawa should set up two independent oversight bodies to deal with public complaints against Canada's border officials and to review policies involving enforcement and detention, says a new report. Every significant police agency in the country has some form of independent oversight or review body, and in many cases, multiple such agencies, said the 56-page report, released Wednesday. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, who oversees the border agency, was under fire last year after a series of deaths of detainees in immigration custody and an earlier report by the United Nations over Canada's record of lengthy immigration detention stays and a lack of medical support for inmates. In light of a worrying number of deaths of migrants in detention, deplorable conditions of prolonged confinement in immigration detention facilities, and numerous examples of egregious officer conduct, this glaring gap in oversight must be urgently remedied. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian citizenship: Kids can make CBC Canada 150 paper bag beavers AND meet Napkin Man! Stop by the CBC area to have your picture taken in the CBC Canada 150 photo booth, according to CBC. Meet CBC Kids character Napkin Man, make a CBC Canada 150 beaver craft and take in the many activities that Pier 21 has to offer. There's fun for the whole family, and admission and activities are free all day. Find out more about the day's activities here. It's a moving ceremony that's not to be missed. Come early to attend an official Citizenship Ceremony as 50 immigrants take their oaths of Canadian citizenship. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

eu countries: They could be taken to Europe's top court, the European Court of Justice, if the matter is not resolved, according to The Chronicle Herald. EU countries agreed in September 2015 to relocate 160,000 refugees from Greece and Italy as the two countries struggled to cope with more than a million migrants who entered Europe mostly through their borders that year. The Commission, which polices EU agreements, sent formal letters of notice to the three states giving them one month to respond to its concerns. The Commission said in a statement that despite repeated calls for action, these three countries remain in breach of their legal obligations and have shown disregard for their commitments to Greece, Italy and other member states. But just three months before it expires this September, fewer than 21,000 people have been relocated. The two-year relocation scheme is a major plank of the EU's migration policy, and was lauded as a European show of solidarity in 2015. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cent: I was born in Nigeria, where men still hold a tight monopoly on cultural and political power, according to Huffington Post Canada. My family and I moved from Lagos to Luton when I was 11. Like a chameleon, it takes many shapes and forms, but one thing is for certain, it needs to end. The wheels of gender equality are in motion in the UK but there is evidently still a long way to go -- subtle and institutional bias persist, women still get paid 18 per cent less than men and only 25 per cent of UK STEM graduates are female. A woman's personal decision was discussed and judged in a professional setting as an inconvenience because of a workplace culture which permits and possibly promotes that rhetoric. I recently learned of an incident in London, where at a work meeting, a manager complained that a member of her team was always pregnant. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

growth plan: It also talks about other things that matter to people how much they're enjoying their life here, what's compelling them to stay here and how we're going to bring more people to Halifax, according to The Chronicle Herald. You describe part of the Halifax Index as a report card to gauge the progress on the city's growth plan. What kind of story does it tell The Halifax Index tries to give a broad overview of the state of Halifax the economic state, unemployment numbers, etc. but there's much more to life than that, of course. Does Halifax make the grade We're seeing good progress on many fronts and also recognizing opportunities for increased effort and improvement. Overall, Halifax is growing and, based on the most recent population estimates, on track to meet our growth goal of 470,000 people by 2021. This year, the Index includes a section that reports on progress towards Halifax's Economic Growth Plan goals. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration: The state's 125 billion budget which is set to be approved Thursday has a related measure to prevent local governments from signing contracts with federal authorities for immigration detention facilities or expanding existing contracts, according to Metro News. It would also have the state attorney general review conditions at immigration detention facilities in California. California is aiming to quash the growth of immigration detention in the state under a proposed budget measure to push back against the Trump administration's plans to boost deportations. I think we send a very clear message in this budget that California is going in the opposite direction of Trump's administration, said Sen. The budget was negotiated by Gov. Ricardo Lara, a Democrat. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

incidents: Hamilton regularly ranks in that second place spot, in part because of increased reporting here, police say, according to Hamilton Spectator. Hamilton saw 55 hate incidents reported in 2015, at a rate of 9.9 per 100,000 population. This ranking, based on 2015 statistics, is not new. That was down from 82 incidents and a rate of 14.9 in 2014. When Hamilton police present their hate crime statistics to the police board each year, they break them down between actual crimes motivated by hate and non-criminal incidents with hate overtones. Statistics Canada tracks hate crimes differently than internal police statistics, including classifying hate crimes as all police-reported incidents found to have been motivated by hate toward a particular identifiable group. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.