refugee claim: The majority of them filed applications to stay in Canada in either 2011 or 2012, and have been in limbo ever since with no assurance they will be allowed to stay in Canada, according to Toronto Star. Despite some efforts by the federal board that hears applications to address the backlog, the problem of application delays is likely to get worse before it gets better, since new claims keep pouring in. NICHOLAS KEUNG / Toronto Star By Star Editorial Board Mon., July 10, 2017 For Canada's 5,500 legacy refugee claimants, uncertainty about the future has long been a fact of their lives. How bad could it get A recent government analysis concluded that, left unaddressed, the backlog could eventually result in a wait-time of 11 years for a hearing on a refugee claim. That means the federal government should work swiftly to clear the backlog starting with a practical approach to the legacy claims that takes into account the many years applicants have been living as law-abiding residents of Canada. Clearly, Ottawa can't allow that to happen. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

protest spread: The small crowd of indigenous activists and supporters were ceremonially protesting near a statue of Edward Cornwallis, founder of Halifax, according to The Chronicle Herald. To the Mi'kmaq, Cornwallis is a war criminal for his actions as British colonial governor. In videos from the scene, the five so-called Proud Boys, a combination hate group-fraternity, smirked for cameras as they tried, not very hard, to provoke the protesters. Videos from the protest spread quickly online and soon the young men in matching black shirts were identified as serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Or maybe they hadn't concealed anything, which would be worse. That's when the cussing would have started at Defence HQ. Somehow, the five had managed to conceal their white supremacist allegiances from their officers and supervisors. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

snow moon: Naturalist, according to Globe and Mail. Practical joker. Policeman. Born March 11, 1930, in Newtownards, Northern Ireland; died Feb. 10, 2017, in Scarborough, Ont., of a stroke; aged 86. It was a fitting day for our dad, who admired so keenly the beauty of the natural world, to leave the Earth. A full snow moon, a lunar eclipse and a meteor event occurred Feb. 10, 2017. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

training school: In documents filed in Federal Court, Sosa Orantes says he was not even in the village of Las Dos Erres when the events took place, according to CTV. He paints himself as an upstanding instructor at a military training school during the period in question, working with local communities in Guatemala to build good relations. Jorge Vinicio Sosa Orantes denies he concealed participation in a 1982 massacre by the Guatemalan military when he obtained Canadian citizenship a decade later. Sosa Orantes, 59, is serving a 10-year sentence for immigration fraud in the United States, where he also held citizenship until it was revoked in 2014. Canada says Sosa Orantes was a senior member of a military special forces group that led a mission to Las Dos Erres in December 1982 to interrogate inhabitants after some military rifles were allegedly stolen during a guerrilla ambush of troops. In the early 1980s, the Guatemalan military junta began a ruthless campaign against guerrilla groups that wiped out 440 villages, killing over 75,000 people and displacing more than 250,000, the Canadian government says in documents filed in Federal Court. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

university avenue: The event will cover an eight-kilometre stretch between Sandwich Street, University Avenue West, Wyandotte Street East and Drouillard Road, according to CTV. Event organizers are looking for volunteers, organizations, and businesses to contribute their ideas and activities for various hubs set up along the route. The festival will take place on Sept. 17, 2017, with new, extended hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. New this year, Open Streets has dedicated an entire zone to Ontario's 150th Anniversary in recognition of the history and diversity in the community. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about how 3D printing is used to create a model of the provincial flower- the Trillium. Ontario's 150 hub will be located on University Avenue between Bruce and Janette. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

corbett: PATRICK BAZ / AFP/GETTY IMAGES Loay, 21, a Syrian refugee, attended a Canadian-funded life-skills workshop in Lebanon, according to Toronto Star. I learned a lot I didn't know before, he says. Corbett Hancey photo Syrian children play in a makeshift refugee camp on the outskirts of the town of Zahle background in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. Corbett Hancey / for the Toronto Star By Corbett Hancey Special to the Star Sun., July 9, 2017 ZAHLE, LEBANON Far from the front lines of the battle against Daesh in Iraq and Syria, a Canadian-funded initiative to counter the jihadist group in the Middle East is quietly playing out deep in the rugged countryside of Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. Carrying infants and herding young children, 20 Syrian men and women file into a six-metre-by-six-metre plastic-covered tent in a refugee camp on a wet, grey morning. So quietly, some experts question whether its impact is even measurable. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

emotion something: The program was designed to develop newcomer youth skills and awareness of individual and community mental wellness, according to CBC. Participants were involved in emotional discussions that corresponded with the creation of the sculptures. The artwork was produced through an 8-week program called the Wellness Initiative for Newcomers or W.I.N. It was organized by Windsor Women Working with Immigrant Women W5 and The Initiative Glengarry-Marentette Neighbourhood Renewal. The artwork was created to develop newcomer youth skills and awareness of individual and community mental wellness. What I saw happening with combining mental health and art is that with any emotion something beautiful can come out of it, Elzubeidi told CBC News. Leo Gil W5 mental wellness coordinator Hadeel Elzubeidi said about 30 teens aged 12-18 years old participated in the project. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

graham hughes: Lost amid the ensuing fanfare is the fact that Canada's spacefarers remain an exclusively white group, a disappointing and disturbing pattern for a country that advertises diversity as a core value, and presents astronauts as the future, and as science and technology role-models for all Canadians, according to Toronto Star. To be clear, both Sidey and Kutryk appear to be highly-qualified and very solid choices for roles in space. Graham Hughes / THE CANADIAN PRESS By Jordan Bimm Sun., July 9, 2017 Amid the sesquicentennial celebration in Ottawa earlier this month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau directed Canadians to turn toward the future and think about the next one hundred and fifty years before introducing the Canadian Space Agency's newest astronauts, Jennifer Sidey and Joshua Kutryk. Kutryk, an engineer and military test pilot from Alberta, is cut from the same cloth as NASA's original Mercury Seven, and is basically Chris Hadfield 2.0. Sidey, also from Alberta, has a PhD in mechanical engineering from Cambridge, and was also a lecturer there specializing in combustion and the physics of fire. He attended the same university and U.S. Air Force test pilot school as Hadfield and even flew in the same RCAF squadron. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

indian: King Mika Singh, one of the biggest names in Indian music industry, will energize the community with his performance during this year's Diwali Festival in October, according to Metro News. If you like to move, if you like to dance, then this is the place to be, said Raminder Walia, one of the organizers of the Indian community in Winnipeg. Long known for the regular concerts featuring Punjabi music which largely originates from northen India the Winnipeg Indian community is set to inject talent straight out of Bollywood into the local music scene. We've had a lot of Punjabi singers at our events in the past, but Mika is a celebrity everywhere and for him to be coming here in Winnipeg, it will help connect everyone from north India to south India. By inviting a household name like Singh at this year's Diwali Festival, organizers hope not only to inspire local upcoming music talent, but also to grow it to reflect the larger multicultural community of Winnipeg. Winnipeg is home to more than 75,000 people with Indian origin, but music and dance talent in the community has largely been dominated by the Punjabi influence. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

league experience: A part-time team of a lot of young and inexperienced lads against a lot of players with Championship, Super League experience who are full-time as well don't forget that element, according to Toronto Star. It's as expected, to me. Steve Russell / Toronto Star By Neil Davidson The Canadian Press Sun., July 9, 2017 In the wake of the Toronto Wolfpack's latest lopsided win, a Gloucestershire All Golds player limped by on crutches as visiting coach Lee Greenwood was being interviewed.sSaturday's 62-10 loss at Lamport Stadium took its toll on the semi-pro All Golds 6-8-0 . It was what it was, wasn't it, said an unsmiling Greenwood. Read more Wolfpack roll to another win with help from homegrown pup Article Continued Below Greenwood, a former England international, wasn't complaining. With only four extra players allowed to dress, that meant his team was down a man as the clock wound down. But he understandably did not enjoy seeing five of his charges go down during the contest. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

percentage points: A second home they inherited is also in default, according to Metro News. The Dorns expect to join the growing ranks of African-Americans who do not own their homes, a rate that was nearly 30 percentage points higher than that of whites in 2016, according to a new report. Today, the couple is living in a motel after they were evicted last year, having lost a foreclosure battle. The person who bought the house, we lost all of our memories, said Dorn, a pastor and case manager with the city health department. The nation's homeownership rate appears to be stabilizing as people rebound from the 2007 recession that left millions unemployed and home values underwater, according to the report by Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies. He put the furniture out on the street, and it was just devastating to my family. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugee camp: Carrying infants and herding young children, 20 Syrian men and women file into a six-metre-by-six-metre plastic-covered tent in a refugee camp on a wet, grey morning, according to Metro News. A facilitator from a local aid group, a young woman in her early 30s, greets them as they sit. So quietly, some experts question whether its impact is even measurable. What is communication she asks. She cradles a baby in one arm. Linking words together, says a young woman wearing a head scarf and a long-sleeved green dress. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

story: The story featured a photo of immigration officer John McEachern interviewing a group of teenagers at the Galang refugee camp in Indonesia in 1980, according to CBC. The youngest boy is wearing a striped T-shirt and staring directly at the camera, with an expression both innocent and curious. This was the case for Andy Huynh, 55, when his sister emailed him a CBC News story detailing how Canadian visa officials working in Southeast Asia helped bring tens of thousands of Vietnamese boat people to Canada. That boy was Huynh. I remember that striped shirt. He was 17 at the time. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

syrian city: Members of Iraq's Emergency Response Division rest in the Old City of Mosul in northern Iraq on Sunday after securing the area, according to CBC. Alaa Al-Marjani/Reuters The group, however, still controls territory in Iraq and is expected to revert to more conventional insurgent tactics such as bombings as its self-proclaimed caliphate falls apart. ISIS's defeat in Mosul three years after taking the city is a major blow for the hardline Sunni Islamist group, which is also losing ground in its operational base in the Syrian city of Raqqa, where it has planned global attacks. The battle for Mosul by far the largest city to fall under the militants' control has left large areas in ruins, killed thousands of civilians and displaced nearly one million people. Airstrikes and exchanges of gunfire could still be heard in the narrow streets of Mosul's Old City, where the group has staged its last stand against Iraqi forces backed by a U.S.-led international coalition. The end is near for ISIS in Iraq, but problems will persist'Their fictitious state has fallen' Iraqi officials declare victory over ISIS in Mosul The commander in chief of the armed forces Haider al-Abadi arrived in the liberated city of Mosul and congratulated the heroic fighters and Iraqi people for the great victory, his office said in a statement. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

adult children: A provincial court agreed and the Ontario government plans to change the law, according to Toronto Star. Rick Madonik / Toronto Star By Laurie Monsebraaten Social justice reporter Sat., July 8, 2017 The provincial government will table an amendment to Ontario's Family Law Act this fall to give adult children with disabilities access to child support, the Star has learned. Coates launched a constutional challenge claiming Ontario's law discriminates against children with disabilities. The move comes in the wake of a provincial court decision Friday that ruled the law unconstitutional after a Brampton single mother's fight to win child support for her 22-year-old disabled son. As soon as the house is sitting again, we will be able to table an amendment to the bill, the source said. The Ontario government will be moving forward with an amendment to include adult children with disabilities in the Family Law Act, to essentially mirror the federal Divorce Act, said the government source, who added the province has been working on the change since last fall. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

country: As soon as the woman identified only as ABC in court documents was denied entry under the Safe Third Country Agreement, the legal team filed a Federal Court challenge to the agreement, which they had been working on for months, according to CBC. The agreement requires refugees to request protection in the first safe country they arrive in. They had U of T law students waiting and watching to report back from the border. Refugees crossing from the U.S. at official border crossings are usually denied entry into Canada. Groups ask Federal Court to strike down Safe Third Country deal with the U.S. Syrian woman stuck in limbo after crossing illegally into Quebec calls for change This is the second legal challenge to the agreement but the first with a person at its core. That's part of the reason why so many risk sometimes dangerous illegal border crossings to make a refugee claim once already in the country a legal loophole that's permitted. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

court judge: That makes her eligible to vote and serve as a judge, according to Metro News. The oath was administered by a federal judge. Corpus Christi Municipal Court Judge Young Min Burkett was sworn in as a citizen on Friday. Burkett is from South Korea and had been a permanent legal resident. Burkett says she never tried to deceive or misrepresent her background. She applied for expedited review of her U.S. citizenship request after being removed from the bench. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

event: Organizers said they represent the white European man and want to spread the idea of ethnic self-defence in the face of immigration and Hungary's growing Roma community, according to CTV. Gathered in the town of Vecses on the outskirts of Budapest, speakers at the event said they wanted to build a new right-wing and fight against political correctness. About 300 supporters attended an inaugural event of Force and Determination. The meeting was held near a statue commemorating a Hungarian victory in 907 against the Franks near what now is Bratislava, Slovakia, We have to declare war against the force which represents Satanic darkness and which has made Europe unlivable and indefensible, said Zsolt Tyirityan, leader of the Outlaw Army, one of the groups in the new alliance. It makes people lose their awareness of nation, their racial identity and, slowly, their sexual identity, too. This is called liberalism. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration official: Isabel Martinez, 33, appeared before Gwinnett County Magistrate Court Judge Michael Thorpe a day after police said she stabbed the five to death and seriously injured another child at her home, according to CTV. The surviving 9-year-old girl remained hospitalized with serious injuries. Also, an immigration official said the woman, who is from Mexico, entered the U.S. illegally. Before the hearing began, Martinez sat with other inmates and posed for cameras -- smiling, giving the thumbs up, putting her hands in a prayer position and spreading her arms out wide. Ma'am, I'm going to caution you to cut out the display for the cameras, he said. As Thorpe listed the charges -- five counts of malice murder, five counts of murder and six counts of aggravated assault -- Martinez smiled, shook her head no and wagged her finger at him. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

julio cortez: The goals and victory were Canada's first at the Gold Cup since 2011, according to Toronto Star. Teenager Alphonso Davies scored twice in the second half and provided a glimpse at the talent Canada is hoping will get it back to relevance in international soccer. Julio Cortez / The Associated Press By Gavin Day The Canadian Press Fri., July 7, 2017 HARRISON, N.J. The Canadian men's soccer team built up a three-goal lead and hung on to beat French Guiana 4-2 on Friday to begin competition at the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Dejan Jakovic and Scott Arfield also scored for Canada in the first half. Jakovic was largely unaware that he had given Canada the lead when an Arfield free kick hit his ribcage and deflected into the goal in the 28th minute. After Canada had gone up 3-0, Roy Contout and Sloan Privat scored two-minutes apart with about 20 minutes remaining. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

language classes: The first fair, held last year, was targeted to Syrian refugees and drew about 900 people, according to CBC. This year, organizers opened it up to other newcomers to Winnipeg. The Newcomer Family Fair, which kicked off Saturday morning at 11 30, is designed to make new arrivals to the city feel at home and connect them with services to help them get settled providing information on everything from how to use city libraries to language classes that are available. Syrian refugee fair draws hundreds to Old Exhibition Grounds in Winnipeg The fair is mainly to provide a warm welcome to all newcomers that come to the city, both immigrants and refugees that are coming to the city, as well as Indigenous newcomers who are moving into the city, said organizer Abdi Ahmed. He said Indigenous people and new Canadians face similar challenges when they arrive in Winnipeg for the first time. Ahmed is the executive director of Immigration Partnership Winnipeg and a member of the city's Social Planning Council. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rd mistrial: Attorneys involved in the case say the deliberations lasted 2 1/2 to three hours, not four hours, according to The Chronicle Herald. A corrected version of the story is below 3rd mistrial in case of ex-cop accused of killing black man For the third time in less than a year a jury has deadlocked and forced a mistrial in the murder case of a white former Oklahoma police officer accused of killing his daughter's black boyfriend By JUSTIN JUOZAPAVICIUS Associated Press For the third time in less than a year a jury deadlocked on Friday and forced a mistrial in the murder case of a white former Oklahoma police officer accused of killing his daughter's black boyfriend, astonishing prosecutors and frustrating the boyfriend's family. In a story July 7 about a white former Oklahoma police officer accused of killing his daughter's black boyfriend, The Associated Press reported erroneously on the length of jury deliberations. Judge Sharon Holmes declared in the case former Tulsa police officer Shannon Kepler. Attorneys involved said the jurors deliberated for 2 1/2 to three hours. He was accused of fatally shooting 19-year-old Jeremey Lake in August 2014, not long after Lake started dating Kepler's then-18-year-old daughter, Lisa. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

steven welles: Sporting a large Bahamian flag, Steven Welles said he comes out for all Montreal parades, from Pride to St, according to CTV. Patrick's Day, but Carifiesta holds a special place in his heart. Catherine St. was filled with colourful costumes, dancing, music and flags as the annual Carifiesta parade celebrated Montreal's vibrant and diverse Caribbean communities. My favourite part of the parade is the costumes, the beautiful costumes and being able to jump behind the float, he said. Simone Delaney, who works with the Little Burgundy non-profit Youth In Motion, brought some of her young charges to take in the sites. Among those present were plenty of children. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

translator thursday: Said rolled his wheelchair up to a desk in an office hours after arriving in California from Kenya, saying he felt unbelievably lucky He and his family are among the last refugees allowed into the United States before the Trump administration's latest travel ban rules kick in, according to Toronto Star. Until this moment, in this interview, I still don't believe that I'm in the United States, Said told The Associated Press through a translator Thursday at the International Rescue Committee's office in San Diego, smiling while his two sons hung at the back of his wheelchair. Last year, the father of seven was shot in his other leg by robbers while living in a Kenyan refugee camp. Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump So during the flight, we all were saying that we are in a dream and it's not true yet until we finally landed at LAX, and we all said to each other Yeah, we're finally here. Article Continued Below The U.S. refugee program will be suspended Wednesday when a cap of 50,000 refugee admissions for the fiscal year the lowest in a decade was expected to be reached, according to the U.S. State Department. react-text 146 Ali Said, of Somalia, whose leg was blown off by a grenade, says he feels unbelievably lucky to be among the last refugees allowed into the United States before stricter rules kick in as part of the Trump administration's travel ban. /react-text Gregory Bull / AP Once the cap is hit, only refugees who have a relationship with an immediate family member or ties to a business in the United States will be eligible for admission during the 120-day suspension, State Department guidelines say. We made it,' he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

translator thursday: Said rolled his wheelchair up to a desk in an office hours after arriving in California from Kenya, saying he felt unbelievably lucky He and his family are among the last refugees allowed into the United States before the Trump administration's latest travel ban rules kick in, according to Metro News. Until this moment, in this interview, I still don't believe that I'm in the United States, Said told The Associated Press through a translator Thursday at the International Rescue Committee's office in San Diego, smiling while his two sons hung at the back of his wheelchair. Last year, the father of seven was shot in his other leg by robbers while living in a Kenyan refugee camp. So during the flight, we all were saying that we are in a dream and it's not true yet until we finally landed at LAX, and we all said to each other 'Yeah, we're finally here. The U.S. refugee program will be suspended Wednesday when a cap of 50,000 refugee admissions for the fiscal year the lowest in a decade was expected to be reached, according to the U.S. State Department. We made it,' he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

wife elham: In February of 2016, there was a spot for him, his wife Elham and his 17-year-old son Eyad to come to Canada as refugees, according to CBC. The family settled in Saint John, where Almouradi says he's thankful for the help they've received. Yes, even if we have to go all the way to Canada, he said, naming the most far-flung place he could imagine. I like people of Saint John. Everyone helps me, he said. Not the same as my country's. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.