ben: The Milk with Dignity agreement was signed by Ben & Jerry's CEO Jostein Solheim and members of the group Migrant Justice, according to Metro News. It assures the human rights of the workers and ensures better relations with farmers because workers will do a better job, said Enrique Kike Balcazar, a 24-year-old farmworker from Tabasco, Mexico, who has worked in Vermont for seven years and is now a leader of Migrant Justice. Ice cream maker Ben & Jerry's promised Tuesday to improve the pay and working conditions of labourers hired by the farms that provide milk for the Vermont-based company's quirky flavours while promising to pay the farmers who employ the workers more. And Ben & Jerry's wins ... because they will sell a product that assures the human rights of the workers so the consumers will receive a just product. Solheim said the agreement is the first of its kind in the dairy industry in the United States and possibly the world. That is milk with dignity, Balcazar said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

edmonton attacks: Women will bear the brunt of the racism, I guarantee you, because they display the hijab, Accord said, according to Toronto Star. Read more Article Continued Below Grieve for Las Vegas, Edmonton, but sidestep the trolls Paradkar Suspect in Edmonton attacks was investigated by RCMP in 2015Suspect in Edmonton attack faces terrorism, attempted murder charges react-empty 157 Nuurto Abdirahman said she was driving near Norquest College Monday morning when a man stopped his car to shout at her, calling her a bitch and a terrorist and saying, You should go back to your own country. Mahamad Accord, with the Edmonton Coalition for Human Rights, said he heard from one Muslim woman who was hospitalized Monday after she had a bottle smashed on her head while riding the LRT. He said he heard from two more women by Monday afternoon who had men yell hateful things at them in public. I didn't do anything, and I drove, she said.A man who police have identified as Somali refugee claimant Abdulahi Hasan Sharif, 30, drove his car into a police officer and ran over several pedestrians with a U-Haul truck on Saturday night. While hundreds attended a peace rally and vigil Sunday organized by Edmonton's Muslim community, the attack stirred up some anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiment on social media. Police said the man had a flag in his car representing the terrorist group Daesh. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

iranian alliance: The Trump administration in September announced the most recent restrictions, which affect citizens of Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen -- and some Venezuelan government officials and their families, according to CTV. They are to go into effect Oct. 18. The lawsuits were filed Monday in federal courts in New York and Maryland. One lawsuit, filed Monday night in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Maryland on behalf of the Iranian Alliance Across Borders and six individuals, argues that restricting travel for citizens of predominantly Muslim countries violates the U.S. Constitution. This erosion of fundamental American values must stop, said Shayan Modarres, legal counsel for the National Iranian American Council, one of the groups that filed the lawsuit. Iranian Americans, and other affected communities, have had to familiarize themselves with ambiguous new laws and policies every few months because of this president's obsession with fulfilling a flawed campaign promise to ban Muslims from the United States. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

case: Liberal justices voiced sympathy for the Democratic voters who challenged the Republican-drawn legislative map in Wisconsin as a violation of their constitutional rights, according to CBC. Conservative justices expressed doubt about whether courts should intervene in such highly political disputes, and questioned the challengers' legal standing to bring the case. After the hour-long argument in the major voting rights case out of Wisconsin, it appeared that conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy, who sometimes sides with the court's liberals in big cases, could cast the decisive vote. The court has a 5-4 conservative majority. Like the other conservative justices, Kennedy questioned whether the challengers had standing to bring the claim. It is considering the legality of partisan gerrymandering, the practice that began two centuries ago of manipulating boundaries of legislative districts to benefit one party and diminish another, and whether the Republicans who drew Wisconsin's electoral map intended to reduce the clout of Democratic voters. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

kombucha: As locally made kombucha continues to tickle taste buds and rise in popularity, Organic Earth has added a slew of brands to their shelves, according to The Chronicle Herald. The fermented drink is tasty and helps with digestion and provides good-for-your-gut probiotics. This year, Organic Earth's store manager, Tracy Nauss, has signed up more than 20 new local vendors to expand the ever-growing number of new products in store. On the list of local suppliers now at the store are Halifax-based Cove Kombucha, Dartmouth-based Pop Culture Brewing and another Dartmouth-based fermentary, Goodmore Kombucha. Just because Organic Earth carries healthy foods doesn't mean you should miss out on a tasty treat. Each brand creates its own unique blends and flavours, from raspberry lemonade to green rosehip hibiscus. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

police: Sharif, a Somali national, became known to police in 2015 after a report was received that he may have been radicalized, but investigators determined at that time that he did not pose a threat, according to CTV. Nor is there any suggestion the accused was assessed as a public safety risk when he entered Canada at a legal border crossing in 2012, Goodale said Monday. Abdulahi Hasan Sharif is facing 11 charges -- including five counts of attempted murder -- after a city police officer was stabbed and four people were struck by a cube van in what authorities have characterized as an act of terror. There was no deleterious information that was available at that stage, Goodale said. That Goodale took pains to point out how Sharif entered the country highlights the current tension around Canada's asylum system. Goodale said the procedures in place to vet newcomers are extensive, and include criminal background checks both in Canada and abroad, but would not discuss Sharif's case further given the ongoing police investigation. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

state: It was a symbolic call for unity A longtime leader of Kurdish fighters, Talabani became the head of state of what was supposed to be a new Iraq, freed two years earlier from the rule of Saddam Hussein, according to The Chronicle Herald. Talabani's death on Tuesday was a reminder of how that experiment in unity has frayed nearly to the point of unravelling Only a week earlier, Kurds voted overwhelmingly in a referendum in support of breaking away from Iraq to form an independent state, sending tensions spiraling with the central government in Baghdad and with Iraq's neighbours, who fear similar Kurdish separatist sentiment on their soil. You must accept that. At the time of the vote, Talabani had been out of politics for nearly five years after a 2012 stroke left him debilitated and permanently hospitalized. While in power, Talabani was seen as a unifying elder statesman who could soothe tempers among Iraq's Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds. He died in a Berlin hospital at the age of 83 after his condition rapidly deteriorated, according to Marwan Talabani, a relative and senior official in the office of Talabani's son, the deputy prime minister of the Kurdish region. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

talabani: But the country's centrifugal forces have only accelerated since he was hospitalized nearly five years ago, as it has battled the Sunni extremists of the Islamic State group and faced growing demands for Kurdish independence, according to Toronto Star. Talabani suffered a stroke in 2012 and was moved to a German hospital later that year for treatment. Talabani was often seen as a unifying elder statesman who could soothe tempers among Iraq's Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds. He died Tuesday after his condition rapidly deteriorated, according to Marwan Talabani, a relative and senior official in the office of Talabani's son. The vote, which was led by his longtime Kurdish rival, regional President Masoud Barzani, is not expected to lead to Kurdish state anytime soon and has further isolated the small land-locked region. Read more Iraqi ban on flights to Kurdish capital goes into effect Article Continued Below Polls close on landmark Iraqi Kurd independence vote as Turkey threatens military intervention His death came days after the Kurds voted for independence, essentially rejecting the vision of a unified, multi-ethnic Iraq that he had championed in the chaotic years after the U.S.-led invasion. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

u.s .,: But will United States President Donald Trump do anything about the metastasizing gun violence in the U.S., where, count on it, some gunned up, NRA-card-holding, paranoid lunatic -- almost certainly white, male, and Christian is already plotting to break that record Unlikely, according to Rabble. Beyond meaningless platitudes about prayer and unity, Mr. By nightfall, the death toll had risen to 59; the numbered injured to nearly 530.A smaller headline beneath read Trump Calls for Unity After Act of Pure Evil. Trump is about as likely to do something, or even to say anything helpful, as he is to dispatch aid to hurricane-battered colonial Puerto Rico with alacrity and generosity. The Great Deceiver is working on a plan to extend America's 17-year war in Afghanistan for another decade. However, as many have observed, it's likely the Great Divider is beavering away behind the scenes to ensure nine million American children are immediately deprived of health insurance. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

zaw htay: It has said the group, assembled after similar violence last October, is interfering in Myanmar's affairs, according to Metro News. The diplomats, taken Monday on a guided government tour of the affected area, said in a joint statement that there is a dire need for humanitarian aid. But the president's office spokesman, Zaw Htay, told The Associated Press on Tuesday the government will stick by its earlier decision to bar the U.N. mission. The crisis in Rakhine has drawn international concern because of the exodus of more than 500,000 Rohingya to neighbouring Bangladesh in just a month's time. Human rights groups charge that the army has abused and killed civilians and burned down thousands of homes. The violence began when the army retaliated for raids on government security posts on Aug. 25 by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, an insurgent group. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cent independents: But trade with Canada was an exception, according to National Observer. No less than 79 per cent of U.S. respondents said Canada trades fairly with their country with that feeling shared by self-identified core Trump supporters 73 per cent Trump-skeptical Republicans 75 per cent Independents 79 per cent and Democrats 83 per cent . That was warmer than views on trade with Europe, Japan, and South Korea, and significantly higher than for trade with the other country now involved in renegotiating NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement only 47 per cent expressed the same attitude about Mexico.NAFTA on the outs Results on NAFTA point to a broader pattern of the survey. The annual survey by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs measured opinions on the president's so-called America First policies and found dramatic splits on a series of international issues, where core Trump supporters were isolated from other Republicans, Independents and Democrats. While 53 per cent agreed NAFTA was good for the economy, the breakdown showed 70 per cent of Democrats agreeing, along with 49 per cent of Republicans who were less enthusiastic on Trump, and just 20 per cent of self-described staunch Trump supporters agreeing. The president of the Chicago Council pegged the core Trump supporters at 25 to 30 per cent. It's a pattern that repeated itself on other international issues where it was Trump's core supporters versus the majority of the country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rafael nadal: In some circumstances this is true, according to Vancouver Courier. You can't just walk onto the football pitch and start playing in the World Cup, or take on Rafael Nadal at tennis in the French Open. Many think that these kinds of things should be left to the professionals, and that even if they wanted to they wouldn't have a chance of being able to enter a major event. But there are certain annual occasions that everyday people can train for and get involved with. It has been going for a few decades now, but it's only more recently that it has become a globally recognised event. One of these events is the World Series of Poker. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

vancouver filmmaker: Featuring fellow Canadians Sandra Oh and Don McKellar, the film focuses on a devoted Chinese immigrant wife Cheng Pei Pei . It has already won the praise of critics and distributors, according to Vancouver Courier. Mongrel Media has picked up the distribution rights and will be releasing it domestically March 9, 2018, according to Stephen Hegyes, the film's co-producer. Showcased as the Opening Night Gala Film, the much-anticipated screening comes on the heels of the movie's successful debut at the Toronto International Film Festival. Hegyes, along with Oh, reunited with Shum almost 25 years later to work on the project following the success of Shum's 1994 film Double Happiness, which catapulted the Vancouver filmmaker into the spotlight. It will present films, talks, workshops and events to bring audiences and creators closer together to discuss, discover and celebrate the world of film. The festival, which runs until Oct. 13, is building on the success of its multi-experiential stream model. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

alberta election: With Premier Rachel Notley's NDP government holding down by far the most seats in the Legislative Building in Edmonton, a busy United Conservative opposition party sucking up all the oxygen in the media, and an Alberta election beginning to loom, you'd think the federal NDP race that may end today would have been the subject of intense interest in Alberta political circles, and not just on the government side, according to Rabble. Instead not so much. There's always the possibility a moose will dash out in front of your pickup truck, but mainly it's just been the sight of trees whizzing past, kilometre after interminable kilometre. This is partly by accident -- it's not 2012 anymore. The future doesn't look as bright as it did when NDPers picked the disappointing Thomas Mulcair to replace him. That is to say, New Democrats, in Alberta and elsewhere, are no longer in shock at the death of Jack Layton, the leader who the year before brought them to the threshold of government in Ottawa. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian flag: Really hope everyone in Edmonton is ok, according to Metro News. We're behind you. Domi tweeted Sunday night about a Somali refugee who is facing a number of charges, including five counts of attempted murder, dangerous driving and participation in a terrorist activity. This is why we have to be aware of some of the people we let into our country, said Domi, who added an emoji of a Canadian flag. The attacks occurred Saturday night near Commonwealth Stadium during a game between the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Domi, the son of former NHL enforcer Tie Domi, was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and grew up in the Toronto area. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

court judge: Over 2,042 days behind bars, he underwent more than 70 detention reviews but each time an independent panel sent him back to jail, convinced he was likely to flee and fail to appear for his removal until a Federal Court judge overturned his continued detention and ordered Ottawa to explore the possibility of returning Warssama to Somalia and consider alternatives to detention, according to Toronto Star. The sole purpose of his detention was to facilitate his removal from Canada to Somalia. Abdirahmaan Warssama, 54, was detained at two maximum security detention facilities, first in Toronto and later in Lindsay, Ont., from May 2010 to December 2015 while waiting for his deportation to Somalia. Yet for the totality of his detention, removal to Somalia was never attempted, said Warssama's statement of claim against the federal government filed with the court Thursday. Despite the fact that he suffered from mental health issues, his detention was solely administrative not punitive, and he was not considered a danger to the public, yet at all material times, Warssama was detained in a maximum-security prison. He is seeking 55 million in damages. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

documents: Prosecutors have several witnesses who in court documents recalled their interactions with Jabbateh, 51, when he was alleged to be a high-ranking member of the United Liberation Movement for Democracy and a splinter faction called ULIMO-K, both Liberian rebel groups in the 1990s, according to Metro News. In one 1994 account, a man identified in court documents as Witness AA said that he saw Jabbateh order his soldiers to kill a town chief whose heart was then removed, boiled and eaten. But for nearly the last two decades, Mohammed Jabbateh has lived a quiet life in America after being granted asylum a protection that will soon come into question after a jury was selected Monday for his trial on charges that he lied about his past on U.S. immigration documents. Another witness described how rebels put gasoline-doused tires around two prisoners of war and set them ablaze after Jabbateh instructed his men to execute them. And when he applied for permanent residence in 2002, he also wrote that he never engaged in genocide or killings rooted in race, religion or political opinion. Yet when an immigration official interviewed him about his asylum application in 1999, Jabbateh responded no when asked if he had ever committed a crime or if he had ever harmed anyone, according to prosecutors. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

hairstyling business: Too little to pass the required licensing exam to work in a hair salon, according to CBC. He was one of the few to arrive here alone. When he first arrived to Canada in 2016, along with the wave of Syrian refugees, 24-year-old Jneid spoke little English. And while he styled people's hair to keep up his skills, it was all done on a volunteer basis. He makes house calls. Syrian hair stylist tries to build new career in Moncton Moncton struggles to keep up with pace of Syrian arrivals Fast-forward a year and a half, and Jneid has not only obtained his hairdressing licence, but he's bought himself a car and opened a mobile hairstyling business in Moncton. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

interest charges: Eliminating interest charges and extending the repayment period as well as the period before the loan becomes repayable will give resettled refugees more time to focus on their integration, without needing to give immediate attention to loan repayments, the notice says, according to CTV. Those who currently have a loan would not accumulate any further interest but their repayment schedule would remain the same; recipients must begin paying back the loan 30 days after landing in Canada and have between one and six years to repay, depending on the amount. Instead, the government is proposing to eliminate interest charges on all new loans and give new borrowers more time to pay them back, according to a notice of the pending changes posted online by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. The immigration loan program was set up in the aftermath of the Second World War to help immigrants from Europe who couldn't cover the costs of their travel to Canada. A 2015 evaluation of the loan program found the existing repayment terms were having a negative effect on the ability of refugees to settle in Canada and suggested the government find a better way to help cover their transportation and other costs. But today, 98 per cent of the program's users are refugees hand-picked by the government or private sponsors to settle in Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

metro: Shareholders of Jean Coutu are being offered a combination of cash and shares worth about 24.50 per share, according to CBC. Three-quarters of the payout or 3.2 billion will be in cash and 25 per cent in Metro shares, making Jean Coutu shareholders 11 per cent owners of Metro. Grocery chain Metro Inc. has made a formal offer to take over Jean Coutu pharmacy group after exclusive negotiations between the two retailers. Metro has more than 850 food and pharmacy stores in Quebec and Ontario, while Jean Coutu has 419 pharmacies in Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick. Jean Coutu Group CEO Fran ois Coutu will continue to run the pharmacy group. Together, including their franchise operations, they employ 86,000 people and are the largest private sector employer in Quebec, according to Metro chief executive officer Eric La Fl che. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

police officer: He tweeted Sunday evening about a Somali refugee who is facing a number of charges, including five counts of attempted murder, dangerous driving and participation in a terrorist activity after allegedly attacking a police officer and running over four pedestrians, according to CTV. Really hope everyone in Edmonton is ok. Domi is the son of former NHL enforcer Tie Domi and was born in Winnipeg. We're behind you. The attacks occurred Saturday night near Commonwealth Stadium during a game between the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. This is why we have to be aware of some of the people we let into our country, said Domi, who added an emoji of a Canadian flag. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

police: Sharif, a Somali national, became known to police in 2015 after a report was received that he may have been radicalized, but investigators determined at that time that he did not pose a threat, according to The Chronicle Herald. Nor is there any suggestion the accused was assessed as a public safety risk when he entered Canada at a legal border crossing in 2012, Goodale said Monday. Abdulahi Hasan Sharif is facing 11 charges including five counts of attempted murder after a city police officer was stabbed and four people were struck by a cube van in what authorities have characterized as an act of terror. There was no deleterious information that was available at that stage, Goodale said. That Goodale took pains to point out how Sharif entered the country highlights the current tension around Canada's asylum system. Goodale said the procedures in place to vet newcomers are extensive, and include criminal background checks both in Canada and abroad, but would not discuss Sharif's case further given the ongoing police investigation. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

somali refugee: He tweeted Sunday evening about a Somali refugee who is facing a number of charges, including five counts of attempted murder, dangerous driving and participation in a terrorist activity after allegedly attacking a police officer and running over four pedestrians, according to Toronto Star. Really hope everyone in Edmonton is ok. Domi is the son of former NHL enforcer Tie Domi and was born in Winnipeg. We're behind you. Read more Suspect in Edmonton attacks charged with attempted murder; terrorism charges expected, police say Article Continued Below Edmonton attacks are instances of unstoppable terrorism,' experts say Suspect in Edmonton attack faces terrorism, attempted murder charges The attacks occurred Saturday night near Commonwealth Stadium during a game between the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. This is why we have to be aware of some of the people we let into our country, said Domi, who added an emoji of a Canadian flag. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

suspensions article: The stark reality of lower academic achievement transcends borders and calls for shared strategies between countries, says Jerlando Jackson, professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and chair of the International Colloquium on Black Males in Education, according to Toronto Star. Read more Ontario school boards to collect detailed data on hiring, suspensions Article Continued Below End unjust and ineffective practice of academic streaming Editorial Schools must collect more race-based data on students, report urges The sixth annual summit for researchers, policymakers, parents and students is being held in Toronto because it's one of the most diverse cities in the world with a large immigrant population, said Jackson, who is also director of his university's equity and inclusion laboratory. react-empty 167 We saw it as a unique place to unpack the divergent experiences from a global perspective. Amid mounting concern about those documented trends, a global summit is taking place in Toronto this week to address what organizers describe as common barriers around the world, particularly for Black males. The four-day event, previously held in such locations as England, Jamaica and Atlanta, includes workshops for students interested in pursuing post-secondary or graduate school and covers topics ranging from recruitment of diverse male teachers and mentorship to redesigning curriculum to engage Black youth and strategies for reducing suspensions and boosting graduation rates. Last month, the Ontario government announced it will require all school boards to collect race-based data aimed at identifying and addressing racial disparities and announced plans to end academic streaming in Grade 9, which disproportionately affects Black students. The gathering, in downtown Toronto, comes on the heels of major initiatives aimed at supporting Black students from the province and several school boards. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

war crimes: They have lined up several witnesses who claim to have seen him order or commit war atrocities, according to Metro News. Jabbateh's attorney says his client denies taking part in the violent acts. Prosecutors say Jabbateh was a high-ranking member of Liberian rebel groups for much of the 1990s. He was arrested last year outside Philadelphia. Prosecutors say Jabbateh was a high-ranking member of Liberian rebel groups for much of the 1990s. Court proceedings are expected to continue Tuesday. 1 30 a.m.A man who federal prosecutors say committed war crimes in Liberia is scheduled to go on trial in Philadelphia on charges that he lied about his past to enter the U.S. Court records show that 51-year-old Mohammed Jabbateh will go on trial on Monday after being charged with lying on his immigration forms while seeking asylum and residency nearly two decades ago. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

art projects: The summit, entitled Of Land And Revolution, served as a two-day intro to the event and to current thinking about art and resistance, according to NOW Magazine. Creative Time has obviously learned how to keep these things running smoothly. The org is known for putting on art projects outside institutional and gallery settings Kara Walker's ASubtlety, a giant sphinx made of sugar exhibited in a Brooklyn warehouse; Pedro Reyes's Doomocracy, a pre-2016-election Halloween horror house; Duke Riley's Fly By Night, a performance by LED-light-equipped pigeons; and Pledges Of Allegiance, a series of artist-designed, issue-based flags currently flying over NYC. Toronto invited Creative Time's director, Nato Thompson, to curate the City Hall section of Nuit Blanche, a village of shipping containers dubbed A Monument To The Century Of Revolutions. At the September 29 plenary sessions at Koerner Hall, an onstage band played a chord or two to signal speakers that their time was up, la Oscars. Opportunity for interaction was offered at the workshops held September 30 at the AGO. Here are some takeaways from the mix of Canadian and international speakers.1. Instead of the usual Q&As so often dominated by pedantic white men an organizer posed a few questions at the end of each talk. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.