price tag: Ferguson said the government is lowballing both the three-year timeline and the 540 million price tag for a long-term, efficient solution, and called on the Treasury Board of Canada and Public Services and Procurement Canada to track and publicly report on the plan, according to CBC. But despite the major problems, he said it would be wrong to scrap the Phoenix system now after seven years of development and implementation. In his fall slate of six audits, Auditor General Michael Ferguson finds that successive governments have failed to address the Phoenix payroll mess, leaving thousands of employees overpaid, underpaid or not paid at all. If they started all over again, it's hard to see how they would actually end up in a better situation, he said. Highlights from the fall 2017 auditor general report Canadians getting bad advice from the taxman auditor Auditor criticizes misconduct at military college Answers to 9 questions on Canada immigration The Phoenix system already cost 310 million to create and implement, which means the overall cost to build and fix the program is edging toward 1 billion. I think at this point, their only real option is to try and resolve the problem within the system as it exists right now. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

services newcomers: We were concerned about the department's inability to track whether the Syrian refugees had access to basic provincial services, such as health care and education especially considering that part of the department's objective was to help Syrian refugees benefit from Canada's social, medical, and economic systems, the auditor general's report said, according to Toronto Star. While a rapid impact evaluation the population was conducted by the government for the first wave of arrivals, the auditor general went digging over the longer term, looking to see whether Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada was both providing the services newcomers needed and tracking what happened next. Markers like how many kids are in school or how many Syrians are on income assistance weren't being measured between fall 2015 and the spring of this year, the period examined by the federal watchdog, raising questions about what happened to the population once they began to settle in Canada. This audit is important because the Syrian refugee initiative will succeed in the long term only if the people it brought to Canada integrate into Canadian society, the report said. Article Continued Below So what happened, for example, was that Syrians in some parts of the country faced lengthy wait times for language classes because the government wasn't keeping an eye on those wait lists and in turn ensuring funds were being allocated where they were needed most. react-text 151 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau greets newly-arrived Syrian refugees at Pearson International airport on Dec. 11, 2015. While the federal government did have a plan to track outcomes, it either didn't collect all the required data outright, or had trouble getting from the provinces and settlement organizations, the report said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

treasury board: Some 1,400 new or reallocated employees have been seconded to resolving Phoenix, in addition to 550 staff at the Miramichi Pay Centre, more than offsetting the savings Phoenix was supposed to produce by eliminating the need for 1,200 jobs, according to CBC. Auditors uncovered dismal service standards at the Canada Revenue Agency's nine call centres across the country, reporting that nearly a third of all callers were given incorrect information. Public Services and Procurement Canada and the Treasury Board failed to recognize early enough the depth and severity of the Phoenix problem, and failed to involve other departments in developing a timely plan to deal with the issue. '1100931139976', 'playlist Selector' 'container Selector' ' container64128515', 'ciid' 'caffeine14412360' ; Auditor General says Phoenix pay system here to stay2 21 As of June 2017, 18 months after Phoenix was first implemented, more than 150,000 public servants were waiting for a pay request to be processed, with the value of the outstanding errors at about 500 million. CBC Agents at the Canada Revenue Agency's call centre, meant to assist taxpayers with their tax questions, answered only 36 per cent of all incoming calls and provided incorrect answers to auditors nearly 30 per cent of the time. Each blocked caller made an average of three or four calls per week, often never getting through. The CRA blocked some 29 million of the 53.5 million incoming calls during the audit period, resulting in a busy signal or a message to try back later. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

yan peng: Immigration surge has newcomers' association seeking more resources Namaste World website shows life from an immigrant's perspective I'm painting the house in the winter, I like the snow, said Yan Peng from southern China, according to CBC. She adds some yellow to an image of an old Island house. They're taking the inaugural watercolour class for newcomers and on Wednesday afternoon they'll put on an art show. Like many in the class she hasn't studied painting before and she loves it. Karen Mair/CBC Julia Purcell, who is leading the class, says the idea came from her own experiences with people new to the Island. Manouchchr Alkhorshid right from Iran plans to continue painting. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

year hadn: Park worked as a private tutor, and money was tight in the late spring and summer months when school was out, according to Toronto Star. He figured he could re-enrol at the end of the year the rules of the program allowed people to renew lapsed registrations as long as a full year hadn't passed. While he knew the significance of the protection he received under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, he had one problem he didn't have the money to pay the 495 registration fee required to renew his participation in the program for two more years. Read more U.S. District Court Judge permanently blocks Trump's order to cut funding for sanctuary cities Article Continued Below High school and college DACA recipients march on Capitol Hill Immigration activists call out Pelosi over DACA deal with Trump We are not your bargaining chip'In September, though, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the Trump administration is phasing out the program. I had planned to renew it but Trump did not give me enough notice, Park said at a news conference Tuesday. Those who were enrolled in the program would be eligible to file for one last two-year extension if their registration was close to expiring. react-empty 159 But those like Park, whose registration had lapsed, were barred from renewing. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

employment initiative: Steven Hanuse has served as the liaison between the Vancouver Police Department and Musqueam First Nation, according to Vancouver Courier. He has established a good rapport between the two groups, which has led to a reduction in crime and a safer community. Eight British Columbians received the award this week, including four Vancouver residents. Rick Lavallee is an Aboriginal liaison officer in the VPD's diversity and aboriginal policing section. Vancouver police officer Desiree Sparrow is one of the few Indigenous officers representing the department in the Aboriginal Employment Initiative. He is dedicated to ensuring safety and a positive connection with members of the urban Indigenous population, working as a youth mentor and communicating the needs of the community to the department. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

majority members: The concerns are unjustified, according to National Observer. Women comprise the majority of Montreal residents and, for the very first time in the city's history, more women than men were elected to Montreal City Hall. It's fascinating that such hand-wringing rarely seems to take place when the majority members of a council or a panel are men. There was, therefore, no shortage of qualified elected officials for Mayor Plante to appoint to the committee. How half of the population can be cast as a special interest group baffles me. Despite those facts, some critics framed the balanced committee membership as tokenism and charged that Plante caved in to special interests. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

career college: Clarke is a trained early childhood educator who graduated in June from the private career college Nova Scotia College of Early Childhood Education in Halifax, according to CBC. Foreign students claim they were misled about chances of staying in Canada Private career college says work permit claim not 'deliberate attempt to deceive anyone' She attended the school as an international student from Jamaica, taking a two-year diploma program she believed would allow her to gain a work permit upon graduation. After being unable to legally work since October, she's trying to raise enough money to cover the rent on her Halifax apartment. I just have a love and a passion for working with kids. The trouble was, Clarke, like all of the other international students at private colleges like NSCECE, was actually not eligible for the post-graduate work permit even though in practice, federal immigration officials have been granting the permit to students like Clarke for several years. And so that's why I pretty much decided that for me to live and work here, this would be something I would want to pursue, she said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

carlos lee: Also among the newcomers to the 33-man ballot announced Monday are Jamie Moyer, Andruw Jones, Carlos Lee, Kevin Millwood, Carlos Zambrano and Johnny Damon, according to Metro News. Trevor Hoffman, who fell five votes short last year, leads holdovers that include Vladimir Guerrero, Edgar Martinez, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mike Mussina and Curt Schilling. They are joined by Johan Santana and Chris Carpenter. Roy Halladay will not appear on the ballot for another year. A player who dies less than five full years after retiring is eligible in the next election six months following his death or at the end of the five-year wait after his retirement, whichever comes first. The retired pitcher died Nov. 7 at age 40 when a plane he was piloting crashed off Florida. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

federica mogherini: But her speech highlighted the views of many in Myanmar who see the Rohingya as illegal immigrants and blame the population for terrorist acts, according to Metro News. The Rohingya exodus is sure to be raised by the visitors at the meetings held Monday and Tuesday. Suu Kyi did not directly mention the refugee exodus in her speech to welcome European and Asian foreign ministers in Naypyitaw, the capital of Myanmar. Suu Kyi said conflicts around the world gave rise to new threats and emergencies, citing how illegal immigration spread terrorism and violent extremism, social disharmony and even the threat of nuclear war. 11 a.m. Federica Mogherini said work still was needed on implementing the recommendations. The European Union's top diplomat says she is encouraging Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's willingness to implement the recommendations of an expert panel on ensuring stability in troubled Rakhine state. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

meetings monday: But her speech highlighted the views of many in the country who see the Rohingya as illegal immigrants and accuse them of terrorist acts, according to The Chronicle Herald. The ongoing Rohingya exodus is sure to be raised by the visitors at the meetings Monday and Tuesday. Suu Kyi did not directly mention the refugee exodus in a speech to European and Asian foreign ministers in Myanmar's capital, Naypyitaw. Suu Kyi said the world is in a new period of instability as conflicts around the world give rise to new threats and emergencies, citing Illegal immigration's spread of terrorism and violent extremism, social disharmony and even the threat of nuclear war. Myanmar has been widely criticized for the military crackdown that has driven more than 620,000 Rohingya to flee Rakhine state into neighbouring Bangladesh. Conflicts take away peace from societies, leaving behind underdevelopment and poverty, pushing peoples and even countries away from one another. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

nalan ciftci: October 29, 1923, is the date of the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, she said, according to The Chronicle Herald. This particular day is a public holiday throughout Turkey, commemorating this proclamation. Nalan Ciftci, the president of the Turkish Society of Nova Scotia, was on hand to share remarks with the crowd. All Turks and people of Turkish decent around the world are celebrating this very important day with joy and pride. We are grateful to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and his comrades in arms. Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Turkey, Ali Cinar, also shared in the celebration. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

purge homosexuals: The record of how LGBTQ2 Canadians were treated by their own government, and the human pain and cost that resulted because of that treatment, is egregious, according to Toronto Star. The We Demand an Apology Network, for one, has chronicled national security campaigns to purge homosexuals from Canada's public service, the RCMP and the military. That Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced he will formally apologize in the House of Commons on Nov. 28 for Canada's history of persecution and injustices inflicted on sexual minorities can only be applauded. From the 1950s to the early 1990s, thousands of federal employees were fired simply because they were lesbian, gay or bisexual. For many, their careers, livelihoods, relationships and health were ruined. The RCMP had a database in the 1960s of some 9,000 expected gay men and lesbians working in the federal government. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugee exodus: But her speech highlighted the views of many in the country who see the Rohingya as illegal immigrants and accuse them of terrorist acts, according to CBC. The ongoing Rohingya exodus is sure to be raised by the visitors at the meetings Monday and Tuesday. Suu Kyi did not directly mention the refugee exodus in a speech Monday to European and Asian foreign ministers in Myanmar's capital, Naypyitaw. Suu Kyi said the world is in a new period of instability as conflicts around the world give rise to new threats and emergencies, citing illegal immigration's spread of terrorism and violent extremism, social disharmony and even the threat of nuclear war. Did the UN ignore warnings of ethnic cleansing of Rohingya in Myanmar Canada's Special Envoy to Myanmar 'We have to try to engage Aung San Suu Kyi' Myanmar has been widely criticized for the military crackdown that has driven more than 620,000 Rohingya to flee Rakhine state into neighbouring Bangladesh. Conflicts take away peace from societies, leaving behind underdevelopment and poverty, pushing peoples and even countries away from one another. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rohingya muslim: She now lives in Surrey, B.C., but remains in constant contact with immediate family in her home country, according to CBC. On Thursday, Human Rights Watch accused the Myanmar military of using widespread rape as a systematic tool to attack Rohingya Muslims. Ullah, a Rohingya Muslim who left Myanmar at the age of three, lived in Thailand as a refugee before immigrating to Canada six years ago. Rohingya Muslims, a minority group in Buddhist majority Myanmar also known as Burma have been facing persecution for decades. The United Nations has described the situation as one of ethnic cleansing and says it is still determining whether the crisis is genocide. Since August 25, they have been flooding into neighbouring Bangladesh, creating a humanitarian crisis. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

zarate: He does not deny the shooting but his attorney argues a gun he found went off accidentally, according to CTV. Prosecutors say Garcia Zarate pointed the gun at Steinle and purposely pulled the trigger. Jose Ines Garcia Zarate is accused of killing Kate Steinle in 2015. A jury of six men and six women will hear closing arguments from both sides starting Monday. He had been deported five times and was wanted for a sixth deportation. The case sparked a fierce immigration debate because city officials released Garcia Zarate because of San Francisco's sanctuary city policy. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian press: Within a year she had been dishonourably discharged from the army, according to National Observer. Thirty-three years later she cannot hold back the tears as she prepares to hear an apology from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the House of Commons. They put her through psychological testing. It's amazing, Roy told The Canadian Press on Sunday afternoon, from her home in Montreal. Trudeau confirmed on Twitter he will offer the apology to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and two-spirited people who were forced out of the military or public service and some who were even prosecuted criminally for gross indecency. Even though if you fight all your life for that it's always hard to believe it will happen. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cheesecake locations: The menu contains a head-spinning 250 items spanning from vegan cobb salads to mac-and-cheese-topped burgers to ethnic-lite entrees miso salmon, tamales and bang bang Thai chicken all of which, the company says, are made in-house, according to NOW Magazine. Appetizers are entree-sized; entrees feed a family of four. Cheesecake 33 flavours of it is of course the cornerstone of the Factory's appeal, but it's also just the tip of the foodberg here. Expand Natalia Manzocco These hearty eats are doled out in cavernous digs that look like a very fancy Pier One Imports, circa 1996. The look is faithfully, meticulously duplicated across all Cheesecake locations you could be in Topeka or Duluth or Sedona or Toronto! and you'd get precisely the same experience. Scroll motifs of all kinds wriggle across the ceilings, moulding and furniture, with curlicue lighting bathing everything in a rusty glow. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

news stories: Finally, it seems people are listening, according to NOW Magazine. The news stories surrounding Jian Ghomeshi, Harvey Weinstein, MeToo and now Louis C.K. have captured the world's attention in what feels like a new way. Feminists have been writing about and railing against the depth and regularity of sexual harassment and sexual assault for decades. Long-known public secrets that were previously accepted or ignored due to patriarchy are now ruining careers. There are over 600,000 self-reported sexual assaults per year in Canada. Sexual assault and sexual harassment are common. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian press: They put her through psychological testing, according to CTV. Within a year she had been dishonourably discharged from the army. They brought her to an interrogation room and demanded she admit she was a lesbian. Thirty-three years later she cannot hold back the tears as she prepares to hear an apology from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the House of Commons. Even though if you fight all your life for that it's always hard to believe it will happen. It's amazing, Roy told The Canadian Press on Sunday afternoon, from her home in Montreal. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration: The group contends the practice is discriminatory and based on outdated, stereotypical ideas around disability, according to CTV. The council wants the government to drop the requirement from the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and to make sure disabled people are included in crafting a new, more inclusive procedure. The Council of Canadians with Disabilities is calling for the repeal of a provision that bars immigrants with disabilities from settling in Canada on grounds that they could place too much demand on the country's medical system. The council will be among several groups speaking this week before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration. Council First Vice-Chair John Rae says disability rights advocates don't often get a seat at the table at the inception of a new policy, and the result often is that changes must be made later to address their uniquely complex needs. The committee is studying the country's current criteria for the medical admissibility of prospective newcomers and will be holding sessions this week to hear views on the issue. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

maple leaf: Made of 263 blocks, standing ten feet high and covering 120 feet of floor space, it is magnificent, breathtaking, and stirs a flood of emotion that is surprisingly overwhelming and quite difficult to suppress, according to Rabble. The 70 blocks allotted to embody the founding First Nation, Inuit, and Metis nations cradle and support a cacophony of immigrant squares. It's the culmination of Esther Bryan's dream to find a way to celebrate our common humanity while showcasing the uniqueness of Indigenous peoples and settlers who live side by side, like just the squares that comprise the quilt. Centre top of the quilt is home to a red velvet square sparsely decorated with iridescent gold beading and gold thread fashioning a stylized maple leaf. One can't help but admire the six Inuit squares made from traditional materials depicting scenes and symbols from traditional Northern life. The top of the quilt has been left unfinished in recognition that Canada, as a nation and a people, remains a work in progress. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

minority community: Gathered in the room were people from the Rohingya community and members of the non-Rohingya community, two sides of an inter-communal conflict, which became increasingly violent almost three months ago, according to Toronto Star. The Rohingya are a minority community of Muslims who have been refused citizenship by the government of the majority Buddhist country. The way forward became apparent when he walked into a small space with a large table. Read more Article Continued Below Burma's cardinal defends Suu Kyi against very unfair' criticism over Rohingya crisis Rohingya woman who fled Burma as baby now helping others escape to BangladeshU.S. considering individual sanctions in response to Rohingya crisis Tillerson react-empty 168 The two groups spoke to each other candidly. They had done business together. Thirty years ago, people from both communities had gone to school together. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

minority voices: But if you're a woman of colour, you notice, according to CBC. Since allegations surfaced against disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, provoking a landslide of more high-profile perpetrators including James Toback, Kevin Spacey, Brett Ratner and Louis C.K., few minority voices have come forward. We often miss what we can't see. And when they have, the response can sometimes be different. Whenever visible minorities claim that they were harassed due to their gender and race, they have to establish that they perceived the situation accurately. If you are more powerless, more vulnerable, it can hurt your job opportunities, your reputation, your chances in the job market'- Yunxiang Gao, Ryerson University professor That there are obstacles due to race and gender are still a surprise, a shock to a lot of people, says Phani Radhakrishnan, a professor of organizational behaviour and human resources at the University of Toronto. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

operation parasol: And it was be killed or be gone, Arber told reporters Saturday at the Stadacona gymnasium at CFB Halifax, according to The Chronicle Herald. After a Serbian paramilitary member shot at his father Zeqirja outside their home, the family made the difficult decision to leave their war-torn country. Before I knew it, you had an ultimatum on your head. Zeqirja and his wife Bedrije signed up for Operation Parasol, in which United Nations countries such as Canada took in thousands of ethnic Albanian refugees. The family was part of a group who were processed at the Stadacona gymnasium, which was the first step in their journey toward making Halifax their home. They and their six children were among about 5,000 airlifted by the Canadian military, half to 14 Wing Greenwood and the rest to CFB Trenton. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

service: The reality is that we would like to see more diversity on the police services board, and would like to see that diversity reflected in the service itself, said Kamran Bhatti, a director of the Muslim Association of Hamilton, according to CBC. Bhattti said the service has come a long way over the past 15 years or so in reaching out to multicultural communities. The event comes at a time when Muslim community leaders have spoken out about lack of diversity on the board that oversees the service. Despite that we still don't see many, if any, members of the sergeant rank or higher who reflect the diverse makeup of the city of Hamilton, Bhatti said. We want to represent the population we serve' Chief Eric Girt said the service thinks about diversity in three categories when recruiting officers Cultural diversity, linguistic diversity and visual diversity. Hamilton police oversight board to take 'cultural competency' training You can't isolate yourself' Hamilton Muslims open doors to mosque visitors Recruiters from the RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police, Hamilton Fire Department and Hamilton paramedics will also be at the event. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.