family reunification: While this is good news for those seeking to have their foreign spouses join them in Canada, the reality of making a spousal sponsorship application remains the same the application is far from simple, the process isn't transparent and the whole ordeal is more intrusive than one may think, according to NOW Magazine. At first glance, applying to sponsor a foreign spouse for permanent residence to Canada looks easy. Stressing the importance of family reunification, Minister Hussen said that under the current administration, average processing times for these applications have also been reduced from 26 months to 12 months. Spousal sponsorship is not restricted to formally married couples, and is also available to common-law and conjugal partners. Unlike parental sponsorships, there is no cap on the number of spousal sponsorship application that can be approved in a single year. A common-law partnership requires a couple to live together for at least one year, while a conjugal partnership is a marriage-like relationship where a couple was not able to live together due to some extenuating circumstances. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

minute episodes: Suitably, the series steers away from the vaunted halls of fine dining in favour of honing in on a more human element, according to NOW Magazine. Over the course of eight 50-minute episodes only a few of which overstay their welcome Chang travels from New York City to Naples, the American south to Asia, interviewing the standard-bearers of various international cuisines. The title of David Chang's new docu-series is a tag the Momofuku chef's taken to slapping on honest, non-cheffy food, the kind of humble braises and stews you'd find in your folks' kitchen or at your fave neighbourhood eatery. Even when boldface restaurateurs like Noma's Ren Redzepi and SQIRL's Jessica Koslow show up on-camera, they're hanging out with their kids making dumplings or talking about wolfing down microwave popcorn as a post-service dinner. As the show hops between scenes and cultures each episode focuses on a single dish, from fried chicken to tacos to BBQ Chang and his cohorts meet a celebrated Mexican chef who lives under the risk of deportation, study the intricacies of Viet-Cajun cuisine in Houston and examine racist stereotypes and marketing surrounding fried chicken. Food becomes an entry point to explore racism, immigration, class and cultural cross-pollination. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

anais sehmus: Hayfa Sehmus and her sister Serin arrived in Canada two years ago, according to CBC. They're originally from the town of Al-Hasakah in Syria. Thanks to help from an unlikely source, their struggle may end. Since they arrived, they've been trying to bring over their 26-year-old brother Anais. According to a medical document written by a Swedish doctor working in Iraq, Sehmus, who has been suffering from severe visual impairments since childhood, is in need of a corneal transplant after his eye rejected one performed 11 years ago. Anais Sehmus fled Syria's war and is living in Erbil, in northern Iraq. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

anti-migrant violence: A 25-year-old Iraqi and a 19-year-old Syrian were also lightly injured, according to Metro News. Bettina Joerg, spokeswoman for Heilbronn prosecutors, said Tuesday that the suspect was drunk and wanted to send a signal about the current refugee policy. The 70-year-old, who has German and Russian citizenship, seriously wounded a 17-year-old Afghan in the attack Saturday near a church in the city of Heilbronn. Germany has seen a rise in anti-migrant violence following the arrival of over a million refugees in recent years. Joerg said the suspect is being investigated for dangerous bodily harm rather than attempted homicide because the assumption is he didn't intend to kill. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

connecticut couple: He was detained for two weeks and then deported to his native Jordan, according to CTV. Othman's supporters in the U.S. view such treatment as a particularly egregious example of the Trump administration's ramped-up deportation campaign that potentially targets anyone lacking the right papers, including long-time residents with American spouses and children. The Ohio entrepreneur, who came to the United States 38 years ago and won praise for helping revive once-blighted downtown Youngstown, was arrested during what he thought was another check-in with immigration authorities. Recent cases include a Missouri college lecturer and a Connecticut couple running a nail salon who won last-minute reprieves through local politicians but remain at risk of expulsion. Othman's battle to remain in the United States goes back to the mid-1990s, when immigration authorities refused to renew his green card, alleging his first marriage in 1980 had been fraudulent. Supporters of the crackdown say immigration rules must be enforced, regardless of family and community ties of those targeted. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

news conference: Hussen said the region-wide extension of Nova Scotia's Study and Stay program will act as a compliment to the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Project announced in 2016 that connects immigrants and companies, according to CTV. It is very explicitly about retaining people here, Hussen told a news conference following a meeting Tuesday of federal politicians and Atlantic premiers in Moncton, N.B. Atlantic Canada has never had a problem attracting skilled immigrants -- the problem is retention, so they come here and they don't stay. Federal Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen said Atlantic Canada has a retention rate for skilled immigrants that hovers at around 60 per cent, compared to rates of 90 per cent or higher in Ontario and Alberta. Such programs are key because they involve companies in helping to establish local roots for skilled immigrants and their families, he said. I think it's great because it addresses a real challenge that is a little bit more acute in Atlantic Canada than the rest of the country. We know that will vastly improve the retention rate, Hussen said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

areas west: Visionary, according to The Chronicle Herald. A spectacular success. Bold. The words in an online promotion for a new museum exhibit in Washington, D.C., describe an 1830 U.S. law that forced thousands of American Indians from their lands in the South to areas west of the Mississippi River. Bold and visionary in imagining a country free of American Indians. Provocative, yes, says the co-curator of the exhibit Americans that opened last month at the National Museum of the American Indian. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian winters: I love it so far! said Ahmad Alsaadi, according to CBC. The 22-year-old came to Canada two months ago and he's warming up to Canadian winters. Most have only been in the country for a few weeks, and some remain separated from their families overseas. I grew up in Saudi Arabia and it's like a desert and so hot so it's totally different for me here. Aizick Grimman/CBC Alsaadi arrived in Toronto on his own, but speaks with his family almost daily, which helps keep him from feeling homesick. Ahmad Alsaadi from Saudi Arabia is experiencing snow for the first time. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

english: But he says, since the drivers licence combined with the medical services card, he can't not without legally changing his given name, according to CBC. Vancouver woman petitions against dual name crackdown on new IDs When I renewed my driver's licence at ICBC, they asked me to remove my English name. Richmond resident Pat-Shing Tung, who immigrated to Canada 40 years ago, would like to have his chosen English name Kenneth on his B.C. Services Card. Otherwise, I have to do a legal name change, Tung told On The Coast guest host Michelle Eliot. On my passport, I have my English name on it. On my citizenship card, I have the English name on it. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

politicians: I'm sure they don't mean to sound condescending, but the term smacks of elitism and suggests that those people in a position of authority and power are somehow better than the rest of us, according to The Chronicle Herald. They do this even though it's the average Canadian that really makes this country tick. I have a lot of pet peeves, but one of my biggest is politicians and bureaucrats who use the phrase average Canadians to describe everyday working Joes like you and me. Furthermore, it's those average Canadians who gave said politicians and bureaucrats their power and authority in the first place, so they would do well not to lose sight of that reality. For the record, I consider myself to be an average Canadian and I'm proud of it. I understand that some Canadians are better financially positioned than others and that some, because of the country's societal, economic and political structures, have more authority and power than others, but the little hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention every time I hear one of those influential individuals refer to the rest of us as average. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugees: Some, however, became stranded at the Tombru border point after Myanmar reportedly began building bunkers and threatened the refugees to leave and enter Bangladesh, which denied their entry, according to Metro News. Ali Hossain, the top government administrator in Cox's Bazar district, said officials from the countries agreed that Myanmar would identify the stranded refugees and then resettle them. About 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled army-led violence in Buddhist-majority Myanmar since August and are living in refugee camps in Bangladesh. He said Myanmar invited Bangladeshi officials to visit the Tombru border point in Naikkhongchhari and talk to the refugees. We said that is the duty of Myanmar as they have not entered Bangladesh territory, he said. There was a dispute about who will verify them. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

region-wide extension: Hussen said the region-wide extension of Nova Scotia's Study and Stay program will act as a compliment to the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Project announced in 2016 that connects immigrants and companies, according to Toronto Star. Read more Ottawa awards 950 million to five innovation superclusters' It is very explicitly about retaining people here, Hussen told a news conference following a meeting Tuesday of federal politicians and Atlantic premiers in Moncton, N.B. Article Continued Below Atlantic Canada has never had a problem attracting skilled immigrants the problem is retention, so they come here and they don't stay. Federal Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen said Atlantic Canada has a retention rate for skilled immigrants that hovers at around 60 per cent, compared to rates of 90 per cent or higher in Ontario and Alberta. Such programs are key because they involve companies in helping to establish local roots for skilled immigrants and their families, he said. I think it's great because it addresses a real challenge that is a little bit more acute in Atlantic Canada than the rest of the country. react-empty 159 In Nova Scotia, Study and Stay provides targeted support and services for up to 50 international students during their final year of post-secondary studies. We know that will vastly improve the retention rate, Hussen said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

tax base: In fact, the percentage of seniors in our population is expected to grow from 19.9 per cent in 2016 to 28.8 per cent in 2030, while our working population declined from 68.4 per cent in 2011 to 65.6 per cent in 2016, according to The Chronicle Herald. This sets the stage for a lower than traditional tax base being used to support a larger than traditional population that requires services delivered from the public purse. That is pretty obvious. All things being equal, this means less people will need to pay more taxes just to tread water. This is not a surprise. Without immigration, this demographic shift, when combined with a low birth rate, shows Nova Scotia with a population that shrinks below 900,000 by 2025. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cent: But the challenge of unrepresentative juries is not limited to Indigenous communities and certainly not to Saskatchewan, according to Toronto Star. An investigation by the Star and the Ryerson School of Journalism exposed the daunting dimensions of the challenge here in Ontario. That case has prompted a much-needed and overdue conversation about the urgent problem of Indigenous justice in Saskatchewan and beyond. Over the course of two years, reporters analyzed 52 juries in Toronto and Brampton, finding that while so-called visible minorities constitute a majority in both municipalities, 71 per cent of all jurors were white. Forty-six per cent of all defendants were Black, yet Black people comprised only 7 per cent of jurors. This is particularly troubling when you consider who stood accused in the trials. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

education society: My will, bank account, house mortgage and legal documentation all use this name, said Tung, according to Vancouver Courier. When the government combined the MSP card and driver's licence together, it didn't consider people with different names on the cards. When Kenneth Tung, president of Civic Education Society, applied for his B.C. Service Card, which combines his driver's licence and Medical Services Plan MSP he was told he must remove his English name that appears on his driver's licence because it's not the Chinese name on his MSP and now defunct citizenship card.article continues below Trending Stories Red Gate Arts Society latest Vancouver arts space to close Canadian women take silver in Olympic hockey Driver's excuse for not clearing windshield doesn't fly with police But the English name has been my legal name this past 15 years. It has created a frustrating problem for tens of thousands of immigrant Canadians, he added. When I first moved to Canada 30 years ago, we could only use our Chinese name on our driver's licence, explained Tung. Compounding the frustration, said Tung, is the fact ICBC changed its policy 15 years ago, allowing, or even preferring, to add English names to their driver's licence. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

attack: Toronto police investigated and later concluded the attack did not take place, according to CBC. Reported hijab attack on 11-year-old girl 'did not happen,' Toronto police say Family offers 'sincere apologies' after daughter falsely reported hijab attack How did the false hijab-cutting story go viral 'A perfect storm' of factors, says expert We were hurt, we were upset, said Monica Mo, who was attending Sunday's rally. The protesters wanted Trudeau to apologize for denouncing an alleged attack last month on an 11-year-old girl in Toronto, who claimed a man tried twice to cut off her hijab as she walked to school. The initial reports suggested the alleged attacker was Asian, and Mo told Radio-Canada that Trudeau's remarks left the Chinese-Canadian community feeling unfairly tarred. We are all Canadians. We want to send a message to society we are strong, we are united, we are together. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

chrystia freeland: During this hybrid war, Moscow has used every imaginable tactic of subversion and destabilization, from targeted assassinations and terrorist bombings in Kyiv, to cyberattacks against critical infrastructure, to fomenting ethnic, political, religious and social divisiveness even defaming diaspora figures like Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chrystia Freeland, according to The Chronicle Herald. This unprovoked war followed the Revolution of Dignity, an uprising against Moscow's corrupted satrap in Kyiv, Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted for trying to wrest Ukraine away from an anticipated reintegration into Europe and toward a Russian-dominated Eurasian sphere. Seven per cent of the country remains occupied, over 10,000 people are dead, 25,000 maimed, nearly two million internally displaced, and the urban-industrial infrastructure of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts the Donbas have been destroyed. Enraged by his diminished influence, Vladimir Putin, the ex- KBG man in the Kremlin, a billionaire and seemingly president-in-perpetuity of the Russian Federation, precipitated an international crisis, festering to this day. Following their voluntary dismantling of the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal, Ukrainians believed their country's territorial integrity and political sovereignty were inviolable, secured by American, British and even Russian Federation pledges. Not only were Europe's supposedly agreed-upon borders undone by force coupled with the bogus Crimean referendum of March 16, 2014 but the West's timid response provoked many Ukrainians into rethinking why they affirmed the 1994 Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

country: The Israel government has started distributing notices advising asylum seekers they have 60 days to leave for a safe African country with the help of a plane ticket and a few thousand dollars, according to CBC. If they don't go voluntarily, they face indefinite imprisonment. A majority of the 37,000 citizens of Sudan and Eritrea living in Israel are being ordered out of the country beginning next month. Canada does not support policies of mass deportations of asylum seekers. Africans worry deportation could mean death Israel's immigrant underclass As the country that resettles the highest number of African asylum-seekers from Israel, we are in direct contact with the Government of Israel to convey Canada's concerns about the situation. The rights of asylum seekers and refugees are laid out in the Geneva Convention on the Status of Refugees, of which Israel is a signatory, said Adam Austen, spokesman for Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

family reunification: More than a decade later, his children are still waiting, according to Metro News. Magpantay gets worried when he hears the White House is aiming to limit the relatives that can sponsor, a profound change to a fundamental piece of the American immigration system. By the time a visa was available, it was 2005, and his children could not come with him because they were now adults. It is really frustrating and it is very dreadful for me, because after a long wait, if this will be passed, what will happen for them said Magpantay, a 68-year-old mechanical engineer in the Southern California city of Murrieta. For the past 50-plus years, family reunification has been central to U.S. immigration law. I won't be able to bring them forever. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

movie theatre: The dispute illustrates Romania's divided views about homosexuality, which remains a difficult topic in the eastern European Union member where more than 85 per cent of its people belong to Christian Orthodox churches, according to Metro News. Homosexuality was only decriminalized when Romania prepared to join the EU in 2002. In response, a new screening of the Cannes award-winning movie 120 Beats Per Minute is going to be held Tuesday in Bucharest. Protesters calling themselves Christian Orthodox burst into a movie theatre on Feb. 4 during the French AIDS drama 120 Beats Per Minute by French director Robin Campillo. There's a conflict between conservatives and liberals in Romania, Cristian Parvulescu, dean of the National School of Political Studies and Public Administration, told The Associated Press. Days later, protesters disrupted another movie featuring a relationship with a Romanian man and an ex-convict from the nation's oppressed Roma, or Gypsy, minority titled Soldiers A Story from Ferentari. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

dan carlson: Bad timing, said Carlson, according to National Observer. But he said Nunavut's plans to regulate distribution and consumption of cannabis are emerging and are likely to look a little different than anywhere else in the country. We do feel behind in our preparation, said Dan Carlson, Nunavut's deputy minister of finance. ; The territory had an election in the fall and, because of its consensus-style government, little could be done until new members met and laid out an agenda for the new legislature session a meeting that doesn't begin until Monday. Don't look for pot stores in Iqaluit any time soon, he said. We think that's the smart move for Nunavut. We are only proposing to offer online sales. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

half hours: For the map and additional details, such as TV coverage, go to events Post-Parade Lion Dances As a Chinese New Year tradition to promote good fortune for the year, some lions will be visiting the shops and businesses in Chinatown, according to Vancouver Courier. The lions will perform a celebratory dance at each participating shop to bring good luck and prosperity from approximately 2 pm to 4 pm. To accommodate the longer route and the larger team entries, the parade will start an hour earlier at 11am, and will take about two and a half hours to complete. Free. The Fair will be located at the Sun Yat-Sen Plaza 50 East Pender featuring multicultural performances, special lion dance grand finale, martial arts demonstration and more. Chinatown Spring Festival Cultural Fair By popular demand, the Cultural Fair will be held on both February 16th and 17th. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mcmurray: You're going to get out there and do this, she said, according to CBC. Don't be afraid. Standing inside the bustling concourse of Mac Donald Island, she offers words of encouragement and an elder's wisdom to the athletes and chaperones rushing to the competition. Go out there and just play your hardest. She hails from the Piikanii Blackfoot Confederacy in southern Alberta, but has made Fort McMurray her home for decades. Hosting Alberta Winter Games a sign Fort McMurray is back, mayor says Fort McMurray ready to welcome nearly 2,000 athletes for Alberta Winter Games Deranger who prefers to go by her traditional name Issapakii, which means Crow Woman in her language is a respected elder in the community. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

community centre: Any work is OK for me, said Sumaya Mohammed Jidaa, a 39-year-old widow and mother of six inquiring about a sewing job, according to Metro News. Just give us money to take care of our children. Dozens of refugees crowded around long tables in a community centre in the Azraq camp to register with potential employers for jobs in factories and on farms. Under the so-called Jordan Compact, a deal struck with donor countries in 2016, the kingdom promised to provide 200,000 work permits for Syrians over three years, in exchange for several billion dollars in development assistance and reduced tariff barriers on Jordanian exports to Europe. About 90,000 Syrians have obtained work permits so far, and only two factories are exporting goods to Europe under the new rules, officials said. Implementation has been slow because of Jordan's economic downturn, high unemployment and the slow pace of regulatory change. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

consensus-style government: The territory had an election in the fall and, because of its consensus-style government, little could be done until new members met and laid out an agenda for the new legislature session a meeting that doesn't begin until Monday, according to The Chronicle Herald. Bad timing, said Carlson. We do feel behind in our preparation, said Dan Carlson, Nunavut's deputy minister of finance. But he said Nunavut's plans to regulate distribution and consumption of cannabis are emerging and are likely to look a little different than anywhere else in the country. We are only proposing to offer online sales. Don't look for pot stores in Iqaluit any time soon, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

i love: I've wanted for a long time to see snow so I adore it, according to CBC. But it's very cold. I love it, he said. Less than a year after his arrival, the 18-year-old from Burundi is donning a tuque and scarf as he excitedly prepares for another first. The journey brings together a mix of young immigrants and refugees for a five-day trip. Ingabire is embarking on a 250-kilometre bike ride from Montreal to Quebec City during his first winter in the province. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.