indian clothing: Inviting Jaspal Atwal to a reception, however, was the last straw, Dosanjh suggested, according to National Observer. Atwal was convicted of attempting to kill Indian cabinet minister Malkiat Singh Sidhu on Vancouver Island in 1986. The fiasco has left relations between the two countries at an all-time low, said one former Liberal cabinet minister, while other observers call it proof the government must jettison the photo ops in traditional Indian clothing in favour of a more serious foreign policy stance. ; Ujjal Dosanjh, a former Liberal health minister, ex-premier of British Columbia and one-time provincial attorney general, accused his old federal party of being too close to Sikh separatists even before Trudeau's arrival Sunday in India. He was also charged, but not convicted, in connection with a 1985 attack on Dosanjh, a staunch opponent of the Sikh separatist movement's push for an independent state of Khalistan. Trudeau can perhaps salvage our relationship with India but I think it hit rock bottom with this, Dosanjh said in an interview Thursday. Mr. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

home: Current borrowers under the program will not be affected, a B.C. Housing official said in a statement on Thursday.article continues below Trending Stories Tessa Virtue's hilarious response to Ryan Reynolds tweet goes viral20 cm of snow expected as Vancouver struggles with winter's return Dog killed in possible electrocution at Lonsdale Quay Both sides of Yaletown parking debate state their casesrelated Third of first-time home buyers don't fully understand ownership costs Free forum aims to educate and help local home buyers A review of the program indicates that it's helped far fewer first-time home buyers than expected, according to Vancouver Courier. The previous B.C. government brought in what was to be a three-year, 700-million program to help qualifying first-time homebuyers with a down payment loan of up to 37,500, or up to five per cent of the purchase price. Applications under the B.C. Home Owner Mortgage and Equity Partnership will be accepted until the end of March. Loans are for an initial 25-year term, which is interest and payment free for the first five years. It had been expected to help about 42,000 people buy homes. The loan is registered on the property title as a second mortgage. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

claudia tenney: Tenney, a first-term congresswoman and staunch supporter of the Second Amendment, made the controversial remark while discussing last week's school shooting in Parkland, Fla., which left 17 people dead, according to Toronto Star. Speaking to host Fred Dicker on Albany radio station WGDJ, Tenney said she feared a lot of these legal gun owners are going to be targeted now, even though in their demographic they have the least amount of crimes than virtually any other demographic. Claudia Tenney, a Republican from New York, claimed in a radio interview Wednesday that so many people who commit mass murders end up being Democrats. Read more Your brain is not functioning' Jimmy Kimmel rips Parkland conspiracy theorists and Donald Trump Jr. It's interesting that so many of these people that commit the mass murders end up being Democrats . . . but the media doesn't talk about that either. Article Continued Below Teen survivors of Parkland school shooting shake up Florida state capitol Analysis Daniel Dale Trump tells grieving students the U.S. needs more guns in schools Dicker responded by arguing that most gun crimes take place in what's euphemistically called the inner cities involving minorities, and they're the ones that Democrats generally are going to bend over backwards to protect. react-empty 162 Obviously there's a lot of politics in it, Tenney said in response. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

founder: This is a great opportunity, said Paramount founder and CEO Mohammed Fakih, who made headlines early last month when he teamed up with a concerned Toronto residentto help get 20 homeless people out of the bitter cold, according to CBC. For our name to sit there is bigger than any move we have made before. The chain of Middle Eastern restaurants, which is based Mississauga, reached a 10-year agreement with the city. This is not only about the signage and the marketing. It is where the community comes together, including events where diverse communities celebrate their cultures. What the venue stands for really is what our company is all about. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

deputy chairperson: The switch to the new first-in, first-out approach is more fair to those seeking asylum, said Shereen Benzvy Miller, deputy chairperson of the refugee protection division, according to CTV. But while measures like that and others have seen the board increase output by 40 per cent over the last year, it can still only hear about 2,000 cases a month -- with 2,100 more being added to a backlog that currently has wait times of 20 months for new hearings. The board took the formal step this week of invoking an element of Canada's immigration law that says it doesn't have to follow legislated timelines to hear claims if doing so would unduly impact the operations of the board. Is it my problem there's a backlog It's my problem from a position as an administrator, because who likes a backlog, she said. Our real job is to do refugee determination on individual claims and we are doing that to the best of our ability. The truth is that at the end of the day we're a tribunal. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

displays picture: But she says his campaign won't return her call, according to Metro News. Uber driver Jeffrey Monroe and Indianapolis Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson were killed Feb. 4 when a suspected drunken driver struck them on Interstate 70 in Indianapolis. Deb Monroe tells The Associated Press she wants Republican Indiana Senate candidate Mike Braun to take down his new immigration themed ad. President Donald Trump tweeted about the tragedy, calling it disgraceful. Braun's ad calls for a border wall and displays picture of Monroe and Jackson, as well as the mug shot of Manuel Orrego-Savala, the Guatemalan man charged in the crash. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

distinction website: The theme of the gala is to Inspire, Support, Connect bringing together communities from all levels of government, business and non-profit while recognizing organizations that make diversity and inclusion a priority in their workplace, according to CBC. For for information and tickets details visit the Immigrants of Distinction website here. Join CBC Calgary's Doug Dirks at the Immigrants of Distinction Awards on Friday, March 9 for an evening inspiration while celebrating the accomplishments of local immigrants and refugees who are making Calgary a great place to live. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

limits co-operation: The administration has been threatening more not less immigration enforcement in California in response to a new state law that sharply limits co-operation with federal authorities, according to Metro News. The president's suggestion, however impractical, was his latest attention-grabbing statement to pressure so-called sanctuary jurisdictions, which the administration claims are a magnet for immigrants who commit crimes. Withdrawing ICE, partially or completely, runs counter to Trump's record of dramatically increasing deportation arrests and pledging to beef up the agency with an additional 10,000 employees. Frankly, if I wanted to pull our people from California you would have a crime nest like you've never seen in California, he said at the White House during a meeting with state and local officials on school safety and gun violence. You would see crime like nobody has ever seen crime in this country. All I'd have to do is say is, 'ICE and Border Patrol, let California alone,' you'd be inundated. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

oren sellstrom: It claims Trump's move to rescind the program was rooted in animus against immigrants of colour citing comments he made on the campaign trial and in office, according to Metro News. Today we are drawing a line in the sand and saying that governmental policy cannot be based in bias and discrimination, said Oren Sellstrom, litigation director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice, which filed the complaint. The lawsuit filed in federal court in Boston seeks to block the administration from terminating temporary protected status for thousands of immigrants from Haiti and El Salvador. Temporary protected status provides safe havens for people from countries experiencing armed conflicts, natural disasters and other challenges. Protections for El Salvadorans have been in place since earthquakes devastated the country in 2001. The program has been continuously extended for Haitians since a 2010 earthquake. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

matthew house: The non-profit agency offers safe, supportive shelter and a sense of family for teens who come on their own from far-away countries such as Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Sudan, according to Toronto Star. They need that desperately, says Karen Francis, executive director of Matthew House matthewhouse.ca . Unlike sponsored refugees, there is no one waiting for these kids at the airport. It is the newest of four homes operated by Matthew House, Refugee Reception Services, Toronto. Many who reside at these homes were wandering the streets unsure of where to go, who to connect with, what to do. But no room was in as much need of renovation as the kitchen, which Francis hoped would be the heart of the home. The entire home, which had been purchased by a community partner in the fall of 2017 in the city's Little Portugal neighbourhood, required some work before it could open this past December. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

physician recruiters: Nova Scotia currently accepts physicians from 29 jurisdictions, including the U.K. and the U.S. Immigration Minister Lena Diab announced the new stream at a news conference Thursday afternoon, saying it will be a strong advantage as the province tries to recruit more doctors, according to CBC. It cuts red tape and paperwork, she said. But it only applies to doctors who can already work here, not other foreign-trained physicians. All hands on deck' Nova Scotia's new physician recruiters playing catch-up The new stream means the immigration aspect of recruitment can be processed within five to 10 days. We do not have to check their education. It eliminates duplication of the bureaucratic process. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

remittance companies: The same is true, she finds, of people she meets as a manager at the Immigrant Services Society of B.C. My experience with my clients and my coworkers, if they go to one institution, that's pretty much where they stay, according to The Chronicle Herald. However, the remittance market has changed significantly in recent years, so those looking to maximize the money they send home should shop around now more than ever. Because of convenience and my family over there already knows they're going to be receiving from this institution I don't shop around any more. Remittance companies make their money from a service fee they charge on each payment sent, usually a percentage of the amount transferred and an added cost baked into the exchange rate consumers pay. The World Bank estimates costs globally have dropped to an average of 7.09 per cent of money sent from 9.67 per cent in 2009, but still off its five per cent target. Increased competition from both traditional remittance companies and web-based startups has helped lower the cost of sending money abroad. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

stream: Diab said the program is aimed at doctors in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the United States, according to CTV. It will be easier and faster because this stream targets family doctors from countries with recognized training equivalencies with the College of Family Physicians of Canada. Immigration Minister Lena Diab said Thursday that a new stream has been approved under the provincial nominee program, which seeks skilled immigrants. Diab said the stream would eliminate duplication by relying on assessments already carried out by the Nova Scotia Health Authority and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia. It has significantly reduced processing times, Diab said. That should speed up processing time for doctors who have already demonstrated training similar to that in Canada and who have been licensed by the province's College of Physicians and Surgeons. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

comedy school: She looked for inspiration by walking around the comedy school, cole nationale de l'humour, in Montreal enjoying past photos, according to National Observer. Some showed graduates with pets or children, one wore a pirate eye patch and another held a Tim Horton's coffee cup. Garihanna Jean-Louis wanted hers to be original. I know three black women doing humour in Quebec Dorothy Rhau, me and my sister, Garihanna Jean-Louis said. But she couldn't help noticing something was missing. I have to work twice as hard to get half as much because not only I am a woman but I am a black woman. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

guillermina buzio: Free, according to NOW Magazine. Artists Laura Barr n, Guillermina Buzio, Jorge Lozano, Susana Reisman and Lorena Salom touch on the passing of time and how immigrants carry their past within them. Mar 8-Apr 14, opening 7-10 pm Mar 8; curator tour 1-2 pm Apr 5; closing reception 3-5 pm Apr 14. Through photography, video, installation and performance the artists inhabit movement, expose their past through place and explore immediacy as a tool of emotional and political survival. Curated by Tamara Toledo. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

bowl champions: Press Taylor will replace John DeFilippo as quarterbacks coach, according to Metro News. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the team hadn't officially announced the moves. Running backs coach Duce Staley, who also interviewed for the offensive co-ordinator position, will add assistant head coach to his title. Groh replaces Frank Reich, who left the Super Bowl champions to become head coach for Indianapolis. He also played a role in Nelson Agholor's improvement. DeFilippo left to become Minnesota's offensive co-ordinator . Groh joined the Eagles last season and helped a receiver corps that included newcomers Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith and Mack Hollins. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

calalta figure: But over the last few years, many taking to the sport have cited the Ontario pair as motivation, crediting Virtue and Moir for injecting new energy into the discipline, according to CTV. Our sport has done really well for a long time because of Tessa and Scott, said Kimberley Weeks, manager of the ice dance program at the Calalta Figure Skating Club in Calgary. Ice dance, which has not always been the most high-profile among figure skating's disciplines, has experienced ebbs and flows in popularity since Virtue and Moir burst onto the senior competition circuit more than a decade ago, those in the field said. They have been around for such a very long time that they really have become mentors and role-models for Canadian ice dancers. That prestige is expected to grow after the dazzling competition that vaulted the pair into the history books on Tuesday. Virtue and Moir's consistently first-rate performances, such as the one they turned in at the Pyeongchang Olympics this week to the delight of fans around the world, have made them the face of the sport that has grown in prestige since the pair came on the scene, coaches said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cards i: The Knavses, formerly of Slovenia, are living in the country on green cards, according to Michael Wildes, a New York-based immigration attorney who represents the first lady and her family, according to Toronto Star. I can confirm that Mrs. Immigration experts said Viktor and Amalija Knavs very likely relied on a family reunification process that President Trump has derided as chain migration and proposed ending in such cases. Trump's parents are both lawfully admitted to the United States as permanent residents, he said. The Knavses are now awaiting scheduling for their swearing-in ceremony, according to a person with knowledge of the parents' immigration filings. The family, as they are not part of the administration, has asked that their privacy be respected so I will not comment further on this matter. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

choir practices: Being Ukrainian is pride, said Worobetz, speaking to CTV News between her dance and choir practices, according to CTV. It's a sense of community with other people. Instead, it's a chance to reconnect with her ancestral roots. It's an all-encompassing way to identify myself. The 26-year-old sings in Saskatoon's Lastiwka Ukrainian Orthodox Choir and dances with the Pavlychenko Folklorique Ensemble. It's an identity shared by roughly 130,000 Ukrainian-Canadians in Saskatchewan, and an identity Worobetz continues to forge through dance and song. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

companies p.e.i: Hussen said the region-wide extension of Nova Scotia's Study and Stay program will act as a complement to the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Project announced in 2016 that connects immigrants and companies, according to CBC. P.E.I. immigration growing at fastest rate in the country Immigration drives P.E.I. population past 150,000 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. International students accounted for over 21% of UPEI's total population in 2016. We know that will vastly improve the retention rate, Hussen said. CBC Such programs are key because they involve companies in helping to establish local roots for skilled immigrants and their families, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

eritrean migrants: He also hoped to avoid the fate of compatriots who languished in a notorious desert jail for illegally staying in Israel, according to Toronto Star. So in an emotional confrontation with immigration officials one day last November, the 29-year-old sous chef accepted what Israeli authorities were offering 3,500 in cash and a one-way ticket to Uganda or Rwanda. He could not dare return to his native Eritrea, a country he risked his life to flee in 2010. Two weeks later he was on a flight to Uganda, together with five other Eritrean migrants he did not know. It's forced. They told me, If you don't leave you are going to jail,' Tesfagabr recalled. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigrant children: In a statement announcing the change, the government said that this will make it easier for minors, including immigrant children in the welfare system or in foster care, to become citizens, according to CTV. This change for minors who are permanent residents comes after amendments to the Citizenship Act passed in June. This change brings the fee in line with what it costs for minors who apply at the same time as a parent or who already have a Canadian parent. Among the changes, the government got rid of the requirement to be 18 years of age to apply for Canadian citizenship. The department is aiming to have the refunds made within 12 weeks of Feb. 14, 2018, when the change came into force. For anyone who has already paid the 530 fee for a minor applying alone, on or after June 19, 2017, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship officials will contact these applicants to guide them through getting the 430 refund. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

pedestrians: Criminal charges stayed after two Fort McMurray pedestrians killed Fort McMurray mourns pedestrians killed in collision2 pedestrians killed in Fort McMurray crash No reason was given for the downgraded charge, but a statement from Alberta Justice said new evidence surfaced that made a conviction less likely, according to CBC. Here's the reply from AlbertaJSG about why it stayed criminal charges against a man charged with dangerous driving causing the deaths of Hadi 'Dani' Eljamal & Sana Elache in Fort McMurray ymm We also updated our web story. The 48-year-old male driver no longer faces two charges of dangerous driving causing death, and will plead not guilty to one charge of careless driving under the Traffic Safety Act, according to the Crown. CBCDavid The lives of Sana Elache, 52, and Hadi 'Dani' Eljamal, 56, were cut short on Sept. 6, 2017, when an SUV hit them on Real Martin Drive in the Wood Buffalo Estates neighbourhood. Anas said Elache was one of Fort McMurray's great champions, leading the region's multicultural association and starting a leadership program that empowered many in the community into key roles, including municipal councillors. Wife and brother killed Elache was the wife of Anas Eljamal and Dani was his brother. (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 The Chronicle Herald. Atlantic immigration pilot failing to meet 2017 targets More immigrants coming in next three years Despite pilot program numbers, immigration rising in N.S. 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.

rebel groups: Min Aung Hlaing said officials were investigating whether a terrorist group was behind the explosion, according to Metro News. Several ethnic rebel groups are active in northern Shan state, whose capital is Lashio, and those that have not signed a cease-fire with the government are often described as terrorists. The Facebook page of army commander Senior Gen. The general's page identified the two fatalities as female employees of the Yoma Bank branch where the blast occurred. Photos posted by the Information Ministry and on private social media accounts showed considerable damage to the bank, at two entrances. Military explosive experts, medics, local police and Red Cross workers rushed to the bank after the explosion, which occurred as it was closing for the day. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

tuesday night: John's, Bala author of the bestselling novel The Boat People, a finalist in CBC's Canada Reads competition this year said she is still struck by the similarities of watching someone trying to win at Plinko and the way some immigrants are granted entry into this country, according to CBC. Trying to apply as a refugee or show up and claim asylum, it's a bit like a game, Bala said at a forum at the Association of New Canadians ANC in St. Speaking Tuesday night to a jam-packed crowd in her adopted home of St. John's. The MV Sun Sea was intercepted off B.C.'s coast in August 2010 with 492 passengers on board. You're just hoping that you get in and whether or not you do is so much dependent on luck and timing. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.