refuge canada: Refuge Canada opened last month at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, according to Toronto Star. The 4,000 square-foot exhibit has interactive displays to thrust observers into the mindset of a refugee, as well as startling statistics on Canada's treatment of refugees. The idea that anyone can become a refugee under the right circumstances is the focus of a new exhibit in Halifax that walks you through someone's journey to Canada, and the country's humbling history when it comes to its treatment of those seeking safety. We want people to understand the experience of refugees the challenges they confront, the agency and decisions they make about coming to Canada, said curator Dan Conlin. The exhibit is structured to represent the path of a refugee from being thrown into danger to eventually reaching safety, although many do not make it that far. We also want to explore Canada's track record with refugees, which is not as rosy as a lot of people think. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

city: The latest evidence of that is the 65 million the city has budgeted since 2017 to provide food and shelter for refugee claimants, according to Toronto Star. But Toronto can't be expected to carry the whole burden. That's because this city has long welcomed the world, and it continues to do so amid a global migrant crisis. This is a national issue, and Mayor John Tory is right to reach out to Ottawa for more help in handling a sudden upsurge in refugee claimants that is putting a big strain on the city's shelter system. But we can no longer do it alone. We are committed to providing shelter and support to all those who need it, he said on Thursday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sense: For Cheng, the timing of the tape's removal was significant because it coincided with a neighbourhood vigil in honour of the victims that she helped organize, according to CTV. I think that was really symbolic, she told CTV News Channel on Wednesday. Officers were taking down the yellow police tape that secured the scene where 10 people were killed and more than a dozen injured in a tragedy that shook the city and sent shockwaves across the country. We walk these streets every day and our sense of security was taken away so by coming together and praying and walking, we were blessing our neighbourhood, and reclaiming our sense of security. Even though the tragedy occurred just the day before, James said he witnessed a lot of courage in the midst of the mourners' grief on Tuesday evening. Cheng and co-organizer Jesse James, who created the group We Love Willowdale with her, helped plan a community walk and vigil Tuesday that saw dozens of residents and visitors in the area come together in Olive Square to pay tribute to the victims. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

services department: Federal officials came under fire two years ago after rolling back child protection policies meant for minors fleeing violence in Central America, according to The Chronicle Herald. In a follow-up hearing on Thursday, senators said that the agencies had failed to take full responsibility for their care and had delayed crucial reforms needed to keep them from falling into the hands of human traffickers. The Health and Human Services Department has a limited budget to track the welfare of vulnerable unaccompanied minors, and realized that 1,475 children could not be found after making follow-up calls to check on their safety, an agency official said. You are the worst foster parents in the world. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota. You don't even know where they are, said Democratic Sen. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

system tory: He said the latest figure represents 37.6 per cent of those in the system, according to The Chronicle Herald. Tory said if those levels continue, the city will incur 64.5 million in costs related to providing shelter and housing for refugee claimants by the end of this year. Mayor John Tory said Thursday that the number of refugee claimants in the city's shelters has grown from an average of 459 per night in 2016, to an average of 2,351 per night this month. As is the case with the general shelter population, it would seem that Toronto ends up taking on responsibility for the entire region without the funding support that recognizes that, Tory said. But Toronto has reached the limits of its ability to independently address the resettlement of the refugee claimants, he added. The city has taken measures to expand the capacity of its shelter system over the past 18 months, Tory said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

future incidents: The leaders of Canada's special investigatory units have tended to focus on their main mandate deciding if officers have broken the law and recommending prosecutions in serious incidents involving the police, ranging from shootings to sexual assault, according to National Observer. But Roach says there's also a role for directors to refer cases that may not meet that bar to police complaints commissions, and to describe changes in policing that might avoid future incidents. Most Canadian jurisdictions choose former prosecutors to watch the police, said Roach, a prominent University of Toronto law professor. ; But Cacchione, the grandson of Italian immigrants to Montreal, is a veteran superior court judge and criminal lawyer he retired from the Nova Scotia Supreme Court just weeks before being named director of the province's Serious Incident Response Team SIRT . The appointment of a former supreme court justice and former legal aid lawyer is exceptional, said Roach in a recent interview. Roach who has researched the special units in Ontario says Cacchione could bring a gravitas that lends weight to anything he says on the underlying problems in policing, along with his recommendations on criminal prosecutions. Depending on the situation, it may not be off limits, he said during an interview Wednesday. But Cacchione, 68, displays a judge's prudence when asked if he will wade into wider policy issues when he handles investigations or in his annual reports. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canada goose: He says a vital role of the neighbourhood house is helping new immigrants get settled, find employment and acclimatized to Vancouver, according to Vancouver Courier. Bronstein notes that after four decades, the mandate of the Little Mountain Neighbourhood House Society has changed very little.article continues below Trending Stories Meet the Canada goose of Mount Pleasant VIDEO Bye bye, Benny's. Executive director Joel Bronstein, who has been with the organization for 30 years, explains that while the kids are playing, their parents were in another room taking English lessons. Popular Kits caf to make way for condo building Burnaby RCMP euthanize injured deer at Gaglardi crash scene Burnaby installs barriers outside Trans Mountain terminal Friday morningrelated South Asian women's group gives back to local community Young minds inspire Little Mountain illustrated book Little Mountain proposed as next location for temporary modular housing We offer support to the community, from kids to seniors, says Joel Bronstein. Bronstein says neighbourhood house staff is also at the ready to respond to unexpected or emergency situations, including the recent Syrian refugee crisis. We also offer settlement services and are involved with food security. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

multicultural toronto: A pep talk about multiculturalism being the thrust and engine of our everyday life wasn't what I expected from Woods, who is packaged as a country star south of the border, but fits better into a CBC folk musician template at home, according to NOW Magazine. But before starting his set, dressed in a Canadian tuxedo, navy cardigan and a Maple Leafs hat, Sarnia-born Woods talked about how rough this week has been for the city he has called home for 15 years, refuting the idea that multiculturalism is just a hot-button topic, a clear dig at Mayor John Tory, whose first response to the attack was a speech on how multicultural Toronto is. Rating NNNNNDonovan Woods's sold-out show was a heartfelt hug to Toronto, two days after tragedy struck the city in the form of a van, driven by a misogynist, running down pedestrians. We can be sad and angry, he said, while still being thoughtful. Starting with Another Way, from the new album Both Ways released on April 20 Woods, backed by his band the Opposition, let his raspy, subtly sexy voice fill the space with emotion. And what he gave us was a thoughtful set with banter, comedy and beautiful lighting a comfortable and cozy mood on a cold, wet night. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

services department: In a follow-up hearing on Thursday, senators said that the agencies had failed to take full responsibility for their care and had delayed crucial reforms needed to keep them from falling into the hands of human traffickers, according to Vancouver Courier. You are the worst foster parents in the world. The Health and Human Services Department has a limited budget to track the welfare of vulnerable unaccompanied minors, and realized that 1,475 children could not be found after making follow-up calls to check on their safety, an agency official said.article continues below Trending Stories Meet the Canada goose of Mount Pleasant VIDEO Killarney secondary school collecting funds for student's funeral Massive fire destroys East Vancouver printing business Vancouver is officially the rattiest city in B.C.'Federal officials came under fire two years ago after rolling back child protection policies meant for minors fleeing violence in Central America. You don't even know where they are, said Democratic Sen. We are failing. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

tijuana wednesday: They joined another 50 or so who arrived in Tijuana over the last week or two.article continues below Trending Stories Meet the Canada goose of Mount Pleasant VIDEO Bye bye, Benny's, according to Vancouver Courier. Popular Kits caf to make way for condo building Burnaby RCMP euthanize injured deer at Gaglardi crash scene Burnaby installs barriers outside Trans Mountain terminal Friday morning Four more busloads of about 200 Central Americans mostly women and children but including some men were expected to arrive in Tijuana Wednesday, said Alex Mensing, project co-ordinator for Pueblos Sin Fronteras, which is organizing the effort.U.S. lawyers planned to lead clinics later this week on U.S. asylum law to tell the immigrants what to expect when they seek asylum. Two busloads arrived late Tuesday in the Mexican border city of Tijuana at two migrant shelters just steps from one of the most fortified stretches of border separating the U.S. from Mexico. The first groups plan to try to enter the U.S. on Sunday at San Diego's border crossing. The president tweeted this week that he has issued orders not to let these large Caravans of people into our Country. Trump and senior aides have portrayed the caravans and the asylum seekers as evidence of a dysfunctional border and a serious threat. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

circuit court: American Civil Liberties Union attorney Lee Gelernt told the panel that U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith in Detroit last year was faced with the nightmare scenario of signing people's death warrants, according to The Chronicle Herald. Many of the 1,400 Iraqis nationwide slated for deportation for immigration violations are Christians or members of other minority groups that ACLU attorneys say would be persecuted if returned. A 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals three-judge panel in Cincinnati heard arguments on the federal government's request to lift a judge's order blocking the deportations. Iraqis have fled persecution under Saddam Hussein, during the Iraq War and the subsequent rise of the Islamic State group. Unlike other groups such as Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds, many minorities do not have militias to protect them. Although Iraqi forces finally routed the Islamic State group last year, minorities remain vulnerable to persecution and discrimination. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

city homs: On Tuesday, Mohsin, 39, was preparing to break down his camp again, after an order came from the security services to move once more, according to The Chronicle Herald. Even as donor nations raise money for Syria's neighbours to host refugees of the country's civil war, a leading international rights group and the U.N.'s refugee agency say Lebanese authorities are evicting refugees from towns and camps in the country on questionable legal grounds. The message was clear, he said they were not wanted. Mohsin, from Syria's third largest city Homs, said on the second order to move he went to a local official to ask for help. Neither the local official nor the military could be reached for comment. He said, go back to Syria, said Mohsin. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

court rulings: The 23-month-old boy suffers from a degenerative neurological condition that has left him in a semi-vegetative state, according to CTV. Doctors treating him at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool have said further treatment is futile, and the toddler's life support was withdrawn Monday after a series of court rulings sided with the doctors and blocked further medical treatment. A lawyer for Alfie Evans' mother Kate James told three Court of Appeal judges that James hoped the courts would invite the hospital to take the appropriate steps. Nonetheless, Alfie's parents want to take him to Italy to be cared for at the Vatican's children's hospital. The parents' lawyers went to court Wednesday to try to overturn that decision. High Court Justice Anthony Hayden on Tuesday rejected the parents' latest appeal, and said his ruling represented the final chapter in the life of this extraordinary little boy. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

fox news: In the chaos following the shooting at the Quebec City mosque last year, Fox News in the U.S. falsely stated that the suspect was a Moroccan Muslim, according to Rabble. It took the intervention of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the ber right-wing U.S. network to issue a retraction. Spreading falsehoods, even if unintentionally, can be hurtful and dangerous. That should have been a lesson-learned, but some in the media are slow learners. He called it an act of terrorism.'No shit! Well, if any murderous event in which there are multiple victims qualifies as terrorism, then this was terrorism. On Monday afternoon, news of the homicidal attack on Toronto's Yonge Street had barely broken when Sun News columnist Mark Bonokoski took to Facebook to post the following Former OPP Commissioner Chris Lewis, on CTV News Channel, just broke the unnecessary ice and called a spade a spade on what happened in Toronto. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

italian citizenship: The case came to light this week after friends shared posts about her death on social media, prompting police to investigate, according to CTV. Her father and uncle have since been arrested and are being investigated. Sana Cheema, a 25-year-old woman of Pakistani origin who had Italian citizenship, died on April 18 in the city of Gujrat in eastern Punjab province. Nearly 1,000 women are killed every year in Pakistan in so-called honour killings, cases in which members of their families or relatives kill them for violating conservative norms on love, marriage and public behaviour. A local magistrate attended the exhumation of the body, followed by an autopsy after which the woman's body was reburied. On Wednesday, Irfan Ullah, a senior police officer in Gujarat, told reporters at the scene that police had acted following the social media posts but Cheema's family had not even notified authorities so officers had to trace her identity first and whether there was even a death. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

obama-era program: If Tuesday's ruling by U.S. District Judge John D. Bates in Washington survives the three-month reprieve, it would be a new setback for the Trump team because it would require the administration to accept requests from first-time applicants for the Obama-era program, according to CTV. Two nationwide injunctions earlier this year applied only to renewal requests for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. While the government has 90 days to restate its arguments before the order takes effect, presidential press secretary Sarah Huckabee characterized the ruling as good news for smuggling organizations and criminal networks and horrible news for our national security. DACA recipients are commonly referred to as Dreamers, based on never-passed proposals in Congress called the DREAM Act that would have provided similar protections for young immigrants. He invited the Department of Homeland Security to try again, this time providing a fuller explanation for the determination that the program lacks statutory and constitutional authority. Siding with Princeton University and the NAACP, Bates said the administration's decision in September to phase out the program over six months relied on meagre legal reasoning. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

official ports: Compared to the same time last year in the months following Donald Trump's arrival in the White House the number of migrants walking across the border has tripled, according to Toronto Star. Refugee lawyers and advocates have called for Canada to suspend its involvement with the Safe Third Country Agreement STCA . Because of its rules, the STCA incentivizes migrants seeking asylum to not claim at official ports of entry, such as official border stations. The RCMP reported earlier this month that in January and February it had intercepted 3,000 people crossing from the U.S. to Canada to claim asylum. The influx of people to Canada both predates and is a symptom of current American foreign policy. However, there has long been a sizable migrant crisis; globally the number is 60 million people, including refugees and internally displaced people. The Trump administration's hostility toward migrants whether it is expanding deportation or rescinding temporary protected status for more than 200,000 individuals is influential. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

string quartet: People gathered at Olive Square at Yonge St. and Finch Ave, according to Toronto Star. Tuesday evening, leaving flowers and notes in memory of the victims. That was the message amplified at the vigil for the victims of a van attack that killed 10 people and injured 14 more in North York on Monday. Words of kindness were written in English, Korean and Farsi, reflecting the diversity of the neighbourhood that was shaken by Monday's rampage. Others began to cry. Some people bowed their heads and prayed as a string quartet performed Hallelujah. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

tuesday afternoon: On Monday afternoon a van drove down Yonge St., crossing the Finch Ave, according to Toronto Star. W. intersection. Just 24 hours before, a tragedy began not far from that spot. For the next 2.2 kilometres, the van veered onto the curb, hitting pedestrians, killing 10 and injuring 14. On Tuesday afternoon, people who work and live in the area emerged onto Yonge St. and gathered near caution tape and watched the quiet street. Police arrested a suspect just south of Sheppard Ave. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

victoria blamey: The Heat A Kitchen R evolution, which opens the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival on Thursday, details the gender barriers women have faced in climbing the ranks of the professional culinary world, according to The Chronicle Herald. Interviewees include chef Anne-Sophie Pic, the only woman in France to have three Michelin stars for culinary excellence. Women were fighting for years to get out of the kitchen and now women are fighting to get their rightful place back in the kitchen, she said in an interview. Other chefs in the doc include Victoria Blamey and Anita Lo of New York, Charlotte Langley of Toronto, and Angela Hartnett of London. They also say female chefs don't get the same financial backing that men do. They talk about gender disparity in the culinary world, noting the media doesn't celebrate female chefs the way they do men. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cookie-cutter houses: When their house was finished a year later, it was one of a new batch of cookie-cutter houses in a neatly organized subdivision, where chain-linked fences divided lawns and large picture windows allowed neighbours to spy on each other from the safety of their living rooms, according to NOW Magazine. Leung captures this era of Scarborough in her new book, That Time I Loved You Harper Collins Canada . It's a beautiful collection of heartwarming, funny short stories that explore the inner lives of the people who make up the subdivision, like June and Josie, two Chinese middle-schoolers who come of age in Scarborough and through one another; Darren, a comic-book-loving young Black boy who realizes too young the cruelties of racism; and Mrs. During their first year in Canada, Leung and her family would make weekly trips from their rented apartment in Etobicoke to the construction site of their future home in Scarborough. Da Silva, a Portuguese immigrant trying to find her footing in a big new city. Last year, Nuit Blanche announced the 2018 festival would expand to Scarborough due partially to community demand. Over the past year, Scarborough and the Toronto suburbs in general have been the muse and backdrop to some of the city's most exciting arts and culture, whether through literature like David Chariandy's Brother and Catherine Hernandez's Scarborough, or films like Joyce Wong's Wexford Plaza. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

council vancouver: On Tuesday, Mohsin, 39, was preparing to break down his camp again, after an order came from the security services to move once more.article continues below Trending Stories After accident that left him paralyzed, pilot finds way to move forward More park board commissioners hoping to make jump to council Vancouver is officially the rattiest city in B.C.'Police credit witnesses for helping end East Van crime spree Even as donor nations raise money for Syria's neighbours to host refugees of the country's civil war, a leading international rights group and the U.N.'s refugee agency say Lebanese authorities are evicting refugees from towns and camps in the country on questionable legal grounds, according to Vancouver Courier. Mohsin, from Syria's third largest city Homs, said on the second order to move he went to a local official to ask for help. The message was clear, he said they were not wanted. He said, go back to Syria, said Mohsin. Human Rights Watch said it documented evictions in 13 towns and villages putting more than 3,600 Syrians on the streets since 2016. Neither the local official nor the military could be reached for comment. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

life support: Medics caring for him at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool have said further treatment is futile, and the toddler's life support was withdrawn Monday after a series of court rulings sided with the doctors and blocked further medical treatment.article continues below Trending Stories After accident that left him paralyzed, pilot finds way to move forward Vancouver is officially the rattiest city in B.C.'Kinder Morgan protesters occupy justice minister's office Police seek missing woman Alfie's parents continued their fight to take him to Italy to be cared for at the Vatican's children's hospital, which has said it is willing to take him, according to Vancouver Courier. Three Court of Appeal judges rejected the parents' latest legal bid on Wednesday. Doctors say the 23-month-old boy suffers from a degenerative neurological condition that has left him in a semi-vegetative state with almost no brain function. Judge Andrew McFarlane said nothing had changed since a previous court ruling that Alfie's treatment should end. It wasn't immediately clear whether Alfie's parents would seek another appeal. High Court Justice Anthony Hayden dismissed the parents' case on Tuesday, and said his ruling represented the final chapter in the life of this extraordinary little boy. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

prostitution-related crimes: If they attend the sessions, their charges are dropped, according to NOW Magazine. Stephanie Wang-Breal's persistent cameras capture conversations and the close relationships among the program's participants, including special court judge Toko Serita, counsellor Eliza Hook and women, many of them illegal immigrants from China, caught up in sex work life. Rating NNNNIn 2004, a gob-smackingly progressive program is initiated in Queens, in which New York's justice system gives women arrested for prostitution-related crimes the option of forgoing a trial in favour of counselling sessions. Attempts to zero in on the personal lives of Serita and Hook almost derail the pic, but Blowin' Up the term for leaving the sex trade winds up being a powerful ode to a sanctuary city even if Trump's Immigration Services have started invading to sweep up the undocumented. May 1, 6 45 pm, Hart House; May 3, 12 30 pm, TIFF 1; May 5, 9 pm, Revue (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ticket info: May 3-13, 2018, according to NOW Magazine. Various venues. Featuring films and TV screenings that highlight a diverse range of Jewish experiences around the world. Schedule and ticket info at tjff. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks, says the diminutive but powerful Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the new documentary on her life, RBG. The daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants, she defied all expectations of women in the legal profession, becoming America's second female Supreme Court Justice and dedicating her life to raising the bar for equality. I ask no favour for my sex. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

film: The documentary is screening May 2 and 4 at Toronto's Hot Docs festival as well as other festivals in the next few months, according to Rabble. Kiribati population 100,000 sits in what is called the centre of the world -- on the equator and smack dab on the international east-west dateline. This is an era of urgency and if you are going to catch a climate change film, be sure to watch this deeply moving, people-centred one. We thought we were so isolated we could be immune from the tribulations of the world, intones the wise Anote Tong, who served as the country's leader from 2003 to 2016. It is a finely tuned film dressed in deep melancholy and shot with so much care and cinematic artistry and prowess, you'll feel deeply as your eyes are submerged in the images. The documentary follows Tong over the last years of his term as he struggles to save his country and culture from the ravages of extreme storms and sea-level rise. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.