syrian adults: Refugee settlement organizations across the country have reported similar challenges and successes for the nearly 52,000 Syrian refugees who arrived in Canada between October 2015 and February 2018, according to CTV. More than half of those surveyed depend on food banks at least once a week, although that figure dropped to 56 per cent from 66 per cent over the last year, according to the report by Immigrant Services Society of B.C. The full-time employment rate has doubled in the past year to 27 per cent, it said. That's the picture painted by a small survey of 241 Syrian adults who arrived in British Columbia with government assistance over the past two years. At the same time, 87 per cent say their English has improved and 97 per cent say their children are doing well in school, the report said. Government-assisted refugees are selected based on vulnerability, he said. Director of settlement services Chris Friesen said given the huge obstacles government-assisted refugees have to overcome to get to Canada, full integration will take longer than two years, so the figures paint an optimistic picture. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

turkish-syrian border: Turkey began its offensive against the northern Syrian city in January, taking full control from the Kurds in March, according to Toronto Star. Against the backdrop of Syria's long-standing civil war, an autonomous Kurdish region at the Turkish-Syrian border was perceived as a threat by Turkey, which has had its own share of Kurdish insurgency movements. The hairstylist, who came from Syria to join her sister here in 2012, has waved protest signs and shouted anti-war slogans at Yonge-Dundas Square every weekend in opposition to Turkey's military action in Afrin. I don't book any client on Saturday after 4 p.m. because I have to be here, said Polo, 32. We need to be their voice so they can be heard and Canada will do something to stop the killing and suffering. My people in Afrin don't have a voice. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

post-doctoral student: He's looking elsewhere because his future here is unclear Karimi has been waiting a year for Canada to grant his security clearance, according to Toronto Star. Without it, he is unable to apply for permanent resident status. Six years after being on successive work permits as a professor and researcher at the University of Ottawa, the Iranian academic is pondering a move to Germany where a three-year, 5.4 million research grant is on offer. The post-doctoral student from China I supervised got his permanent status in seven months. We need to do proper security screening, but not being able to set down roots here is killing other opportunities for me. Here I'm still waiting, said Karimi whose current work permit expires in August. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

syrian refugees: Read the full report from the Immigrant Services Society of B.C. Refugee settlement organizations across the country have reported similar challenges and successes for the nearly 52,000 Syrian refugees who arrived in Canada between October 2015 and February 2018, according to CTV. More than half of those surveyed depend on food banks at least once a week, although that figure dropped to 56 per cent from 66 per cent over the last year, according to the report by Immigrant Services Society of B.C. The full-time employment rate has doubled in the past year to 27 per cent, it said. That's the picture painted by a small survey of 241 Syrian adults who arrived in British Columbia with government assistance over the past two years. At the same time, 87 per cent say their English has improved and 97 per cent say their children are doing well in school, the report said. Government-assisted refugees are selected based on vulnerability, he said. Director of settlement services Chris Friesen said given the huge obstacles government-assisted refugees have to overcome to get to Canada, full integration will take longer than two years, so the figures paint an optimistic picture. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

wantaqo 'ti: Nothing is nobler than spreading our message in the mother tongue of this land we are on and we call home, founder Tareq Hadhad said via email, according to Toronto Star. He said it is his company's mission to translate the family's concept of peace to all Canadians, starting with the Mi'kmaq of his home province. Peace by Chocolate of Antigonish, N.S., revealed Wednesday its new milk chocolate and hazelnut bar is to be called Wantaqo'ti pronounced Wan-tahk-oo-di the Mi'kmaq word for peace. He said he and his company felt the need to be part of the noble process of truth and reconciliation so they reached out to Mi'kmaq leaders to help translate and guide them during the process. Peace is beautiful in every language, Hadhad said. Article Continued Below Hadhad said other versions of the bar will be sold using the Arabic, French and Mandarin words for peace. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

michael coteau: And he looked good to have some traction when he was recruited by the now not so dearly departed PC leader Patrick Brown to run here, according to NOW Magazine. With the more right-wing Doug Ford as leader, the dynamic changes for the worse for Minnan-Wong in a riding that's solidly ethnic and Liberal red for two decades, and has been held since 2011 by locally popular incumbent Michael Coteau, who is not only one of Kathleen Wynne's most trusted cabinet ministers, but a respected conduit to the Black community.2. Don Valley East Who's running Michael Coteau Liberal Denzil Minnan-Wong PC Khalid Ahmed NDP Justin Robinson Libertarian Mark Wong Green The vote last time 2014 Liberal 56 per cent, Conservative 27 per cent, NDP 13 per cent, Green 4 per cent Toronto city councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong has been jonesing to make the leap to provincial politics since forever. Don Valley West Who's running Kathleen Wynne Liberal Jon Kieran PC Morgan Bailey Green John -Kittredge Libertarian The vote last time 2014 Liberal 57 per cent, PC 31 per cent, NDP 8 per cent, Green 3 per cent. Difficult to fathom given that she has held the riding since 2003 and won when no one believed she could in 2007 against then PC leader John Tory. If you believe conservative polling firm Forum Research, Liberal leader Kathleen Wynne is so unpopular that she's in line to lose in her own backyard, where there was some backlash over the Liberals' sex-ed curriculum among ethnic communities. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ez: Display Ad zoneid 504811, containerid 'crt-21', passbackcode ezoflbf 21 ; var ezfl sss 1122 function set Timeout function var ezflaun if typeof ezflaun ! 'undefined' && ezflaun.length 0 if typeof ez ad units ! undefined for i 0; i ez ad units.length; i if 0 return false; 47, 0.10 ; 8000 ; ; ' ezfl sss 1122', null, false, 'banger.js' false, false, false, true ; Joe Dickson Liberal Rod Phillips PC Paul Taalman Trillium Marsha Haynes Libertarian The vote last time 2014 Formerly Ajax-Pickering Liberal 51 per cent, PC 29 per cent, NDP 16 per cent, Green 3 per cent Incumbent Joe Dickson, a former Catholic school board trustee, has held this Liberal seat since 2007 and won with more than 50 per cent of the vote in 2014 against his closest PC challenger, according to NOW Magazine. This time he's up against Rod Phillips, the former Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation CEO, Postmedia exec and Paul Godfrey sidekick recruited as a star candidate for the PCs by Patrick Brown. Ajax Who's running var ezzns21 ezoflbf 2 21 function 1122, false, 'banger.js' false, false, false, true ; ; var ezoflbf 21 function ;Criteo. How Phillips's decidedly corporate Toronto air plays here against Dickson's small-town appeal will be interesting to watch.2. It's been a schmozzle for the PCs trying to figure out who to field in this newly created, multi-ethnic riding. Brampton Centre Who's running Safdar Hussain Liberal Harjit Jaswal PC Sara Singh NDP William Oprel Trillium Andrew Hosie Libertarian The vote last time This riding is being contested for the first time provincially. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

lorde inc: Lorde models have appeared in music videos, a Uniqlo campaign and walked in New York, Paris and London Fashion Week shows for Chromat, Vetements and Gypsy Sport, among other designers, according to NOW Magazine. Late last month, Kaptownwala put together an hour-long mixtape of video clips that gave insight into her influences as part of Ciinema. That includes trans people and people who wear turbans or hijabs. The monthly event, created by urban planner Craig Cal of Locale and event planners Banded Purple, invites artists and entrepreneurs of colour to curate a video of what inspires and challenges them. How did you get into casting and establish Lorde Inc. Watch it here.I caught up with Kaptownwala to chat about her independent agency and influences. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

school i: Looking back now, two years later, her favourite class is English, and she hopes to keep studying after graduating high school, according to National Observer. I'm planning to study social work, and I wish to be like the ISSofBC, to help other immigrants and refugees, she told National Observer. At first, she hated school and had difficulty understanding classes and making friends. She was referring to the Immigration Services Society of British Columbia ISSofBC which played a major role in supporting the Canadian government's efforts to resettle and integrate 3,600 Syrian refugees in B.C. in 2016. The number of employed refugees doubled since last year, and 97 per cent of families said they were seeing their school-aged children succeed. Over 40,000 refugees resettled Canada in that time, the largest resettlement in Canadian history. ; The group released a report today that highlighted trends of the past two years' worth of challenges and successes. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

syrian adults: More than half of those surveyed depend on food banks at least once a week, although that figure dropped to 56 per cent from 66 per cent over the last year, according to the report by Immigrant Services Society of B.C. The full-time employment rate has doubled in the past year to 27 per cent, it said, according to Vancouver Courier. At the same time, 87 per cent say their English has improved and 97 per cent say their children are doing well in school, the report said. That's the picture painted by a small survey of 241 Syrian adults who arrived in British Columbia with government assistance over the past two years.article continues below Trending StoriesB.C. man records close encounter with 'monster' cougar VIDEO City works yard hiring, contracting process flawed audit Gangs of Vancouver Attention drivers East First Avenue partial lane closures begin soon Refugee settlement organizations across the country have reported similar challenges and successes for the nearly 52,000 Syrian refugees who arrived in Canada between October 2015 and February 2018. Director of settlement services Chris Friesen said given the huge obstacles government-assisted refugees have to overcome to get to Canada, full integration will take longer than two years, so the figures paint an optimistic refugees are selected based on vulnerability, he said. They tend to have less education, fewer skills, more medical conditions and a weaker support network than privately sponsored refugees in Canada, he said. Many spent at least three years in refugee camps and experienced trauma. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

atlantic: The factors that transformed the mother of two from an Israeli with itchy feet to a dedicated Atlantic Canadian are the focus of intense study in this part of the world as policy makers, employers and academics puzzle over how to boost immigration to help the regional economy, according to The Chronicle Herald. Immigrants who stay in Atlantic Canada have higher employment levels, higher wages and face less discrimination than immigrants to other parts of Canada, yet the region struggles to attract newcomers and has the lowest retention rates in Canada. Now, she wouldn't leave for anything. Atlantic Canada is engaged in a radical experiment in population management that has profound implications not just for this region, but for the country as a whole. Francis McGuire, president of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, points out that there are more than 20,000 jobs unfilled in the region. The demographic bomb that threatens Canada is set to go off here first Atlantic Canada has Canada's lowest birth rate, highest median age and often sends more residents to other parts of Canada than it takes in. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ctv windsor: In an email to CTV News, the Consulate of Mexico in Leamington says it has been informed of two Mexican nationals who were working in this region without the proper permits, according to CTV. The statement also says they were promptly processed and they are now in Toronto to continue their deportation procedure. The Canada Border Services Agency confirms a number of people were arrested on Tuesday CBSA spokesperson Tim Armaly tells CTV Windsor the investigation is ongoing and he can't comment further. While few details are being released, social activist Chris Ramsaroop said in a Facebook post that 18 people were picked up in an immigration raid near Leamington at approximately 10 a.m. on Tuesday. Ramsaroop points out the sweep occurred on the same day as May Day, which is also the International Day of Worker Resistance. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

deprivation limits: The bulk of today's public discourse takes place online, so those who lack access to digital media are less likely to be civically engaged, according to Toronto Star. The stakes are highest for Indigenous people, whose deprivation limits their political participation. Yet in spite of continuing progress, four billion people around the world still remain offline, and some of them live in Canada. Their assimilation, should they continue to abandon reserves, also jeopardizes Canada's diverse character. For many Indigenous communities, gaining reliable and affordable broadband access is a matter of cultural survival. Canadians are obliged to recognize that fortifying our democratic society, and reconciling with Indigenous Peoples in a tangible manner, requires us to remedy the digital disparity that exists. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

hazelnut bar: Nothing is nobler than spreading our message in the mother tongue of this land we are on and we call home, founder Tareq Hadhad said via email, according to CTV. He said it is his company's mission to translate the family's concept of peace to all Canadians, starting with the Mi'kmaq of his home province. Peace by Chocolate of Antigonish, N.S., revealed Wednesday its new milk chocolate and hazelnut bar is to be called Wantaqo'ti pronounced Wan-tahk-oo-di the Mi'kmaq word for peace. He said he and his company felt the need to be part of the noble process of truth and reconciliation so they reached out to Mi'kmaq leaders to help translate and guide them during the process. Peace is beautiful in every language, Hadhad said. Hadhad said other versions of the bar will be sold using the Arabic, French and Mandarin words for peace. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

slovenian couple: Viktor and Amalija Knavs are lawful permanent residents of the U.S., according to their lawyer Michael Wildes, according to CTV. The attorney and the White House have declined to comment on whether the first lady's parents are seeking to become U.S. citizens. The Slovenian couple had no comment Wednesday afternoon after about an hour-long meeting in the building which houses offices for federal immigration officials who help process citizenship applications. Republican U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed to restrict immigration. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

syrian adults: Refugee settlement organizations across the country have reported similar challenges and successes for the nearly 52,000 Syrian refugees who arrived in Canada between October 2015 and February 2018, according to The Chronicle Herald. More than half of those surveyed depend on food banks at least once a week, although that figure dropped to 56 per cent from 66 per cent over the last year, according to the report by Immigrant Services Society of B.C. The full-time employment rate has doubled in the past year to 27 per cent, it said. That's the picture painted by a small survey of 241 Syrian adults who arrived in British Columbia with government assistance over the past two years. At the same time, 87 per cent say their English has improved and 97 per cent say their children are doing well in school, the report said. Government-assisted refugees are selected based on vulnerability, he said. Director of settlement services Chris Friesen said given the huge obstacles government-assisted refugees have to overcome to get to Canada, full integration will take longer than two years, so the figures paint an optimistic picture. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

syrian man: He dreams of someday soon coming to Canada, according to Toronto Star. I've stopped counting the days, the 36-year-old Syrian man said, because it's useless. He sleeps until an announcement wakes him. Kontar is stranded in Malaysia left by immigration officials from at least three countries and in legal limbo with no money, no visas, and few possessions. In January 2017, Kontar was ordered deported from the United Arab Emirates after his work permit expired. Article Continued Below Here's how he got here. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

development: How else can a guy with the worst resum of the three main contenders be this close to the second-highest office in the land Going against him Soft underbelly, according to NOW Magazine. Ford's rep for saying some of the stupidest shit known to humankind is slowly catching up to him. Also, one of the best BSers in the business, not to mention friends at Postmedia including Sun editor-in-chief Adrienne Batra, his brother's former press secretary orchestrating a campaign against Wynne on his behalf. There have already been a number of flip-flops, including this week on a secret pledge to developers to open up the Greenbelt to development. But for voters outside Toronto who may not be acquainted with his views on race, for example, it amounts to a wake-up call. For his supporters, it may all amount to zeroes. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

evidence politics: That view has made the U.S. Senate's confirmation of federal judges fraught, with each party battling to block nominees they view as unsympathetic to their positions.article continues below Trending Stories Burnaby MP considers Vancouver mayoral run Update Police believe double homicide in Richmond may be targeted hit After guilty plea, man handed life sentence for gang killing of Jonathan Bacon Chemical spills wipe out fish in three North Shore streams But is there any evidence politics plays a role in judicial opinions An Associated Press review suggests it might, according to Vancouver Courier. The AP looked at opinions by nearly 40 federal district court and appellate judges about Trump's ban on travellers from mostly Muslim countries. Other observers describe America's judges as conservative or liberal, implying they bring an ideology to their decision-making that goes beyond a careful assessment of law and precedent. It found only one judge nominated by a Democratic president has supported Trump's authority to keep out all travellers or deport those who arrived just as the first ban took effect. The travel ban is now in its third iteration and under consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court.HOW HAS THIS SPLIT PLAYED OUT IN THE COURTS One of the first federal judges to consider the ban gave it the all-clear, saying Trump provided a legitimate reason for his January 2017 executive order and that a lawsuit challenging it was likely to fail. With some exceptions, Republican nominees have taken a broader view of presidential power and rejected limits on the executive orders. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

peace bridge: With help from friends within the Canadian Tamil community, Arulpragasam managed to secure a temporary visa to enter by land via the U.S.-Canadian border at Fort Erie, according to NOW Magazine. After flying to Buffalo this morning, she and her assistant arrived at the Peace Bridge hoping to drive to Toronto. The British-Tamil recording artist real name Mathangi Maya Arulpragasam was detained in a Canadian customs office at the Peace Bridge border crossing in Fort Erie, her manager Christopher Taylor told NOW. She is now en route to Toronto where she is scheduled to attend the Canadian premiere of her documentary Matangi/Maya/M.I.A. at the Hot Docs Film Festival this evening May 2 . The rapper and pop star had originally planned to fly to Toronto from London, England yesterday, but was unable to board the flight due to mysterious stamp on her passport. She was held at the border for some hours until just after 10 am.I'm hosting tonight's premiere and, needless to say, she and I are going to have a lot to discuss. Arulpragasam has previously spoken out about immigration issues when she said her label would not release her album AIM which included a song called Visa because she could not secure a visa for the United States in order to promote it. Over the past four months, Arulpragasam has attended festival screenings of the doc, which was directed by her long-time friend Steven Loveridge, in New York City and Utah. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

caravan cases: The caravan first drew attention in the U.S. when President Donald Trump promised that his administration would seek to turn the families away, according to CTV. The rest of the asylum-seeking process will happen slowly and secretively in immigration courts. Now that the group has arrived at the border, the next steps in their journey will unfold mostly out of public view. Dan Kowalski, editor of Bender's Immigration Bulletin, said the public will probably see very little of the caravan cases unless the applicant is represented and the attorney makes an effort to bring the client into the limelight. The crossing, the nation's busiest, processed about 50 asylum seekers a day from October through February, suggesting the wait will be short. A total of 28 caravan members were accepted for processing Monday and Tuesday by U.S. border inspectors at San Diego's San Ysidro crossing, an official with U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

border: But is this a crisis Although an important issue it is certainly not a crisis, according to Toronto Star. Last year, 20,593 asylum seekers crossed between official border checkpoints. Some have called this a crisis. More than 90 per cent of these crossings happened at the U.S. border with Quebec. There seems to be a stabilization of the numbers over the last few months. Add to that another 21,180 asylum seekers coming through regular means. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cabinet meeting: But this is very exploratory at the moment, scoping issues and potential solutions, according to CTV. There have been reports this week that Canada wants the agreement rewritten to apply to the entire border. The aim would be to stem the flow of asylum seekers that have been coming into Canada from the U.S. It's a discussion we're having with the Americans about the various techniques that could be pursued on both sides of the border to ensure security and integrity, Goodale said as he left the weekly cabinet meeting. But that kind of expansion would not be in Canada's interests and could actually pose safety issues, said Goodale. He adds that Canada has not entered into formal talks with the Trump administration. That ... would increase insecurity at the border and make the crossing issues less safe, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

equity-seeking groups: That means publicly traded companies are now required, among other things, to disclose the number of women and others from equity-seeking groups, such as visible minorities, on their boards and in senior management, according to CTV. They will also now have to share their policies on diversity -- or explain themselves to their shareholders. This is really a call to action for corporate Canada to step up, Bains said in an interview Tuesday after the government's changes to the Canadian Business Corporations Act received royal assent from Governor General Julie Payette. The act affects nearly 270,000 companies, but Tuesday's amendments would only affect those that also issue shares and report to a securities commission, including about 600 companies on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Bains said he wants Canada to lead the world on the issue. The Conservatives, who began consultations on the possibility of bringing in such legislation when they were in power, supported it. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigrant community: The Trump administration has made very clear that they've declared war on the immigrant community on all levels, said Javier Valdes, co-executive director of the advocacy group Make the Road New York, according to The Chronicle Herald. Immigrant rights groups have joined in May Day activities for more than a decade, initially to push back against harsh legislative proposals and later to clamour for reform and legal status for immigrants in the country illegally who were brought to the U.S. as children or overstayed their visas. People were marching and holding other demonstrations for labour and immigrant rights from New York to Georgia to California on International Workers' Day, amid similar actions worldwide. Now, they want to drive turnout in the midterm elections. Elections have consequences, and the consequences for our community have been dire, and if we do not change the balance of power, we question our ability to remain free in this country, she said. Advocates hope voters target lawmakers who have pushed for measures that hurt immigrants and replace them with immigrant-friendly policymakers, said Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in Los Angeles. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

reception camp: Around 700,000 Rohingya fled the troubled area to squalid camps in Bangladesh last year as Burma's army launched a brutal crackdown following insurgent attacks on security posts, according to Toronto Star. State television showed the ambassadors touring the border area. Delegation members said they hope to help the refugees return quickly and safely to their homes there. Travelling by helicopter, they visited two villages, one transit centre and one reception camp, where refugees who return will initially be housed. Min Aung Hlaing. Read more Top-level UN team meets Burma leader in Rohingya probe Article Continued Below Indonesian fishermen rescue Rohingya Muslims fleeing Burma Burma military put on UN blacklist for credibly suspected' of carrying out sexual violence They also met with members of different groups affected by the violence and upheaval, including Rakhine Buddhists, Hindus and some Rohingya Muslims who did not flee. react-empty 140 The ambassadors visited refugees in Bangladesh over the weekend, and on Monday held talks with Burma officials, including the country's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and military commander in chief Senior Gen. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.