nolore: We had a few speeches, according to National Observer. We mingled. There were about 10 of us, children excluded. We left. What were they there to do Were we really a threat to anyone The left and the right are not policed equally, writes NoLore. As we were walking away, I realized that two police cruisers full of cops were monitoring us nearly as many officers as the 10 of us at our little rally. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

gordon warnecke: Rating NNNVenus is about transwoman who is transitioning, but the central thrust of the story is not a physical transformation, according to NOW Magazine. Refreshingly, Montreal writer/director Eisha Majara's charming dramedy shifts the emotional legwork largely to the characters around her lead, creating a film in which the world must come to grips with the trans person not the other way around. Opens Friday May 18 . See listing. That's not to say there isn't adversity. At the same time, she rekindles a romance with a closeted boyfriend Pierre-Yves Cardinal while coming out to her Indian immigrant parents Zena Darawalla and My Beautiful Laundrette's Gordon Warnecke . It's pure soap opera and Majara wastes no time introducing the long-lost son in Venus's opening scenes. Sid Debargo Sanyal is embarking on a transition when she finds out she has a preteen son named Ralph Jamie Mayers with a high-school ex Amber Goldfarb she hasn't spoken to in years. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sentence: His sentence expires June 8 but he was given a royal pardon on Wednesday and freed from custody after last week's stunning electoral victory by his alliance led by former foe Mahathir Mohamad, according to Vancouver Courier. Anwar said poor Malays will benefit more from merit-based policies that are transparent. In an interview with The Associated Press, the prime minister-in-waiting also said he plans to run in a byelection this year to become a member of Parliament but that he isn't in a rush to take over the top job.article continues below Trending StoriesYVR Airport opens its first self-serve baggage drop system Richmond says it's prepared for projected rising river levels Panel to ponder three options for arterial road and overpass through False Creek Flats Vancouver's Aboriginal relations manager resigns to run Ian Campbell's mayoral campaign Anwar, 70, was convicted of sodomy in 2015 in a case he said was politically motivated. He said the New Economic Policy, instituted in 1971 following bloody riots fueled by Malay discontent with the relative affluence of ethnic minority Chinese, has been abused to enrich the elites. It is also blamed for a racial divide between Malays, who account for two-thirds of Malaysia's 31 million people, and minority Chinese and Indians who have long complained about government discrimination. The program, which gives preference to Malays in government contracts, business, jobs, education and housing, is credited with lifting millions of Malays out of poverty and creating an urban Malay middle class. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

trade agreement: During a speech at the New York University commencement at Yankee Stadium, the prime minister spoke at length on the merits of diversity and the risks of aggressive nationalism, according to National Observer. Looming over everything is the North American Free Trade Agreement and the expected failure of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico to meet an artificial deadline today, set to try and seal a new deal before the Mexican federal elections this summer or U.S. congressional elections in the fall throw new curveballs at the process. Trudeau will spend the second morning of his three-day U.S. tour his 16th visit to the United States as prime minister participating in what is billed as an armchair discussion on economics and international trade at the Economic Club of New York. ; The trip is mainly focused on trade and drumming up investment for Canada, although Trudeau veered off that course Wednesday morning. Coupled with ongoing struggles to get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion built, Canada's ability to compete on the world stage and confidence in its ability to attract investment are currently flagged as questionable. Most of those he met with publicly agreed. In a series of meetings with a lengthy list of international investment executives and U.S. CEOs Wednesday, Trudeau time and again tried to counter those fears, pushing Canada as a great place to do business. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

world leaders: Rating NNNWim Wenders's documentary about Pope Francis is shamelessly cuddly, obnoxiously titled and genuinely inspiring, according to NOW Magazine. What's best in A Man Of His Word emerges from its subject's ability to articulate and embody an ideology that embraces interfaith dialogue and transcends dogma. Opens Friday May 18 . See listing. The former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio is, famously, the first pope from the Americas. Pope Francis insistently speaks on behalf of the poor, and this alone renders him an outlier among world leaders. Wenders's most significant contribution to our understanding of Bergoglio is to emphasize that he was also the first to take his papal name from Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and renouncer of wealth. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ctv news: Signs posted on Sherbrooke St., Monkland Ave., and other major streets throughout NDG last weekend, claim that high-profile neo-Nazis are living in the neighbourhood, according to CTV. The posters includes their alleged home addresses. It comes as tensions are rising owing to anti-fascist activists stepping up their efforts to publicly denounce what they say are the racists living in Montreal. On his Facebook page, one of the men named in the posters appears to mock the signs and all the attention he's receiving. CTV News reached out to the group that posted the posters in NDG, along with posters of other of a man spotted at the Charlottesville, Virginia white supremacist march last year. His page devotes attention to far right and anti-immigrant views, including a video of Adolf Hitler which has since been removed. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

gdp growth: The population would age more quickly, according to Toronto Star. The labour force supporting that aging population would shrink. According to researchers Kareem El-Assal and Daniel Fields, if Canada stopped letting in immigrants, the country's annual GDP growth would slow to 1.3 per cent between now and 2040. Mahdi Mehr, an Iranian national who's been in Canada since 2013, said it would be Canada's loss if skilled immigrants decide to leave due to residency application delays. The researchers found that Canada can better sustain growth by increasing immigration over the coming decade. Alex McKeen / Star Metro Vancouver Unlikely though that scenario is, the projection allows us to assess the current and future contributions of immigration to Canada's economic growth, El-Assal and Fields wrote in a Conference Board of Canada report that came out Tuesday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration policy: L'Actualite, a Montreal-based magazine, published details on Monday of what it says is the recently adopted immigration policy of the Coalition, according to CTV. Under the plan, immigrants to Quebec would receive a temporary three-year permit and be tested on certain criteria such as knowledge of the French language in order to receive authorization to apply for Canadian residency. Premier Philippe Couillard said Tuesday the plan is impracticable and that it considers immigrants as problems that need solving. Newcomers who repeatedly fail the tests would not receive the authorization and would be flagged at the federal level as living in Quebec without status. Coalition member Nathalie Roy said her party's proposal is aimed at ensuring that those who want to permanently reside in Quebec are properly integrated into society, which she suggested is not the case for many newcomers. The Coalition did not deny the authenticity of the document Tuesday when questioned about it by reporters. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

saudi arabia: Nakita Valerio, vice-president for the Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council, says the biggest challenge for Muslims fasting living in northern climates is sleep, according to Toronto Star. Codie McLachlan / For Star Metro But depending on where you are in the world, this can lead to some challenges. Muslims keep the fast by having a pre-dawn meal called suhoor or sehri, then nothing until sundown where they break their fast, called iftar, to build empathy towards the poor and hungry while fulfilling one of the pillars of Islam. Muslims follow the lunar calender, so the dates vary from year to year. That means on Wednesday, Muslims in Mecca, Saudi Arabia the birthplace of Islam had to avoid food and drink for 14 hours. This time, Ramadan has arrived during some of the longest daylight hours of the year. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

polls show: Polls can be wrong, but if we want another outcome, we have to do a lot more than post memes supporting or opposing candidates on social media, and turn out the vote among our friends, according to Rabble. Right now, candidates are out in our communities holding meet and greets, knocking on doors, coming out to debates and stumping for your vote. The polls show a tightening of the race but they still are predicting a PC win and that means Doug Ford may become Ontario's premier. Organizations across Ontario have been putting together tools to arm voters and organizers with information and questions about the issues that matter to them. If we don't want to wake up on June 8 feeling like many of our neighbours to the south did in November 2016, we need to get to work. Read and share the questions communities and organizations want to ask candidates, find out about debates in your community and learn about the candidates' positions. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

schembri: He described it as a vital piece of information for the Bank of Canada as it gauges inflationary pressures and contemplates its interest-rate decisions, according to The Chronicle Herald. However, Schembri also described it as slippery number that can be tricky to pin down, to the point it's hypothetical. Deputy governor Lawrence Schembri mentioned the potential prescriptions in a speech Wednesday that was focused on exploring and demystifying what he called the somewhat abstract notion of potential growth, which provides a reading on what the economy can achieve on a sustainable basis over the long run. One thing about it is apparent it has been on the decline. But that doesn't mean there's a shortage of tools to jack it back up again, he argued. The bank estimates that Canada's annual potential growth will average 1.8 per cent between 2009 and 2021, which is much weaker than the 2.7 per cent average from 1982 to 2008. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

starbucks: From now on, all you have to do is walk into Starbucks and you are welcome to relieve yourself in one of its spacious stalls, according to Toronto Star. An open door bathroom policy is precisely the right move for Starbucks not just in an ethical sense but in a practical sense too, writes Emma Teitel. In fact, according to Howard Schultz, the executive chairman of the coffee mega chain, you don't have to purchase anything at the restaurant in order to use its facilities not a Unicorn Frappuccino, not a Cake Pop, not a Sous Vide Egg bite anybody know what that thing is and not even a Tall Blonde. Jonathan Hayward / THE CANADIAN PRESS file photo On the heels of yet another racist incident blowing up in the media this one in which two Black men were arrested at a Philadelphia Starbucks after asking to use the restroom and sitting down without purchasing anything Schultz announced a new policy, whereby pretty much anyone can use a Starbucks bathroom, paying customer or not. And in terms of the bathroom, we're going to have to make sure that we don't want to become a public bathroom, but we're going to make the right decision 100 per cent of the time and give people the key, because we don't want anyone at Starbucks to feel as if we are not giving access to you to the bathroom because you are less than. Read more Starbucks Canada to close stores for sensitivity training following the arrest of two Black men at a U.S. location Article Continued Below Black men arrested at Philadelphia Starbucks settle for 200K program for young entrepreneurs Opinion Emma Teitel Harvey Weinstein's designer wife shouldn't have to wear his scandal In his own words, speaking in Washington D.C. this month The first thing we want to make sure is that regardless of your station in life, the colour of your skin, your sexual orientation, your gender, your ethnic background everyone is welcome at Starbucks. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

tests: According to the plan, immigrants to Quebec would first be granted a three-year residency permit and would then have to pass a series of tests, such as knowledge of French, and whether their values align with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, according to CTV. The suggestion was roundly criticized by the party's opponents from all sides. The party said if it becomes the next provincial government in Quebec that it would pressure the federal government to expel people who fail certain tests. What he's proposing simply makes absolutely no sense, said Immigration Minister David Heurtel. We will never support any proposition that creates two classes of citizens, added Quebec solidaire MNA Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois. That's not a way to be welcoming, that's not a way to integrate people, said PQ leader Jean-Francois Lisee. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

decline: However, Schembri also described it as slippery number that can be tricky to pin down, to the point it's hypothetical, according to Vancouver Courier. One thing about it is apparent it has been on the decline. Deputy governor Lawrence Schembri mentioned the potential prescriptions in a speech Wednesday that was focused on exploring and demystifying what he called the somewhat abstract notion of potential growth, which provides a reading on what the economy can achieve on a sustainable basis over the long run.article continues below Trending Stories Heritage Vancouver releases 2018 top 10 watch list Panel to ponder three options for arterial road and overpass through False Creek Flats Richmond will only have one summer night market this year Police release photos of suspect in East Van sex assaults He described it as a vital piece of information for the Bank of Canada as it gauges inflationary pressures and contemplates its interest-rate decisions. The bank estimates that Canada's annual potential growth will average 1.8 per cent between 2009 and 2021, which is much weaker than the 2.7 per cent average from 1982 to 2008. A significant development in recent decades is that growth in potential output has been on a generally downward trend in most major advanced economies, including Canada, largely owing to the aging of our populations, Schembri said in a speech to the Ottawa Economics Association and the CFA Society Ottawa. But that doesn't mean there's a shortage of tools to jack it back up again, he argued. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

development officer: For me, right now, I'm taking a little bit of time to talk to people close to me and make sure I make an educated decision as to what the future holds for me, according to Vancouver Courier. Grant has served on the Vancouver Police Board and was an economic development officer with the band. Wade Grant said the NPA board's rejection of councillor Bremner's bid to compete to represent the party as its mayoral candidate in the Oct. 20 municipal election has caused him to contemplate whether to seek a nomination.article continues below Trending Stories Heritage Vancouver releases 2018 top 10 watch list Mounties rescue duckling after mother killed on Highway 1 in Burnaby Panel to ponder three options for arterial road and overpass through False Creek Flats Rescue operation underway for stranded parachutist in Squamishrelated Thank you Gregor Robertson for the bountiful feast of stories Squamish chief launches bid for mayor of Vancouver Updated Hector Bremner ousted as potential NPA mayoral candidate Hector Bremner remains defiant, will seek re-election in October The situation is not ideal, obviously, said Grant, who worked for three years with former premier Christy Clark as a special advisor on Indigenous affairs. He is a former band council member and once ran against current chief Wayne Sparrow in his community's election. To me, it was about finding the right fit to build a bridge where communities could come together where traditionally that hasn't happened, said Grant, who was the co-chairperson of a city-led project in 2011 to bring Indigenous people and new immigrants together in dialogue. Grant said he joined the NPA because it best reflects his values. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

discovery district: On April 6, 59 new Canadians became citizens at a ceremony at the MaRS Discovery District, according to NOW Magazine. Every Canadian by birth should go to a citizenship ceremony at least once in their lives. They were joined by their friends and families, and after taking their oath of citizenship, the nervous energy in the room switched to celebration. It's not only a celebration of our shared values, opportunities and responsibilities as Canadians, it's also a powerful antidote to the racially tinged nationalism being pushed by far-right movements in Canada who believe that our culture is under attack and that so-called old-stock Canadians are somehow more Canadian simply because they are white and European. The April 6 event was part of an enhanced ceremony put on by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship ICC co-founded by John Ralston Saul and former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson. Unlike many people born here, new Canadians who had to struggle to earn their citizenship appreciate the responsibilities of what that means more than some of us who were born here. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

pennsylvania barletta: Lou Barletta, a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump who first got national notice as a small-city mayor for his attempted crackdown on illegal immigration, on Tuesday won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, according to Vancouver Courier. Barletta had paid little attention to his Republican rival, state Rep. Four-term U.S. Rep. Jim Christiana, during the primary campaign. Bob Casey.article continues below Trending Stories Heritage Vancouver releases 2018 top 10 watch list Panel to ponder three options for arterial road and overpass through False Creek Flats Richmond will only have one summer night market this year Police release photos of suspect in East Van sex assaults At his election night party in his hometown of Hazleton, Barletta appealed to the voters who helped Trump win the state in 2016's presidential election. Instead, he focused his attacks on the candidate he hopes to unseat in the fall, two-term Democratic Sen. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

u.s .,: The leadership we need most today, and in the years to come, is leadership that brings people together. - Trudeau NAFTA CDNpoli But inside the towering stone, gilt-lettered facade of Yankee Stadium, Trudeau kicked off his latest U.S. visit with an earnest commencement speech to more than 10,000 enthusiastic, cheering New York University grads, urging them to break out of their comfort zones, according to National Observer. Respect people who don't look or think like you do, Trudeau said. Officials had billed Trudeau's three-day trip to New York and Boston as focused on trade and the economic relationship between Canada and the U.S., with looming NAFTA deadlines as a backdrop. Engage those with whom you may not agree. That brings diversity to a common cause. And take up a leadership role against the aggressive nationalism and identity politics that are making the world a far more complex place to live. ; The leadership we need most today, and in the years to come, is leadership that brings people together, he said, clad in a graduation gown of his own after receiving an honorary degree the first world leader to get one from NYU while in office. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

army colonel: EST, we are delighted to be joined by peace activist and retired U.S. Colonel Ann Wright, and by former NDP MP Libby Davies, according to Rabble. With Ann and Libby, we will be discussing recent events in Gaza and the current Freedom Flotilla mission to challenge and break the illegal blockade of Gaza. For this online event starting at 7 p.m. We are also introducing some of the participants from Canada who will be getting on board the Freedom Flotilla mission this year, sailing for the Right to a Just future for Palestine.A retired U.S. Army Colonel and career diplomat, Ann Wright resigned her State Department post in protest of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and has devoted herself to grassroots peace initiatives ever since. Former NDP member of Parliament and former Vancouver City Councillor Libby Davies visited Gaza in 2009 as part of a Canadian parliamentary delegation. She has been part in the Freedom Flotilla Coalition since the beginning, including being leader on the Women's Boat to Gaza in 2016 and she is also active in advocating for Rohingya refugees and in the women-led movement for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

community standards: Facebook was scrutinized this year over the use of private data and the impact of unregulated content on users, according to Toronto Star. Bloomberg Facebook came under intense scrutiny earlier this year over the use of private data and the impact of unregulated content on its community of 2.2 billion monthly users, with governments around the world questioning the Menlo Park, California-based company's policies. The company also scrubbed 837 million pieces of spam and acted on 2.5 million instances of hate speech, it said on Tuesday in its first-ever report on how effectively it's enforcing community standards. Today's report, which will come out twice a year, can also show how well Facebook's artificial intelligence systems learn to flag items that violate the rules before anyone on the site can see them. Nathan Cirillo's photos to contact women Facebook reorganizes into three divisions after user data criticism The conclusion from the first metrics some problems are better suited to computerized solutions than others. Read more How fake Mark Zuckerbergs scam Facebook users Article Continued Below Facebook shuts down fake profile using Cpl. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

economic-class immigrants: Family-class immigrants have accounted for about 27 per cent of the annual immigration admissions, while refugees comprise about 12 per cent, according to The Chronicle Herald. Employment rates for family class immigrants are at about 52 per cent. Economic-class immigrants have typically made up the majority of newcomers to Canada at around 60 per cent of total admissions. Even after a decade of living in Canada, family class immigrants earn only 61 per cent of the average Canadian wage. Refugees have the lowest earnings among immigrants. After 23 years, they earn about 81 per cent of the average wage. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigrant support: Low earnings and the prevalence of chronic low income among the family class are issues of concern that need to be addressed to help boost the living standards of immigrant families, it says, according to The Chronicle Herald. Doing so, it continues, would help Canada benefit from their human capital in the labour market as it becomes more dependent on immigrant support for its economic growth. As the country becomes more dependent on newcomers to fill labour needs, Canada should be looking to improve the labour market barriers and quality of life for newcomers, says the report released Tuesday. The study measures how the three classes of immigrants contribute to the economy and shows that while Canada has prioritized economic-class immigrants since the mid-1990s, family-class immigrants do more to boost retention rates and improve outcomes for immigrant families. Family reunification also promotes settlement and integration of immigrants into communities, which encourages better retention rates. Newcomers to Canada through family reunification and private sponsorship programs earn significantly less on average than the average Canadian wage, but having family on hand to help with child care allows them to boost their household income by working longer hours. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration policy: L'Actualite, a Montreal-based magazine, published details on Monday of what it says is the recently adopted immigration policy of the Coalition, according to The Chronicle Herald. Under the plan, immigrants to Quebec would receive a temporary three-year permit and be tested on certain criteria such as knowledge of the French language in order to receive authorization to apply for Canadian residency. Premier Philippe Couillard said Tuesday the plan is impracticable and that it considers immigrants as problems that need solving. Newcomers who repeatedly fail the tests would not receive the authorization and would be flagged at the federal level as living in Quebec without status. Coalition member Nathalie Roy said her party's proposal is aimed at ensuring that those who want to permanently reside in Quebec are properly integrated into society, which she suggested is not the case for many newcomers. The Coalition did not deny the authenticity of the document Tuesday when questioned about it by reporters. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

senators days: In a contentious exchange with Sen, according to CTV. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., Nielsen said her department was not taking children from parents as a way to deter illegal immigration. Kirstjen Nielsen, who has headed the agency since December, came under attack by Democratic senators days after Attorney General Jeff Sessions said a zero tolerance policy toward people entering the country illegally could lead to more families being split up while parents are prosecuted. Rather, Nielsen said, if a person crosses the border illegally We will refer you for prosecution. When Harris pressed her about what that would mean for a 4-year-old child whose family faces charges of entering the country illegally, Nielsen said, What we'll be doing is prosecuting parents who've broken the law, just as we do every day in the United States of America. You've broken U.S. law. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

insightrix research: The survey is conducted every three years, and was done by telephone with residents over the age of 18, according to CTV. Visible minorities and people with Indigenous ancestry were oversampled to ensure the findings reflected their perspective. The feedback came through an independent survey from Insightrix Research in 2017, which was contracted by the Saskatoon Police Service. The survey shows 93 per cent of respondents are very or somewhat satisfied with the SPS. That's a slight jump from 92 per cent in 2014, and 91 per cent in 2011. But, some residents felt the service could improve in some areas. The level of satisfaction among Indigenous respondents was 86 per cent, a slight decrease of three per cent from 2011, but a notable jump from 59 per cent in 2005. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

nakba day: Zane Woodford / Star Metro Worldwide, today is being marked as Nakba Day, said the organizer of Tuesday's Halifax protest, Jim Guild, according to Toronto Star. It marks the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the ethnic cleansing of Palestine. Holding a Palestine flag, Helmi Alfarra leads protesters in chants on Tuesday in front of the Public Gardens in Halifax. Guild, with the group Canadians, Arabs and Jews for a Just Peace, helped bring people together outside the Halifx Public Gardens at the corner of Spring Garden Rd. and South Park St. to call on the Canadian government to speak out against the killing of protesters in Gaza. It seems like the whole world knows the score in Israel and Palestine, except for North America. If this was another country, I think we'd be hearing about it, or the government would say, This is appalling,' Guild said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.