asylum seekers: Part of this humanitarian mission includes providing basic, non-legal information so people will know how to obtain the legal and other supports they need to make optimal choices for themselves and their families, a group spokesperson said in a written statement, according to Vancouver Courier. The organization's website says its efforts were spurred by racist messages on social media and flyers in the community that had left some feeling threatened. Pamphlets produced by a group called Plattsburgh Cares are being circulated in Plattsburgh, N.Y., giving would-be asylum seekers step-by-step instructions on where to cross the border, how to contact immigration lawyers and what to tell border security officials during interviews.article continues below Trending Stories Park board making Vancouver beaches, pools more accessible Vancouver cyclist posts video of collision with car Seniors' discount returns to B.C. Ferries Vancouver police warn warm weather brings out thieves The pamphlets even include details about how much migrants should expect to pay in taxi fare to the unofficial border crossing at Roxham Road in Quebec. Hussen said Thursday his department has reached out to the group and that the Canadian consul-general in New York will address what he says is misinformation in the pamphlets. That's why our outreach campaign that has been ongoing is really important to give people the real information about Canada's systems. The contents of the flyer are incomplete, they don't really paint an accurate picture of our asylum system and it's unfortunate, because people will rely on this, Hussen said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

film festival: Just an hour earlier, one queer person of colour's POC experience was repeatedly ignored by members of a panel discussion held in council's chamber, according to Vancouver Courier. The Georgia Straight came under scrutiny this week after publishing a cover with five queer identifying organizers, none of whom represented queer people of colour, according to some of the 11 panellists. Stop trying to erase queer people of colour! Anoushka Ratnarajah yells, partially at the flag threatening to push the biracial queer artistic director of Vancouver's Queer Film Festival out of the picture.article continues below Trending Stories Vancouver police warn warm weather brings out thieves Vancouver cyclist posts video of collision with carVPD cleared in incident of man on fire at McDonald's 56 million grant may make waiting for train in Coquitlam a thing of the past While there is a smile on her face, the crowd gathered for the proclamation of 2018 as Year of the Queer witnessed this sentiment become a theme throughout the celebratory event on May 23. However, one of the people on the cover was Fay Nass. After the celebration, she told the Courier that she was frustrated that no one seems interested in acknowledging what was good about the picture. I think it was just much easier for the panellists to erase me to move their own narrative forward, said Nass, an Iranian immigrant and artistic director of the Frank Theatre Company. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

bob rae: Bob Rae, Canada's special envoy to Myanmar, called on the government last month to set aside 600 million over the next four years to help the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims affected by the violence, according to CTV. Freeland and Bibeau, however, announced during a news conference that Canada would contribute 300 million over the next three years, which will go towards emergency assistance as well as education and reproductive health programs. Yet Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau also found themselves on the defensive as the amount of Canadian aid dollars earmarked for the crisis fell short of expectations. The ministers admitted their plan amounted to less than Rae had requested, but said it nonetheless represented a significant amount of money and was largely in the spirit of his recommendation. Canada needs to do its fair share, but also take into consideration that there are several crises happening. We carefully evaluated the situation, the report by Bob Rae and other humanitarian crises that are currently ongoing, Bibeau said in French. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

corruption scandal: In a series of humiliations, the patrician and luxury-loving Najib and wife Rosmah Mansor were banned from leaving the country; truckloads of luggage stashed with cash and valuables as well as hundreds of expensive designer bags were seized from their home and other properties; and anti-corruption police questioned Najib for hours this week about a multibillion-dollar corruption scandal on his watch, according to The Chronicle Herald. After 60 years of uninterrupted rule by the National Front party, many Malaysians are optimistic they are ushering in an era of reform that echoes the democratic transformation of giant neighbour Indonesia two decades earlier. Instead, in a dizzying political drama, he lost an unlosable election and spiraled into ever-deepening disgrace while Malaysians are being feted for advancing democratic values against their global retreat. The difference, they hope, is that it will continue to be accomplished without setting their multiethnic country in flames. The May 9 election that turfed Najib and his government despite an electoral system heavily engineered in their favour was a quiet, dignified but defining revolution at the ballot box, said Malaysian rights activist and lawyer Ambiga Sreenevasan. A grouping of progressive Southeast Asian lawmakers has hailed Najib's defeat as a bright spot amid dark times of rising authoritarianism across the region. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

days toure: He has not been convicted of a crime but has spent the majority of that time in a maximum security jail, according to Toronto Star. As reported by the Star's Brendan Kennedy He's detained by Canada Border Services Agency solely because officials believe he will not show up for his deportation, if they can ever arrange it. Toure is Canada's longest-serving immigration detainee. Ebrahim Toure has never been charged with a crime but has been at the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ont for five years on immigration detention. Outside the picturesque Toronto courthouse, Toure's supporters had organized a rally in which they handed out several hundred tulips, each one meant to mark the 1,915 days Toure has spent in Canada's custody awaiting an answer.I spoke to a friend of Toure who has known him for 10 years. Anne-Marie Jackson/ Toronto Star / Toronto Star This week, the Ontario Court of Appeal heard arguments from Toure's lawyer and lawyers for the provincial and federal government. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

jean coutu: The study is based on ratings from 27,000 Canadians, who are asked to score companies on their products, innovation, workplace governance, citizenship, leadership and financial performance, according to The Chronicle Herald. Google, Lego and Rolex topped the list, while Canadian brands MEC, Jean Coutu and Canadian Tire all cracked the top 20. Research firm Reputation Institute says the company has fallen to 67th from 13th place in one of the largest moves down of all 250 companies it analyzed this year, but the brand is still considered to have a strong reputation. Shoppers Drug Mart, Home Hardware, Cineplex, Roots and Sleep Country Canada all made appearances in the top 50. The moves follow a public spat between Tim Hortons parent company Restaurant Brands International and the Great White North Franchisee Association, which claims to represent more than half of the brand's franchisee owners. The study comes after similar rankings were released in April by research organization Leger, which ranked Tim Hortons in 50th spot, down from fourth place. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

government program: Conte, 53, immediately sought to reassure international allies, confirming Italy's place and commitments in Europe and acknowledging the delicate and difficult phase the European Union was entering with budget negotiations looming, according to CTV. But the premier-designate also stressed that his first priorities were Italians themselves, and that he was committed to implementing a government program agreed to by the 5-Star and League leadership that calls for budget-busting measures and an immigration crackdown. Conte, a law professor who never has held political office, met with President Sergio Mattarella for nearly two hours amid concern in Brussels and markets made skittish by the possibility of Europe's third-largest economy taking an isolationist turn. I will be the defence lawyer of the Italian people, he said in brief remarks at the presidential palace before departing in a taxi. Once the Conte-headed government is sworn in, its policy agenda would be put to confidence votes in both houses of parliament, where the two blocs have a slight majority. With a mandate in hand, Conte must now huddle with the 5-Stars and League to finalize a list of Cabinet ministers to present to Mattarella. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

house officials: White House officials did not immediately respond to questions about which countries the president was referencing or how far along the plan was -- but it's not the first time he's made the suggestion, according to CTV. Trump threatened in February to cut off aid from and slap sanctions on countries that refuse to accept nationals the U.S. tries to deport, saying, If they don't take 'em back, we'll put sanctions on the countries, we'll put tariffs on the countries. We're going to work out something where every time somebody comes in from a certain country, we're going to deduct a rather large amount of money from what we give them in aid -- if we give them aid at all, Trump said during a roundtable discussion on MS-13 on New York's Long Island attended by federal and local officials. During the roundtable, Trump and officials who support more stringent borders laws defended his references to MS-13 gang members as animals as they recounted a litany of hackings, decapitations, bludgeonings and other gruesome crimes that law enforcement authorities blame on the group. He specifically mentioned House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi as saying even gang members are people. I called them animals the other day and I was met with rebuke, Trump said, referencing Democratic criticism. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

school: The father, Mohamad, works in construction, according to Toronto Star. His wife, Rouida, works as a cleaner for their condo complex. They drive a Toyota. The kids are in school, with big dreams 16-year-old Hana wants to be a police officer, journalist and a nurse. He's hoping to attend school to become a pilot in the fall. To this idea, her older brother Khaled, 20, smiles lovingly. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

toure: Activists for the End Immigration Detention Network and supporters of Ebrahim Toure at Ontario Court of Appeal Osgoode Hall hearing with 1,915 tulips, one for every day he has been indefinitely detained, according to Toronto Star. Lawyers for Ebrahim Toure, Canada's longest serving immigration detainee 5 years are in Ontario's Court of Appeal Wednesday to appeal last fall's Superior Court decision that the government still had a right to detain Toure, who was profiled in our 2017 investigation into Canada's immigration detention system. The judge based his decision in large part on what federal immigration authorities described as a pending interview with Gambian officials, which O'Marra said could conceivably lead to a breakthrough in the case and Toure's removal. Meanwhile, the CBSA appears no closer to deporting the failed refugee claimant. Carlos Osorio / Toronto Star Activists for the End Immigration Detention Network and supporters of Ebrahim Toure at Ontario Court of Appeal Osgoode Hall hearing with 1,915 tulips, one for every day he has been indefinitely detained. May 23, 2018. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

jean coutu: Google, Lego and Rolex topped the list, while Canadian brands MEC, Jean Coutu and Canadian Tire all cracked the top 20, according to Vancouver Courier. Shoppers Drug Mart, Home Hardware, Cineplex, Roots and Sleep Country Canada all made appearances in the top 50. Research firm Reputation Institute says the company has fallen to 67th from 13th place in one of the largest moves down of all 250 companies it analyzed this year, but the brand is still considered to have a strong reputation. article continues below Trending StoriesVPD cleared in incident of man on fire at McDonald'sInvasive Japanese beetle lands in Vancouver; city parks to be sprayed Four Vancouverites awarding for life-saving actions Mayoral candidate promises lobbyist registry, conflict-of-interest rules The study is based on ratings from 27,000 Canadians, who are asked to score companies on their products, innovation, workplace governance, citizenship, leadership and financial performance. The study comes after similar rankings were released in April by research organization Leger, which ranked Tim Hortons in 50th spot, down from fourth place. In recent months, they have fought over cost-cutting measures made at some franchisee's locations in the wake of Ontario's minimum wage hike, RBI's alleged misuse of a national advertising fund and a 700-million renovation plan to spruce up restaurants. The moves follow a public spat between Tim Hortons parent company Restaurant Brands International and the Great White North Franchisee Association, which claims to represent more than half of the brand's franchisee owners. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

laval: Montreal architectural firm Lemay, one of the companies hired to work on the project in Laval, was targeted by Montreal Counter-Information, which describes itself as a website for anarchists to diffuse their ideas and actions . The group says its amateur construction crew released thousands of crickets into Lemay's newly built headquarters last month, according to Vancouver Courier. It called the action the beginning of a concerted effort to stop construction of the Laval holding centre, which is scheduled to be ready in 2021. But it didn't actually turn out the way they wanted. It said crickets are known to reproduce quickly, are difficult to exterminate and that their constant noise makes them a nuisance. The president of Montreal engineering firm ELEMA, which rents space in the same building, recently moved in and was in the process of renovating. But that's not the way things turned out the crickets actually ended up in another locale and were pretty quiet. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

news conference: Freeland and Bibeau, however, announced during a news conference that Canada would contribute 300 million over the next three years, which will go towards emergency assistance as well as education and reproductive health programs, according to Vancouver Courier. The ministers admitted their plan amounted to less than Rae had requested, but said it nonetheless represented a significant amount of money and was largely in the spirit of his recommendation. Yet Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau also found themselves on the defensive as the amount of Canadian aid dollars earmarked for the crisis fell short of expectations.article continues below Trending Stories Invasive Japanese beetle lands in Vancouver; city parks to be sprayedVPD cleared in incident of man on fire at McDonald'sFour Vancouverites awarding for life-saving actions Heritage Vancouver releases 2018 top 10 watch list Bob Rae, Canada's special envoy to Myanmar, called on the government last month to set aside 600 million over the next four years to help the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims affected by the violence. We carefully evaluated the situation, the report by Bob Rae and other humanitarian crises that are currently ongoing, Bibeau said in French. The 300 million over three years is a major response. Canada needs to do its fair share, but also take into consideration that there are several crises happening. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

visa requirements: The biggest spender was Destination Canada, which expensed more than 9.2 million for promoting tourism in Canada to Facebook users during the designated time frame, according to National Observer. The Immigration Department, meanwhile, spent more than 2 million on campaigns, including some international ads promoting visa requirements and economic immigration streams. From Jan. 1, 2016 to March 2018, federal government departments and agencies spent more than 24.4 million on Facebook and Instagram ads, promotions and sponsored posts and videos. ; The data, tabled earlier this month in the House of Commons, includes a breakdown of spending by each government department and agency, showcasing a growing government reliance on Facebook for promoting events and publicizing key government messages and policy initiatives. It also spent 47,497 domestically to provide information about the Syrian refugee program in response to the outpouring of support and interest in how to get involved from Canadians, the department stated. Digital media represented 54.7 per cent of all advertising expenditures last year, with social media representing 23.3 per cent. In 2016-17 the federal procurement department reported that government spending on digital advertising surpassed television for the first time ever. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

aguirre: On Sunday, May 27, Aguirre will detail her experiences at Pier 21 Reads, where she will read excerpts from her national bestseller, Something Fierce Memoirs of a Revolutionary Daughter, according to The Chronicle Herald. Born in Santiago, Chile, in 1967, Aguirre and her family never expected to leave a country they loved. As a political refugee, Aguirre and her family fled to Canada following the 1973 coup that overthrew Salvador Allende, and started Augusto Pinochet's decades long reign of terror. The coup had happened in Chile and we had to flee . It was not an immigrant experience; it was a refugee experience. We didn't choose to come here and reinvent ourselves, which is the immigrant experience, she explains. We didn't choose to leave. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

buddhist-majority myanmar: This displaced population includes an estimated 81,000 pregnant women and girls, according to the Bangladesh Health Ministry, while the UN puts the number at around 40,000, according to CTV. As documented by international medical staff and service providers operating in Bangladesh, many civilians bear the physical and psychological scars of brutal sexual assault, a March UN Security Council report states. Since August 2017, more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled systematic violence in Buddhist-majority Myanmar for neighbouring Bangladesh in what the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has labelled a textbook example of ethnic cleaning. The assaults were allegedly perpetrated by members of the Myanmar Armed Forces Tatmadaw at times acting in concert with members of local militias, in the course of the military clearance operations. Fariha Khan, a physician who serves as a director at Islamic Relief Canada, explained. They would line women up and take their pick and these rapes would just follow, Dr. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cultures pairing: Organized by the Halifax-based immigration platform My Halifax Experience, the inaugural Mosaic Festival will break the mould of past multicultural festivals, wowing spectators and participants with a carnival-inspired display of colourful culture, according to The Chronicle Herald. We are honoured that Waterfront Development approached us to organize this event because we feel it's important for our immigrant population to feel at home here, says Ifeanyi Emesih, founder of My Halifax Experience and Mosaic Festival. The one-day multicultural event will be a unique celebration of the city's diverse cultures pairing a vibrant parade of music and dance with a waterfront party of concerts and vendors. We want this festival to become one of Halifax's essential summer events for our immigrants, newcomers and international students to have a familiar piece of home on the waterfront; and for the residents of Halifax to have the chance to discover, learn and immerse themselves in other cultures. The parade will start at Pier 21 symbolic of Halifax's strong ties with welcoming newcomers. Starting with a parade along Lower Water Street, the family-friendly event will feature music and dance from around the world. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

decade couillard: According to the Liberals, 225,000 jobs have been created since they came to power in 2014 but 90,000 jobs are currently open and they estimate over 1 million jobs will need to be filled over the next decade, according to CTV. Couillard said the problem is especially pronounced in small and medium-sized businesses in Quebec's regions and employers are increasingly looking to immigrants as part of the solution. 'Bring me workers,' that's what I hear, he said. With unemployment at its lowest in the province in 40 years, the Couillard government said the good news is tempered by a labour shortage, which the premier called the province's biggest economic challenge. That's a radical change. Listening to Mr. Couillard noted that his opponenet, Parti Quebecois leader Jean-Francois Lisee unveiled his own immigration policy on Tuesday, one which would encourage immigrants to settle in Quebec's regions. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

fluorescent-tube sculptures: Shellie Zhang's 'A Place for Wholesome Amusements' on College St, according to Toronto Star. MORRIS LUM Zhang asks a similar question of artists like Flavin. The art-history observant would make a link with Dan Flavin's Minimalist works of the 1960s fluorescent-tube sculptures that have since become some of the most revered and pricey works of an era where, ironically, artists used humble materials to hold a mirror up to an art world bloated on excess to ask what, exactly, value meant. A forefather of the 1960s conceptual art era, Flavin was part of a cadre of artists bent on emptying out meaning, replacing it with riddles about material and form. Read more Emily Carr painting gets new name for new era Article Continued Below Toronto's got a roving gang of mannequin squatters Ai Weiwei exhibition coming to Gardiner Museum Just west and a bit more south, at 285 Spadina Ave., a Rexall Drugs conceals an empty theatre, an absent marquee. Zhang's works, meanwhile, are loaded up Her spare forms, glowing behind glass, embody the faded history of a cross-cultural moment in the city's urban fabric, cradled in the ragtag blocks that surround it. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

labour shortage: A PQ government elected Oct. 1 would try to reverse the trend that sees 90 per cent of all newcomers to Quebec move to the Montreal area, Lisee said, according to The Chronicle Herald. The plan also seeks to ensure newcomers speak French by forcing them to pass a test before they get on Quebec soil, Lisee said. PQ leader Jean-Francois Lisee said his plan will better integrate newcomers and prevent more of them from leaving the province for other parts of Canada, encourage immigrants to live outside Montreal and respond to Quebec's labour shortage. We are more frank about the conditions for success, he told reporters. Both the PQ and the Coalition Avenir Quebec said the Liberals' policies have led to high unemployment levels among immigrants and a failure of newcomers speaking adequate French. The people who come here and can't speak French are either unemployed, or they leave for other provinces therefore, they waste their time and ours. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

lisee: Lisee said that should the party prove victorious in October's election, they would try to reverse the current trend that sees 90 per cent of new Quebecers settling in Montreal, according to CTV. To accomplish that, the PQ would implement a points system, with those agreeing to live in one of the regions receiving double the number of points as those who come to Montreal. PQ leader Jean-Francois Lisee unveiled the party's immigration policy on Tuesday alongside spokesperson for immigration and diversity Catherine Fournier and spokesperson for regional development Sylvain Gaudreault. Lisee said that incentive would encourage new arrivals to populate areas suffering from labour shortages and aging populations. The PQ held onto its policy that any new immigrant would have to be able to speak French before arriving. - With files from The Canadian Press He said there would be no minimum stay time to receive the points but didn't believe immigrants would then move to Montreal if they had a home and job in the regions. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

quebec move: Parti Quebecois Leader Jean-Francois Lisee said a PQ government would try to reverse the trend that sees 90 per cent of all newcomers to Quebec move to the Montreal area, according to Toronto Star. Jacques Boissinot / THE CANADIAN PRESS file photo Quebec selects its immigrants based on a point system and Lisee says a PQ government elected Oct. 1 would offer more points to potential immigrants who qualify for a job outside the metropolis. Leader Jean-Francois Lisee said today a PQ government would try to reverse the trend that sees 90 per cent of all newcomers to Quebec move to the Montreal area. Lisee adds that newcomers will still be given extra points even if they don't qualify for a job in the outlying regions but show an intention to settle there. Article Continued Below Both the PQ and the Coalition Avenir Quebec say the Liberals' policies have led to high unemployment levels among immigrants and a failure of newcomers speaking adequate French. Immigration as well as the integration of newcomers is shaping up as a major issue for the fall election campaign. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugees: We could not, cannot and should not be doing this alone, according to Toronto Star. Toronto Star / David Rider But this time municipal politicians are not to blame. Mayor John Tory wants the federal government to help pay for the cost of housing refugees in the city's shelter system. Instead, they are to be commended for trying diligently to keep up with the unprecedented demand for beds created by political decisions that are made, but not paid for, by Ottawa. Article Continued Below Some of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's critics accuse him of making the situation worse back in January 2017 when he tweeted out a message saying that Canada welcomes refugees. Indeed, the current bed shortage is not the result of poor civic planning but of an unprecedented influx of thousands of asylum seekers travelling here from the U.S. In fact, refugee claimants now make up 41 per cent of Toronto's shelter population, up from 11.2 per cent in 2016. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

british columbia: Wages grew by 3.6 per cent over the past year third in the country behind only British Columbia and Ontario, according to Vancouver Courier. The island is aiming for its fifth straight year of record tourism Chris Palmer, minister of economic development, said the Island has seen a fundamental change in attitude. An expected steady rhythm of hammers and saws is just one indicator of an economic boom.article continues below Trending Stories Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir have 'Titanic' B.C. Ferries moment Taleeb Noormohamed officially enters Vision Vancouver leadership race Employee among suspects arrested after 100,000 in booze stolen from liquor distribution branch Soon, Morgan Freeman will be commuting with you on Translink Retail sales on the Island were up 7.4 per cent last year, and employment grew by three per cent and continues to grow at that pace. We've got tremendous skill sets of folks who are here. They're creating new employment. We are inviting people with new skill sets to come to P.E.I. They're coming here and thriving. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

unemployment levels: We are more frank about the conditions for success, he told reporters, according to Vancouver Courier. The people who come here and can't speak French are either unemployed, or they leave for other provinces therefore, they waste their time and ours. The plan also seeks to ensure newcomers speak French by forcing them to pass a test before they get on Quebec soil, Lisee said. Both the PQ and the Coalition Avenir Quebec said the Liberals' policies have led to high unemployment levels among immigrants and a failure of newcomers speaking adequate French. Lisee presented figures Tuesday indicating that for the period of 2014-17, between 30 and 45 per cent of immigrants who arrived in Quebec left for other parts of Canada. The topic of immigration and the integration of newcomers is shaping up to become a major issue for the fall election. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

jewish: The Interparliamentary Group is one of many pro-Israel lobbying organizations in Canada, according to Rabble. In conjunction with the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs CIJA and Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee, the Interparliamentary Group has hosted wine and cheese lobbying events on Parliament Hill. The chair of the group is York Centre MP Michael Levitt, a former board member of the Jewish National Fund, who issued a statement blaming Hamas incitement for Israeli forces shooting thousands of peaceful protesters, including Canadian doctor Tarek Loubani. Three hundred parliamentarians and parliamentary staff attended their 2014 Israeli Wine Meets Canadian Cheese gathering in the East Block courtyard. Representatives of the Group also regularly visit Israel on sponsored trips. The group regularly meets the Israeli Ambassador and that country's other diplomats. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.