china rise: For critics, like Sen, according to The Chronicle Herald. Marco Rubio, they present a threat to academic freedom and a spy risk. For university students like Moe Lewis, they offer a chance to learn about Chinese art and pick up a few phrases in Mandarin. As tensions between the U.S. and China rise over trade and security, perceptions vary wildly about educational exchanges that have thrived since diplomatic relations were normalized four decades ago. And while the China-funded Confucius Institutes that have mushroomed worldwide since 2004 focus on benign subject matter, U.S. lawmakers are pushing for them to be more tightly regulated or even shuttered. Increasingly, U.S. authorities are concerned that Chinese professors and students could exploit access to universities to gather intelligence and sensitive research an issue a Senate judiciary panel will address Wednesday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration status: He also wrote that Philadelphia's policies are reasonable and appropriate, according to The Chronicle Herald. Philadelphia has said it will turn over immigrants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement only if the agency has a warrant signed by a judge. U.S. District Judge Michael Baylson said in his ruling that the conditions the federal government placed on the city in order to receive the funding are unconstitutional, arbitrary and capricious. The federal requirements included allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers access to prisons to interview people of interest, providing advanced notice of release of those people and following rules prohibiting restrictions on disclosure of any person's immigration status. Federal attorneys had said the city's policies put federal immigration agents in danger and create situations where criminals in the country illegally are released and allowed to reoffend. The public statements of President Donald Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, asserting that immigrants commit more crimes than native-born citizens, are inaccurate as applied to Philadelphia, and do not justify the imposition of these three conditions, Baylson wrote. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rohingya refugees: Myanmar's government said it hoped the pact would hasten repatriation, but rights groups still doubt it will let many Rohingya return or can guarantee the safety of those who do, according to The Chronicle Herald. Myanmar's statement didn't mention Rohingya, reflecting the government and the Burmese majority's insistence there is no such ethnic group in Myanmar. The memorandum of understanding promises to establish a framework of co-operation that aims to create conditions for voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of Rohingya refugees but does not address Myanmar's denial of citizenship for the minority. Instead it referred to them as displaced persons. The U.N. and U.S. have described the army crackdown that began in August last year as ethnic cleansing. Myanmar's security forces have been accused of rape, killing, torture and the burning of Rohingya homes in western Rakhine state, where most Rohingya lived. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

judges: The judge sent former Stanford swimmer Brock Turner to jail, not to prison, according to CTV. Critics said the six-month sentence was too lenient. The broader message of this victory is that violence against women is now a voting issue, said Stanford University law professor Michele Dauber, who launched the recall effort against Santa Clara County Judge Aaron Persky. But opponents of the recall warned that Tuesday's lopsided result -- Persky lost by 20 points -- is also a powerful political force where it shouldn't be the courtroom. Cordell was among a number of law school professors and retired judges who fear that judges may now take public perception into account more than they should when handling high-profile and sensitive cases. This sets a dangerous precedent for state court judges in California and perhaps beyond, said LaDoris Cordell, a retired Santa Clara County judge who supported Persky's campaign against the recall. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

security forces: Myanmar's security forces have been accused of rape, killing, torture and the burning of Rohingya homes, according to CTV. The UN and U.S. have described the army crackdown that began in August last year as ethnic cleansing. The memorandum of understanding signed Wednesday promises to establish a framework of co-operation that aims to create the conditions for voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of Rohingya refugees. Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in November to begin repatriating Rohingya, but refugees feared their lives would be at risk in Myanmar without international monitoring. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

subway restaurant: Some have been new immigrants making sandwiches without earning a dime, according to Toronto Star. Ruchi Lall is a new immigrant from India and has a master's degree in social work. But not everyone coming and going have been paid employees. Lall spent a month volunteering before she was able to land a temporary job. Its owner said he didn't consider labour law when he got involved. Jennifer Gauthier / for Star Metro This Subway restaurant at 6402 Victoria Dr. in Vancouver is one business participating in an unpaid work placements' program aimed at giving recent immigrants Canadian job experience. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

voter segments: Whichever way Peterborough-Kawartha votes, so goes the election at least that's been the case for the past 40 years, according to CTV. So the question everyone is asking is which way will this riding vote in on June 7 Its demographic makeup may offer some clues. This is the third in a series of blogs leading up to the provincial election that will look at voter segments their party preferences and key ridings. While the province has millions of different voices, our analysis shows that there are seven prominent segments, or voter groups, who tend to decide the outcome of an election Urban Affluence, Orange Heartland, Red Core, Blue Ontario, Boomer Battleground, Multicultural Families and Young & Urban. By looking at this riding through a demographic lens we can see that Peterborough-Kawartha is home to a large number Blue Ontario voters. You can find a more detailed summary of the key voter segments, here. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

burmese insistence: Myanmar's statement didn't mention Rohingya, reflecting the government and the Burmese majority's insistence there is no such ethnic group in Myanmar, according to Vancouver Courier. Instead it referred to them as displaced persons. The memorandum of understanding promises to establish a framework of co-operation that aims to create conditions for voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of Rohingya refugees but does not address Myanmar's denial of citizenship for the minority.article continues below Trending Stories Online map shows crabby crows dive bombing pedestrians in Metro VancouverP!nk hikes Capilano trail, thanks Vancouver for being 'damned awesome'Seismic upgrade of Lord Strathcona elementary a Canadian first Trudeau stands up to tough crowd in Nanaimo Myanmar's government said it hoped the pact would hasten repatriation, but rights groups still doubt it will let many Rohingya return or can guarantee the safety of those who do. Myanmar's security forces have been accused of rape, killing, torture and the burning of Rohingya homes in western Rakhine state, where most Rohingya lived. Predominantly Buddhist Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in November to begin repatriating Rohingya. The U.N. and U.S. have described the army crackdown that began in August last year as ethnic cleansing. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

interview people: The federal requirements included allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers access to prisons to interview people of interest, providing advanced notice of release of those people and following rules prohibiting restrictions on disclosure of any person's immigration status, according to Vancouver Courier. The public statements of President Donald Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, asserting that immigrants commit more crimes than native-born citizens, are inaccurate as applied to Philadelphia, and do not justify the imposition of these three conditions, Baylson wrote. He also wrote that Philadelphia's policies are reasonable and appropriate.article continues below Trending Stories Bear family hanging out on Burnaby Mountain Vancouver stroke survivor shares harrowing path to recovery Bathtub races return to Vancouver for the first time since 1996Online map shows crabby crows dive bombing pedestrians in Metro Vancouver Philadelphia has said it will turn over immigrants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement only if the agency has a warrant signed by a judge. Federal attorneys had said the city's policies put federal immigration agents in danger and create situations where criminals in the country illegally are released and allowed to reoffend. Today's opinion from the district court in Philadelphia is a victory for criminal aliens in Philadelphia, who can continue to commit crimes in the City knowing that its leadership will protect them from federal immigration officers whose job it is to hold them accountable and remove them from the country, O'Malley wrote in an emailed statement. Department of Justice spokesman Devin O'Malley said the department maintains it used proper authority to attach conditions to the public safety grants. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

campaign office: Carl Wlasenko, a 68-year-old former toolmaker, took part in a similar action in front of Ford's campaign office in Hamilton last week, according to NOW Magazine. He says, he got into a run-in with a Ford staffer over some chalk art he'd scrawled on the sidewalk in front of Ford's office. Falafel, chicken wraps and water bottles are going round on the bus as it barrels down the 401 headed deep into the heart of Ford Nation. Wlasenko says he wants no part of the PC leader's austerity agenda. He talks like that. I used to work in Scarberia, says Wlasenko. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

university students: For critics, like Sen, according to Vancouver Courier. Marco Rubio, they present a threat to academic freedom and a spy risk. For university students like Moe Lewis, they offer a chance to learn about Chinese art and pick up a few phrases in Mandarin. As tensions between the U.S. and China rise over trade and security, perceptions vary wildly about educational exchanges that have thrived since diplomatic relations were normalized four decades ago.article continues below Trending Stories Wai Young not worried about crowded field of candidates in bid for mayor Online map shows crabby crows dive bombing pedestrians in Metro VancouverP!nk hikes Capilano trail, thanks Vancouver for being 'damned awesome'Seismic upgrade of Lord Strathcona elementary a Canadian first Increasingly, U.S. authorities are concerned that Chinese professors and students could exploit access to universities to gather intelligence and sensitive research an issue a Senate judiciary panel will address Wednesday. I think every college should be aware of what these institutes are used for and that they are in fact consistently been used as a way to quash academic freedom on campus at the behest of a foreign government, said Rubio, R-Fla. And while the China-funded Confucius Institutes that have mushroomed worldwide since 2004 focus on benign subject matter, U.S. lawmakers are pushing for them to be more tightly regulated or even shuttered. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

community leaders: In their wake, Myanmar's military and local Buddhists would respond with a campaign of rape, massacre and arson that has driven about 700,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh, according to CTV. But more than a dozen teachers, elders and religious leaders told The Associated Press that educated Rohingya - already subject to systematic and widespread harassment, arrests and torture - were singled out, part of Myanmar's operation to drive the Muslim Rohingya from majority Buddhist Myanmar. It was Aug. 26, the day after Rohingya Muslim separatist attacks on military outposts in the group's homeland in western Myanmar. Soldiers targeted the educated, they said, so there would be no community leaders left willing to speak up against the pervasive abuse. My brother apologized and pleaded with the military not to kill him; he showed them his ID card and said, 'I'm a teacher, I'm a teacher.' But the government had planned to kill our educated people, including my brother, Hashim said. It's an old tactic, according to those who study genocide - and often a precursor to killing. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

dinner party: Capital D-Dinner Parties, the sort where a group of the host's friends or colleagues sit around a prettily laid table and are expected to sustain interesting conversation across the span of several courses, always feel to me like an awkward first date that just won't end; ease and enjoyment the exception rather than the rule, according to Toronto Star. I've been known to excuse myself early from the table to get a jump on the dishes, my way of coping with the discomfort. Maybe this is an inconsequential admission for some, but the dinner party is high currency in the circles I run in as a food writer, academic and chef's wife. It took upheaval for me to reconsider my approach. Everyone eats and drinks what they want, as they want it, avoiding the ever-anxious interplay between host, guest and food. As the host of a more relaxed dinner party, Franklin says she can sit back and enjoy the gathering. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

drummer tri: Miss Canadiana . The bulk of the piece focuses on the Hunan, China-born performer's involvement with her band, including husband and co-songwriter Robert Drisdelle on guitar, bassist Nick Dourado and drummer Tri Le, making music that's a breath of Technicolor fresh air, not just locally but among listeners nationwide looking for something positive and fun, according to The Chronicle Herald. At first I had no idea why we were picked, and I looked into some of the others in the series, says Song over coffee in her South End neighbourhood. The new 10-episode online series profiles Canadian artists from a broad range of cultures, and the quartet's singer Shane Keyu Song, who is also a talented painter and graphic designer, represents Nova Scotia among a host of creators like Kazakh muralist and Matt Mays record cover illustrator Ola Volo and Toronto artist and activist Camille Turner a.k.a. I thought, these people are real artists, and we look like a bunch of poor punks by comparison. There's no need for the singer to sell herself or her bandmates short though. And we are. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration sting: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE said it expected criminal charges including identity theft and tax evasion, according to Toronto Star. Steve Francis, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations special agent, speaks during a news conference discussing an early-morning immigration sting in Ohio on Tuesday. The 114 arrests occurred at two locations of Corso's Flower & Garden Center, one in Sandusky, a resort city on Lake Erie, and another in nearby Castalia. John Minchillo / The Associated Press No criminal charges have been filed against Corso's, but the employer is under investigation, authorities said. The operation is part of the Trump administration's focus on employers, one that took hold about a year after the president took office, and came months after a surge in deportation arrests began. Two locations were searched, and Khaalid Walls, an agency spokesperson, said a large volume of business documents were seized. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

kurdish militia: But ultimately, the Kurdish militia known as the YPG is expected to retreat to east of the Euphrates River, meeting a long-standing demand by Ankara, which considers the militia a terror group tied to a Kurdish insurgency within Turkey's borders, according to The Chronicle Herald. Ethnic Kurds live on both sides of the border, in southeastern Turkey and northern Syria. Illustrating the fragility of the arrangement, the United States and Turkey offered differing descriptions of what the deal entailed, how it would be carried out and when. Turkish officials suggested an ambitious plan had been hashed out under which the withdrawal would be complete within six months, with Kurdish fighters giving up their weapons as they leave Manbij. The U.S. wouldn't discuss whether the Kurdish troops would have to give up weapons, and insisted the plan included only estimated timelines based on events on the ground and no hard deadlines. A Turkish official said Turkey would review the withdrawal before a new council is set up to administer the multiethnic town, which has been run by the Manbij Military Council for several years. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

case: Racism's most odious form, though, is when it appears as official policy, as is the case with the Black Identity Extremist BIE classification recently adopted by the FBI. The Black Identity Extremist label was revealed last year when an FBI report was leaked to the press, provoking a firestorm of criticism from civil liberties and racial justice groups, alleging the FBI was reverting to behavior akin to COINTELPRO, its counterintelligence program from the 1950s, '60s and '70s, when it criminally targeted, surveilled, infiltrated and disrupted protest organizations like the Black Panther Party, leading to the imprisonment and death of many, according to Rabble. This recent leaked FBI report, titled Black Identity Extremists Likely Motivated to Target Law Enforcement Officers, was dated Aug. 3, 2017 -- ominously, just three days before the violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where one anti-racist activist, Heather Heyer, was killed, and scores more were injured. The scourge of racism takes many shapes, and has been integral to American history long before the nation's founding. In addition to the FBI memo, documents obtained by several groups under the Freedom of Information Act revealed the existence of an internal document at the Department of Homeland Security, that staff there referred to as the Race Paper. A copy was released by DHS, but in a completely redacted form. The American Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Media Justice and 40 other organizations have written to DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, calling for the release of the unredacted version of this paper. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

resort city: The 114 arrests occurred at two locations of Corso's Flower & Garden Center, one in Sandusky, a resort city on Lake Erie, and another in nearby Castalia, according to The Chronicle Herald. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said it expected criminal charges including identity theft and tax evasion. The operation was part of the White House's increasing focus on businesses that hire people in the country illegally amid a broad range of immigration crackdowns under President Donald Trump that include stepped-up deportations, targeting of sanctuary cities and zero-tolerance border policies. No criminal charges were filed against the company, but the employer is under investigation, authorities said. The operation drew criticism over its heavy show of force that involved aircraft surveillance and a large contingent of federal agents to round up workers at a family business. Two locations were searched, and Khaalid Walls, an agency spokesman, said a large volume of business documents were seized. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rights-respecting country: And on this day the U.S. government took her mother away, according to Toronto Star. When we read about the U.S. administration's new policy of trying to stop people from crossing its borders by taking away their children, we too had trouble sleeping. She left all her toys behind when she fled Guatemala. An underage migrant from Guatemala at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection office in Edinburg, Tex., on Feb. 13, 2013. It cannot shoot unauthorized border-crossers on sight. KIRSTEN LUCE / NYT There are legal and ethical limits to how far a rights-respecting country can go to protect its borders. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

society groups: The prevalence of detention has risen and the conditions of detention are poor and now we see something really quite horrific, which is the tearing away of children from their mothers when they arrive as a deterrent effect, Silcoff said, according to CTV. Human Rights Watch has reported that more than 600 children, including infants and toddlers, have been separated from their parents while trying to cross the border illegally into the United States. Maureen Silcoff, a spokeswoman for the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, says her organization and other civil society groups were dismayed to hear Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen talk about wanting to work collaboratively with the U.S. government on dealing with the influx of illegal border crossers arriving in Canada from the U.S. She pointed to recent revelations about how the U.S. has been dealing with some of its illegal border crossers -- steps that sometimes include separating children from parents who are detained in custody. Their parents were arrested and sent to detention centres. Following the meeting, the two reaffirmed a commitment to work together on border security issues related to asylum seekers. Hussen travelled to Washington on Monday to meet Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen for high-level talks about the continuing surge in asylum seekers. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

society groups: The prevalence of detention has risen and the conditions of detention are poor and now we see something really quite horrific, which is the tearing away of children from their mothers when they arrive as a deterrent effect, Silcoff said, according to Vancouver Courier. Human Rights Watch has reported that more than 600 children, including infants and toddlers, have been separated from their parents while trying to cross the border illegally into the United States. Maureen Silcoff, a spokeswoman for the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, says her organization and other civil society groups were dismayed to hear Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen talk about wanting to work collaboratively with the U.S. government on dealing with the influx of illegal border crossers arriving in Canada from the U.S.article continues below Trending Stories Car Free Day costing organizers overwhelming fees for security Hector Bremner says his new party will launch at the end of the month These are the top five brands B.C. loves Renaming of Emily Carr painting stirs debate She pointed to recent revelations about how the U.S. has been dealing with some of its illegal border crossers steps that sometimes include separating children from parents who are detained in custody. Their parents were arrested and sent to detention centres. Following the meeting, the two reaffirmed a commitment to work together on border security issues related to asylum seekers. Hussen travelled to Washington on Monday to meet Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen for high-level talks about the continuing surge in asylum seekers. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

tax evasion: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said it expected criminal charges including identity theft and tax evasion, according to Vancouver Courier. No criminal charges were filed against the company, but the employer is under investigation, authorities said. The operation was part of the White House's increasing focus on businesses that hire people in the country illegally amid a broad range of immigration crackdowns under President Donald Trump that include stepped-up deportations, targeting of sanctuary cities and zero-tolerance border policies.article continues below Trending Stories Car Free Day costing organizers overwhelming fees for security Hector Bremner says his new party will launch at the end of the month These are the top five brands B.C. loves Renaming of Emily Carr painting stirs debate The 114 arrests occurred at two locations of Corso's Flower & Garden Center, one in Sandusky, a resort city on Lake Erie, and another in nearby Castalia. Two locations were searched, and Khaalid Walls, an agency spokesman, said a large volume of business documents were seized. It also highlights a tightrope President Donald Trump's administration is walking as it seeks to please immigration hawks but risks alienating business-friendly Republicans struggling to find enough workers in a tight job market. The operation drew criticism over its heavy show of force that involved aircraft surveillance and a large contingent of federal agents to round up workers at a family business. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

vancouver bunzer: Today, the Facebook group has 6,661 members, trading everthing from furniture and cooking supplies to clothing and jewelry, according to Vancouver Courier. On June 5, one Vancouver Bunzer sought help for a family of refugees getting settled in their new home. Bunz was founded in 2013 in Toronto with a mandate to help save the planet, save money and connect people with their neighbours by offering a money-free exchange platform.article continues below Trending Stories Car Free Day costing organizers overwhelming fees for security Hector Bremner says his new party will launch at the end of the month These are the top five brands B.C. loves Minimum wage increases go into effect June 1 across B.C. The Vancouver group only had a couple hundred members when I first joined a year and a half ago or so, says Katie Johnston, an admin for the Vancouver Bunz Facebook page. In exchange for a thank you, Juju Milay asked for the following items from Bunzers willing to help the family start a new life in Canada twin bunk bed, non-stick pots and pans, office chair, dishes, dresser and lampstand, long stand alone lamps. I am beyond overwhelmed by the generosity! Milay wrote. Within minutes, members of the group came forward to offer those items and then some. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

brands b.c: Here's a look at a sampling of rhetoric from the president and his detractors over the past week, and the reality behind the statements article continues below Trending Stories Vancouver's median condo price nears 1 million; detached homes 3 million Protests against demovictions expected to ramp up in Burnaby Vancouver takes hints from Toronto to support refugees creatively These are the top five brands B.C. loves African-Americans vote for Democrats for the most part, according to Vancouver Courier. You know, vast majority. His critics on immigration policy spread a false alarm that the government took 1,500 immigrant children from their parents and lost them. They've been doing it for over 100 years. Not 100 years or anything close. Nashville rally Tuesday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

british columbia: Does he Do we During the controversy over the expansion of the Kinder Morgan pipeline, our prime minister's main intervention in the dispute between Alberta and British Columbia has been to assert that the expansion must and will happen because it is in the national interest, according to NOW Magazine. This assertion has not been a means of starting a conversation but rather of ending one. Before the 2015 election, Green Party leader Elizabeth May assured us that, unlike his predecessor, Justin Trudeau gets climate change. Amid claims that the country must be able to get it's resources to market, Trudeau has not explained why Alberta's interest in developing the tar sands trumps British Columbia's interest in maintaining the coastal environment it depends on for its fisheries and tourism industries. It is imperative that Canadians carefully examine this claim before endorsing the expansion, let alone agreeing to use taxpayer dollars to buy it.A good starting point is to examine the very idea of national interest as it has been used through the centuries by realists in international relations. So Alberta's interests coincide with the national interest but British Columbia's do not. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

favourite snacks: While these facts are not pretty, they are real, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR . It can be hard for us to imagine the abject terror and helplessness the majority of the world's refugees face while we sit comfortably on our sofas, our favourite snacks in hand as we watch the latest Netflix show, according to The Chronicle Herald. We can say and possibly feel like we support and even empathize with refugees, but the truth is, most of us really don't have a true understanding of what these people actually go through not from a lack of caring, but from a lack of knowledge. And, in the time it took you to read this statement, 20 more were forced to leave their homes. The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 hopes to change that this summer with the Refuge Canada exhibition, a truly transparent look at the history of Canada's role with refugees since the Second World War. Visitors enter the 4,000-square-foot space, where they are met with the statement, No one wants to be a refugee. The interactive exhibition takes visitors on an emotional journey through the eyes of a refugee fleeing to Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.