gop negotiators: GOP leaders set out to pass the sweeping immigration measure on their own, without Democratic input, after some members agitated for action, according to The Chronicle Herald. Now they are facing almost certain defeat, stung by their own divisions and President Donald Trump's wavering support. Instead, lawmakers are expected to turn toward a narrow bill to prevent immigrant family separations in hopes of addressing that issue before leaving town for the Fourth of July recess. It remained unclear late Tuesday what the final version of the immigration legislation would contain. But it was not expected to be included. GOP negotiators had been working over the weekend on an amendment to tack on provisions to draw more support. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

arms-length agency: It was conducted by Neil Yeates, a former deputy minister of the Immigration Department, according to CTV. It found a long history of problems in managing spikes in asylum claims and backlogs -- and the current influx of irregular migrants is no exception. The review released Tuesday is the result of a year-long analysis of the arms-length agency, which manages asylum claims and appeals. Yeates recommended fundamental changes to the way the board operates, including a new management structure that would bring it under the authority of the minister of Immigration, managed by either a new refugee protection agency or an asylum system management board. In the absence of clear direction, decisions are made within parts of the refugee and asylum system with no due regard for impacts on other aspects of the system. A key observation arising out of consultations ... is that the efficiency of the asylum system in Canada has suffered as a result of the lack of active, coherent and accountable management across the entire continuum of its activities, the report said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

city staff: Mayor John Tory says continuing to house hundreds of refugee claimants beyond August would require closing multiple community centres and cancelling public programs a step the city is not prepared to take, according to Toronto Star. Frank Gunn / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILE PHOTO What's needed is proper housing and proper supports, something the city cannot provide on its own, the letter states. In the letter, obtained by the Star on Monday, Tory states that Toronto welcomes all newcomers but we need the appropriate support and leadership of both Ontario and Canada, and that the city scrambling to find emergency shelter for each new wave of arrivals is not sustainable. Council will consider a report from city staff at a meeting that begins Tuesday. But those spaces are available only until the beginning of August. The pressing problem saw the city begin to house refugee claimants in college dormitories starting in May. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugee board: Once again it is dealing with a surge in claims that it is ill-equipped to manage, running the risk of creating a large backlog that, if not tackled promptly, may take years to bring to final resolution, says the 147-page report, written by retired deputy immigration minister Neil Yeates and released Tuesday, according to Toronto Star. Asylum seekers sort out their luggage at a processing centre after crossing the border into Canada from the United States last August near Que. The refugee determination system is at a crossroads. An independent review of the Immigration and Refugee Board has called for changes in the way asylum claims are handled. The board currently operates at arms-length from the government. Paul Chiasson / THE CANADIAN PRESS The review of the Immigration and Refugee Board IRB which handles asylum claims and appeals, was called for in the 2017 budget. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

housing assistance: We've been seeing an increasing number of refugees and asylum seekers looking for somewhere to live temporarily within our shelter system while they get settled, he said, according to The Chronicle Herald. And the city has gone to what I would very genuinely describe as heroic efforts to help. John Tory asked for financial and housing assistance, saying he detailed his requests in an urgent letter sent to Ottawa this week. But Toronto has reached its limits, Tory said. We just don't have the resources to do it alone. We need help, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

los angeles-based: More than 2,000 children in all have been separated from their parents and placed in government-contracted shelters in recent weeks under a now-abandoned Trump administration policy toward families caught illegally crossing the border, according to CTV. Public Counsel demanded that the parents be released and immediately reunited with their children. The court action was brought by the Los Angeles-based pro bono law firm Public Counsel on behalf of three Central American mothers whose children were taken from them by U.S. authorities in May. These parents are terrified for their children and want nothing more than to ensure the scarring that this experience has already caused does not continue to inflict irreparable harm, Judy London, a Public Counsel attorney, said in a statement. Amid an international outcry over the children's treatment, U.S. President Donald Trump last week announced an end to the practice of separating immigrant families. The Justice Department declined to comment. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

r-wis .,: It would focus on the issue that has grabbed public attention in recent days the Trump administration's separation of migrant children from their parents when families are caught crossing the border without authorization, according to CTV. If that doesn't succeed, then we'll cross that bridge, Ryan told reporters about his preference to focus on trying to pass the broader bill. Underscoring the legislation's weak prospects in his GOP-run chamber, Ryan, R-Wis., declined to answer questions Tuesday about a separate, narrow measure Republicans are privately discussing. But the last thing I want to do is undercut a vote on what is a great consensus bill. They have blasted that provision as amnesty, and the emerging, narrower bill would give them a chance to show they are addressing family separation without risking the wrath of hard-right voters. Many conservatives are preparing to vote against the wider ranging bill because it would provide a chance for citizenship for many immigrants who arrived illegally in the U.S. as children. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

technology employers: Jobs in B.C.'s technology and creative industries are better paid than elsewhere in Canada, according to data released Tuesday, according to Toronto Star. Jennifer Gauthier / For Star Metro Vancouver That's welcome news to technology employers, who say they haven't been able to find enough high-skilled employees in Vancouver where the unemployment rate is lower than 5 per cent. The government announced Tuesday that B.C.'s provincial nominee program for technology will go on until June 2019, a year longer than initially planned. Experts have cautioned that competition for tech talent in Vancouver is likely only to become more fierce with Amazon injecting 3,000 more technology jobs into the market. Article Continued Below It's been very successful in the sense that the industry's really embraced it, Ralston said in an interview with Star Metro Tuesday. But the province wants Vancouver's technology hub to keep growing and bringing good-paying jobs and foreign direct investment in the province. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

july recess: Now they are facing almost certain defeat, stung by their own divisions and President Donald Trump's wavering support, according to Vancouver Courier. It remained unclear late Tuesday what the final version of the immigration legislation would contain. Instead, lawmakers are expected to turn toward a narrow bill to prevent immigrant family separations in hopes of addressing that issue before leaving town for the Fourth of July recess.article continues below Trending Stories Owners of fire-damaged Shaughnessy home facing charges under city's heritage bylaw No hormones, no plastic straws and now no meat A&W goes beyond' burgers Vancouver changes pot shop regulations ahead of legalization Hearts flutter as Ryan Reynolds offers video tribute to Rio TheatreGOP leaders set out to pass the sweeping immigration measure on their own, without Democratic input, after some members agitated for action. GOP negotiators had been working over the weekend on an amendment to tack on provisions to draw more support. The broader bill includes trade-offs, including a multi-year path to citizenship for young immigrants who have been living in the U.S. illegally since childhood and 25 billion for Trump's border wall. But it was not expected to be included. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

burgers sanchez: If children are younger than 5, they must be reunified within the next 14 days.article continues below Trending Stories Eight CN Rail freight cars derail in Metro Vancouver, closing busy rail bridge City of Vancouver hosts Candidate 101' classes for political newbies Hearts flutter as Ryan Reynolds offers video tribute to Rio Theatre No hormones, no plastic straws and now no meat A&W goes beyond' burgers Sanchez said his non-profit has located many of the parents who have been arrested for trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border so if the opportunity arose they could move quickly to reunite the families, according to Vancouver Courier. We're ready today, said Sanchez, who had been fearful of a long, drawn out process. Juan Sanchez of the non-profit Southwest Key Programs made the comments hours before a judge in California ordered U.S. border authorities to bring separated families together within 30 days of a late Tuesday ruling. Sanchez earlier said parents' cases would likely have to first make their way through the legal system. He said there appeared to be a lack of urgency on behalf of the government, and worried that the process could take months. Only then could the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement give the go-ahead to put families back together. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

observer interview: I think part of it is having seen the slow rise of populism in Europe since the beginning of 2000 in places like Austria, in Italy with Berlusconi and this sort of feeling people weren't taking it seriously enough as a phenomenon, he said in a National Observer interview in Montreal. ; Mounk counts himself as one of only a few political scientists who started studying the challenges faced by democracies in the West several years before a surge of interest in populism prompted by Trump's election to the U.S. presidency and the referendum to withdraw the United Kingdom from the European Union, according to National Observer. Now some people are scrambling to move in that space, he said. Research found deeply concerning trends citizens in several Western European & North American democracies were more cynical and distrustful about their political system and more willing to support for authoritarian alternatives via clogouj However, as populist ideas gained ground in several European countries in the early 2000's, Mounk, a Harvard political scientist born and raised in Germany, started to doubt the theory. The end of democracy Mounk wanted to understand this consensus around liberal democracy. He mentioned that many scholars assumed the Soviet Union would remain stable. Was it declining and if so, why And could it lead to the end of liberal democracy as a political regime Mounk had studied history and examined examples of political regimes that seemed stable for decades or even centuries but that had become increasingly brutal and eventually collapsed. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

border: He insisted the White House's zero tolerance policy toward illegal entry remained intact, according to Toronto Star. Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said he stopped sending cases of parents charged with illegally entering the country to prosecutors after Trump ordered an end to the separations last week. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump's order last week to stop splitting immigrant families at the border required a temporary halt to prosecuting parents and guardians, unless they had criminal history or the child's welfare was in question. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP/GETTY IMAGES McAleenan's comments came shortly after Attorney General Jeff Sessions defended the administration's tactics in a speech in Nevada and asserted that many children were brought to the border by violent gang members. Families are growing increasingly frustrated in trying to reunite with their children after weeks apart. Together, their remarks added to the nationwide confusion as mothers and fathers struggled to reunite families that were split up by the government and sometimes sent to different parts of the country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cutler bay: The Democratic congresswoman toured the Monsignor Bryan Walsh Children's Village in Cutler Bay, one of three places where migrant children taken from their families are being held in South Florida, according to Toronto Star. U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said Monday. Debbie Wasserman Schultz says the practice of separating children is outrageous, sadistic and demonic. People who are caught trying to enter the country illegally could be released and monitored electronically to make sure they show up for their court dates, Wasserman Schultz said. Joe Skipper / GETTY IMAGES She said the practice of separating children is outrageous, sadistic and demonic. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

customers care: Businesses are seeing the value of bringing refugees into their workforce, according to Toronto Star. Paramount Fine Foods has hired more than 150 refugees and IKEA Canada just announced its commitment to hire 250 refugees in the next three years. In doing so, Canada has not only upheld its values; it has expanded its labour force with newcomers eager to contribute to the economy. These companies are doing this because they and their customers care about refugees and because it's good for business. Vince Talotta / Toronto Star The experience of companies that have already hired refugees should encourage those that are still hesitant because they are uncertain about how to manage language barriers, cultural differences and training needs. Mohamad Fakih, CEO and President of Paramount Fine Foods, in his Etobicoke office. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

detention centres: A look at the latest developments IMMIGRATION LEGISLATION UNCERTAIN The Republican party is trying to secure the votes needed for their wide-ranging immigration bill but apprehension over President Donald Trump's next tweet and fear of riling conservative voters are undermining efforts to shove an immigration bill through the House this week, leaving prospects dubious, according to The Chronicle Herald. Party leaders hope their tweaks to the bill will goose support from the GOP's dueling conservative and moderate wings. And while it's unclear how or when children separated at the southern border will be reunited with their families, there have been a surge of donations and volunteers at detention centres. Wavering Republicans, however, want Trump to provide political cover for immigration legislation that's despised by hard-right voters. I think that the best way to pass legislation is to consistently support a position and help move it forward, said Rep. His recent statements on their bill and history of abruptly flip-flopping on past health care and spending measures have not been reassuring. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

gang members: He insisted the White House's zero tolerance policy toward illegal entry remained intact, according to CTV. McAleenan's comments came shortly after Attorney General Jeff Sessions defended the administration's tactics in a speech in Nevada and asserted that many children were brought to the border by violent gang members. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said Monday that President Donald Trump's order last week to stop splitting immigrant families at the border required a temporary halt to prosecuting parents and guardians, unless they had criminal history or the child's welfare was in question. Together, their remarks added to the nationwide confusion as mothers and fathers struggled to reunite families that were split up by the government and sometimes sent to different parts of the country. A mother from Guatemala wiped tears from her eyes Monday as she told reporters in El Paso, Texas, about her 4-year-old son being taken away after they crossed the border. Families are growing increasingly frustrated in trying to reunite with their children after weeks apart. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration judges: President Donald Trump rejected one top idea -- adding more immigration judges -- insisting it would only lead to graft even though supporters say the step could help expedite the logjam of claims that can prolong detentions, according to CTV. With Congress wavering on the next moves, it's uncertain if lawmakers will be able to swiftly act on any bills to address the border crisis despite an outpouring of public concern over reports of immigrant children being separated from their parents. But even that more modest measure hit uncertainty Monday. We want a system where, when people come in illegally, they have to go out, Trump said Monday during an event at the White House. House Republicans were set to meet Tuesday behind closed doors to map out their options for taking action before lawmakers leave town at the end of the week for the Fourth of July holiday recess. A nice simple system that works. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

logistics function: The Pentagon had initially talked about four potential bases, but Mattis indicated the number is now two, according to CTV. The Pentagon last week said it would make space available on military bases for as many as 20,000 unaccompanied migrant children detained after illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. He did not name the two bases, but said the details are being worked out, including how much capacity is needed. It wasn't clear Sunday if the housing would be limited strictly to children or if it would also involve families. We consider that to be a logistics function that's quite appropriate for the department, Mattis said. Speaking to reporters travelling with him to Asia on Sunday, Mattis said the military has housed people in the past, including Vietnamese fleeing their country as well as Americans needing shelter in the wake of natural disasters. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sampling platters: The Refugee Food Festival a joint initiative of the United Nations Refugee Agency and a French non-profit, Food Sweet Food started in Paris in 2016 and came to the U.S. for the first time this year, with restaurants in New York participating as well, according to The Chronicle Herald. The establishments' owners turn over their kitchens to refugee chefs for an evening, allowing them to prepare sampling platters of their country's cuisine and share a taste of their home. Anaee was preparing more than 100 loaves for diners Wednesday night as part of a program that lets refugees aspiring to be chefs work in professional kitchens. Restaurants in 12 cities outside the U.S. are taking part in the program this month. Anaee was among five refugees chosen to showcase their food in San Francisco each at a different restaurant and on a different night, from Tuesday through Saturday. It's been a big dream to open a restaurant, said Anaee, 45, who now has a green card. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

zaman: They were chosen from 75 finalists, with the list of 10 selected by a combination of nearly 60,000 online votes and a round of judging, according to The Chronicle Herald. Zaman was recognized as a community leader and speaker on topics of racism, feminism, bullying, poverty and Islamophobia. Presented by Canadian Immigrant magazine and sponsored by RBC Royal Bank, the 2018 list of winners also included educator and father of three NHL stars Karl Subban and diversity advocate Senator Ratna Omidvar. Working with 13 different not-for-profit organizations, she's helped raise 200,000 for Syrian refugees through the United for One Association, and has taken part in the Diverse Voices for Change Halifax initiative to increase the number of women from diverse communities involved in local government decision-making. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian law: Under Canadian law, the sanctions freeze the assets of the people involved and prohibit most business dealings with them, according to Vancouver Courier. Canada earlier announced sanctions against Maj.-Gen. Freeland says the sanctions are a result of the significant role played by senior military officials in the brutal violence and persecution against the Rohingya communities in Myanmar, which has forced more than 720,000 of them to flee their homes.article continues below Trending Stories Average hotel night in Vancouver is 260; Airbnb is 150Hearts flutter as Ryan Reynolds offers video tribute to Rio TheatreB.C. cuts fees that payday loan companies can charge How Vancouver's Ryan Reynolds photographed his junk to teach his dad a lesson The same individuals have also been placed under sanctions by the European Union. Maung Maung Soe, who was described as a senior officer who played a significant role in the Rohingya persecutions. Freeland said the international community cannot be silent over the events in that country. Canada has also been contributing to relief efforts to help refugees who have fled persecution in Myanmar. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

video tribute: He insisted the White House's zero tolerance policy toward illegal entry remained intact.article continues below Trending Stories Average hotel night in Vancouver is 260; Airbnb is 150Hearts flutter as Ryan Reynolds offers video tribute to Rio TheatreB.C. cuts fees that payday loan companies can charge How Vancouver's Ryan Reynolds photographed his junk to teach his dad a lesson McAleenan's comments came shortly after Attorney General Jeff Sessions defended the administration's tactics in a speech in Nevada and asserted that many children were brought to the border by violent gang members, according to Vancouver Courier. Together, their remarks added to the nationwide confusion as mothers and fathers struggled to reunite families that were split up by the government and sometimes sent to different parts of the country. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said Monday that President Donald Trump's order last week to stop splitting immigrant families at the border required a temporary halt to prosecuting parents and guardians, unless they had criminal history or the child's welfare was in question. Families are growing increasingly frustrated in trying to reunite with their children after weeks apart.A mother from Guatemala wiped tears from her eyes Monday as she told reporters in El Paso, Texas, about her 4-year-old son being taken away after they crossed the border. When the mother contacted a social worker to speak with her son, she was told that the child was angry and didn't want to talk because he believed his mother had abandoned him. The boy ended up at a shelter in New York. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cuts fees: Though the trip is being billed as non-political, the prince is meeting with Israeli and Palestinian leaders and visiting sites at the heart of the century-old conflict.article continues below Trending Stories Average hotel night in Vancouver is 260; Airbnb is 150Hearts flutter as Ryan Reynolds offers video tribute to Rio Theatre Minimum wage increases go into effect June 1 across B.C.B.C. cuts fees that payday loan companies can charge He started off the day with a visit to Yad Vashem, where he met with two survivors who escaped Nazi Germany for the safety of Britain, according to Vancouver Courier. It has been a profoundly moving experience to visit Yad Vashem today, the prince wrote in the memorial's guestbook. The prince is the first member of the British royal family to pay an official visit to Israel. It is almost impossible to comprehend this appalling event in history. He noted with pride that his great-grandmother had been recognized as a Righteous Among the Nations, the highest honour Israel grants to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Every name, photograph and memory recorded here is a tragic reminder of the unimaginable human cost of the Holocaust and of the immense loss suffered by the Jewish people. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

year: The dedicated folks come with their umbrellas and raincoats, said Lucia Harrison, the CEO of the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre, according to CTV. Chisomo Mchaina of Zamtan African Foods has been serving up dishes at the festival for more than a decade. Last year about 50-thousand people showed up for the festival, and organizers say this year it's been sitting at about 50 per cent of that number. She says she usually sees no seating and long lines at the festival, but this year the rain has definitely put a damper on things. The event features music, food, dance performances, an international market place, and more. You're running a business so at the end of the day you do have to at least break even, if not make profit, and I don't think that's going to be the case this year, Mchaina says. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian press: The first members of Canada's mission in Mali arrived in the northern city of Gao on Sunday to lend support to UN troops, according to Toronto Star. One Malian says that in addition to the international support, development is needed to stabilize the nation. As Mali received more peacekeeping troops, the government announced 16 people were killed as the Fulani ethnic group faces growing pressure over accusations of links to Al Qaeda extremists. The Canadian Press The leader of Mali's largest Fulani association says the death toll is higher, with 32 civilians killed Saturday, when a community militia attacked Koumaga village in the central part of the country. The incoming Canadian troops were accompanied by the chief of the defence staff Gen. Koumaga village has the reputation of being home to a number of Al-Qaeda-linked extremists. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

elections heller: Trump and Heller have papered over their once prickly relationship to present a united front in their shared goal of helping Republicans maintain, if not expand, their thin 51-49 majority in the Senate in November's congressional elections, according to The Chronicle Herald. Heller was among the officials waiting on the sweltering airport tarmac to greet Trump. Trump was in Las Vegas to assist Dean Heller, the only Republican U.S. senator seeking re-election in a state that Democrat Hillary Clinton won in 2016. In remarks to several hundred often-cheering attendees at the Nevada GOP Convention, Trump portrayed himself as the toughest against illegal immigration, saying at one point, I think I got elected largely because we are strong on the border. The fact is we need more Republicans because the Democrats are obstructionists. But he excluded any mention of the fact that a massive public outcry, including from members of his own family, forced him to reverse course this week and end the practice of separating children from families after they illegally cross the southern border into the U.S. On immigration, we have to be very strong, Trump said, saying the immigration problem should have been solved years ago and blaming Democrats for causing it. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.