cages right: Ebrahim Toure, pictured here behind glass at the visiting area of the Immigration Holding Centre, has been held in immigration detention since February 2013 because Canada has been unable to deport him, according to Toronto Star. Brendan Kennedy / Toronto Star What if we rattle his f---in' cages right away Rustja asked. During a break in the proceedings Monday, Andrej Rustja, a hearings officer for the Canada Border Services Agency, was talking to his colleague John Oliveira as they prepared to cross-examine Ebrahim Toure a failed refugee claimant who has spent more than five years behind bars because Canada has been unable to deport him. I can ask the softball questions, no problem, Oliveira said. A Star reporter overheard their conversation from a separate room where audio and video from the hearing is streamed. Rustja and Oliveira were speaking in an otherwise empty hearing room before the resumption of Toure's public hearing to determine whether his detention should be continued. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigrant children: I reached out to friends in Texas and California for a list of some groups working on the ground which need our support, according to Rabble. I am sure there are more. There are corporations who are benefiting from policies like Trump and Sessions recent crackdown, but there are also organizations which have been working tirelessly to help immigrants for decades. Send me more names. Here is a list of six groups that are looking for donations and qualified volunteers 1 Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services RAICES is a trusted nonprofit that provides free and low-cost legal services to immigrant children, families and refugees in Texas. There are two ways I know of to help 1 donate and 2 if you have the relevant skills, offer your help to the groups asking for volunteers. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigrant children: The protests came as demonstrations occurred around the country over the Trump administration's policy of separating immigrant families, according to CTV. They offered a glimpse of what might happen on Saturday when rallies are planned coast to coast. Among them were a Washington state congresswoman, the lawmaker said on Twitter. Amid unrelenting daily images of distraught immigrant children separated from parents and herded into fenced enclosures, women sat on the floor of the Senate Hart Office building's 90-foot-high atrium. What do we want Free families! and This is what democracy looks like were among their cries. Seated around Alexander Calder's black metallic Mountain and Clouds sculpture, they shouted slogans and cheered for a handful of fist-pumping lawmakers -- all Democrats -- who waded into the crowd. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

multicultural canada: There were eight cities last year, including Halifax, according to The Chronicle Herald. It is the only place from Atlantic Canada involved. Started last year as part of the celebrations of the the 150th year of Canadian confederation, the event will feature six minutes of simultaneous drumming in 12 Canadian cities. The local organizing committee said in a release that the public event celebrates the multicultural makeup of Canada, and shows how multicultural Canada is and how the diverse communities can live together in harmony. So far, there are drummers from 56 nationalities participating in Vancouver. National organizers are hoping to set a Guinness World Record for most nationalities in a drum circle in a single venue of a recognized orchestral piece of music lasting at least five minutes. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

trip: I'm here to support you and give my help, whatever I can on behalf of children and the families, Mrs, according to Toronto Star. Trump said as she sat down with officials at a U.S. Border Patrol facility in Tucson, Ariz., the first stop of her trip. This time, she chose less controversial apparel than her last trip, which was overshadowed by a jacket. She later travelled to Phoenix, where she visited a complex that is housing dozens of migrant children separated from their parents. The Associated Press It was the first lady's second trip to a border state amid an ongoing outcry over U.S. President Donald Trump's now-suspended policy of separating migrant children from their families when they cross the border illegally. Melania Trump returned to the border Thursday to meet face-to-face with those dealing with her husband's hardline immigration policies firsthand. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

representation system: The former New Democrat premier told a news conference Thursday that the party he once led is proposing a complicated proportional representation system requiring only a five per cent threshold to guard against extremist parties in the legislature, according to CTV. Proportional representation is a system in which the number of seats held by a party largely matches the percentage of votes its candidates receive versus the first-past-the-post model in which a candidate with the most votes in a district wins and then represents the riding. Dosanjh said Germany, the Netherlands and Hungary require very low percentages of people to vote in candidates with racist views, and that has changed those political landscapes in a negative way. Premier John Horgan has said the agreement with the Green party allowing the New Democrats to form government last year is an example of electoral reform, in that proportional representation would allow parties to form coalitions to work together on various issues. The B.C. government proposal does not provide voters with any geographic riding, boundaries or any details on how the three different proportional representation systems would work in B.C., he said. However, Dosanjh said the current first-past-the-post model has proven to be simple and stable and that a mail-in ballot this fall asking voters who agree to proportional representation and then rank three system models would be confusing and unfair. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

syrian troops: Mohammed Suleiman Darwish, 76, was among those who left this border town for Syria with his 9-year-old granddaughter, Israa, who has not seen her parents since 2013 and will meet younger siblings who were born at home while she sought safety in Lebanon, according to The Chronicle Herald. Darwish and his granddaughter were among a batch of about 300 Syrians crammed into trucks, tractors and other vehicles piled with mattresses and blankets. But many of them also are leaving behind loved ones who are staying in the tiny Arab nation that has become home to the highest percentage of refugees in the world. They began crossing the border for an uncertain future. Israa's parents were in the same village of Suhul but stayed at home as Syrian troops marched in. When Syrian government forces and their allies launched a wide offensive on Syria's Qalamoun region in 2013, young Israa was staying with her paternal grandparents, who decided to take her with them to Lebanon. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

time souza: Shah ordered that the child be released Thursday, but didn't specify a time, according to Toronto Star. Souza's attorneys said she would pick up her son Thursday afternoon. Judge Manish Shah mulled his decision for just a few hours before finding that Lidia Karine Souza can have custody of her son, Diogo, who has spent four weeks at a government-contracted shelter in Chicago. Lidia Karine Souza's attorneys filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to demand her son be immediately released. Charles Rex Arbogast / The Associated Press The mother, who has applied for asylum, was released from an immigrant detention facility in Texas on June 9 and is living with relatives outside Boston. Diogo has spent four weeks at a government-contracted shelter in Chicago, much of it alone in a room, quarantined with chicken pox. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

son: Diogo frequently looked up at his mom and smiled, according to The Chronicle Herald. Asked if she had a message for President Donald Trump about her ordeal and his zero-tolerance policy that separated hundreds of children from their parents, the mother responded through a translator, Don't do this to the children. Facing reporters together just hours after the reunion, Lidia Karine Souza and her son, Diogo, wrapped their arms around each other. Under Trump's policy, the government has begun prosecuting all migrants caught entering the country without authorization. Jesse Bless, an attorney for Souza and her son who stood with them at their news conference, described the ruling by U.S. District Judge Manish Shah as unique, adding he hoped it would open the door for others to do the same and help hasten a resolution to the crisis. Trump has halted his policy of taking children from their detained parents under public pressure but around 2,000 of them are still being held, with many families saying they've not known how to locate them. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

centre owners: Diogo frequently looked up at his mom and smiled.article continues below Trending Stories No hormones, no plastic straws and now no meat A&W goes beyond' burgers Point Grey condo owners can't stop the music Cadillac Fairview sells half its Vancouver portfolio, which includes Pacific Centre Owners of fire-damaged Shaughnessy home facing charges under city's heritage bylaw Asked if she had a message for President Donald Trump about her ordeal and his zero-tolerance policy that separated hundreds of children from their parents, the mother responded through a translator, Don't do this to the children, according to Vancouver Courier. Under Trump's policy, the government has begun prosecuting all migrants caught entering the country without authorization. Facing reporters together just hours after the reunion, Lidia Karine Souza and her son, Diogo, wrapped their arms around each other. Trump has halted his policy of taking children from their detained parents under public pressure but around 2,000 of them are still being held, with many families saying they've not known how to locate them. When asked about advice she'd give to others facing similar challenges in getting their kids back, Souza said Don't give up, be persistent. Jesse Bless, an attorney for Souza and her son who stood with them at their news conference, described the ruling by U.S. District Judge Manish Shah as unique, adding he hoped it would open the door for others to do the same and help hasten a resolution to the crisis. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

german chancellor: The German chancellor is fighting a battle at home and abroad against critics who accuse her of endangering European security with her welcoming approach to migrants, according to Vancouver Courier. Merkel's conservative bloc is under pressure from the far-right Alternative for Germany party that has received a surge in support since 2015, and populist leaders in southern and eastern Europe have rejected her calls a wholesale reform of Europe's migration system. Speaking to Parliament before heading to a European Union summit in Brussels, she described the move to lawmakers as an exceptional gesture to help relieve pressure on nearby Austria and Hungary, whose leaders had personally appealed for assistance as migrants streamed into their countries.article continues below Trending Stories No hormones, no plastic straws and now no meat A&W goes beyond' burgers Owners of fire-damaged Shaughnessy home facing charges under city's heritage bylaw Point Grey condo owners can't stop the music Cadillac Fairview sells half its Vancouver portfolio, which includes Pacific Centre We said in an exceptional situation we will help and now, as then, I think it was the right decision, Merkel said. Internal strife within her coalition has become so acrimonious that could bring down her government, but Merkel told parliament the implications were even broader. Faced with the likelihood that the EU's 28 members won't be able to agree unanimously on an approach, Merkel said she would seek a coalition of the willing to agree on pressing measures to tackle illegal migration until a pan-European solution could be found. Europe has many challenges, but that of migration could determine the fate of the European Union, she said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mexico city: He wants the wall and maybe he will grant NAFTA, Fox said in an interview from Mexico City. ; The outspoken ex-politician has nothing good to say about the U.S. president, whom he describes as ignorant, bigoted and dangerous, according to National Observer. Fox said Trump's racist comments about Mexicans being rapists and criminals and complaints about illegal immigration belie the fact that NAFTA has done its job in stemming the flow of people crossing the border. In the case of Mexico, the blackmail is the wall. Canada and Mexico have to remain firmly united rather than give in to Trump's demands for bilateral agreements with its two North American neighbours, he said. So whatever formula, whether bilateral or trilateral or whatever other formula, it will never work if he insists that the United States has to have a surplus and we have to have a deficit. I don't see the advantage of going bilateral, he said, adding that trade for Trump is a zero-sum game, in which he wins and others lose. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sun noon: Woodbine Park, according to NOW Magazine. Free. Jul 7 & 8, Sat noon-11 pm, Sun noon-8 pm. Find out more here. Headliners this year include Congolese Roga Roga and Extra Music, Ivory Coast Afro-Zouk singer Monique Seka, Juno-award winning multinational group Okavango and many more. The 30th anniversary of Afrofest, the largest free festival of its kind in North America, will feature acts from over 20 countries showcasing a blend of vocal performances, music, drumming and dance all representing traditional and contemporary artistic styles. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

vancouver portfolio: Diogo frequently looked up at his mom and smiled.article continues below Trending Stories No hormones, no plastic straws and now no meat A&W goes beyond' burgers Point Grey condo owners can't stop the music Cadillac Fairview sells half its Vancouver portfolio, which includes Pacific Centre Hector Bremner says Yes' to new Vancouver party Asked if she had a message for President Donald Trump about her ordeal and his zero-tolerance policy that separated hundreds of children from their parents, the mother responded through a translator, Don't do this to the children, according to Vancouver Courier. Under Trump's policy, the government has begun prosecuting all migrants caught entering the country without authorization. Facing reporters together just hours after the reunion, Lidia Karine Souza and her son, Diogo, wrapped their arms around each other. Trump has halted his policy of taking children from their detained parents under public pressure but around 2,000 of them are still being held, with many families saying they've not known how to locate them. When asked about advice she'd give to others facing similar challenges in getting their kids back, Souza said Don't give up, be persistent. Jesse Bless, an attorney for Souza and her son who stood with them at their news conference, described the ruling by U.S. District Judge Manish Shah as unique, adding he hoped it would open the door for others to do the same and help hasten a resolution to the crisis. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

half measures: Joe Crowley in the working-class New York district stretching from the Bronx to Queens is likely to propel her avowedly left-wing platform into the Democratic mainstream as the 2018 midterm elections heat up, according to National Observer. Half measures will not work, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said about Obama's climate policies from 2008. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's stunning primary victory over powerful U.S. Rep. The time for slow and incremental efforts has long past. Ocasio-Cortez outlined plans to transition the United States to a 100 per cent renewable energy system by 2035. But her detailed proposals to deal with climate change could prove among the most influential at a time when the Democrats have failed to rally around any policy that could feasibly reduce greenhouse gas emissions dramatically enough to make a difference. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

elizabeth oakley: She attended school, married, and worked in Canada, according to CTV. When she decided to take a trip last November, she thought applying for a new passport would be easy. It's like I'm being held hostage in my own country, and I'm frustrated because there is nothing I can do, Elizabeth Oakley said to CTV News Channel on Wednesday Oakley was born in the U.S. and moved to Canada when she was 10 years old. She had already held two other Canadian passports in her adult life. After sending in her application with her proof of citizenship, Oakley received a letter from the government. Regulations had changed and you had to prove your citizenship to get your passport, said Oakley. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

year: However, this year we were disturbed to see that the festival has decided to partner with the Government of Israel, whose Embassy in Canada is a sponsor, according to Rabble. It has been even advertised as a celebration of the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the Jewish state. The festival brings exceptional artists and musicians from around the world to an appreciative audience, and celebrates music that has its roots in struggle and resistance. Because of the unhappy circumstances surrounding that event 70 years ago, which led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, and even more in light of Israel's grievous wounding of over 7,000 Palestinians in the last two months, we feel that we have to take a pass on this year's event. On the contrary, it disappoints us greatly because we know that the line-up includes many impressive Jewish-Israeli musicians whom we might have wanted to see and hear had they been invited as individuals rather than as part of an effort to promote the State of Israel. Our decision is in no way motivated by anti-Semitism. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

family: What's a little education before a little celebration Then head down the street to the Halifax Seaport Farmer's Market for more music and family fun Canada-style, according to The Chronicle Herald. Is it music you're after The Tattoo is in town and it's ready to prove why it's an international must-see. Pop into Pier 21 to learn about where we and maybe several of your family members came from. Join their Canada Day party on the Common and maybe sneak in a show. Take your time and pace yourself for a 5K or quarter-marathon. Looking for a way to make room to party Pop over to Dartmouth for a little race day weekend action. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

harder-right package: The depth of GOP opposition was an embarrassing showing for Trump and a rebuff of House leaders, who'd postponed the vote twice and proposed changes in hopes of driving up the tally for a measure that seemed doomed from the start, according to Toronto Star. Follow the Toronto Star on social media The roll call seemed to empower GOP conservatives on the fraught issue. The bill was killed 301-121, with nearly half of Republicans opposing the measure. Last week a harder-right package was defeated but 193 Republicans voted for it, 72 more than Wednesday's total. We need to start securing the border and not reward bad behaviour, and that's what this bill did, said Rep. Another 112 Republicans voted no. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigrant children: The first lady's office offered no details about this week's planned trip, which was first reported by CNN. She may tour a migrant processing detention centre, which was slated to be part of her visit last week, according to Toronto Star. That leg of the trip was cancelled because of flood conditions, her office said. Trump last week made an unannounced trip to McAllen, Tex., where she visited a shelter for immigrant children, as her husband's zero-tolerance policy of separating the children of immigrants entering the country illegally was roiling the country. Last week, Trump spent time being briefed by the people running a Texas shelter and meeting some of the children being housed there. The trip, which was described a humanitarian one, was overshadowed by the controversy over a jacket the first lady wore while boarding her plane at Joint Base Andrews. MANDEL NGAN / AFP/GETTY IMAGES On Thursday, Trump spent time being briefed by the people running the Upbring New Hope Children's Shelter in McAllen and meeting some of the more than 50 children being housed there. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

palestinian civilians: Ignoring how Israel has been killing large numbers of Palestinian civilians -- 124 to 0 in the latest round in Gaza -- the premier-elect added in a subsequent tweet Blatantly racist or anti-Semitic ideology should never be permitted on the grounds of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, or anywhere else in our province, according to Rabble. Ford's move isn't surprising since he's previously campaigned against Palestinian solidarity activism. After the recent Al Quds Jerusalem Day protest brought over 500 people out in Toronto, Ford tweeted, our government will take action to ensure that events like Al Quds Day, which calls for the killing of an entire civilian population in Israel, are no longer part of the landscape in Ontario. During his stint on city council Ford sought to defund Toronto's Pride Parade because Queers Against Israeli Apartheid was allowed to march alongside hundreds of other groups. If they want to march in the parade, then we won't fund them, said the councillor. We don't support hate groups, that's our view. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

research group: The Toronto East Detention Centre is among several jails where immigration detainees are held, according to Toronto Star. In cases where children are involved, families are held in federal holding centres instead of jails. The lack of independent national and international oversight bodies significantly contributes to the culture of secrecy surrounding the Canadian immigration detention system, said a report by the Geneva-based Global Detention Project, an international research group that promotes the human rights of migrants in detention. Gary Yokoyama / The Hamilton Spectator File Photo There remain critical gaps in public information, including concerning which prisons are in use at any given time for immigration-related reasons. As of last November, the report said at least 16 people have died in immigration detention while in the custody of the Canada Border Services Agency since 2000. Immigration detention in Canada has been in the spotlight over the last two years with a series of deaths of migrants held in facilities for immigration violations. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

san diego: In his order, U.S. District Court Judge Dana Sabraw, an appointee of President George W. Bush, said all families must be reunited within 30 days, and children under 5 must be reunited with their parents within 14 days, according to The Chronicle Herald. He also issued a nationwide injunction against further family separations, unless the parent is deemed unfit or doesn't want to be with the child. The hard deadline set Tuesday night by a U.S. District Judge in San Diego touched off a flurry of activity at facilities already coping with the aftermath of President Donald Trump's order to end the separation of families at the border. Asked about the injunction, Trump offered no complaint, saying, We believe the families should be together also so there's not a lot to fight. The Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Refugee Resettlement is taking an average of 57 days to place children in its care with adult sponsors far longer than the time now allotted by the judge. But it remained unclear Wednesday how the administration would meet that deadline, given the amount of red tape and confusion that has hung over the reunification process. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

victory: That's because South Korea entered the match with a slim chance to advance but couldn't get it done, according to CTV. Since we won, everything went as planned, South Korea coach Shin Tae-yong said. Even in victory, the South Koreas struggled to compose themselves following a 2-0 win that knocked the defending champion Germans out of the tournament. We looked at their strategies for the past four days. I told my players we would have opportunities, that they would need the victory more than us. We looked at Germany's formation. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

travel policy: Critics argue that judges should only evaluate the text of Trump's orders, according to Vancouver Courier. Chief Justice John Roberts said Tuesday the Supreme Court may look behind the face of the proclamation barring travellers from five countries with overwhelmingly Muslim populations, though he adopted a relatively easy standard for the administration to justify its travel policy. The remarks have been used to argue the ban was motivated by religious prejudice.article continues below Trending Stories Owners of fire-damaged Shaughnessy home facing charges under city's heritage bylaw Hector Bremner says Yes' to new Vancouver party Green Party goes above and beyond, selecting candidates for council, school and park board Will he or won't he The Ryan Reynolds watch is on at the Rio Theatre Trump a prolific Twitter user has also had his words turned against him in lawsuits over decisions to separate families at the border, end legal protections for young immigrants and revoke temporary status for people from particular countries. Allowing consideration of the president's statements is good news for plaintiffs in other immigration lawsuits against the administration, said Niels Frenzen, an immigration expert at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. That would have started to close the door in considering this outside evidence. They could have said it's improper to consider any statements made on the campaign trail, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

john tory: And the city has gone to what I would very genuinely describe as heroic efforts to help, according to National Observer. But Toronto has reached its limits, Tory said. John Tory asked for financial and housing assistance, saying he detailed his requests in an urgent letter sent to Ottawa this week. ; 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. We need help, he said. According to a report from the city manager, the number of refugees and asylum claimants using the shelter system went from 459 in 2016 accounting for 11.2 per cent of the total system to 3,209 as of June 20, 2018 45.8 per cent of the system. We just don't have the resources to do it alone. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.