immigrantscanada.com

Independent topical source of current affairs, opinion and issues, featuring stories making news in Canada from immigrants, newcomers, minorities & ethnic communities' point of view and interests.

mass deportations: Justice Department attorney Scott Stewart opposed the delay but did not address the rumours in court, according to CTV. The ACLU requested that parents have at least one week to decide whether to pursue asylum in the U.S. after they are reunited with their children. U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw imposed a delay of at least a week after a request from the American Civil Liberties Union, which cited persistent and increasing rumours ... that mass deportations may be carried out imminently and immediately upon reunification. The judge held off on deciding that issue until the government outlines its objections in writing by next Monday. It's hard to imagine a more profound or momentous decision, he said. ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt told reporters that he was extremely pleased by the halt and that parents need time to think over with their children and advisers whether to seek asylum. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

emergency preparedness: During an emergency session on Monday, Conservative and NDP MPs put pressure on their Liberal counterparts to undertake a study examining the federal government's response to the number of asylum seekers entering the country and the strain they're putting on certain provinces, according to CTV. The meeting was requested by NDP immigration and refugee critic Jenny Kwan and Conservative critic Michelle Rempel, who are both vice-chairs of the committee. Ralph Goodale, minister of public safety and emergency preparedness, Jean-Yves Duclos, minister of families, children and social development, and Ahmed Hussen, minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship Canada, are all expected to attend the meetings. According to Statistics Canada, the number of asylum seekers entering the country between ports of entry has been steadily decreasing since April. Quebec and Ontario have seen the highest number of new arrivals, which has put on a strain on provincial and municipal resources. The agency reported that RCMP intercepted approximately 1,200 border crossers in June down from 2,500 in April. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

nikki huang: Nikki Huang says she often worked 10-hour days, received no training on the use of potentially hazardous products and was shortchanged on her wages while working in GTA nail salons, according to Toronto Star. Rene Johnston / Toronto Star For rights at work, I would say the employer probably prefers the employees didn't know much about it, says the 28-year-old Markham resident. During that time, she says she often worked 10-hour days, received no training on the use of potentially hazardous products and was shortchanged on her wages to the tune of 3,000 by her last employer. That is what the Nail Technicians' Network is now seeking to change emulating successful efforts in places like California to organize low-wage immigrant women and encourage safer working conditions. There are over 1,120 licensed nail salons in the Toronto area. The initiative was born out of the Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre's nail salon workers project, launched in 2013 to identify and tackle health concerns including exposure to toxic substances with links to a range of health conditions such as cancer, respiratory illnesses, neurological damage and reproductive issues. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

nigel farage: She wrote a story about the rally and snapped a photo of a woman with a sign around her neck that read My door is open for refugees, according to CTV. The same photo is circulating again on social media, but with the sign changed to My legs are open for refugees. Lasia Kretzel was working for CKOM in Saskatoon in 2015 when she attended a rally supporting Syrian refugees. Kretzel says the altered photo was tweeted on the weekend by Nigel Farage, the former leader of the UK Independence Party and a member of the European Parliament. The photo turns out to be Fake News, but the refugees welcome brigade need to think harder about what is happening, Farage later said in a tweet that Kretzel saved in a screen grab. Kretzel called out Farage on Twitter, saying she had taken the original photo, and he acknowledged the sexualized picture as phoney. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

soccer team: The national team's 4-2 win over Croatia on Sunday gave France a new set of heroes, many of whom represent the changing face of a diverse, multicultural country with which not all French citizens have yet reckoned, according to The Chronicle Herald. The red carpet welcome for the World Cup winners continued at the Elysee Palace, where President Emmanuel Macron threw an informal garden party that had 1,000 children and 300 athletes from local soccer clubs as guests. The crowd that waited for hours to greet the soccer team, under a hot sun and amid celebratory smoke bombs that choked the air, got its moment hours after the team returned from Russia to hoist the gold trophy on French soil for the second time in 20 years. Many of the invited clubs are based in the poor neighbourhoods French that produced the players who made up France's youthful, diverse World Cup team, including 19-year-old breakout star Kylian Mbappe. Merci! Macron, the youngest person to become France's president, told the guests. Members of the club he grew up with in suburban Bondy attended the party. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

iphone passwords: But that may soon change, according to National Observer. Trump's recent zero tolerance immigration policies, which have led to the separation of families and the indefinite detainment of many, escalating tariff tension, and stories from increasingly complicated and over-regulated border crossings where computer and iPhone passwords are often demanded from travelers, seem to have affected more than a few Montrealers who willingly admit to actively avoiding U.S. travel right now. The geographic proximity and the long-standing friendship and trade between the two countries has, in the past, made the United States a no-brainer as an easy travel destination for many Canucks. Considering the U.S. status quo, there's certainly both a moral and an economic case to be made for not crossing that border. Five Montrealers tell Toulas Take why they avoid traveling to the U.S. Read on and keep following. And more and more Canadians seem to be reaching that conclusion. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

martin scorsese: I'm your host, and I'm already so very tired, according to NOW Magazine. This week's big news, just ahead of Comic-Con, is that Warner Bros. has cast Joaquin Phoenix in its long-brewing Joker origin movie, to be directed by The Hangover's Todd Phillips and produced by Martin Scorsese. Welcome to the very first edition of Superhero Nonsense, a column devoted to whatever news is breaking at the intersection of comic books and cinema. Ooookay. But he always walked away, ambivalent about whether the work would be worthwhile. From one angle, Phoenix's casting is a coup of sorts because he's been offered comic-book roles before Marvel courted the actor for the roles of Bruce Banner in The Avengers and Stephen Strange in Doctor Strange, and he was an early contender to play DC villain Lex Luthor in Zack Snyder's Batman V Superman Dawn Of Justice. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

name game: Artistic director Sam Baijal says some of the headliners he was hoping for didn't happen yet, according to NOW Magazine. On the other hand, the weekend was stacked with incredible performances. The Guelph music festival, now in its 35th year, isn't about the name game. Amazing artists who are not that well known are our bread and butter, Baijal says. It's outlasted the on-indefinite-hiatus Way Home, whose mega-fest scope was major competition the last few years and forced Hillside to change weekends. Not as old as stalwart Mariposa Folk Festival which will be 60 in a few years and enjoyed record-breaking attendance last week or as young as nearby Riverfest Elora, which celebrates its 10th birthday in August with performances by July Talk, the Flaming Lips and more, Hillside occupies a special place in the local festival landscape. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

parkdale: A clear pattern of intimidation seems to follow, with low-income tenants getting pushed out and rents being jacked up, often doubled, according to NOW Magazine. Rooming houses are the biggest source of cheap rentals in Parkdale, offering more than double the number of affordable units that public housing provides, according to the Parkdale Neighbourhood Land Trust's 2017 rooming-house study. Call it displacement realty. While often far from ideal, rooming houses and bachelorettes in Parkdale have been homes for decades to former psychiatric patients, new immigrants to Canada, disabled folks and those with low or fixed income. Expand Liam Barrington-Bush Rooming house on Spencer in Parkdale where rents for empty units have been advertised at upwards of 1,700 a month since tenants moved out. But they are disappearing. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

robot voice: The robot voice asked him to participate in a survey about Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, according to National Observer. Canadians have been getting the mysterious robocalls about the Trans Mountain oil pipeline and tanker expansion project since July 1. The call came from someone using a 647 area code, identified on his cell phone screen as Tell City Hall. Sources in the Greater Toronto Area say they were called last week kindermorgan abpoli bcpoli cdnpoli TMX It was a weird call, said the man, a Toronto resident who wished to stay anonymous because he works with the municipal and federal governments. Four residents in Toronto and Mississauga told National Observer they were contacted by the mysterious group last week. He thought the call was asking for some feedback for his past participation in several civic engagement studies. ; Canadians across the country have been getting calls like this since Canada Day. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

benjamin pavard: France's Antoine Griezmann, front row from left, Blaise Matuidi, Benjamin Pavard, N'Golo Kante Kylian Mbappe and, back from from left, Paul Pogba, Samuel Umtiti, Lucas Hernandez, Raphael Varane, Olivier Giroud and Hugo Lloris pose for a team photo prior to their World Cup semifinal game against Belgium on July 10, according to Toronto Star. France plays Croatia in the final on Sunday at 11 a.m. Because at a time of rising xenophobia and an anti-immigrant backlash on both sides of the Atlantic, France has made it to Sunday's World Cup final against Croatia with one of the most diverse and multi-ethnic rosters of any national team in any sport. EDT. FRANCOIS XAVIER MARIT / AFP/GETTY IMAGES Sixteen of the 23 players on the team come from families that recently immigrated to France from places like Zaire, Martinique, Cameroon, Morocco, Angola, Congo or Algeria. Defender Samuel Umtiti, who scored the goal that sent France to the final, was born in Cameroon. Forward Antoine Griezmann, the team's leading scorer, is half-German and half-Portuguese. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

farm goods: No matter where you look in ag right now, you see storm clouds on the horizon and some of those are a lot closer overhead than we'd care for, said Chad Hart, an agricultural economist with Iowa State University, according to CTV. Trump's tariff threats earlier this year against China, Mexico, Canada and European Union elicited quick retaliatory measures that depressed the prices of certain U.S. agricultural products, including corn, soybeans, pork. The threat of counter-tariffs on U.S. farm goods and the impact of President Donald Trump's other policies on immigration and biofuels, though, have some farmers more worried than ever about their ability to continue eking out an existence in agriculture. When 34 billion worth of tariffs against China took effect July 6 and China responded with tariffs of its own, U.S. farmers were already feeling the squeeze from lower crop prices, higher land prices and other factors. That projection is likely high, given what's transpired since. The Department of Agriculture predicted before the threat of tariffs and counter-tariffs that U.S. farm income would drop this year to 60 billion, or half the 120 billion of five years ago. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

opposition mlas: Kenney used a news conference to introduce his two new Opposition MLAs from Thursday's by-elections to portray Dreeshen's eight-month contribution to President Trump's 2016 election as likely to be a benefit to Alberta, according to Rabble. I think it's actually helpful to have in our caucus an MLA who can get people on the phone in the U.S. administration, said Kenney--suggesting, I guess, that Dreeshen, 30, can actually do that. But Jason Kenney, former Harper Government Cabinet minister and leader of Alberta's United Conservative Party, decided to double down yesterday and defend the efforts of Innisfail-Sylvan Lake UCP by-election victor Devin Dreeshen for his work two years ago on President Trump's campaign. Kenney went to some pains to ensure we all understood that neither he nor Dreeshen actually support Trump's trade policies -- vis- -vis Canada, anyway, if not the European Union. Dreeshen went even further in an interview with Lacombe Online, a community website in the region, telling reporter Joseph Ho When I was down there, I wasn't picking a particular candidate. Devin and I totally agree with each other in our opposition to the Trump Administration's protectionism, particularly our opposition to his unprovoked tariffs on our steel and aluminum industry, Kenney was quoted carefully claiming in a story by the Canadian Press. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

saturday accident: He said searchers were hindered by heavy rain, according to The Chronicle Herald. According to the Myanmar-language New Light of Myanmar, a state newspaper, there were 15 dead and more than 40 injured. Fifteen bodies were retrieved from the site of Saturday's accident near Lonekhin village but a search was ongoing for more, said Sein Myint Tun, a police officer in Hpakant Township in Kachin state, adding that the dead included 14 men and one woman. Khin Maung Myint, a member of parliament for the area belonging to the ruling National League for Democracy, said he saw 18 injured people from the Saturday accident at one hospital in Myitkyina, the state capital. More than 100 people were killed in a single landslide in November 2015. Such accidents are not rare because scavenging for jade remnants is dangerous and not well regulated. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugee status: But the month came and went without their expected flight confirmation from immigration authorities, according to Toronto Star. After 15 years apart, Wendy Mejia and her brother Brian were reunited with their parents in 2015, becoming among the first teenagers to be granted refugee status through the Central American Minor program. Her youngest daughter and her grandson were set to arrive in February 2017, thanks to a federal program that reunited Central American children with their parents in the United States. Patrick Semansky / The Associated Press file photo It wasn't until August that the mother, identified by her lawyers as S.A., found out that the program had ended. It still hurts not having them here. When I realized that everything had come crashing down, I suffered a lot, S.A., 52, said in a recent phone interview while on a break from her job at a lice-removal company. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

services minister: Conservative MP Michelle Rempel is calling on the House of Commons immigration committee to hold two more meetings this summer in hopes of learning more about what the federal government intends to do about asylum seekers, according to Toronto Star. Sean Kilpatrick / THE CANADIAN PRESS file photo She walked out of the meeting after a testy exchange with federal Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, who later publicly accused Ontario of fear-mongering on asylum seekers. As Ford's community and social services minister, Mac Leod is butting heads with the Liberal government over its handling of the asylum-seeker issue, and she was at it again Friday after the main federal, provincial and territorial players gathered for a meeting on the matter in Winnipeg. She called his comments mean-spirited and demanded an apology. Rempel will introduce a motion calling on the committee to undertake a study to review the adequacy of the federal government's response to the impact of increased asylum seekers crossing into Canada from the United States. At Monday's emergency meeting of the House of Commons immigration committee, opposition members will try to put some political pressure on the government by urging their Liberal counterparts to examine the problem, as well as the pressure it is putting on provinces. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

services minister: She walked out of the meeting after a testy exchange with federal Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, who later publicly accused Ontario of fear-mongering on asylum seekers, according to CTV. She called his comments mean-spirited and demanded an apology. As Ford's community and social services minister, Mac Leod is butting heads with the Liberal government over its handling of the asylum-seeker issue, and she was at it again Friday after the main federal, provincial and territorial players gathered for a meeting on the matter in Winnipeg. At Monday's emergency meeting of the House of Commons immigration committee, opposition members will try to put some political pressure on the government by urging their Liberal counterparts to examine the problem, as well as the pressure it is putting on provinces. She and NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan are calling on the committee to hold two more meetings this summer in hopes of learning more about what the government intends to do. Rempel will introduce a motion calling on the committee to undertake a study to review the adequacy of the federal government's response to the impact of increased asylum seekers crossing into Canada from the United States. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

syrian refugees: In a statement released Friday, Chatham-Kent Mayor Randy Hope is quoted, As Canada's first welcoming community for Syrian refugees, we have shown the capability and the willingness to provide humanitarian aid and a chance to help newcomers begin a new life, according to CTV. Mayor Hope says communities across Ontario are considering how they can help in regard to the current need. Following a conference call this week by the Large Urban Mayors Caucus of Ontario LUMCO Toronto Mayor John Tory issued a statement asking mayors to adopt a regional strategy and find ways to help relocate some of the more than 3,300 persons now in that city's shelter program. In the statement, Chatham-Kent CAO Don Shropshire says the municipality is in contact with officials in Toronto to assess which individuals may be interested in coming to this area. Ideally, we want to bring people here who can obtain employment, relocate and make this their new home. It's not simply a question of saying we will take X number of people, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

asylum-seeker issue: She called his comments mean-spirited and demanded an apology, according to Vancouver Courier. At Monday's emergency meeting of the House of Commons immigration committee, opposition members will try to put some political pressure on the government by urging their Liberal counterparts to examine the problem, as well as the pressure it is putting on provinces. As Ford's community and social services minister, Mac Leod is butting heads with the Liberal government over its handling of the asylum-seeker issue, and she was at it again Friday after the main federal, provincial and territorial players gathered for a meeting on the matter in Winnipeg.article continues below Trending Stories Video of overcrowded pigs by animal rights group prompts investigation Have your say Do you want a direct train line to UBC Uncle Fester has bloomed and it's a big stinky deal for thousands of Vancouverites Remembering Megan Scraper adventurer was gifted athlete, social media maven She walked out of the meeting after a testy exchange with federal Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, who later publicly accused Ontario of fear-mongering on asylum seekers. Rempel will introduce a motion calling on the committee to undertake a study to review the adequacy of the federal government's response to the impact of increased asylum seekers crossing into Canada from the United States. The motion calls on Hussen to testify, for the committee to meet at least twice more this summer and that the study be concluded before Aug. 3. She and NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan are calling on the committee to hold two more meetings this summer in hopes of learning more about what the government intends to do. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

state newspaper: He said searchers were hindered by heavy rain.article continues below Trending Stories Have your say Do you want a direct train line to UBC According to the Myanmar-language New Light of Myanmar, a state newspaper, there were 15 dead and more than 40 injured, according to Vancouver Courier. Khin Maung Myint, a member of parliament for the area belonging to the ruling National League for Democracy, said he saw 18 injured people from the Saturday accident at one hospital in Myitkyina, the state capital. Fifteen bodies were retrieved from the site of Saturday's accident near Lonekhin village but a search was ongoing for more, said Sein Myint Tun, a police officer in Hpakant Township in Kachin state, adding that the dead included 14 men and one woman. Such accidents are not rare because scavenging for jade remnants is dangerous and not well regulated. The accidents usually occur at the foot of giant mounds of discarded earth that has been mined in bulk by heavy machinery. More than 100 people were killed in a single landslide in November 2015. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

american woman: Kingston police say that over the course of 11 months, the woman was told she couldn't leave the home unless accompanied by a member of her family, according to The Chronicle Herald. They allege the family isolated her, monitored her calls and took her citizenship papers and jewelry away from her. Police say the American woman came to Canada last year, married a man from Kingston, Ont., and moved into his home, where he lived with his mother, father and brother. Police say starting in April, the family members became increasingly violent towards the woman, allegedly hitting her and threatening to kill her. They say the woman's 29-year-old husband, her 52-year-old mother-in-law and 27-year-old brother-in-law were all charged. Investigators say the woman escaped earlier this month after she was allegedly burned with a hot pair of tongs and reported the incident to police. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

minister: Ontario immigration minister Lisa Macleod demanded an apology after federal Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen said the province was promoting fear around asylum seekers, according to Toronto Star. Chris Young / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILE PHOTO Federal, provincial and territorial ministers were meeting in Winnipeg to discuss immigration issues when Hussen was asked about Ontario Premier Doug Ford demanding that federal government pay millions to provide supports for asylum seekers. Maybe the minister should sit down and have a nice cup of tea, calm down a little bit and maybe phone me and apologize for calling me un Canadian, Lisa Mac Leod said Friday. Ford has said the federal government is ushering people across the border and asylum seekers, whom he calls illegal border crossers, have caused a housing crisis in Ontario. Article Continued Below It's divisive. Hussen said the new premier's messaging is irresponsible. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

day ordeal: Doctors said that Friday, when the videos were recorded, would be the last day they'd have to wear them, according to CTV. Public Health Minister Dr. In video messages of the boys shown at a news conference on Saturday, they are seen wearing surgical masks, a safeguard against infection that's been taken since the last of them were pulled from the Tham Luang cave on Tuesday, ending an 18-day ordeal. Piyasakol Sakolsattayatorn, who led the news conference at Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital, said all 13 -- the dozen boys, who range in age from 11 to 16, and their 25-year-old coach -- were expected to be discharged from the hospital on Thursday. Regarding infections, through the medical evaluations in the first days there may be some of them that had minor pneumonia, but now all is cleared, no fever, Piyasakol said. All of the 13 people, their physical bodies are strong, and fit. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

news conference: Doctors said that Friday, when the videos were recorded, would be the last day they'd have to wear them, according to Toronto Star. The Thai soccer team rescued from a flooded cave are seen wearing surgical masks, a safeguard against infection that's been taken since the last of them were rescued. In video messages of the boys shown at a news conference on Saturday, they are seen wearing surgical masks, a safeguard against infection that's been taken since the last of them were pulled from the Tham Luang cave on Tuesday, ending an 18-day ordeal. Doctors said that Friday, when the videos were recorded, would be the last day they'd have to wear them. Piyasakol Sakolsattayatorn, who led the news conference at Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital, said all 13 the dozen boys, who range in age from 11 to 16, and their 25-year-old coach were expected to be discharged from the hospital on Thursday. HANDOUT / AFP/GETTY IMAGES Public Health Minister Dr. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

success: Canada took in about 300,000 immigrants in each of 2016 and 2017, according to The Chronicle Herald. Those who are chosen, from large numbers of applicants, show good probability of success, both economically and socially. A flood of asylum seekers threatens our warm acceptance of the other two. It is a system that works well and contributes enormously to Canada's success. Canada's immigrants also include refugees. Canadians are largely supportive. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

betsy ng: Elephant Garden is heading to 2080 Commercial Drive in a new build that's adjacent to a sushi restaurant, and steps from numerous other popular neighbourhood spots.article continues below Trending Storiesrelated Get wacky, pop music-inspired sundaes from this Vancouver shop Iconic matcha caf Tsujiri opens first Metro Vancouver location this summer Where to get that internet famous watermelon ice cream sandwich in Richmond Currently in the construction phase of the build-out, Elephant Garden says they are hoping to be open later in August great news for those summertime scoops, according to Vancouver Courier. Elephant Garden is the project of local siblings Bruce and Betsy Ng. Now the artisanal ice cream maker has announced they have an address and a target opening. The ice cream maker sells pints of flavours like Hong Kong Milk Tea, Malted Milk Chocolate, and Avocado Milk at places like the Vancouver Farmers' Markets. Read Related Topics ul ul ul 2018 Vancouver Courier Click here to take part in our readers survey Read more from the Vancouver Is Awesome With the new shop, fans and newcomers to their line of signature ice creams, many influenced by Asian flavours and foods, will have what Betsy Ng promises to be a safe and happy spot to enjoy ice cream in a tranquil, comfortable space. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.