asylum seekers: The group was prevented from talking to anyone by private security forces, according to National Observer. Lawyer Saron Grebresellassie described the crossing as creepy, dangerous and dark. Last winter, Black Lives Matter activists went to see the border crossing at Lacolle, Quebec to witness how asylum seekers from the United States were being treated, and what they know about their rights. Police even followed them back to their hotel, stopped and questioned them. File photo by Alex T treault Justin Trudeau has tacked hard right. An abandoned stroller is seen on the American side of the former border crossing near Hemmingford, Quebec, in the winter of 2017, at the end of the now infamous Roxham road where most irregular crossings have been happening. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

asylum deal: It's also an environment where people can share why they came to Canada and their hopes for the future narratives many at the centre feel are important to larger conversations about refugees and asylum seekers. ; One of them is Dennis, a 21-year-old who came to Toronto from an East African country in January 2017, according to National Observer. He doesn't provide his full name because of concerns about safety and the status of his refugee claim he says he's waiting for a hearing. The FCJ Refugee Centre is a place where those who've been accepted as refugees help others seeking asylum deal with all sorts of practical issues. But he wants to talk. They come to seek protection, he says. Refugees don't come because of the money in social assistance the government gives them. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

asylum seekers.article: It's also an environment where people can share why they came to Canada and their hopes for the future narratives many at the centre feel are important to larger conversations about refugees and asylum seekers.article continues below Trending Stories Vancouver High on Life vloggers die in Shannon Falls tragedy Fergie's Cafe in Squamish gutted by early morning fire Annual rent increase may be cut BC housing minister Downtown Eastside Canada's most famous junkie' comes clean One of them is Dennis, a 21-year-old who came to Toronto from an East African country in January 2017, according to Vancouver Courier. He doesn't provide his full name because of concerns about safety and the status of his refugee claim he says he's waiting for a hearing. The FCJ Refugee Centre is a place where those who've been accepted as refugees help others seeking asylum deal with all sorts of practical issues. But he wants to talk. They come to seek protection, he says. Refugees don't come because of the money in social assistance the government gives them. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration officials: The parents got to embrace the 15-month-old boy again Friday, five months after U.S. immigration officials forcibly separated the baby from his father at the Texas border.article continues below Trending Stories Vancouver High on Life vloggers die in Shannon Falls tragedy Fergie's Cafe in Squamish gutted by early morning fire Annual rent increase may be cut BC housing minister Downtown Eastside Canada's most famous junkie' comes clean Johan, who grabbed the world's attention when he appeared in a U.S. courtroom in diapers, at first didn't recognize his mom and dad after he was flown to San Pedro Sula, according to Vancouver Courier. I kept saying Johan, Johan, and he started to cry, said his mother, Adalicia Montecinos. That's where he took his first steps and spoke his first words. She broke down in tears as she talked about how her son had become a poster child for outrage over the Trump administration's policy of separating immigrant children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. His father soon won him over by playing ball. He suffered everything that we have been suffering, she said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

stories vancouver: The parents got to embrace the 15-month-old boy again Friday, five months after U.S. immigration officials forcibly separated the baby from his father at the Texas border.article continues below Trending Stories Vancouver High on Life vloggers die in Shannon Falls tragedy Downtown Eastside Canada's most famous junkie' comes clean Need a cute fix Meet the stars at Critter Care Wildlife Society Apparent red tide around Bowen Island may look scary, but it's not toxic Johan, who grabbed the world's attention when he appeared in a U.S. courtroom in diapers, at first didn't recognize his mom and dad after he was flown to San Pedro Sula, according to Vancouver Courier. I kept saying Johan, Johan, and he started to cry, said his mother, Adalicia Montecinos. That's where he took his first steps and spoke his first words. She broke down in tears as she talked about how her son had become a poster child for outrage over the Trump administration's policy of separating immigrant children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. His father soon won him over by playing ball. He suffered everything that we have been suffering, she said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

elections: As the July 29 elections approach, insecurity is a major issue for candidates including President Ibrahim Boubacar Ke ta, who seeks a second term, according to Vancouver Courier. Experts warn of a humanitarian crisis as hundreds of schools have closed out of fear of attack. At least 289 civilians including young children have been killed in communal violence since the beginning of the year, with some burned alive in their homes or killed while hiding in mosques, the United Nations said this month. It would be difficult to organize the elections in my commune in Mondoro, near the border between Mali and Burkina Faso, one local official, Deputy Mayor Moulaye Ongoiba, told The Associated Press. The Malian army attacks the civilians thinking that they are complicit with the jihadists, and the jihadists attack the civilians thinking that they are complicit with the army. Extremist attacks in the region have risen over the past year, while tensions grow between ethnic Fulani Muslims and other groups such as the Dogon and Bambara who accuse the Fulani of being recruited by jihadists. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

content providers: Imagine if they prevented you from watching videos on any site except You Tube, or barred you from using Skype, according to Rabble. These ISPs provide the connection to the internet, but they shouldn't be able to control how you use the internet. Imagine if they manipulated the speed that websites load, giving preference to content providers that paid extra to be in an internet fast lane. This core quality of the internet, that it is open, is called net neutrality. One of President Donald Trump's key policy objectives, as stated by former White House adviser Stephen Bannon, is to deconstruct the administrative state. Current internet regulations just put in place by the Trump administration do away with net neutrality. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

age group: Mill Woods is highly ethnic, and so is north of Yellowhead Trail Castle Downs and other places, said urban planner and University of Alberta professor Sandeep Agrawal.U of A sociologist Rob Shields said a recent census shows the north side is a mixture of new Canadians and couples with children, according to Toronto Star. Article Continued Below Have your say The survey shows little connection between marijuana use and income in Edmonton. That age group indulges fairly consistently throughout the Edmonton region, but less so in Mill Woods and in communities north of 137 Avenue. While use is higher than average in lower-income neighbourhoods around 118 Avenue, it's also high in affluent Sherwood Park, as well as the university area and east side communities like Capilano. The data paints a wide-ranging portrait of Canada's marijuana scene three months before recreational use becomes legal across the country on Oct. 17. To me, that's interesting the relatively even quality of this, Shields said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

children cost: I've been stressed worrying that all those little kids stolen by Donald Trump's goons from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border were throwing a wrench into American capitalism, according to Rabble. Don't be silly. What a relief. Capitalism abides, Dude. The recipients of the money run the gamut from nonprofits, religious organizations and for-profit entities, says the article. Government payments for shelters and other child welfare services for those children cost 958 million last year, and counting. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

interview i: These findings are alarming, Boileau said in an interview, according to The Chronicle Herald. I think we need to have a serious debate on the place of francophones and francophiles in Ontario. French Language Services Commissioner Francois Boileau said if nothing is done to address the issue, Ontario's francophone demographic may decrease to the point where it becomes insignificant and public services for the population are hard to come by. According to Statistics Canada, the proportion of francophones in Ontario went from 5.2 per cent of the population in 1996, to 4.7 per cent in 2016 a decrease Boileau said was troubling. The latest census figures show there were 622,415 francophones in Ontario. It's disturbing because it is one thing to be a little under five per cent, but if in 20 years we are under two per cent, then it really starts to have an impact on public policies, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

nation state: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the legislation's passage a historic moment in the history of Zionism and the history of the state of Israel, according to CTV. Israel is the nation state of the Jewish people, which honours the individual rights of all its citizens, the prime minister said. The government says the bill, passed in the early morning hours, will merely enshrine into law Israel's existing character. I repeat this is our state. Lately, there are people who are trying to destabilize this and therefore destabilize the foundations of our existence and our rights, he added. The Jewish state. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

policy counsel: These cases come up on the regular, said Cecelia Friedman Levin, senior policy counsel at ASISTA, a group that works with advocates and attorneys helping immigrant survivors of violence, according to The Chronicle Herald. What that does, to my mind, is undermines the spirit of the protection to begin with. But as Republican President Donald Trump's administration has taken a harder line on immigration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement appears to be stepping up the detention and deportation of people who have applied for the so-called U visa. Through the program, petitioners are able to get a visa, and then a green card, before eventually applying for citizenship. Their applications are still active even after they're deported, but they can be separated from their families for years while they wait. But because of a long process and apparent policy shifts something ICE denies but for which advocates have provided evidence immigrants are now being swept up before they have a chance to legalize. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

services: A larger proportion of new immigrants choosing English as their official language and a lower rate of transmission of the French language to children who come from families where at least one parent is francophone are factors, the report found, according to Toronto Star. Vince Talotta / Toronto Star These findings are alarming, Boileau said in an interview. French Language Services Commissioner Francois Boileau said if nothing is done to address the issue, Ontario's francophone demographic may decrease to the point where it becomes insignificant, and public services for the population are hard to come by. I think we need to have a serious debate on the place of francophones and francophiles in Ontario. It's disturbing because it is one thing to be a little under five per cent, but if in 20 years we are under two per cent, then it really starts to have an impact on public policies, he said. According to Statistics Canada, the proportion of francophones in Ontario went from 5.2 per cent of the population in 1996, to 4.7 per cent in 2016 a decrease Boileau said was troubling. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

splinter party: This does not mean that Fildebrandt, who has been named the interim leader of the FCP, endorses Alberta's separation from Canada, however, according to Rabble. On the contrary, Fildebrandt told me yesterday, I believe in greater autonomy for Alberta within Canada. The tiny right-wing splinter party that until yesterday almost no one in Alberta had heard of, used to be best known among the province's political cognoscenti for its Alberta separatist leanings. I am no separatist. In our short exchange of Twitter direct messages, he described his goal for the party as a libertarian-conservative coalition in which disagreements are resolved by free votes. However, there might be some grounds for suggesting the Independent Strathmore-Brooks MLA would like to turn his new party into a vehicle for his personal political ambitions. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

terror attacks: We've seen some terror attacks, according to Toronto Star. He thinks the some makes him sound precise though it really shows he has no specifics in mind. I think it's been bad for Europe, U.S. President Donald Trump said. I just think it's changing the culture and is very negative for Europe Look at what's happening to different countries that never had problems. Stefan Rousseau / AP Never had problems Europe went to all-out war twice in 25 years when it had relatively little immigration and largely homogeneous nation states. British Prime Minister Theresa May walks with U.S President Donald Trump after their joint press conference at Chequers, in Buckinghamshire, England on July 13. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

west african: A more assertive response by Mali's security forces has led to accusations of extrajudicial killings, while neighbours turn on each other amid suspicions of joining extremist groups, according to The Chronicle Herald. At least 289 civilians including young children have been killed in communal violence since the beginning of the year, with some burned alive in their homes or killed while hiding in mosques, the United Nations said this month. A branch of al-Qaida even set off a car bomb at the headquarters of a new West African counterterror force late last month, further destabilizing central Mali as extremist groups expand from remote northern regions where they have had strongholds for years. As the July 29 elections approach, insecurity is a major issue for candidates including President Ibrahim Boubacar Ke ta, who seeks a second term. It would be difficult to organize the elections in my commune in Mondoro, near the border between Mali and Burkina Faso, one local official, Deputy Mayor Moulaye Ongoiba, told The Associated Press. Experts warn of a humanitarian crisis as hundreds of schools have closed out of fear of attack. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

female-led businesses: It's an imbalance innovators like Audette-Bourdeau hope to see corrected one day, but remains a looming obstacle for the time being, according to National Observer. I'd say that up to now, we haven't faced that challenge, but I am aware that it will probably be a challenge in the future as there are a lot of statistics about how hard it is for female-led businesses to raise money, she said in an interview. So far, she has secured grant money to get her company off the ground, but she knows the path to a prosperous startup is long and winding, especially for female entrepreneurs. ; Women represent 47 per cent of business owners in Canada, but according to data from SheEO, a Toronto-based organization that supports women entrepreneurs, their companies receive only four per cent of available venture capital. That's definitely something we'll have to get ready for. Photo courtesy of Marius Boatca/Flickr Creative Commons Funding available, female founders only Audette-Bourdeau is the co-founder and CEO of Welbi, which provides user-friendly software to seniors that connects them with loved ones, new friends and activities in an attempt to reduce social isolation. Canadian womencontribute 148 billion in economic activity annually, yet struggle to access capital to support their innovate business ideas. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

fever pitch: From killing cap and trade, to cancelling hundreds of renewable energy contracts, to blaming asylum seekers for Ontario's housing crisis and shooting down long-awaited policing reforms oh yeah, and repealing sex ed Ford's scorched-earth policies are already cutting a wide swath, according to NOW Magazine. There's a Google doc keeping score of the destruction floating around on Twitter, where the predictable outrage has hit fever pitch. And he's already made a big mess of the natural order. Note to those on the left no amount of Twittering or email blasts to media to point out the madness of it all will change a thing. Ford's blitzkrieg has seemingly come as a surprise to some, including too many members of the mainstream media. The election was June 7. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ontario: I think we need to have a serious debate on the place of francophones and francophiles in Ontario, according to Vancouver Courier. According to Statistics Canada, the proportion of francophones in Ontario went from 5.2 per cent of the population in 1996, to 4.7 per cent in 2016 a decrease Boileau said was troubling. French Language Services Commissioner Francois Boileau said if nothing is done to address the issue, Ontario's francophone demographic may decrease to the point where it becomes insignificant and public services for the population are hard to come by.article continues below Trending Stories Vancouver High on Life vloggers die in Shannon Falls tragedy Greater Vancouver home prices to drop 21 per cent by 2019 analysis Beware the season of the BC Ferry Cab Share Canada launches app changing taxi travel These findings are alarming, Boileau said in an interview. It's disturbing because it is one thing to be a little under five per cent, but if in 20 years we are under two per cent, then it really starts to have an impact on public policies, he said. In the report, seven experts studied several issues that affect or will affect the delivery of French language services. The latest census figures show there were 622,415 francophones in Ontario. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

show kanata: We have people claiming that we're attacking French Quebecers and Quebec institutions, when all we're trying to do is state the need for more funding for black and Indigenous communities and overall diversity, according to National Observer. Faced with back-to-back accusations of cultural appropriation and damning international headlines, Lepage proposed to meet with those who signed the letter. Lepage's upcoming show Kanata, about Indigenous people, once again without any real representation or artistic input from the very communities it is about, prompted 20 Indigenous artists and activists to write a letter that was published in Le Devoir. Ariane Mnouchkine of Th tre du Soleil, where Kanata is scheduled for a premiere in Paris, planned to fly in for the meeting. In the meantime, some French-language pundits continue to treat the collective as a fringe group of troublesome, disorganized, and unreasonable fanatics intent on censorship. During his announcement, Lepage indicated he was also willing to meet with the SL V Resistance Collective, a group formed by members of Montreal's black community in response to the show featuring white people in a uniquely black story. ; One hopes that Lepage is inching closer to a reluctant understanding of how damaging it is to tell stories that don't belong to him without the input and participation of these communities. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

vancouver: The tweet was a poor attempt made in bad taste to address a serious issue, according to Vancouver Courier. I deeply regret my choice of words in trying to make that point. This is his statement in full, followed by the orgininal story published yesterday by Bob Kronbauer from Vancouver Is Awesome.article continues below Trending Stories Vancouver High on Life vloggers die in Shannon Falls tragedy Greater Vancouver home prices to drop 21 per cent by 2019 analysis Beware the season of the BC Ferry Cab Share Canada launches app changing taxi travel Thursday July 19, 2018A statement from Jonathan Simkin;Last week I tweeted something about the Juno Awards that I wish to speak to. Upon reflection, I can see that the comments were horribly insensitive, and I understand why some people have been hurt by those words. It was not my intent to cause hurt, or to cause people who feel disenfranchised to feel even more disenfranchised. To those people, I apologize. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

asylum seekers: On Monday, the federal Conservative Party posted then deleted a tweet showing a Black man with a suitcase walking into Canada superimposed on a January 2017 tweet from Trudeau that welcomed refugees and ended with diversity is our strength, according to Toronto Star. A group of asylum seekers arrive at the temporary housing facilities at the border crossing in St. On Twitter last year, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needed to address the illegal border crossing crisis. Bernard-de-Lacolle, Que., in May. In Toronto, a constant and deepening problem providing public and affordable housing for those who need it has been reimagined as one weighed down by too many refugees. Ryan Remiorz / The Canadian Press In Ontario, MPP Lisa McLeod has followed through on Premier Doug Ford's promised hostility to the federal government and to migrants. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

adrienne clarkson: In a statement, Clarkson lauded Atwood's luminous literary career and social activism at the local, national and international levels, according to CTV. The prize will be presented in Toronto on Sept. 26. The annual prize, named for former governor general Adrienne Clarkson, is awarded annually to an individual who has demonstrated commitment to the principles of inclusion and belonging. In addition to the dozens of honours her works have received, Atwood won the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, the Franz Kafka Prize, and PEN Center USA's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. She is a dynamic force in the world today, Clarkson said in a statement Wednesday announcing Atwood as the winner. A stalwart of Canada's literary scene, the 78-year-old has penned more than 50 books, two of which were recently revived for the small screen with serialized adaptations of The Handmaid's Tale and Alias Grace. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cape breton: You won't see me at the casino or down at the fire hall, according to The Chronicle Herald. It was 2002, he had a one-year-old son and lobster gear he'd just taken over from his father. I was never much of a gambler, said Burns. What the Margaree Harbour fisherman didn't have was 120,000 to buy three crab traps worth of quota to add to the handful he'd taken over with his dad's licence. In the past week, nearly 30 million worth of the cold water crustacean have come over Cheticamp's wharves. And what neither he nor anyone else knew at the time was how valuable the crustacean would become to Cape Breton's west coast. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

griselda: They were hungry, after being given what they say were frozen sandwiches and smelly food, according to CTV. Younger children cried in caged areas where they were crammed in with teens, and they clamoured for their parents. It was hard to sleep with lights shining all night and guards kicking their feet, they say. Toilets were filthy, and running water was scarce, they say. I didn't know where my mother was, said Griselda, 16, of Guatemala, who entered the U.S. with her mother in the McAllen, Texas, area. They waited, unsure and frightened of what the future might bring. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

production: However, not one of the 34 actors are Indigenous, according to Rabble. This is reminiscent of the Royal Winnipeg ballet's production, Going Home, chronicling the aftermath of residential school life. Quebec theatre director Robert Lepage is launching his newest production, Kanata -- effectively an accounting of the treatment of Indigenous peoples living in Canada by settlers. Not only did that production fail to include a single Indigenous dancer, but it was based on a story by the controversial novelist Joseph Boyden with music composed by Greek-Canadian Christos Hatzis. Once more, not his story to own and tell. And, how about master storyteller and Canadian conservation pioneer Grey Owl or should I call him by his real English name, Archibald Stansfeld, who, according to the publishers of his collected works, is heralded as a great Native Canadian who used Native storytelling as a vehicle for environmental activism and awareness. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.