african refugees: The left has sought to portray him as an open racist a charge the blunt-talking Bolsonaro denies, according to Toronto Star. Supporters of Jair Bolsonaro, presidential candidate for the Social Liberal Party, celebrate after polls closed during the first round of presidential elections in Rio de Janeiro on Oct. 7. So many people here are stunned by an apparent contradiction How could a man like Jair Bolsonaro be this close to winning the presidency The far-right former army captain once said his sons would never fall in love with a black woman, and in 2015, he dubbed African refugees coming to Brazil the scum of the earth. Dado Galdieri / Bloomberg But this is what has perhaps shocked his opponents the most. In Latin America's largest nation, Bolsonaro is now the top candidate among black and mixed-race voters, according to a major polling agency, Ibope. Now polling in the lead by 18 percentage points, the 63-year-old will enter Sunday's presidential runoff with a surprising group of backers people of colour. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

neighbouring areas: You have to be careful, according to CTV. You must have a gun. The residents have reported break-ins, cases of arson, and animals killed for food in the village of Moria located only a short distance from the country's biggest refugee camp on the island of Lesbos. You must have a knife to protect your family, to protect your property, resident Vassilis Batzakas told CTV's Daniele Hamamdjian during her recent trip to the camp and its surrounding areas. Reading this in our app Click here for a media-rich version Refugees and migrants predominately from Afghanistan, but also from 57 other nations have the ability to come and go from the camp and often wander into neighbouring areas untouched by the horrors inside. The residents say the presence of the refugees is not the problem, it's the fact that the camp is uncontrollably overcrowded. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

brands weren: As I explored the outside, I recognized that a lot of brands weren't reflecting stories like my own or showcasing people like myself out in nature, she told CTV Calgary on Tuesday, according to CTV. In response, MEC reached out to Kasiama and they began discussions on how to improve the outfitter's advertisements. In March, Judith Kasiama wrote to MEC and other sports companies on social media to complain about the lack of diversity in their marketing. The Vancouver-based company, known for selling outdoor recreational gear and clothing to its members, eventually made Kasiama a MEC ambassador in April. Six months later, MEC's CEO David Labistour posted an open letter on the company's website in which he admitted the retailer has perpetuated the vastly incorrect notion that people of colour in Canada don't ski, hike, climb or camp. We can't say Canada is diverse but then don't want to talk about these hard issues, Kasiama said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

capital city: During her visit Jolie met Venezuelan refugees who live at a shelter in the capital city and also went to a border crossing in the north of the country, according to CTV. On Tuesday, Jolie met with Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra to discuss potential solutions to the migrant crisis and ways of securing international support. Jolie was ending a three-day visit to Peru as a special envoy for the United Nations refugee agency. After the meeting she thanked Peru for taking measures that are helping Venezuelans in that country to get legal status, and urged governments around the world to support procedures that help refugees to apply for asylum. More than 1.9 million people have left Venezuela since 2015 according to the United Nations and some 400-thousand have moved to Peru. Jolie says none of the Venezuelans she met want charity-- they want an opportunity to help themselves. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

officials october: U.S. President Donald Trump concludes his remarks at the White House State Leadership Day Conference for Alaska, California, and Hawaii local officials October 23 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee There must be consequences for illegal actions, Sessions said before dozens of sheriffs from counties on the United States' border with Mexico, according to Toronto Star. Because they did not know about the zero tolerance policy in advance, officials at the Department of Homeland Security said, they did not take steps to prepare for the resulting family separations. The Department of Homeland Security, which apprehends border crossers, and the Department of Health and Human Services, which cares for separated migrant children, were both caught off guard when Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced plans to criminally prosecute anyone who crossed the border illegally, the report said. Staff members at the Department of Health and Human Services said their leaders told them not to prepare for an increase in children separated from their families because Homeland Security officials claimed that they did not have an official policy of separating parents and children, according to the report, which was prepared by the Government Accountability Office, Congress' non-partisan investigative arm. The president eventually relented and moved to halt the family separations, though the government struggled in some cases to reunite those it had already separated. The enforcement of the policy led to the separation of nearly 3,000 children from their parents, setting off weeks of national protests, with Democrats and many Republicans calling on U.S. President Donald Trump to end it. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

seat count: The disaffection with the Conservatives easily led to 'Stop Harper' and 'Go Vote' campaigns that were arguably very successful, according to Rabble. The Harper government was defeated -- its seat count reduced from 159 seats to 99 seats -- and voter turnout went up from 61.1 per cent in 2011 to 68.49 per cent. What analysis and hope can social justice activists offer to the more than 17 million people expected to vote in the 43rd general election in this country In the October 2015 federal election it seemed clearer. But the Harper agenda was hardly defeated. And we still ended up with the Trans-Pacific Partnership with 'Comprehensive and Progressive' unconvincingly tacked on to the front of it. Notably the Trudeau government kept the Harper government's weak emission reduction target and then went a step worse by buying the Trans Mountain tar sands pipeline and kept the Harper government's funding formula for health care. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

signature discrepancies: The lawyers behind both lawsuits had filed emergency requests asking May to make certain immediate changes while the litigation is pending, according to Vancouver Courier. May's order comes in the final weeks of Georgia's tight, nationally watched governor's race between Democrat Stacey Abrams, who's trying to become the country's first black woman governor, and Republican Secretary of State Brian Kemp. She outlined a procedure to allow voters to resolve alleged signature discrepancies.article continues below Trending Stories Victoria mom desperate for second kidney after heartbreaking transplant result Hot Dog Water returns in protest to Vancouver's 'In Goop Health' wellness summit Vision Vancouver will not run a mayoral candidate for first time in party's history Chinatown Transformation Team aims to sustain the neighbourhood's living heritage Two lawsuits filed earlier this month allege that election officials are improperly rejecting absentee ballots and applications in violation of their constitutional rights. The two have fought for years over voting rights and ballot security measures, Abrams as a longtime legislative leader and Kemp as Georgia's chief elections official. He has denied it vehemently. Abrams has accused Kemp of using his office to make it harder for minority voters to cast ballots. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

intercultural understanding: The evening will feature comedy by Jeremy McLellan, dinner and other performances. 7 pm. 20, according to NOW Magazine. Supports CAMP and Urban Alliance on Race Relations. It's goal is to enhance intercultural understanding and the inclusion of people of all cultures, religions, and ethnic groups. Pre-register. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

indian butcher: Rating NNNAnosh Irani's Governor General's Award-nominated new play about a struggling Canadian cricket team attempts an ambitious balance between humour and dark realities with mixed results, according to NOW Magazine. The story is deeply relevant, juxtaposing two distinct worlds Hasan Chanakya Mukherjee is a poor Indian butcher with an adorable crush who dreams of making a name for himself in cricket as an all-rounder. See listing. Meanwhile his brother, Abdul Gugun Deep Singh plays for a Vancouver cricket team struggling for the respect of its peers, but lives in constant fear of deportation. In the audience, so do we. When Hasan's surrogate father, Baba Huse Madhavji hears of the cricket team's plan to bring Hasan to Canada to help them win, he questions whether Abdul's Canadian life is better. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

topic: They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly on the topic.article continues below Trending Stories Victoria mom desperate for second kidney after heartbreaking transplant result Hot Dog Water returns in protest to Vancouver's 'In Goop Health' wellness summit Vision Vancouver will not run a mayoral candidate for first time in party's history Chinatown Transformation Team aims to sustain the neighbourhood's living heritage The caravan, at least 1,000 miles 1,600 kilometres away, comes on the heels of a surge in apprehensions of families at the border, which has rankled Trump but has also given him a fresh talking point to rally his base ahead of the midterm elections just two weeks away, according to Vancouver Courier. But the president's inner circle on immigration is grappling with the same problems that have plagued them for months, absent any law change by Congress. Top immigration officials and close Trump advisers are still evaluating the options in closed-door meetings that have gotten increasingly heated in the past week, including one that turned into a shouting match as the caravan of about 7,000 people pushes north, according to administration officials and others with knowledge of the issue. Some in Trump's administration, like Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, advocate for a diplomatic approach using relationships with Honduras, Mexico and El Salvador and the United Nations to stop the flow of migrants arriving to the U.S. We fully support the efforts of Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico as they seek to address this critical situation and ensure a safer and more secure region, Nielsen said in statement earlier this week that noted her department was closely monitoring the possibility of gangs or other criminals that prey on those in irregular migration. Tensions boiled over last week, when Nielsen suggested going to the United Nations Committee on Human Rights in a meeting with White House chief of staff John Kelly. But others are agitating for more immediate options, including declaring a state of emergency, which would give the administration broader authority over how to manage people at the border; rescinding aid; or giving parents who arrive to the U.S. a choice between being detained months or years with their children while pursuing asylum, or releasing their children to a government shelter while a relative or guardian seeks custody. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

years: But many of his recent musings have verged on the embarrassing, according to NOW Magazine. Whether he is praising the risible Donald Trump or taking a predictably right-wing view on topic after topic, it all seems contrived. I have known him for many years and whatever the man is, and whatever he has done, even his fiercest critics would have to agree that here was a figure of genuine learning and intelligence. The whole point of being a contrarian is to be authentically counter-cultural and surprising. His defence in the weekend Post of the far-right political performer and fringe mayoral candidate Faith Goldy, who has been close to Black for a number of years, is laughable. Black has become comfortably reactionary. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

anti-soviet revolution: The European Parliament elections in May will decide in which direction Europe's wagon will turn, Orban told a large crowd outside the House of Terror Museum, according to CTV. We should reject the ideology of globalism and support instead the culture of patriotism. Prime Minister Viktor Orban, speaking during commemorations of a short-lived 1956 anti-Soviet revolution, called on voters to reject globalism and support the culture of patriotism in next year's European Parliament elections. Orban also claimed that if immigration continues, autochthonous Europeans would become a minority and terror will become part of life in large cities. They deliberately failed to use their huge military and police might, they deliberately failed to defend Europe from the masses of migrants. Those who want to knead a European empire out of the European Union are all, without exception, pro-immigration, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

business committee: As for the president I would never vote for Trump, Donnelly declared, according to Toronto Star. An anti-abortion billboard on a building in Virginia, Minn., in October. Her husband of five years has a green card. JENN ACKERMAN / The New York Times An independent, and co-chair of the local chamber's Women in Business committee, Donnelly, 35, is the kind of educated, affluent suburban woman whom Democrats are counting on to fuel a blue wave in November's elections and sweep away the Republican majority in the House of Representatives. He's definitely on the moderate side, Donnelly said, praising his support for the nuclear family, the police department and the idea that America as a nation is good, and that we can continue to protect the American experiment as it stands. Except that Donnelly plans to vote for Brian Fitzpatrick, the Republican congressman who represents Pennsylvania's closely contested first district, north of Philadelphia. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

downtown buffalo: Shops selling Ethiopian cuisine opened, and employers snapped up workers from Myanmar and South Sudan, according to Toronto Star. More than 12,000 refugees arrived in the area in 10 years, helping stymie decades of dizzying population loss. Blighted blocks were tidied up by new arrivals from Iraq. The downtown Buffalo, New York, skyline as seen in November 2013. The number of refugees coming into Buffalo now is stalled and that hurts not only my business, but other businesses in town, said Larry Christ, chief operating officer of lighting manufacturer Lite Lab, where six languages are spoken on the assembly floor. Pawel Dwulit / The Toronto Star But as the Trump administration throttles the flow of refugees into the United States and the president increases his anti-immigration rhetoric ahead of the midterm elections, Buffalo and other cities that rely on the new arrivals are beginning to feel the pinch. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

people: That's disgraceful, according to CTV. This is discrimination against straight people. Why should I not be allowed to fly my flag Glenn Bishop told CTV Atlantic. The flag was raised Sunday, next to a main road in Chipman, N.B. It was lowered Monday following a swift public outcry. He was confronted by several people who had been hoping the flag would be taken down. Bishop said he headed for the flagpole as soon as he heard about the lowering. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

justice issues: The newcomers ran on a platform focusing on environmental sustainability and affordable housing, according to CTV. We talked to a ton of renters, a ton of seniors on fixed incomes, families who are feeling pushed out of our city, said Collins. This is quite progressive, a younger council and a lot of new faces and overall one I think that's going to emphasize social justice issues, said political scientist Michael Prince. Collins is a University of Victoria instructor on social inequality and social justice and says something on the to do list is define what's affordable. Long-term councillor Geoff Young is feeling like the odd man out, saying he is in a minority. Making sure that we're taking that out of the hands of developers, that the city council is actually defining affordability according to the CMHC's definition, which is that no one should be spending more than 30 per cent of their income on their housing, said Collins. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

tie democrats: Trump and other Republicans are insistently seeking to tie Democrats to unfettered immigration and violent crime, and in some instances this summer and fall they have attacked minority candidates in nakedly racial terms, according to Toronto Star. Members of the Red Cross delivered water to migrants as they continued through Mexico on Monday. The unsubstantiated charge marked an escalation of Trump's efforts to stoke fears about foreigners and crime before the Nov. 6 vote, as he did to great effect in the presidential race. Johan Ordonez / AFP/Getty Images Trump is now railing daily in speeches and on Twitter against the migrant caravan moving north through Central America, and on Monday called it a national emergency. The apparently groundless inclusion of unknown Middle Easterners to the caravan echoes Trump's long-standing practice of amplifying fears about Islamic militants on the campaign trail. The caravan has dominated conservative talk radio and Fox News, where there has also been loose speculation about a link to terrorism. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

park board: Lost in the headlines of Kennedy Stewart's mayoral win or Vision's near extinction is Fraser's standing as the highest vote getter of all 158 names on Saturday's ballot, according to Vancouver Courier. Having garnered 75,237 votes, Fraser easily cruised to her third straight mandate on the Vancouver School Board, besting the second-highest vote-getter among trustees fellow Green Party incumbent Estrellita Gonzalez by almost 20,000 votes. Vancouverites voted otherwise. To put Fraser's numbers in perspective, Adriane Carr topped all council candidates with 69,885 votes, while park board incumbent Stuart Mackinnon received 73,718 votes. Fraser also topped the polls in last year's byelection by close to 4,000 votes. Stewart, meanwhile, got just shy of 50,000 votes. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cuisine: Shops selling Ethiopian cuisine opened, and employers snapped up workers from Myanmar and South Sudan, according to Vancouver Courier. More than 12,000 refugees arrived in the area in 10 years, helping stymie decades of dizzying population loss.article continues below Trending Stories Victoria mom desperate for second kidney after heartbreaking transplant result Hot Dog Water returns in protest to Vancouver's 'In Goop Health' wellness summit Vancouver election results made official GoFund Me set up for woman brutally assaulted in East Vancouver But as the Trump administration throttles the flow of refugees into the United States and the president increases his anti-immigration rhetoric ahead of the midterm elections, Buffalo and other cities that rely on the new arrivals are beginning to feel the pinch. Blighted blocks were tidied up by new arrivals from Iraq. The number of refugees coming into Buffalo now is stalled and that hurts not only my business, but other businesses in town, said Larry Christ, chief operating officer of lighting manufacturer Lite Lab, where six languages are spoken on the assembly floor. Big, burgeoning cities like San Diego and Dallas accept more refugees, but their arrival can resonate more in smaller, shrinking cities like Buffalo and Syracuse. Like a car, you need gas to fuel movement forward. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

train wreck: Even the local affiliate of the country's public broadcaster, CBC television, took a pass announcing it would not be covering the results, opting to air former PM Stephen Harper's fave program Murdoch Mysteries instead, according to NOW Magazine. Doug Ford With Tory at the helm, it's like that Stones song for Ford, Under my thumb... . A tweet from CBC's 22 Minutes summed up the geist nicely when the results were announced Breaking Doug Ford somehow still furious he's not going to be elected mayor of Toronto. The writing was on the wall on this one before it got started. The train wreck is just getting started. Jennifer Keesmaat The numbers say Keesmaat was soundly defeated, as she captured only 23 per cent of the vote. With Ford's power play to take over Toronto's subway system looming, the Amalgamated Transit Union representing TTC workers was quick to issue a statement soon after the results were announced renewing its call to keep transit public. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

venezuelan refugees: During her visit Jolie met Venezuelan refugees who live at a shelter in the capital city and also went to a border crossing in the north of the country.article continues below Trending Stories Victoria mom desperate for second kidney after heartbreaking transplant result Ken Sim concedes at the 11th hour High times The rise of dabbing On Tuesday, Jolie met with Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra to discuss potential solutions to the migrant crisis and ways of securing international support, according to Vancouver Courier. After the meeting she thanked Peru for taking measures that are helping Venezuelans in that country to get legal status, and urged governments around the world to support procedures that help refugees to apply for asylum. Jolie was ending a three-day visit to Peru as a special envoy for the United Nations refugee agency. None of the Venezuelans I met want charity Jolie said. More than 1.9 million people have left Venezuela since 2015 according to the United Nations and some 400,000 have moved to Peru. They want an opportunity to help themselves. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sea: But, it's still a problem, I answered, according to CTV. He stamped my passport, laughed, and then told me to take a few migrants with me on my way back. It's an old problem, he said. Moria refugee camp, Greece's biggest, and arguably the most controversial camp in Europe, is located in Lesbos, a mere six kilometres from Turkey. There are between 700,000 and 800,000 Rohingyas who have found refuge in Bangladesh in the past year. From there, an unknown number have drowned trying to cross the Aegean Sea on inflatable dinghies, and some now trapped in Lesbos believe they might have been better off at the bottom of that sea. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian currency: Here's how to get in on the prize, which totals more than 2 billion in Canadian currency, according to CTV. Can you go in person Yes. In fact, Canadians -- and anyone in the world with internet access or ability to travel quickly -- can press their luck on the big one no matter their citizenship. Canadians can cross the border to buy tickets, but you'll have to check the laws of the state you're visiting. For example, Arizona Lottery stops selling tickets two hours before the drawing, while many states sell until 15 minutes before the draw. Some states don't even sell lottery tickets, and the rest have deadlines for purchasing a ticket. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

insurance protections: Democrats will destroy the Social Security retirement system, according to Toronto Star. Democrats will give illegal immigrants free cars. Democrats will end insurance protections for people with health problems. Democrats will abolish America's borders. That caravan includes people from the Middle East. Democrats are behind the latest migrant caravan from Latin America. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rules wouldn: The new rules wouldn't apply to elected officials, but the councillors say they want to support those it does affect, including police officers, teachers and civil servants in positions of authority, according to CTV. Rotrand said he wants to show support now, before any official legislation is passed at the provincial level. The motion was filed as a symbolic gesture and spearheaded by councillor Marvin Rotrand. If Montreal speaks in a united voice, it will have a big impact in Quebec, he explained. We already have elected officials who wear religious signs, and to me it has no impact on their judgment or how professional you are, she said. Mayor Valerie Plante supports the motion, reitering on Monday her position that she's very open to police officers wearing religious symbols. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

steve bannon: Such dialogues are a welcome indicator of a democratic society, according to Toronto Star. However, Bannon's invitation to participate should be rescinded not only because it undermines democratic principles, but also because his presence encourages white nationalist violence. The topic is Be it resolved, the future of western politics is populist, not liberal We encourage all public debate, including those on controversial topics. Steve Bannon, surrounded by his entourage, makes his way through crowds after speaking at Atreju 2018, a conference of right-wing activists. Jabin Botsford / The Washington Post Since Bannon's days as Trump's former chief strategist and executive chairman of Breitbart News Network, his ambitions have become global in magnitude. He should not be allowed to speak at the Munk Debate. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.