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.

mayflower passengers: Birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment, according to Toronto Star. That birthright is protected no less for children of undocumented persons than for descendants of Mayflower passengers, the United States circuit judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit wrote in a 2006 law review article. But Judge James Ho, a recent Trump appointee, may stand in his way. Contrary to Trump's announcement Tuesday, Ho said that a constitutional amendment was the exclusive way to restrict birthright citizenship. The president's comments to Axios on HBO come amid a renewed push for hardline immigration policies in the lead-up to the midterm elections. Trump says he wants to order the end of the constitutional right to citizenship for babies of non-citizens and unauthorized immigrants born in the United States. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ndp spokesperson: I ask the Munk Foundation to cancel its invitation out of respect for the victims in Pittsburgh, NDP MP Charlie Angus told CBC News, in French, according to Rabble. It isn't acceptable to give provocateurs like Mr. The party said having Bannon participate in the Munk Debates is inappropriate after the death of 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue this past weekend. Bannon the opportunity to present their extreme views, he said. Bannon is scheduled to debate conservative commentator David Frum on Friday evening at Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall about the rise of populism. An NDP spokesperson later confirmed Angus' views reflect those of the party. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

pittsburgh synagogue: Louis ocean liner, which resulted in more than 250 of them dying at the hands of the Nazis, according to CTV. The apology has been months in the making and was scheduled before a gunman killed 11 Jews at a Pittsburgh synagogue -- the deadliest attack on Jews in American history. Trudeau is to apologize next week for a 1939 decision to reject an asylum request from more than 900 German Jews aboard the MS St. The shooting has sparked countrywide vigils and forced a re-examination of the prime minister's plans. Steve McDonald, the director of policy with the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, said his group hopes the apology will spur wider talk about how to address anti-Semitism regardless of our background. Trudeau's office says the text of the apology will be changed to reflect the Pittsburgh killings. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

police officers: The Toronto event marks the latest in a series of commemorations that have sprung up across Canada since Saturday morning, when an armed gunman stormed the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh and killed 11 congregants, according to CTV. Six other people were injured in the attack, including four responding police officers. The vigil, organized by the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, drew in thousands of people of all faiths beginning at 7 p.m. Ultimately the target was all Jews, period, and everybody in this community knows it, and in communities across Canada and throughout the world, Steve Shulman of the UJA said. A number of people made speeches on Monday night, including a relative of Joyce Fienberg, one of the 11 Jewish-Americans killed. The way that the Jewish community reacts to anti-Semitism is to come together because coming together means strength, and coming together as well with people from other faith groups and other backgrounds in this great multicultural city and country adds to that strength. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

box: Many of these children come from families with a single parent, or newly landed immigrant families but every child who receives a box will know that Santa remembered them, according to Toronto Star. The Santa Fund baby box includes soap, baby powder and a rubber duck. This year, 45,000 kids aged newborn to 12 in Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Ajax and Pickering will receive boxes full of presents this Christmas. Richard Lautens / Toronto Star For kids aged 7 the Santa Fund box includes a game, cookies and toque. Richard Lautens / Toronto Star Our fundraising goal, like last year, is 1.7 million, with 100 per cent of that money going to the gift boxes themselves. Richard Lautens / Toronto Star Nine year olds will receive a board game, socks and mitts in their Santa Fund gift boxes. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

birthright citizenship: An end for the Constitution's guarantee of birthright citizenship, according to Vancouver Courier. With his eyes squarely on next Tuesday's elections, President Donald Trump is rushing out hardline immigration declarations, promises and actions as he tries to mobilize supporters to retain Republican control of Congress. Tent cities for asylum seekers. His own campaign in 2016 concentrated on border fears, and that's his final-week focus in the midterm fight.article continues below Trending StoriesVPD dog mistakenly bites 75-year-old Vancouver man during arrest of burglary suspects Vision Vancouver will not run a mayoral candidate for first time in party's historyB.C. winter forecast Dry pattern to spell shortened 2018-19 ski season Vancouver rolls out new online kindergarten registration to avoid lineups This has nothing to do with elections, the president insists. Trump says he will send more than 5,000 military troops to the Mexican border to help defend against caravans of Central American migrants who are on foot hundreds of miles away. But his timing is striking. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian search: The Bill also introduced changes to vacation entitlements, paid sick days and equal pay rules, according to NOW Magazine. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce OCC Retail Council of Canada, Food and Beverage Ontario and temp agency lobby group ACSESS Association of Canadian Search, Employment & Staffing Services have all been calling for the Ford government to quash the bill. Last week, Ford followed through on his warning, killing plans for a 1 increase in the minimum wage to 15 an hour, among other measures, in the name of efficiencies. We have been persistently urging the government to take immediate action and repeal Bill 148 due to the compounding labour reforms, which come at too high a cost to the economy and workers, reads an OCC press release that was regurgitated verbatim in the legislature by Economic Development Minister Jim Wilson. He told CBC Metro Morning that Ontario lost 90,000 jobs since changes under Bill 148, including a 14 minimum wage, were introduced. On October 3, OCC head Rocco Rossi went further. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

comedy master: How often do we get a 'Moonlight' How often do we get 'Black Panther' she said, according to Vancouver Courier. What to me will be true equality is when 'Black Panther' comes out and it's just like 'Captain America.' article continues below Trending Stories Vision Vancouver will not run a mayoral candidate for first time in party's history Cops crackdown on fireworks crowd Cat found dead on swing with zap traps around neck and legsVPD dog mistakenly bites 75-year-old Vancouver man during arrest of burglary suspects Waithe, an actress and Emmy-winning screenwriter with the streaming comedy Master of None who was in the film Ready Player One, joined in conversation with comedian Hannah Gadsby at an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences lunch. There are a million 'La La Lands' every year. The event marked the launch of an academy initiative aimed at creating opportunities for female filmmakers to network and celebrate inclusiveness. Music legend and activist Annie Lennox also spoke at the event, making a case for global feminism to support women and girls in crisis worldwide. It included presentation of a newly established Academy Gold Fellowship to young filmmaker Geeta Malik, writer-director of the award-winning online short Aunty Gs and films including Beast and Troublemaker. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

pittsburgh synagogue: Louis ocean liner, which resulted in more than 250 of them dying at the hands of the Nazis.article continues below Trending Stories Cat found dead on swing with zap traps around neck and legsVPD dog mistakenly bites 75-year-old Vancouver man during arrest of burglary suspects Vision Vancouver will not run a mayoral candidate for first time in party's history Cops crackdown on fireworks crowd The apology has been months in the making and was scheduled before a gunman killed 11 Jews at a Pittsburgh synagogue the deadliest attack on Jews in American history, according to Vancouver Courier. The shooting has sparked countrywide vigils and forced a re-examination of the prime minister's plans. Trudeau is to apologize next week for a 1939 decision to reject an asylum request from more than 900 German Jews aboard the MS St. Trudeau's office says the text of the apology will be changed to reflect the Pittsburgh killings. Trudeau mentioned that idea in a letter to Jewish leaders on the weekend. Steve McDonald, the director of policy with the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, said his group hopes the apology will spur wider talk about how to address anti-Semitism regardless of our background. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sex slaves: Adiba, 27, fled her home in northern Iraq's Sinjar district after Islamic State militants massacred Yazidi villages, capturing women as sex slaves, and says some of her family members were among the estimated 10,000 Yazidis killed in the genocide, according to National Observer. Her parents and her brother are still living in a camp in Iraqi Kurdistan and she did not use her last name out of fear for their safety. She's urging the government to help them navigate their new world and to allow their family members to join them in Canada. ; The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has persecuted Yazidis, a minority religious sect mostly in northern Iraq. She says she was living in a refugee camp when she learned the Canadian government would sponsor Yazidi women to move to Canada. We were dropped off at the Radisson Hotel, staying in the lobby, hungry, thirsty ... no language to even buy water, she said in an interview through an interpreter. As one of the first of the group to arrive, she spent her first few nights scared and alone in a hotel in Toronto until a non-profit organization offered to help. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

active-duty troops: Following a break on Sunday, the migrants, many of them fleeing violence in their home countries, resumed their march towards the United States border, according to Toronto Star. As fatigue from the heat, distance, and poor sanitary conditions has set in, the numbers of people participating in the march has slowly dwindled, but a significant group are determined to get to the United States. Some of the thousands of Central American migrants rest after arriving into the small town of Santiago Niltepec on Oct. 29 in Santiago Niltepec, Mexico. On Monday an official said that the Pentagon will deploy up to 5,000 active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in an effort to prevent members of the migrant caravan from illegally entering the country. In an interview Monday, Trump said the U.S. would build tent cities for asylum seekers. Spencer Platt / Getty Images Trump, eager to keep voters focused on illegal immigration in the lead-up to the elections, stepped up his dire warnings about the caravans, tweeting, This is an invasion of our Country and our Military is waiting for you! But any migrants who complete the long trek to the southern U.S. border already face major hurdles both physical and bureaucratic to being allowed into the United States. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ezra shanken: We go through times of light together and we go through times of darkness together, according to CTV. Right now, we are going through a time of mourning, said Ezra Shanken, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver. The Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver hosted the event on Sunday afternoon, as a way to show its solidarity with those impacted by the senseless tragedy. Saturday morning, a gunman opened fire during a baby-naming ceremony inside Tree of Life Synagogue, killing 11 and injuring six people. When people are killed in a sanctuary, it's exactly the opposite of what one expects or what one hopes for of being a safe place, said Rabbi Jonathan Infeld with Congregation Beth Israel. The suspect, Robert Gregory Bowers, is now facing 11 state charges of homicide, six counts of aggravated assault and 13 counts of ethnic intimidation. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

inclusion: Stephen Poloz, Governor of the Bank of Canada, believes the recently agreed USMCA is sufficient reason to anticipate continued vigorous growth in the Canadian economy, according to Toronto Star. Sean Kilpatrick / THE CANADIAN PRESS The attack is on Muslims, despite a noncommittal inclusion of crucifixes in the ban, a transparent whitewash of the policy's true intent. Its proposed edict prohibiting Qu bec government employees from wearing the chador, niqab or burqa and other religious symbols in the workplace is unconstitutional, unenforceable and inadvertently calculated to diminish the future prosperity of Quebecers. While directed only at the Qu bec civil service, the policy of course strengthens the hand of any xenophobe Qu bec employer in the private-sector seeking to impose the same edict on its workers. Qu bec has already suffered mightily from this aspect of its culture. Canada is in a fierce competition for the world's best and brightest talent, and Qu bec has just reminded the world that it is hostile to nation-building immigrants who can't trace their heritage to Champlain. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

troy tulowitzki: That changed around 2015, according to CTV. The Jays shot up in the standings, bolstered by newcomers Josh Donaldson and Troy Tulowitzki, who came with bobbleheads that attracted droves of collectors. The Toronto Blue Jays, whose bobbleheads he coveted most, Wlodarski says were just horrid and their merchandise were hardly desirable. The shift taught Wlodarski -- the owner of about 650 bobbleheads at his collecting peak, who insists his love of the figurines is about passion not profit -- plenty about how to master the collectibles market. They say maximizing what can be made or nabbing an item for as little as possible can be tough because it takes a mix of timing and luck. The market can be fraught with high price tags and even higher emotions, but experts say there are tens of thousands of dollars to be to made, if you're willing to part with high-value items like baseball cards, comics, coins, stamps and vintage film posters. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

stories canada: While tearfully recounting the reunion, which gave her the chance to cuddle and cook for her son for the first time in decades, Mann-Lewis said she also thought of others whose children are still missing, according to Vancouver Courier. I am the proof that after 31 long years of suffering, one should never give up, she said at a Monday afternoon news conference. Lyneth Mann-Lewis said the story-book ending to her long, painful tale of separation offers proof that even circumstances that seem hopeless can turn around unexpectedly.article continues below Trending Stories Canada's Remembrance Day poppy goes digital Renovations make Vancouver's Renfrew Ravine more accessible Vision Vancouver will not run a mayoral candidate for first time in party's history Mom cries telling B.C. jury about last day she saw young daughter alive, in 1978The Brampton, Ont., mother spoke publicly Monday after returning from an emotional reunion with a son who was allegedly abducted by his father 31 years ago, raised under an assumed name and told his mother was dead. Be patient, be strong, and believe that all things are possible and that anything can transpire. Toronto police allege Mann Jr. abducted his son during that visit and fled to the United States, where he established false identities for them both. The saga for mother and child began in 1987 during a visit between 21-month-old Jermaine Mann and his father, Allan Mann Jr. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sex slaves: Adiba, 27, fled her home in northern Iraq's Sinjar district after Islamic State militants massacred Yazidi villages, capturing women as sex slaves, and says some of her family members were among the estimated 10,000 Yazidis killed in the genocide, according to Vancouver Courier. Her parents and her brother are still living in a camp in Iraqi Kurdistan and she did not use her last name out of fear for their safety. She's urging the government to help them navigate their new world and to allow their family members to join them in Canada.article continues below Trending Stories Canada's Remembrance Day poppy goes digital Renovations make Vancouver's Renfrew Ravine more accessible Vision Vancouver will not run a mayoral candidate for first time in party's history Westside Church confirms purchase of Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has persecuted Yazidis, a minority religious sect mostly in northern Iraq. She says she was living in a refugee camp when she learned the Canadian government would sponsor Yazidi women to move to Canada. We were dropped off at the Radisson Hotel, staying in the lobby, hungry, thirsty ... no language to even buy water, she said in an interview through an interpreter. As one of the first of the group to arrive, she spent her first few nights scared and alone in a hotel in Toronto until a non-profit organization offered to help. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

daesh fighter: She is desperate to go with them, but there is also someone she can't bear to leave behind Her two-year-old daughter, Maria, fathered by the Daesh fighter who enslaved her, according to Toronto Star. Nadia Murad, a Yazidi who escaped the Daesh and a co-recipient of this year's Nobel Peace Prize, walks out after her meeting with French president Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, Oct. 25. Her family is preparing to emigrate from Iraq to Australia and start a new life after the suffering the Daesh group wreaked on their small religious minority. The Nobel Peace Prize this year put a focus on victims of sexual violence and on the Yazidis in particular. They don't even know the girl exists. Francois Mori / The Associated Press She knows her family will never allow her to bring Maria. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

christian ilaka: But Solomon Osakan has a very different approach in this era of rising xenophobia, according to Toronto Star. From his uncluttered desk in northwest Uganda, he manages one of the largest concentrations of refugees anywhere in the world more than 400,000 people scattered across his rural district. Europe's leaders are paying African nations to block migrants from crossing the Mediterranean and detaining the ones who make it in filthy, overcrowded camps. Christian Ilaka, 25, came to the U.S. in February 2018 after living for eight years in a refugee camp in Uganda. Here, he added, the refugees live in settlements, not camps with no barbed wire, and no guards in sight. Kate Morrissey / Tribune News Service He explained what he does with them Refugees are allotted some land enough to build a little house, do a little farming and be self-sufficient, said Osakan, a Ugandan civil servant. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

police: Founder Ali Nestor has trained fighters for years, but the gym also has a school takes in youth and young adults who struggle academically, according to CTV. With less than nine per cent of Montreal police officers being visible minorities and 97 per cent of the firefighters being white men, Nestor said he's hoping to do his part to even out the numbers. The two forces came out to the Ness Ultimate Combat Academy martial arts gym. Often we think there could be this distance between the police and ethnic communities, he said. It's all about reflecting who you serve, who you protect and, among other things, essentially who the taxpayers are, he said. Centre For Research-Action on Race Relations Director Fo Niemi praised the initiative, but said the forces need to take other action to promote diversity. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

residents west: However, not one of them was elected to the city's 11 council seats in 2014, according to Rabble. This year, finally, one was. For example, 57 percent of Mississauga's residents identified as visible minorities in the 2016 census. Dipika Damerla made history as the first woman of colour elected to council in the suburban city of 730,000 residents west of Toronto. In Toronto itself, where more than half of the 2.6 million population was born in another country, voters elected only five non-whites to the 25-person council, a participation rate of 20 percent that sounds more impressive than it is, mainly because the number of electoral wards was cut almost in half. In neighbouring Brampton, where 73 per cent of residents identify as visible minorities, just two of the city's 10 elected councillors are people of colour, up from just one in the last election. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

hampshire: Booker told young Democratic activists at the University of New Hampshire that what worries him in moments like these is that we pause and express grief and then we move on as if this is normal, according to Vancouver Courier. But he emphasized This is not normal. Cory Booker of New Jersey declared Sunday during a visit with New Hampshire Democrats that we are in a moral moment in America. This is not who we are. article continues below Trending Stories Sunday's downpour causes flooding across Vancouver with more rain to come Vision Vancouver will not run a mayoral candidate for first time in party's history Amanda Tapping on coping with miscarriage Active volcanoes near Metro Vancouver considered high threat'Eleven congregants were killed in the Pittsburgh shooting, which authorities call one of the deadliest attacks against the Jewish community in this country. All of the explosive devices were intercepted and no one was hurt. The high-profile senator from New Jersey was one of several prominent Democratic leaders, including former President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, who were sent pipe bombs through the mail recently, authorities said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mid-year surveys: Border Security Minister Bill Blair pointed to the fact that, compared to last summer, this summer there was not a major surge in the number of irregular border crossers apprehended by RCMP. Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS This monitoring includes internal polling conducted by the Immigration Department to track public opinion about asylum seekers, according to Toronto Star. Two mid-year surveys of 2,000 Canadians, conducted by the department in March, suggested Canadians were not overly confident about Canada's ability to manage the border at unguarded points-of-entry and had little sense of obligation about accepting asylum seekers from the United States. Documents released to The Canadian Press under access-to-information law show department officials receive weekly internal updates on media coverage and public response to issues related to asylum seekers coming irregularly into the country across the Canada-U.S. border. Fewer than half of respondents 43 per cent in a telephone survey and 35 per cent in an online survey agreed that Canada is taking appropriate steps to manage irregular border crossings. Canadians are more receptive to refugees who have been selected by the government of Canada compared to those who come to Canada and claim asylum, the internal document notes as one of its key take-aways from the public survey. Article Continued Below 42 per cent of telephone respondents and just 18 per cent of those online indicated they felt the number of people coming to Canada and claiming asylum was at an appropriate level. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

bone marrow: Following blood tests, a blood transfusion, CT scans, ultrasounds and three weeks in the hospital, doctors diagnosed the teenager with aplastic anemia and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, also known as PNH. Both are life-threatening diseases of the bone marrow that affect the blood and major organs, according to CTV. The former means Mance's bone marrow does not produce enough blood cells. Roshlind Mance was diagnosed just weeks before her 16th birthday, after she was taken to the hospital to treat a panic attack that nearly made her pass out at summer school. The latter creates and produces red blood cells, but they are abnormal and eventually get destroyed by the body. But I have two. Just one disease is hard enough to deal with, said Mance. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

minister: Supporters cheer Sri Lanka's sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe during an interaction at his official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, according to Toronto Star. Sri Lanka's president has suspended parliament even as the prime minister he fired claimed he has majority support. Chaminda Gamage, a spokesman for the parliamentary speaker, confirmed that President Maithripala Sirisena had suspended parliament until Nov. 16. Eranga Jayawardena / The Associated Press The suspension came while ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was holding a news conference in which he asserted that he could prove his majority support in parliament. The suspension of parliament is expected to give Rajapaksa time to try to muster enough support to survive any no confidence vote. Sirisena sacked Wickremesinghe and his Cabinet on Friday and replaced him with former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa, creating what some observers said could be a constitutional crisis. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

pizza driver: He drove a van plastered with stickers supporting U.S. President Donald Trump, criticizing media outlets and showing rifle crosshairs over liberals like Hillary Clinton and filmmaker Michael Moore, according to CTV. But she kept him around, even though she is a lesbian, because he was honest, dependable and never got into fights. Years later, working as a pizza driver, Sayoc would often express hatred for minorities, Jews and gays, his manager said. Why Sayoc changed so radically over the years remains a mystery, but to those who know him, there seems little question that he did. When I think of the guy I knew and the guy I see now on MSNBC, CNN and at Trump rallies, I think, 'Did he really slip ' He thinks Trump's sometimes bombastic criticism of liberals may have pushed Sayoc over the edge. We were friends, we were boys, we travelled in the same van, slept in the same room, said former dancer David Crosby, who is black. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mid-year surveys: Two mid-year surveys of 2,000 Canadians, conducted by the department in March, suggested Canadians were not overly confident about Canada's ability to manage the border at unguarded points-of-entry and had little sense of obligation about accepting asylum seekers from the United States, according to Vancouver Courier. Fewer than half of respondents 43 per cent in a telephone survey and 35 per cent in an online survey agreed that Canada is taking appropriate steps to manage irregular border crossings. Documents released to The Canadian Press under access-to-information law show department officials receive weekly internal updates on media coverage and public response to issues related to asylum seekers coming irregularly into the country across the Canada-U.S. border.article continues below Trending Stories Active Volcanoes near Metro Vancouver considered high threat'Vancouver has one of the best new restaurants in Canada Vision Vancouver will not run a mayoral candidate for first time in party's history This 22-year-old mural depicting Vancouver's transit history was painted over This monitoring includes internal polling conducted by the Immigration Department to track public opinion about asylum seekers. Forty-two per cent of telephone respondents and just 18 per cent of those online indicated they felt the number of people coming to Canada and claiming asylum was at an appropriate level. The documents also show the Immigration Department closely measures public comment about asylum seekers on social media. Canadians are more receptive to refugees who have been selected by the government of Canada compared to those who come to Canada and claim asylum, the internal document notes as one of its key takeaways from the public survey. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.