assad: Assad's regime has been accused of war crimes, including the slaughter of children and using chemical weapons on his own people in Syria's civil war, according to CTV. A report published in Maclean's quoted Ramli as saying that a volunteer group of rescue workers operating in Syria's war zone, the White Helmets, are a terrorist organization who support al-Qaeda. Montreal businessman Waseem Ramli's support for Assad is no surprise to anyone who has seen his car -- Ramli drives around in a Humvee with Assad's face and the country's flag emblazoned on it. Ramli told CTV News over the phone that he has not seen any wrongdoing from my president towards the country. Syrian troops captured and tortured the perpetrators, including teenagers. The beginnings of the Syrian civil war can be tracked back to 2011, when a group of students spray-painted an anti-government remark on the side of their school. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

show support: This poison will bioaccumulate in ever-growing amounts in the traditional country food web of the Inuit and Innu, according to Rabble. Throughout the past two months, hundreds have been writing and calling the office of the NDP leader, urging him to speak out, show support and help bring national attention to this crime. There was a special urgency to this because, since August 7, the waters have been rising in the Muskrat Falls reservoir, drowning a forest and, consequently, kicking off a process of decomposition that will produce the dangerous neurotoxin methylmercury. But in the end, the NDP's commitment to honouring Indigenous rights -- vague and Trudeau-like as it sounds -- was not enough for party officials to grant a meeting with those whose sickening choice is to face hunger or eat a poisoned food supply that will subject them to Minamata disease, the mercury poisoning affliction killing the people of Grassy Narrows. Labrador land protectors had hoped that, following calls from both the United Nations and the Indigenous Nunatsiavut government, Singh would join in the growing chorus of those opposed to the environmental racism of Muskrat Falls, where Indigenous lives are treated as expendable in the name of so-called green energy. Muskrat Falls represents one of the largest federal investments -- 9.2 billion -- in any major energy project, and yet it has never achieved the high profile of other megaprojects like the tar sands Trans Mountain pipeline. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

state department: Three Uighurs recounted how the Chinese have placed their brethren in re-education camps, forced them to live with minders -- or spies -- in their homes, and surveilled and harassed them both at home and abroad in an attempt to eradicate their way of life and enforce their silence, according to CTV. China's at war with faith, said Sam Brownback, the U.S. ambassador at large for international religious freedom. The U.S. State Department hosted a panel Tuesday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly gathering in New York to highlight the struggle of Uighurs, whose native land in China's far western Xinjiang province they say is a police state. He noted that American concerns extend beyond the predominantly Muslim, Turkic-speaking Uighurs to Tibetans, Christians and the banned spiritual movement known as Falun Gong. China vehemently denies this. They're at war with all faiths, Brownback said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

climate change: Scheer branded Trudeau an irresponsible steward of the public purse who was doling out vague and desperate environmental promises that would ruin Canada's economy, according to National Observer. Don't miss out on the latest news Sign up for our daily briefing Amid it all, Trudeau and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh found time for a quiet word by phone about the times Trudeau darkened his skin to put on blackface and brownface for costume events, acts he now concedes were racist. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau characterized his Conservative opponent Andrew Scheer as a do-nothing denier of climate change, lumping him in with other political opponents such as Jason Kenney and Doug Ford, the Alberta and Ontario premiers. Singh had agreed to talk to Trudeau about the incidents, the most recent of the three at an Arabian Nights theme gala at the Vancouver school where Trudeau taught in 2001. The first visible-minority leader of a federal Canadian party, currently campaigning against Trudeau to become prime minister, didn't want to be used in a political effort to repair Trudeau's image. But he wanted the conversation to be private. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ocean conditions: That's what William Cheung, one of the Canadian authors of the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, told National Observer in a phone interview from Monaco, where scientists gathered Wednesday to release staggering findings about the impacts of human activity on the state of the oceans and the cryosphere, the ecological realm of sea ice, snow and glaciers, according to National Observer. Don't miss out on the latest news Sign up for our daily briefing Under high-emissions scenarios, we're looking at unprecedented changes in ocean conditions, said Cheung, the Canada Research Chair in Ocean Sustainability and Global Change at the University of British Columbia. Now, marine life is migrating toward the poles in search of cooler waters and suitable areas to survive a migration set to disrupt the Earth's ecosystems as we know them. This will implicate people who rely on our fisheries systems, especially Indigenous people who rely on marine species for food, livelihood and culture, he said. Only federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna responded, with a brief statement acknowledging the validity of the report's findings on Twitter before celebrating National Tree Day Another scientific assessment of the devastating impacts of climate change specifically on oceans and ice. Overall, the picture does not look good. ; By Wednesday afternoon, none of the four major party leaders had publicly commented on the report and its urgent recommendations. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

waseem ramli: Yet concerns are being raised about Waseem Ramli, who is poised to become the latest person to hold that title in Montreal after his nomination by the Syrian government was quietly approved by Global Affairs Canada over the summer, according to National Observer. Don't miss out on the latest news Sign up for our daily briefing That is despite Ramli's having repeatedly defended the Assad government on social media and railed against Western sanctions first imposed on Damascus after Assad began a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy activists in 2011. Since Canada severed diplomatic ties with Damascus in 2012, the Syrian government has maintained honorary consulates in Montreal and Vancouver ostensibly to assist Syrians with passports and other administrative issues. That crackdown eventually erupted into a civil war that, over the past eight years, has left hundreds of thousands dead and forced millions more to flee, including tens of thousands to Canada. I have personally spoken with Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland this morning, who has assured me that she is looking very carefully into how this has happened and will ensure that we have next steps to share with you soon, he said. Ramli has also described members of the White Helmets humanitarian organization as terrorists, according to Maclean's magazine, which first reported on the new consul's appointment. ; Speaking at a campaign event in Burnaby, B.C., on Tuesday, where he was unveiling part of the Liberal party's climate-change plan, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the government was quite seized with the issue. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian businesses: Party Leader Justin Trudeau also announced that companies that produce or develop zero emissions technology would get their corporate taxes cut in half, according to CTV. Sign up for our Election Dispatch newsletter for a daily update on the campaign But the party came under criticism from both Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh for its environmental track record over the last four years. The Liberals said they would immediately commit Canada to becoming carbon neutral by mid-century if re-elected, joining pledges made on Monday by the European Union and 65 other countries. The Liberals said the focus on clean technology will create jobs, grow Canadian businesses, and help Canada reach its 2050 targets. In addition, it plans to ensure all federal buildings will run on clean electricity by 2022. It also said it will set legally-binding, five-year milestones in consultation with experts including scientists and economists, to reach its 2050 goal. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

change: But the presence of pre-teens and adolescents raises the question Should children be a key player in environmental movements, or is all the talk of environmental ruin bad for them Early research suggests that climate anxiety or eco-anxiety is very real, according to CTV. One survey in the U.K. showed that half of children between the ages of seven and 11 worry about climate change. Some school boards across the country are even exempting students from academic penalty to participate. Other reports suggest kids are more worried about climate change than their own homework. While that research is still fairly new, the evidence supporting climate change mounts every year. In 2017, the American Psychological Association released a report detailing early research into the mental health effects of natural disasters and climate change. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

fort mcmurray: One thinks of the carnage at Fort McMurray in 2016 where the houses were on fire after a massive blaze swept through the area burning 590,000 hectares of forest, destroying much of the city and forcing the evacuation of 88,000 people, according to Rabble. Phoney war Many people hoped that climate change would be a top issue in the Canadian federal election. Because it is. But what we have mainly seen so far is war rooms for the Liberal and Conservative parties vying to show why the other side's leader is unworthy and unfit to govern. Paris promises The government of Justin Trudeau promised at the Paris climate summit in 2015 that by 2030 Canada would reduce greenhouse gas GHG emissions by 30 per cent below their levels back in 2005. It is as if our political system is incapable of mobilizing on anything beyond nasty short-termism. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

home country: Ullah moved to Canada from Bangladesh seven years ago with his wife and daughter to have a better life, he said, according to CTV. Ullah was pumping gas for a customer when he says a man asked him why he was in Canada, said he had no right to be here and should go back to his home country. Hedayat Ullah says he was at work doing his job when a man came at him screaming for him to go back to his country. I'm just like, did I say anything Then he came suddenly to me and punched me in the chest. He says he then went inside the store when the man followed him. Ullah says several customers tried to get between him and the man. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

election campaign: It is, as the prime minister admits, an act of racism to use black or brown face paint to mimic a racialized community, according to National Observer. Canadians are rightfully enraged. It has dominated our water-cooler conversations and our family dinner discussions since the images broke. Some are angry because racial identity is being politicized by some leaders. Some are angry because the prime minister simply should have known better. Some are angry because it takes away from other important issues in this election campaign. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

bank statements: And we also get items from the store salt, sugar, flour - what we call the basic items, explained Toks Bakinson with the Muslim Families Network Society, according to CTV. The MFSN puts on the event several times a year, saying there is a need among the Muslim community to access Halal food and basic household items, especially by people who've just moved to Canada I would say 75 percent are new Canadians, Toks said. We get donations from the community, they bring in clothes. We also have people who are low income. Bakinson says in order to receive the goods, people need to provide bank statements showing they are eligible. Everyone is welcome. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian website: This is the first time we are doing something of this magnitude, said CEO Phil Arrata in a statement, according to CTV. As Canada's leading outdoor retail co-op, we are deeply concerned. Vancouver-based Mountain Equipment Co-op is shutting its doors across Canada until 5 p.m. local time, and staff at head office and distribution centres will also be given a chance to attend local rallies. We want to provide our staff with the opportunity to join Global Climate Strike demonstrations in their communities and let their voices be heard. Retail stores, head office and manufacturing facilities will all be closed, along with the Canadian website, which will down from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Lush Cosmetics, also based in B.C., is shutting down all trading for the day. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

job description: She is loath to divorce, according to Rabble. Us Catholics, we place a great deal of stock in the sanctity of the family, she explains. Carmela Soprano's consultation with the Jewish shrink is priceless Facing the truth about Tony, her mob-boss spouse, the upscale Mafia housewife tries to compartmentalize her marriage from its funding sources. He bluntly advises her to leave You'll never be able to quell the feelings of guilt and shame as long as you're his accomplice. So enabler' would be a more accurate job description, the therapist schools her. All I do is make sure he has dinner on his table, Carmela insists. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

wildlife loss: While science skeptics represent the minority of Canadians, their number is increasing, said Richard Chartrand of 3M Canada, according to CTV. This trend is concerning because it shows that distrust is growing. The survey, by the polling firm Ipsos for the multinational 3M company, also found that nearly half of those surveyed thought scientists are elitist and that a significant number of respondents discounted findings that don't accord with their personal beliefs. The Canadian figures are from a global survey of more than 14,000 people between July and September 2018. At a time when accelerating climate change and wildlife loss are placing science at the top of the public agenda, the survey found that 32 per cent of respondents were skeptical about it. It's the second year 3M has done the research. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

conservatives: The response to each of these discoveries is marked by embarrassment and then some type of apology, according to National Observer. The back and forth has hit its pinnacle with the discovery of photos of Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau in brownface and blackface. The Liberals and Conservatives have unearthed embarrassing and often racist material produced by candidates on either side, attempting to derail the opposing campaigns with scandals. Don't miss out on the latest news Sign up for our daily briefing While the Conservatives demand Trudeau's resignation, and the Liberals accuse them of hypocrisy given Conservative tolerance of racist behaviour within their ranks, the rest of the public is left trying to sort through this entire mess. So how can we differentiate a meaningful apology based on a changed person from a disingenuous apology based on a present-day stake A meaningful apology is specific in naming the offence, accepts blame and accountability, names those affected by the offence and shows tangible action toward making amends. Is it reasonable to believe that someone who has acted in a racist or bigoted manner is able to redeem his or herself And if so, what exactly constitutes a meaningful apology It's easy for politicians to stand in front of cameras and apologize, but are all apologies equal ; As a man of faith, I believe in values like redemption and forgiveness a belief I am sure all Canadians share. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

fantasy saga: Porter, who stars in the FX drama set in the LGBTQ ball scene of the late 20th century, became the first openly gay man to win a best drama series acting Emmy . God bless you all, according to CTV. The category is love, you all, love. This all started in the demented mind of George R.R. Martin, said Game of Thrones producer David Benioff, thanking the author whose novels were the basis of HBO's fantasy saga. I'm so overjoyed and so overwhelmed to have lived to see this day, said an exuberant Porter, resplendent in a sparkling suit and swooping hat. This is getting ridiculous, Waller-Bridge said in her third trip to the stage to collect the top trophy. Amazon's Fleabag, a dark comedy about a dysfunctional woman, was honoured as best comedy and earned writing and top acting honours for its British creator and star, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, as well as a best director trophy. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

work: Sign up for our Election Dispatch newsletter for a daily campaign update Singh said that he remains open to working with anyone who would want to work on advancing the progressive policies that are at the core of the NDP's platform, according to CTV. What I want to make clear is there are certain things that are going to help Canadians out, and if there's people who want to work with me to make that happen, I'm prepared to sit down and have a conversation, Singh said. In an interview on CTV's Question Period, Singh was asked whether the three separate instances of behaviour that Trudeau himself has called racist and offensive would now preclude the NDP from sitting down with the Liberals should the outcome of the Oct. 21 be that no one party wins a majority of the seats. I'm running to become prime minister so I'll take the support of anyone who wants to work towards goals that will improve people's lives. Singh made that pronouncement after the Liberals revived a 2005 video of Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer speaking against same-sex marriage. However, Singh has already said he would not prop-up a Conservative government in a minority situation. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

move: Join the 100s of companies that have already made the move! Inside is a letter -- beginning Dear Canadian Neighbour -- boasting of Montgomery County's BOOMING economy, tax incentives and ranch-style properties, according to CTV. It offers to link prospective clients with banks, accountants and lawyers to ease their move. Arrowstar Realty invites you to relocate to Texas, reads the mailer sent to businesses across Western Canada recently. Realtor Robert Graham says 15,000 brochures have been delivered in Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia so far. He says Arrowstar has helped about 100 western Canadian companies move north of Houston in the last decade, and 40 of them were in the last year and a half. Another 50,000 are coming. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

use drones: The weekend's news from the Gulf is a grim reminder that depending on oil leads inevitably to war too, according to National Observer. Depending on how far back you want to stand, the possibility of war with Iran stems from a calculated decision by Tehran or its Houthi allies to use drones and missiles on Saudi installations, or on the infantile rage that drove President Trump to tear up a meticulously worked out and globally sponsored accord with Iran and to wreck its economy. We are sadly accustomed by now to the idea that our reliance on oil and gas causes random but predictable outbreaks of flood, firestorm and drought. But in either case, if you really take in the whole picture, the image is rendered in crude, black tones were it not for oil, none of this would be happening. Were it not for oil, we would not be beholden to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia indeed, we might be able to bring ourselves to forthrightly condemn its savagery. Don't miss out on the latest news Sign up for our daily briefing Were it not for oil, the Middle East would not be awash in expensive weapons; its political passions would matter no more to the world than those of any other corner of our Earth. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

costume events: Trudeau has repeatedly apologized, calling the act of darkening one's skin racist, and said he remains committed to fighting racism and continuing to lead the Liberals, according to CTV. A Liberal party spokesman said their office is still discussing the details of when the conversation would take place, and the spokesman said the Liberals would not be making the details of it public. Trudeau has promised to personally apologize to Singh, the first member of a visible minority to lead a federal party, after his re-election bid was shaken by the surfacing of images that showed he chose to put on black- or brownface as part of costume events. Sign up for our Election Dispatch newsletter for a daily update on the campaign Singh said earlier on Saturday that he was still waiting to hear back from Trudeau about whether the Liberal leader is willing to meet his condition for a discussion about the issue -- remarks that came during a full day of campaigning Saturday while Trudeau took a break. Taking Saturdays off is common in federal elections. Trudeau wasn't campaigning Saturday and neither was Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, taking their first breaks since the federal election call on Sept. 11. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

pacholik: Regina Public Library OfficialRPL September 12, 2019 The man behind the account says his goal is to help the community see the library through his eyes, according to CTV. I'm just trying to let people feel the way I feel about the library, Marketing and Communications Administrator Devin Pacholik said. One card to rule them all. Which is that it's the greatest place in the world. No one No one No one Every library in the 2000s GARFIELD POSTERS Regina Public Library OfficialRPL September 4, 2019 Pacholik says everyone who works at the library has a certain passion for the work they do, to run not only ten branches across the city, but also a space that acts as a community centre. Pacholik also refers to his job title as meme lord. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

costume events: Don't miss out on the latest news Sign up for our daily briefing I was hoping I wouldn't be asked that question. ... Justin, according to National Observer. I'm surprised and I was more surprised when I saw the number of times and I've always had a good relationship with Justin. But images of the three times he chose to put on black- or brownface for costume events continued to flash around the world, reaching even the White House.U.S. President Donald Trump's reaction summed up how the incidents have surprised people accustomed to seeing Trudeau as a champion of inclusivity and diversity, raising questions about whether that brand is forever tarnished. I just don't know what to tell you. Trudeau apologized profusely for the third day in a row for the incidents one from his teens, one from his time as a whitewater rafting guide in his 20s and one when he was a teacher at a Vancouver private school. I was surprised by it, actually, Trump said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

news sign: Don't miss out on the latest news Sign up for our daily briefing Multiple, independent lines of evidence show a massive reduction in the abundance of birds, said Ken Rosenberg, the study's lead author and a senior scientist at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and American Bird Conservancy, according to National Observer. Co-author Adam Smith from Environment and Climate Change Canada called the findings a wake-up call . The population losses are consistent with what scientists have counted among insects and amphibians. ; The study, published today in the journal Science, did not analyze the reason for the drop. The US and Canada have lost more than one in four birds a total of three billion since 1970, culminating in what scientists who published a new study are calling a widespread ecological crisis . Researchers observed a 29% decline in bird populations across diverse groups and habitats from songbirds such as meadowlarks to long-distance migratory birds such as swallows and backyard birds like sparrows. But around the world, birds are thought to be dying more and having less success breeding largely because their habitats are being damaged and destroyed by agriculture and urbanization. Sources include citizen science from the United States Geological Survey, the Canadian Wildlife Service, the Audubon Christmas Bird Count and Manomet's International Shorebird Survey. Researchers calculated the declines with 10 years of information on migratory birds from weather radar stations and 50 years of data from the ground. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

language film: Deraspe said she sees the recognition not only as an endorsement of her craft, but also of the ideal the film espouses, according to CTV. Antigone is also a film about values. Telefilm Canada announced Friday that Canada is putting forward Antigone to vie for a nomination in Oscars' best international feature film category, which used to be known as best foreign language film. Values of sympathy, integrity, love, the Montreal filmmaker said by phone after Friday's announcement. A modern revisioning of Sophocles' Greek tragedy, the Montreal-set drama centres on Antigone, played by newcomer Nahema Ricci, a teenager caught in a clash between her moral code and Canada's justice system when tragedy strikes her immigrant family. I feel proud of... campaigning not only for film, for the art of filmmaking, but also those values. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

larger-than-usual numbers: This was 7.2 percentage points higher than in 2011 and the highest turnout in more than 20 years, according to CTV. Much has been written about a young, media-savvy Justin Trudeau running an optimistic campaign. TORONTO -- The 2015 federal election had a significant increase in voter turnout overall with 68.3 percent of registered voters casting a ballot. His campaign was combined with a desire for change among voters that inspired not only shifting allegiances in favour of the Liberal Party, but also previously disengaged voters to cast a ballot. If we focus on voter turnout, the question for this election is whether those who turned out in larger-than-usual numbers in 2015 will show up at the polls again in this election. Many factors drive the results we see in a riding race voter turnout, party platforms, issues in play, desire for change, quality of local candidates and, of course, the party leaders themselves. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.