lifestyle choices: The experience, Linfield surmises in her book The Lion's Den, made her ashamed to be a Jew, according to Rabble. That is a curious sentiment. To the Jewish American academic, the self-contained ghetto of fanatical settlers seemed like an atavistic throwback to a religiously insular mindset secular Zionism had set out to eradicate. Whatever the merits of maintaining a Jewish presence in Hebron, Linfield is hardly responsible for the views, deeds and lifestyle choices of settlers there. Barely the first page into her book we appear to be standing on shaky ground. By professing to be ashamed because of other Jews she doesn't even know, she inadvertently reinforces the old antisemitic trope that Jews are a monolithic entity burdened with collective guilt for the actions of a few. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

people: All I would request you to write a letter to Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and c.c. it to our Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on my behalf and request him to show some compassion for the people of Kashmir who continue to face a lockdown ever since August 5, 2019, according to Georgia Asian. Alternatively, you can just copy and paste the content of my letter and forward it to him to save your time, as you must be busy responding to thousands of letters being mailed to you around this time of the year. Fortunately, I am not going to ask for material gifts, which makes your job bit easier and you don't have to worry about buying anything for me. Kashmir is a disputed region where people have been fighting for right to self-determination. Indian forces continue to suppress their struggle with heavy deployment of troops. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

love stories: These podcasts range from deep dives into the rise and fall of Rob Ford and love stories from second-generation Canadians to sports commentary and investigations into a grisly murder, according to NOW Magazine. Here, in no particular order, are our top podcasts of the year. But with only so many hours in a day to listen to them, we've rounded-up our 10 favourite Toronto-made podcasts of 2019. Born And Raised Huff Post In the second season of Born And Raised, which tells the stories of second-generation Canadians, hosts Alisha Sawhney and Al Donato focus on love, sex, marriage, parenthood and everything in between. SAMANTHA EDWARDSListen here Canadian True Crime independent The podcast universe is bursting with true crime podcasts, but this Canadian version hosted by Kristi Lee is my favourite. This season, Sawhney and Donato bring listeners love stories from Halifax's Pier 21, virginity myths, discovering lesbian porn on the family computer and talking sex-ed with immigrant parents. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

consumer: Now, there are far more options to access exclusive labels, according to CTV. You can buy them at online sites like Netaporter. Not anymore. Or get them barely used through sites like Fashionphile and The Real Real. The consumer is king. You can even rent an entire rotating wardrobe through companies like Rent the Runway. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ryu: Ryu and the Blue Jays agreed to an 80 million, four-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations, according to CTV. The person spoke late Sunday night on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical after Christmas and had not been announced. One that was willing to pay for it, too. Ryu was 14-5 with a major league-best 2.32 ERA for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. The 32-year-old left-hander from South Korea receives a 20 million salary each of the next four years, with no signing bonus. He started for the National League in his first All-Star Game and finished second in Cy Young Award voting to New York Mets ace Jacob de Grom. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

poverty: Experts suggest that a plan by Statistics Canada to recalculate the threshold by changing the market basket measure early next year could lead to a similar bump in poverty rates, according to CTV. The measure calculates the minimum a person or family would have to earn to afford a basket of goods and services needed to reach a modest or basic living standard. The last time the made-in-Canada measure was updated was in 2008 and poverty rates increased by 2.2 per cent because the financial cut-off used to define low-income was raised. The Liberals adopted the measure as the country's official poverty line last year and set aside 12 million over five years to update the basket, which doesn't include things like wireless services. A final report from Statistics Canada is expected in February. In July, the top official at Employment and Social Development Canada and the minister at the time were told federal officials would decide on the actions to be taken with Statistics Canada's recommendations, including which to implement, and which to send for more research when it comes to making the changes. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

time i: This work-life balance I was like, What the fuck is everybody complaining about ' Until I had to do it, according to Georgia Asian. I mean, if I don't work less I will wreck his childhood. I'm in an insane relationship with time as a mother this agonized relationship with time, writer Hannah Moscovitch laments with a laugh, speaking to the Straight from her Halifax home before her show Infinity opens here after the holidays. So it's not like a theoretical ideal that I should have work-life balance, she continues, sounding as self-effacing, funny, and candidly introspective as some of her best-known female stage characters. And now I'm in a constant existential relationship with time; I'm constantly thinking about it. And then she reflects more seriously, Writing Infinity gave me the chance to grapple with that. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

colourful style: He was born in Aix-en-Province in southern France in 1933 to a family of Italian immigrants, and moved at the tender age of 22 to Paris, where he was trained by Spanish couturier Cristobal Balenciaga before launching his own label nine years later, according to CTV. He quickly imposed his own colourful style on the world of fashion. Ungaro, who retired from fashion in 2004, died on Saturday after two years in a weakened state of health, a family member said. One should not wear a dress, one should live in it, said the man who regarded his life's work as a craft. Ungaro would later say he had learned the basics from his father and from Balenciaga. Ungaro was the second of six children, his father a tailor. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

finance minister: Auditor General Julia Mullaley reported the province's net debt is now higher than it's ever been, and cautioned in her annual financial audit that government is not living within its means, according to CTV. She reported that the government's financial targets, including a goal to return to surplus by 2023, appear increasingly difficult to hit. The province's finance minister and auditor general both described the situation as challenging this month, following a fiscal update that saw revenue fall 392 million short of projections, largely due to a shutdown of oil production after consecutive spills. More pressingly for residents, a plan has yet to materialize on how to mitigate electricity rates, which are expected to skyrocket once the over-budget Muskrat Falls hydro dam starts providing full power to the island. Ball said he understands the stress this uncertainty causes, but insists the situation is nothing the province hasn't weathered before. A rough plan released by provincial government in the spring predicted an annual need for 200 million from Ottawa, but details are still being negotiated. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

steam room: It was a spur of the moment kind of thing, Aliu explained during an interview this past week at a gym near Toronto, according to CTV. A few highway exits from his home, this is where the 30-year-old works out to stay in shape in case some team gives him one more shot at playing. Aliu was scrolling through the timeline on his phone when he saw a report of how just-fired Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock had mistreated Mitch Marner, his prized rookie forward. I sent it out and didn't even think anything of it, and just went into the steam room for 20 minutes, he said. The tweets went viral, and missed calls and text messages were piling up when Aliu returned. I did a couple of hot-cold rounds in the shower and when I came out it was crazy. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

toni jacob: Toni Jacob, the program director, says It all started when I realized that a lot of Africans coming to Ottawa, it is their first Christmas and they don't know anything about Canadian Christmas, according to CTV. We just wanted to welcome the newcomers coming to Ottawa and having their first Christmas in Canada. Close to 100 people gathered in a party room of an apartment building on Donald Street for the 4th Annual 1 Resource Annual Christmas Giving Program. Jacob says the first Christmas in a new country can be challenging as many try to adjust to new cultures, new languages and different traditions. Not being able to come out and find people to help them get around. Finding support is the biggest challenge. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

trudeau: Some municipal politicians in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto, concerned about deadly shootings, have called for measures to control handguns in their cities, according to CTV. The Trudeau government plans to empower provinces and cities to take steps to manage the storage and use of handguns within their individual jurisdictions, given that they have different needs and concerns. In an interview with The Canadian Press, Trudeau also defended his government's intention to allow handgun prohibition on a city-by-city basis rather than enacting a sweeping federal ban. We have heard from a number of particularly large cities saying that they want to be able to ban handguns within their city limits, Trudeau said during the wide-ranging interview in Ottawa this week. And we feel that it would be a solid step to move forward and give cities and provinces those tools to do that. That is something we are hearing from some very specific places across the country but not everywhere across the country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

nation rise: The company behind the site, EDP Renewables, must lay off the 200 employees working on Nation Rise just before the holidays and stands to lose the 230 million in capital it has already sunk into the project, according to National Observer. But EDP Renewables has now launched a court challenge to try to overturn the province's decision, alleging it was fuelled by politics instead of evidence, National Observer has learned. Nation Rise Wind Farm, nestled among dairy farms and fields of corn, was three months away from completion when Ontario Environment Minister Jeff Yurek cancelled it earlier this month, citing concerns over possible risks to local bat populations. The government's move clashes with earlier testimony given by the province's own experts, according to the application filed in Ontario Superior Court on Dec. 10. What people are reading Banking regulator compares climate change risk to asbestos fallout Shrinking populations in Caribbean due to climate change Coal isn't dying. To do this so late in the game is very, very damaging, Tom LoTurco, director of development for EDP Renewables in Eastern Canada and the United States, told National Observer this week. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

bathroom breaks: Last month, a bus drivers' union in Vancouver averted a strike by coming to an agreement with the city, according to CTV. In all of those cases, the issue of bathroom breaks was a primary concern for bus drivers who work long hours on tight schedules with few opportunities for bathroom breaks. A week earlier, Ottawa's bus service came under fire when one of their drivers wrote a scathing open letter concerning his working conditions. Bus drivers aren't alone, either. In the case of the Ottawa bus operator, Chris Grover, he wrote in his open letter to the Ottawa Citizen newspaper that OC Transpo drivers have virtually no time between runs and sometimes don't even get a minute for a bathroom break. For workers in other industries, such as trucking, food production, or auto parts assembly, where an abrupt pause can delay the entire operation, bathroom breaks can be a point of contention between employers and employees. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

beachside shack: Federal relief has mostly benefited tourist areas, and tourism has returned to pre-hurricane numbers, according to National Observer. To Latona, however, Vieques is meaningfully different. Business is booming at the bar and hostel Stephanie Latona manages, a colorful beachside shack popular among visitors. One of the most noticeable things that's changed since the hurricanes, Latona says, is that there are fewer familiar faces. People who left after Maria or even Irma stuck around until the next storm, but eventually gave up trying to rebuild and left. The community definitely feels like it's gotten smaller, she said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

elena vavilova: It's been difficult, a lot of anguish and stress, Vavilov said shortly after his arrival, according to CTV. I'm happy to be back in Canada, to be here without this constant kind of doubt over my head, with the ability to finally start putting some roots down again and be able to build a new life for myself. The court decision and flight marked an end to a long-running ordeal for Alexander Vavilov and his brother Timothy that began nine years ago when his parents were arrested in the United States and indicted on espionage-related charges. He brandished his Canadian passport and grinned as he said, I get to keep it. The family moved to the United States and, after their arrest, admitted to being Andrey Bezrukov and Elena Vavilova. Vavilov, 25, and his brother, 29, were born in Canada to parents who used the aliases Donald Howard Heathfield and Tracey Lee Ann Foley. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

scotiabank arena: Echoing the cultish pastel athleisure of the congregations that showed up to Kanye West's Sunday Service shows this year, their total commitment to Ari's aesthetic was charming, but also a little bemusing, according to NOW Magazine. To be honest, I was actually more struck by the rigour of Ari's faithful than her IRL concert presence. At Ariana Grande's sold-out Sweetener world tour stop at Scotiabank Arena in June, they were there in their uniformed citizenship, clad in their oversized sweaters, thigh-high boots and double buns. But that fervour this year, at times, turned nasty. In both cases, Grande was surprisingly muted in chastising her fanbase. Look no further than their relentless targeting this spring of her ex-boyfriend, Saturday Night Live cast member Pete Davidson the muse of her breakup anthem thank u, next and the racist and violent threats they directed at Toronto writer Roslyn Talusan in response to her Playboy essay critiquing Grande's pattern of Black and Asian culture appropriation. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

news conference: What comes next is a trial in the Senate early next year that could, but probably won't, cost him the White House, according to CTV. So what happens now House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would not commit Wednesday night to sending the two articles of impeachment to the Senate. He is still the President. That would have been our intention, but we'll see what happens over there, the California Democrat signaled at her news conference. Pelosi said Democrats will make the decision as a group on when to send the articles to the Senate. Some progressives have urged Democratic leaders to withhold the articles until Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, agrees to procedures for the trial that Democrats have called for, as well as agreeing to bring in firsthand witnesses like acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney to testify. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

christmas: This could be by gifting someone an item that, when bought, a donation is given to a specific UK or international charity, according to Rabble. Another option is to donate to a cause in someone's name. One way to make Christmas go further is by choosing unusual presents that have a charity attached to it in some way. We certainly love the idea of using Christmas gifts to give back to the community. Clothing and accessories 1. Here, you can find a list of our top charity Christmas gifts, including everything from jewellery to more specific forms of aid. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

commissioner: Olsen suggested perhaps it was because women have a more acute sense of smell that Wright-Gilbert noticed what he did not, according to CTV. The comment prompted Wright-Gilbert to demand an apology, which Olsen was reluctant to give, at first. That's how citizen Transit Commissioner Michael Olsen begins his written apology to his fellow commissioners, following comments he made Wednesday . Male transit commissioner says foul stench at Parliament station is a 'gender equity thing', women are more sensitive to bad smells During discussions about the source of a lingering, foul odour at the Parliament LRT station, Olsen suggested the problem was a gender equity thing because he did not smell anything Wednesday morning, whereas Commissioner Sarah Wright-Gilbert could. He sent a letter late Wednesday, admitting fault and apologizing without reseveration. I understand why. I know that my original apology to Commissioner Wright-Gilbert has been labelled as insincere. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

supreme decision: The relief I feel reading the Supreme Court's decision is indescribable, Alexander said in a statement issued by his lawyer, according to CTV. It is recognition that not only do I feel Canadian, but I am Canadian in the eyes of the law. In its judgment, the high court upheld a Federal Court of Appeal decision that effectively affirmed the citizenship of not only Alexander but also his brother Timothy. Aside from addressing the citizenship matter, the Supreme Court ruling aimed to bring clarity to the nature and scope of judicial review of decisions by administrative officials. The parents were arrested nine years ago in the United States and indicted on charges of conspiring to act as secret agents on behalf of Russia's SVR, a successor to the notorious Soviet KGB. Heathfield and Foley admitted to being Andrey Bezrukov and Elena Vavilova. Alexander, 25, and Timothy, 29, were born in Canada to parents using the aliases Donald Howard Heathfield and Tracey Lee Ann Foley. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

gideon christian: She plays a huge part in raising these kids, she also plays a huge part in making it possible for myself and my wife to be able to work, said Christian, according to CTV. Christian's mother Lucy Mgbowula currently lives in the United States, where he said his younger brother was able to sponsor her as a permanent resident within six months. Gideon Christian had to leave his new job at the U of C before the end of the semester and return to his wife and two young sons back in Ottawa after his mother's permanent residence application still had yet to be approved. Christian first moved to Ottawa in 2006 and for the past five years worked as legal counsel for the Department of Justice. Christian has been trying since 2013 to sponsor his mother to come to Canada. This summer he took a job at the U of C, which was only possible because his mother was in Canada to help care for his children. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

election effort: Griffith undertook the analysis as part of an election effort called Diversity Votes, a project aimed at providing a deeper understanding of the ethnocultural makeup of the electoral map, and its implications, according to CTV. The growing diversity of the Canadian electorate has seen the federal parties finding more ways to woo voters in specific ethnic groups, especially in ridings where single communities have enough voters to swing a race. One can't assume nor should one assume that the ethnic vote in Canada is separate than the mainstream vote, said Andrew Griffith, a former director of multiculturalism policy for the federal government. In the 2019 campaign, that took the form of everything from promises targeted directly to certain communities, ads in a variety of languages and, in a first, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh answering questions in Punjabi, which he speaks fluently. Ethics, relations with China and climate change were widely covered, as were the parties' strategies and tactics, which he said was partially a reflection of the use of translated stories from the English or French press. But Griffith said that despite what the campaigns may have been trying to do, his findings show the ethnic press were covering the same issues as the mainstream media. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

housing strategy: A government source with knowledge of the agreement says the costs will be split 50/50 between the province and Ottawa, over eight years, according to CTV. The government first announced the 4-billion Canada Housing Benefit as part of its National Housing Strategy back in November 2017. The Canada Housing Benefit agreement will be announced Thursday in Toronto, by Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Ahmed Hussen, and Ontario's Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark. The government said the program will help 300,000 families afford their rent by providing up to 2,500 a year to those who qualify. The Trudeau government hopes to strike similar deals with the other provinces and territories in 2020. In Ontario, this rental subsidy will be available to those on, or eligible to be on, a social housing waiting list, and may include survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

long-ago decision: Quebec continues to boast North America's lowest electricity prices, was last year's business-as-usual update in one trade publication, according to National Observer. With climate crisis looming, that long-ago decision earns even more envy. It's hydropower, and specifically the mammoth dam system in Northern Quebec that has been paying dividends since it was first built in the 70s. Not only do they pay less, but Quebeckers also emit the least carbon per capita of any province. What people are reading Good news for climate change India gets out of coal Downstream of oilsands, death by cancer comes too often Bomb threat called into Tides Canada an extension of political theatre It's a shell game, said one angry blog post by the Natural Resources Council of Maine. It may surprise most Canadians, then, to hear how most of New England has reacted to the idea of being able to buy permanently into Quebec's power grid. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

surveillance network: Her fall from being the eyes and ears of one of Africa's most repressive governments to a neighborhood punchline illustrates how Ethiopia's once ubiquitous surveillance network has crumbled, according to Rabble. My work is harder now, she said, wistfully. Now she is mocked and ignored. People don't listen anymore. But the system, which detractors say was twisted into a tool to silence government critics, began to unravel with the outbreak of deadly protests in 2015 which undermined the EPRDF's authority. Rahmat worked for a system set up by the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front EPRDF coalition in the early 2000s, officially to help implement central policies across the country of 105 million people. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.