european cities: Around the globe, millions are counting the days until a Covid-19 vaccine is discovered, according to Rabble. These people, however, were protesting for the right not to be inoculated and they weren't the only ones. They wore flowers in their hair, hazmat suits emblazoned with the letter Q, badges displaying the old German imperial flag or T-shirts reading Gates, My Ass a reference to the US software billionaire Bill Gates. For the ninth week running, thousands gathered in European cities to vent their anger at social distancing restrictions they believe to be a draconian ploy to suspend basic civil rights and pave the way for enforced vaccinations that will do more harm than the Covid-19 virus itself. Juni boulevard, one woman said she believed the Covid-19 pandemic to be a hoax thought up by the pharmaceutical industry. Walking towards the focal point of the protests down the Stra e des 17. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

irish sea: Thanks to coronavirus there will be no demonstrations in Belfast, no rioting or rabble-rousing, according to Rabble. Politicians are too busy tackling the outbreak to squabble over the constitution and ramp up division. Writer at Large Neil Mackay looks at how coronavirus has thrown the world of geopolitics into fluxWITH little fanfare and certainly no shots fired, the island of Ireland took a historic step towards unification a few days ago. Beneath the fog of pandemic, a very significant shift has occurred in the geopolitical order, and no-one is taking that much notice. That effectively puts the border by the Irish Sea, at ports like Belfast and therefore between Ulster and mainland Britain, not Ulster and Ireland. The British Government confirmed on Wednesday that there will now be checks on goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK as part of Brexit. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

newsletter sign-up: He has not moved to ban travel from Russia, which has the world's third-highest caseload, according to CTV. Trump had said last week that he was considering limiting travel from Brazil. Trump had already banned certain travellers from China, Europe, the United Kingdom and Ireland and, to a lesser extent, Iran. Newsletter sign-up Get The COVID-19 Brief sent to your inbox White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany cast the step announced Sunday as another decisive action to protect our country by Trump, whose management of the crisis has come under sharp scrutiny. Brazil, now Latin America's hardest-hit country, is second, with more than 347,000 cases and more than 22,000 deaths. The U.S. leads the world with more than 1.6 million confirmed coronavirus cases, and a death toll that is expected to surpass 100,000 later this week, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

riot: To commemorate it, a new film, It Takes A Riot, premiered at Ryerson, according to NOW Magazine. It documents the protest organized against police violence and police acquittals in the deaths of Black people that led to the uprising. Our racial record tolerable compared to U.S. Those headlines - the first quoting then NDP premier Bob Rae, the second over a story authored by longtime lefty political commentator Gerald Caplan - appeared in the Toronto Star on May 6, 1992, a couple of days after the Yonge Street riot, which marked its 25th anniversary earlier this month. It Takes A Riot places more firmly into the public sphere at least one way to think about Black Canadian activism, how it should be assessed and its impacts felt. Inevitably our situation is compared to a U.S. that is always much worse. A reading of the headlines from back then also captures how the white left imagined and continues to view issues of anti-Black racism. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

virus: Knowing the someone else' may for some reinforce the idea that it is happening to someone else and not you, according to CTV. Thirty-one per cent of visible minorities said they know someone that had been diagnosed with COVID-19 compared to 23.6 per cent of respondents who identified as Caucasians. Perceptions about the impact of the virus are affected by the extent to which we know someone with the virus, wrote ACS President Jack Jedwab. CANADA Across the country, the percentage of Canadians who reported to personally know someone diagnosed with the virus increased sixfold within two months. Respondents born outside of Canada and immigrants who have been established in the country for 21 years or more were the least likely groups to know someone who has been diagnosed with the virus. On March 23, four per cent of Canadians participating in the Leger poll confirmed they know someone diagnosed with COVID-19, whereas the number spiked to 24 per cent by May 19. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

andrew schmidt: At least one local dentist said safety is a top priority in the clinic he works in, regardless of COVID-19, according to CTV. Everything that we practice in a dental office outside of a pandemic is basically everything that's practiced during a pandemic, said Dr. The list was compiled by a retired analyst from Stats Canada for the AFL. What we're saying with this list is there's particular categories of workers who deserve special attention, and special protection as Albertans go back to work, said Gil McGowan of the AFL. Dentistry tops the list, with dental hygienists, therapists and assistants, dentists and denturists coming in as the top four jobs with the highest potential to be exposed to infectious diseases. Andrew Schmidt. At least for these workers, who are at extreme risk, or significant risk, that these directives on public health are not seen just as guidance or suggestions, said McGowan. But despite the usual precautions, the AFL wants the province to turn COVID-19 guidelines for these workplaces into enforceable measures. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

asian percussion: And while you're at it, banish your memories of Sister Drum the 1995 release that was an unlikely international hit for Zhu Zheqin, the Chinese singer better known as Dadawa, according to Georgia Asian. Sister Drum wasn't a bad record, but its glossy appropriation of Tibetan folk music led to Dadawa being praised or pilloried as the Chinese Enya . Back then, the comparison might have been valid, but not anymore. Toss your Cantopop CDs out the window. Seven Days Dadawa's most recent release, finds the singer's voice as pure as ever, but her music has become an uncategorizable mix of Asian percussion sounds and sophisticated electronic processing. Before, we were always talking about Tibet, she allows. And she's now drawing on a much wider spectrum of influences, while referring specifically to her own Hunan heritage. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian citizenship: As a result, the statement says, the man was granted permanent-resident status in 2006 by way of spousal sponsorship, opening the door to Canadian citizenship four years later, according to National Observer. Ottawa revoked citizenship from 17 people between April 1, 2017, and May 7 of this year, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. The government is asking the Federal Court of Canada for a declaration that Yan Yang He fraudulently secured citizenship nine years ago.A statement of claim filed by the citizenship minister accuses He of concealing that he entered into a marriage of convenience with his former spouse, Lisa Marie Mills, in 2004 after coming to Canada as a student. The move against He comes amid severely strained relations between Ottawa and Beijing. Two Canadians have since been charged in China with trying to steal state secrets, a development widely seen as retaliation the technology executive's arrest. What people are reading My dad died of COVID-19The new world order is disorder What's making the rich stupidly richer China was angered by the arrest late last year of Chinese technology giant Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, in Vancouver following a request from U.S. authorities. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cormier-denis uploaded: French-language text on the poster reads Choose your Quebec, according to CTV. Underneath the photos of the woman, it says, Canadian multiculturalism, no thanks! The posters belong to the Parti Ind pendantiste's candidate for Montreal's Gouin riding, Alexandre Cormier-Denis, who is running against 12 others in the upcoming May 29 provincial byelection. The sign, which was hung outside the Jean-Talon and Beaubien Metro stations, shows two images of the same woman wearing a toque with a Quebec flag in one, and wearing a Muslim niqab in the other. Cormier-Denis uploaded a video to You Tube on the weekend, in which he defended the signs he said had been removed by police. Montreal police said they allowed the campaign posters to be rehung because they belong to an official political party and don't meet the criminal criteria for hate speech. In a tweet, Cormier-Denis wrote that the posters would be going back up much to the displeasure of totalitarian multiculturalism. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

german word: It's very, very important to make this a non-partisan issue, otherwise you cannot create this stability and certainty that is needed for the investment people, according to National Observer. Jungjohann, an advisor to the German Green Party, spoke at a clean energy discussion in Ottawa last week hosted by National Observer and the German embassy. Then you get fossil fuel money out of politics, said the author and energy analyst. Other guest speakers at the standing room-only event included Helmut Herold, CEO for Senvion, Edmonton-Strathcona MP Linda Duncan, and Clare Demerse of Clean Energy Canada. It's the German word for the country's clean energy transition, and Jungjohann co-wrote a book about it Energy Democracy Germany's Energiewende to Renewables. Jungjohann offered lessons from the German clean energy story, also called the Energiewende. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

coal: The lawsuit centers on coal ash leaks from power plants, according to NOW Magazine. But one environmental law professor says state involvement doesn t promise a heftier punishment. Environmentalists see the state s participation in a suit against Duke Energy as a significant step that adds to the merit of the claim. The state Department of Environment and Natural Resources filed a lawsuit that now refers the Riverbend Steam Station north of Mount Holly. The state claims the Riverbend plant near Mountain Island Lake has leaks from its coal ash ponds in three locations and those are considered unpermitted discharges that violate state law. The original lawsuit addressed coal ash issues at a power plant in Asheville. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

video screens: The motion proposes to add an additional day to the weekly meetings of the special COVID-19 committee, which have been acting as a sort of stand-in for the Commons, according to CTV. The special committee has been meeting in the House of Commons chamber once a week in person, with fewer than three dozen MPs actually present, and twice a week virtually. The proposal is laid out in a motion that will be debated in the House of Commons on Monday. Newsletter sign-up Get The COVID-19 Brief sent to your inbox The Liberals are now proposing four meetings a week until June 17 with a hybrid of in-person and virtual attendance that would see a small number of MPs in the chamber and others participating via two large video screens set up on either side of the Speaker's chair. Mark Kennedy, a spokesperson for Government House Leader Pablo Rodriguez, says if this motion is adopted, it would provide more hours for MPs to question government than they would have if Parliament was sitting normally. The motion also proposes four sittings of the House of Commons in July and August, each with a question period that would allow MPs the chance to ask cabinet ministers about issues unrelated to COVID-19 -- a key issue of contention for the Conservatives in recent weeks. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

boat tours: With so much to see more than 155 venues this year it can be hard to choose what to visit, according to NOW Magazine. There are popular yearly staples like the mayor's office at City Hall or boat tours along the waterfront. For one weekend a year May 23 and 24 this time around some of the city's most interesting buildings and venues are open to the public with tours, exhibits and special events. But if you're into trying something different, here are five locations new to this year's event that you definitely can't waltz into everyday. They also contribute flowers to High Park naturalization projects and yearly shows at the Allan Gardens and Centennial Conservatory. Stop and smell the flowers at the High Park greenhouses Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm Expand This set of nine greenhouses tucked in the middle of High Park are behind many of the multi-coloured flowers beautifying Toronto's parks. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

census data: Many neighbourhoods are dominated by immigrant populations one likely expects they would be, according to Georgia Asian. For example, much of North Vancouver is light green for Iran, South Vancouver is red for China, Richmond is split between China and yellow for the Philippines, Surrey goes dark green for India, and so on. Taking data from the National Household Survey which was last conducted in 2011 the map assigns colours that denote the largest immigrant population living in any one area. But other areas show more surprising results. A map relying on 2011 census data provides a snapshot of which immigrant populations hold a majority in neighbourhoods throughout Metro Vancouver. For example, Sunset Beach has been assigned light green for Mexico, part of Coquitlam shows orange for a large Romanian population, and the United Kingdom's blue holds a large section of Langley. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

road vehicles: At the same time, the majority of demand for oil comes from fuel for road vehicles, a segment undergoing a huge technological transformation towards electrification, according to National Observer. Canada appears to be grossly underprepared for a future where global demand for oil declines and not only that, our political and industry leaders are currently doubling down on oil as an economic engine oil that is more expensive to produce than virtually anywhere else in the world. The federal and some provincial governments of Canada are not only planning to keep the oil and gas industry running at full steam, but to massively expand it. The plans and investment decisions of the Canadian Government and oil industry leaders imply that, despite what they may be saying in press releases, they are assuming that we are headed towards two, three or more degrees of catastrophic warming globally. Increasing Pressure for Climate Action The IPCC's recent special report, along with countless others, highlight the absolute urgency of addressing climate change. In other words, they are betting on global climate failure. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

chongatera: Small firms and relative newcomers, they say, are most exposed, according to CTV. Godfred Chongatera, a lawyer in a small three-person mixed practice in Halifax, said he estimates his overall business has fallen 35 to 40 per cent. While trial lawyers are perhaps most affected, many in the trade say other sectors -- such as real estate -- are also feeling the pinch. Declining revenues and work have meant having to lay off two full-time staff. If this drags on for a long time, some or most sole practitioners will fold. Who knows where this is going Chongatera said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

deaths: Their public promises translate into uneven action on the ground, according to National Observer. The fact remains, over 80 per cent of COVID-19 deaths in this country have been linked to long-term care facilities LTCs and seniors' homes, the highest documented rate of its kind in the world. Meanwhile, the premiers of Ontario and Quebec where most of the grievous long-term care COVID deaths and neglect have occurred have simply not done enough to avert these tragedies. We are four citizens with loved ones living in long-term-care in different parts of the country, and we share a painful awareness of the vulnerability of Canada's LTC population due to chronic underfunding, poor infrastructure, understaffing and deregulation. Within days, we launched a nationwide, citizen-led petition proposing to protect people in LTCs with concrete measures to help avoid the disaster unfolding before our eyes. In early April, we came together, extremely worried for the lives of our loved ones, other residents and the workers in these facilities. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

nature: Those who have them would be issued certificates to roam and restart economies -- so the vulnerable can stay home, according to CTV. But the World Health Organization and other experts say that's a terrible idea. Lack of certain antibodies would mean you don't have an immunity passport and are therefore not allowed to venture out in public. Newsletter sign-up Get The COVID-19 Brief sent to your inbox So many flaws that it is hard to know where to begin, molecular biologist Natalie Kofler, founder of the global initiative Editing Nature, and Canadian bioethicist Francoise Baylis, said in a commentary published in Nature. The World Health Organization has warned governments against issuing immunity passports, saying there's no evidence people who have recovered from COVID-19 are protected from a second coronavirus infection. They listed reasons why they think it's unworkable and unfair So many unknowns For starters, they wrote, it's not clear whether people develop any kind of lasting immunity after a coronavirus infection. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

vancouver-based champion: The first step towards cultural harmony starts with understanding and learning about each other's histories, Laurier chair Robert Daum said in a media release, according to Georgia Asian. Based on the 2016 Census, there are 837,130 Canadians of Filipino ancestry, comprising over two percent of the entire population. This is being made possible by the Laurier Institution, a Vancouver-based champion of cultural diversity, and other sponsors for the May 25, 2019 staging at UBC of Philippines Historama Birth of a Nation. With a cast of 110 and show time of over two hours, Philippines Historama offers a broad sweep of past and contemporary events in the country. There is no better way of learning about their history, struggles and aspirations than watching this live show, PCHC MoM president Tineke Hellwig said in the media release. The show is presented by the Pacific Canada Heritage Centre Museum of Migration PCHC MoM and the UBC Kababayan Filipino Students Association. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

latte life: As the nation adapts to changes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, PRIZM can help organizations better understand the motivations and behaviours of their customers and track the recovery of businesses anywhere in the country, according to CTV. A year in the making, the new PRIZM classifies Canadians into 67 distinct lifestyle types with names like Latte Life younger, single urban renters Came From Away multi-ethnic, middle-aged urban renters and Vie Dynamique older, middle-income Quebec suburbanites . Newsletter sign-up Get The COVID-19 Brief sent to your inbox The system provides a deep trove of authoritative information about Canada's changing demographics, lifestyles, behaviour and values. At a time when businesses are recognizing the importance of up-to-date data to make better decisions, Environics Analytics has launched its latest edition of PRIZM, its comprehensive segmentation system widely used by businesses, not-for-profits and government agencies to analyze consumers and markets. Integrated with privacy-compliant data from dozens of marketing and media sources, the PRIZM segments provide users with insights for a wide range of applications from marketing strategies and site location decisions to merchandising, mobile analytics and media planning across traditional and digital channels. It goes beyond demographics to explore how people spend their time, where they spend their money and what issues resonate with them. Canada has undergone so much change in recent years, and even more in the last few months, that decision-makers need the latest data to understand the new normal, says Jan Kestle, founder and president of EA. PRIZM takes away the guesswork with the most authoritative data available on consumers and markets. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

security specialist: Michael Taylor, a 59-year-old former Green Beret and private security specialist, and Peter Taylor, 27, are wanted by Japan on charges they helped Ghosn escape the country in December after he was released on bail, according to CTV. The Taylors were arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service in Harvard. Chairman Carlos Ghosn out of Japan in a box while he awaited trial there on financial misconduct charges. They appeared before a federal judge from jail via video conference, wearing orange jumpsuits and tan face coverings because of the coronavirus pandemic. An attorney for the Taylors said they plan to challenge Japan's extradition request on several legal and factual grounds. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hassink said Japan plans as quickly as possible to submit a formal request to extradite the Taylors. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

drug use: Yeah, you're reading right, according to NOW Magazine. Courts at every level have ruled on the fact that drug use and addiction are health issues, not legal infractions. Drug laws are unconstitutional. It's image-conscious politicians who have chosen to wilfully ignore those rulings. It's a vicious circle - a conspiracy even. Yet the courts have been unwilling to hold lawmakers accountable. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

show approval: Daily Show host Trevor Noah throws red panties to show approval of Canada's prime minister, according to National Observer. Screenshot from the Daily Show on March 11, 2016. Noah is a Trudeau fan which isn't surprising given how the U.S. election is going and featured him to put a spotlight on Canadians' approach to the Syrian refugee crisis. In the program, Daily Show correspondent Hasan Minhaj explains how Canada's acceptance of 25,000 Syrian refugees has Americans fearful and anxious about terrorist threats. Some of them will be ISIS supporters! It's very, very scary. Minaj shows a series clips from FOX news, with reporters warning viewers What people are reading Noam Chomsky on Trump, COVID-19, climate change, and the economy Empty streets during COVID-19 show how we've been poisoning ourselves Questions remain as post-secondary students start seeking relief Thousands of Syrian refugees entering Canada will sneak across the U.S. border. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

amazon: In the face of a spreading pandemic, they warn inaction is enough to wipe out many indigenous people, according to CTV. The Associated Press spoke to four agents who work with indigenous peoples in the farthest reaches of Brazil's Amazon, and they were unanimous in their conclusion The national Indian foundation, known as FUNAI, is hardly doing anything to co-ordinate a response to a crisis that could decimate ethnic groups. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's repeated promotion of developing the vast Amazon has for months prompted indigenous activists, celebrities and agents on the ground to sound the alarm. Newsletter sign-up Get The COVID-19 Brief sent to your inbox There's not enough protective equipment for agents who enter indigenous territories or meet with native people in cities. Food deliveries only began last week -- a month after indigenous people were instructed to remain in their villages -- and remain vastly insufficient. Necessities like kerosene and gasoline are in short supply. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

aunt ludivine: Adya Bhartia, 9, decided to interview a close family friend who she calls Aunt Ludivine, and made her comic about the process of the assignment coming together, but Bhartia didn't see the project as work, according to CTV. It was more like a fun time I had on my hands, interviewing people and I love making Pixton comics and I like writing stuff, Bhartia told CTV News Toronto Tuesday. The Grade 3 students at Jackman Avenue Junior Public School gathered the stories through personal interviews, then wrote the scripts and designed the comics' backgrounds and avatars using a program called Pixton. Bhartia says the project was a learning experience and discovered she had some similarities to her subject, because she too is an immigrant. The people who are really polite, try and help you. My favourite thing about Canada was the really kind people. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ice: The quality, appearance, and size of shaped frozen water can distinguish a good drink from an outstanding one, according to Georgia Asian. And if you want to be one of the best bars in the world or if you take your home cocktail-making seriously you have to have crystal clear ice. If you've ever ruined a drink by using stale cubes from your freezer that had been sitting there for who knows how long, you know what we mean. Free of cracks, cloudiness, and other imperfections, crystal clear ice melts much more slowly than the standard cubes found in most people's kitchens. Assuming you have too much time on your hands and the right tools, you could make your own, by filling a picnic cooler full of water and freezing it. With little in the way of dilution, drinks retain their flavour, temperature, and integrity much longer. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.