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.

asian: But as it grows in popularity, it is becoming increasingly mainstream, appearing on the menus of non-Southeast Asian restaurants such as Bernardin in NYC and Earls and PiDGiN in Vancouver, according to Georgia Asian. Perhaps it's an example of our much-lauded multiculturalism, except that this lime's most commonly known name in North America kaffir lime henceforth referred to as K-lime involves a horrible racial epithet, akin to using the N-word in North America. Many of us have only recently begun to hear of this lime and its leaf, usually in the context of a lovely Southeast Asian dish. An Encyclopedia of Swearing by Geoffrey Hughes notes the original meaning of the K-word is derived from the Arabic kafir, which means an unbeliever of Islam, also known as an infidel. It was used by Arab traders to refer to the indigenous peoples of Africa, then taken up by Portuguese sailors and subsequently picked up by Dutch and British colonists, especially in South Africa. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

expert analysis: This is not hyperbole, according to NOW Magazine. It is the conclusion of expert analysis. This administration has established concentration camps on the southern border of the United States for immigrants, where they are being brutalized with dehumanizing conditions and dying, she tweeted. The Trump administration has upped its efforts against illegal immigration despite the public outcry last year over children being separated from their families. According to several reports, 24 people have died in the detention centres in recent months, six of them children. There are some 200 detention facilities for migrants in the U.S. operated by private contractors and local and state governments. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

markets housing: Scroll down to read through the full report, including information on other markets, according to CTV. Housing starts Senior analysts Braden Batch and Eric Bond wrote that housing starts in B.C.'s most populous city are expected to contract significantly in the immediate future. The latest outlook, released Tuesday morning, looks at the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic so far, and estimates when things may return to normal. While B.C.'s approach to the novel coronavirus pandemic has allowed for construction, new builds will be challenged by reduced migration from Canada and abroad, the Vancouver market forecast says. Prior to the pandemic, the report says, the construction industry had been operating at or near capacity. Additional factors impacting housing starts are increased unemployment and uncertainty regarding long-term economic impacts of COVID-19. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ajay shah: Ajay Shah, a 23-year-old medical student, was one of hundreds of medical students who mobilized to volunteer on the front lines, according to CTV. He spent seven weeks at the heart of the crisis a long-term care home in Toronto. While some universities in the U.S. and Europe graduated medical students early to join the front lines in the fight against COVID-19, Canadian medical students had to search for other ways to help. I remember constantly worrying that I was going to get COVID and become very sick, he told CTV News. Newsletter sign-up Get The COVID-19 Brief sent to your inbox It became very evident that we needed all hands on deck, he said. It wasn't an unjustified fear -- most of the residents in Shah's ward had tested positive for COVID-19. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

delhi dixit: The message My colleagues and I are working on a story about illegal organ trafficking in India and are in need of sources for the story, according to Rabble. We were wondering if you could help us with finding sources and guiding us around Delhi Dixit was furious. The subject read, Fixer needed. In the following days she received more emails from reporters, with similar subject lines Looking for fixer to report on India's election. Dixit has been an investigative journalist for 13 years, publishing widely read stories on human rights violations and gender-based violence. In each case, the language was blunt and unsolicitous. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

hairdressing salons: School closures during lockdown have exacerbated the situation because more women than men tend to care for and teach their children, even while working from home, according to CTV. The services sector, covering areas like hospitality and leisure, has been ravaged by lockdowns imposed by governments across the world trying to halt the spread of the disease. The nature of the outbreak means women are more likely than men to lose or quit their jobs in vulnerable low-paying workplaces like bars, conference venues, hairdressing salons, hotels, pubs and restaurants, which faced extensive shutdowns. LOSS OF INCOME In the U.K. and the U.S., women more likely to lose their jobs because they are more likely to work in services, said Cambridge University economics lecturer Christopher Rauh. In Britain, stay-at-home measures began to be relaxed earlier this month but pubs, bars and restaurants are expected to reopen only from July 4. When you lose your job you are not just losing income now -- but also later on, he told AFP. Newsletter sign-up Get The COVID-19 Brief sent to your inbox As lockdowns ease and infection rates and deaths fall, the services sector is often the last to reopen because it tends to rely on large numbers of people in close contact. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

morgan pipeline: Televised images of protesters being hauled away have made the pipeline story far more compelling for television news directors than a looming 10.7-billion or more boondoggle far away in northeastern B.C. But a new book by Victoria environmental journalist Sarah Cox, Breaching the Peace The Site C Dam and a Valley's Stand Against Big Hydro, serves as a compelling reminder of the importance of this issue, according to Georgia Asian. It's a breathtaking examination of how Site C was rammed through despite its devastating impacts on public finances and an ecological treasure trove. On Point Press, 312 pp, softcover For much of 2018, the controversy over the Kinder Morgan pipeline has overshadowed the gnawing and deep public concerns over the Site C dam. This is not merely a look at numbers on a balance sheet, though that alone should be sufficient to alarm the public. Cox also details the impact of this costly megaproject on the stunning biodiversity of the Peace River region. The cost escalations speak to the deceitful way in which this project was initially marketed to the public. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

network checks: That means if you live in a location where the cost of living is dramatically lower, or the cost of labour is lower, then salaries do tend to be somewhat lower in those places, he said on the video conference, where he announced more employees would be allowed to work remotely permanently, according to CTV. Zuckerberg gave Canadian and American workers until Jan. 1, 2021 to inform the company about their location, so it can properly complete taxes and accounting and use virtual private network checks to confirm staff are where they claim. Zuckerberg had a clear message for them if you plan to stay, expect a change to your pay. Newsletter sign-up Get The COVID-19 Brief sent to your inbox The demand is part of a new reality Canadian workers are being confronted with as employers try to quell the spread of COVID-19 and increasingly consider making remote work permanent. Only one-third of Canadians working remotely expect to resume working from the office as consistently as they did pre-pandemic, while one-in-five say they will remain primarily at home, according to a June study from the Angus Reid Institute. The shift means many companies are having to rethink salaries and compensation, while grappling with the logistics of a new work model. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

york times: As it turned out, K-pop fans hardcore devotees of Korean pop music had reserved the majority of tickets, as reported by the New York Times, and then did not use them in hopes of leaving the rally sorely attended, according to NOW Magazine. It's a testament to the power of teenagers today, who are part of the Generation Z cohort, and grew up on social media. After President Donald Trump's team repeatedly boasted that over one million tickets had been requested for his Saturday night rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, only 6,200 people showed up, leaving the majority of the 19,000-seat venue glaringly empty. Now, they're harnessing that tool to mass effect. Likewise, Gen Zers around the world have used Twitter, Instagram, Facebook you name it to help propel the Black Lives Matter movement into a worldwide one. K-pop fans devised their plan and spread the message via Tik Tok, the video-sharing app largely comprised of teens. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

artistry: He played with a level of joy and artistry unlike anything basketball fans had ever seen in Vancouver, according to Georgia Asian. That's where everything started, Haywood recently told the Straight by phone. A wizard at street ball, he amazed onlookers by dribbling behind his back, through his opponents' legs, and sometimes even over their heads at the age of 15 and 16. I felt like I was home when I was out there. Nobody was judging me not even judging my skin colour, because there was a lot of Black people out there, he continued. I could do whatever I wanted to do. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ballot election: I think we're going to have to look for democracies establishing networks and informal coalitions outside of the Security Council and my major message if I had the ear of people in high places in Canada would be to keep doing what you're doing, keep leading, she said, according to CTV. Don't lead just for the sake of a Security Council campaign, but take that show on the road. In an interview on CTV's Question Period airing Sunday, author and diplomat Samantha Power says now more than ever democracies need to play a bigger part in advocating for the value of international cooperation, whether through the UN or elsewhere. Canada placed third during Wednesday's secret ballot election with 108 votes. Holding a temporary position was one of his key foreign policy objectives since taking office in 2015, declaring a few months later Canada is back on the world stage. Norway and Ireland earned 130 and 128 votes respectively among the Western European and Others group for 2021-22 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ramped up his lobbying efforts in recent months with African and Caribbean countries in a last-ditch attempt to shore up support. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

gas project: A biologist who works as an environmental consultant in British Columbia, he works for a company that was hired by a sub-consulting firm to do an assessment of the risks and impacts associated with a large-scale natural gas project on the province's north coast, which was going to consume hectares of land, according to National Observer. He asked that his real name not be used for fear of reprisal. Simon Halfyard knows that better than most. It became clear to him that a large amount of critical fish habitat was going to be lost to the footprint of the project. You want to try and avoid significant effects. So in my interpretation of this, I declared this particular project to be a 'significant' risk, he says. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

leadership skills: To stabilize the riot in just three hours is a testament to the courage, training, and professionalism our members exhibited, and to the leadership skills of many sergeants, staff sergeants, inspectors, and others who took on leadership roles.I have promised that we will fully cooperate with any review process, and if there are lessons to be learned, we will implement them, according to Georgia Asian. We all have been moved by the amazing outpouring of public support. The deputy chiefs, senior officers and I have managed to speak with many sworn and civilian members over the last few days and I want to thank you again for your amazing work and your feedback. The letters, cards, baked goods, dog treats, and hugs and handshakes are unprecedented in my 32 year career. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rcmp member: Deanna Fontaine told CTV News Sunday the U.S. citizens were located by police last week, according to CTV. Four of the 1,200 tickets were handed out on June 16 and two more on June 18. RCMP Cpl. The six tickets were issued to travellers who had stopped near Lake Louise for long hikes in the park. Fontaine was unable to provide details as to when and where the seventh ticket was written up. RCMP confirm two of the responses were prompted by complaints from the public while another case was intiated by an RCMP member. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugee women: Women and girls are especially vulnerable, said Tanjina Mirza, Plan International Canada's chief programs officer and interim co-CEO. A lot of girls may not pass through this, Mirza told CTV National News, according to CTV. They may be married off because that's one less mouth to feed. Since the global pandemic shuttered schools across many countries, more than eight million refugee children are facing an increased threat of infection and child labour out of the relative safety of the classroom. On Friday, Plan International Canada released a report on what it called the layered crises and heightened risks faced by refugee women and girls. It's imperative that their unique needs and rights are addressed in global and local COVID-19 responses. This is a triple crisis the crisis of displacement, the COVID-19 pandemic and the risks they experience simply because they are young and female, Mirza said in a Friday statement. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

birth tourism: I am sorry for what I said, which was picked up by social media.I apologize, unconditionally, to the group who were offended by my remarks, according to CBC. The group, as a whole, had every right to feel offended and I am taking responsibility for my unacceptable comments. The group was originally from Taiwan and worked for a media company. My frustration, on an exceptionally bad day for me, has its roots in my being an advocate for the cessation of the practice of birth tourism in the Lower Mainland, but most specifically, in Richmond, where I live. Media sources, including CBC The Fifth Estate and the Richmond News have done major stories on this problem, which is rooted in a loophole in the tourism visa process. Unfortunately, for reasons that escape me, the Minister of Immigration, Marco Mendicino, has not deemed this problem as a priority. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian park: Winners were chosen according to algorithm that evaluated the quantity and quality of reviews over one year, according to Georgia Asian. Stanley Park, which was created in 1888, tops the website's list of best parks in the world, and was the only Canadian park to make the top 10. The travel website announced the winners of their Travel Choice awards for attractions on June 17. Central Park in New York City came third. The freshwater Beaver Lake and the man-made Lost Lagoon, which feature wildlife populations, as well as swimming pools and the Vancouver Aquarium are also located in the park. As one of Vancouver's major tourist attractions, the 1001-acre park, surrounded by 8.8 kilometre paved Seawall and lined with several beaches, is located on a peninsula adjacent to downtown Vancouver and attracts about eight million visitors every year. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

chris roberts: That site no longer has our consent to operate within our core territory, We Wai Kai Chief Brian Assu said in the statement, according to National Observer. We have advised the government that we expect the cancellation of the tenure and the remediation of the site to commence. The We Wai Kai and Wei Wai Kum nations want the immediate cancellation of Mowi Inc. tenure for its Shaw Point aquaculture operation, according to a statement issued by the Laich-Kwil-Tach Treaty Society on Thursday. Assu and Wei Wai Kum Chief Chris Roberts advised the provincial government in a June 9 letter of the request around the Mowi operation, which they say is operating on a month-to-month basis since the expiry of its tenure. Wei Wai Kum Chief Chris Roberts says the B.C. government must work to establish a collaborative agreement around aquaculture with the nations for operations in their territories. What people are reading Bloc leader tries to define systemic racism on his own Facing spending attacks, federal minister Catherine McKenna doubles down on 'social infrastructure' aimsBDC ready now with 60 million in loans for cash-strapped mid-sized companies The chiefs also want the B.C. government to work to establish a collaborative governance model for fish farms in their territories, saying the province has failed to engage substantively with the two nations on the issue. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

contract cost: He went on leave in the fall of 2017 following a series of incidents at the regulator, according to National Observer. Among them was his decision to approve a sole-source contract to a private investigator to identify which employees had spoken to National Observer about internal decisions and actions by management at the regulator. Sylvain B dard was hired in the summer of 2016 as executive vice-president of transparency and strategic engagement at the regulator. The contract cost 24,150 but Presidia failed to identify any of the sources in its final report. What people are reading Bloc leader tries to define systemic racism on his own Facing spending attacks, federal minister Catherine McKenna doubles down on 'social infrastructure' aimsBDC ready now with 60 million in loans for cash-strapped mid-sized companies I can confirm that Mr. News of B dard's departure was first reported by the Ottawa Citizen's David Pugliese on Tuesday and was confirmed on Wednesday by NEB spokeswoman Sarah Kiley. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

force: The statues they deface belong to everyone, yet a minority of malcontents is allowed to obliterate our history with impunity, according to Rabble. It is time to put a stop to this madness. They would have given an order to disperse and then moved in decisively, using the age-old concept of minimum necessary force. If our political leadership is too craven to defend the images of our by-gone past then it is time to dispense with them and the rabble whose feet they kiss. Gregory Bontrager, Hutchinson (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

advocacy specialist: The survey results, released Thursday, showed that while men had also taken on more domestic work within the home, the largest chunk of that burden had still fallen to women, according to CTV. Newsletter sign-up Get The COVID-19 Brief sent to your inbox COVID-19 has blown open the debate about the value of care work in our lives, Dana Stefov, a women's rights policy and advocacy specialist with Oxfam Canada, said in a press release. More than 1,500 Canadians participated in a wide-ranging survey conducted by Oxfam in May and June that included more than 6,300 men and women from five different countries. It has been so invisible, for so long, that it has taken a global pandemic of epic proportions to draw attention to the value of the caring and household work that women do, and the impact it has on their lives. The survey found that women living in poverty and ethnic and racial minorities suffered the largest economic impact due to increased household burdens during COVID-19. Read more Women disproportionately 'bearing the brunt' of coronavirus crisis, advocates say And the impact that this added labour had was not equal across all women in Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

air pollution: As law professors who have studied the regulation of toxic chemicals in Canada for many years, we urge Parliament to embrace these recommendations as a once-in-a-generation would make the Canadian Environmental Protection Act CEPA more effective in preventing pollution and protecting all Canadians from the risks posed by toxins in the environment, according to National Observer. As it stands, air pollution kills 7,000 Canadians every year, but Canada is the only wealthy industrialized national that lacks enforceable national standards for air quality. But there are enormous implications for the health of Canadians living today, and in the future, contained in the reforms recommended in the majority report released last week by the Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development. Therefore, we strongly support proposals on enforceable national standards for air and water quality, stricter timelines, and better enforcement mechanisms. According to a national pollution inventory, large polluters discharge millions of kilograms of toxic substances into the Canadian environment annually, yet the Toronto Public Library collects more fines for overdue books each year than the federal government collected from polluters over the first 25 years that CEPA was in force. What people are reading Facing spending attacks, federal minister Catherine McKenna doubles down on 'social infrastructure' aims Bloc leader tries to define systemic racism on his ownBDC ready now with 60 million in loans for cash-strapped mid-sized companies Reversing the burden of proof One such proposal is the creation of new enforcement tools and an increased budget to make sure that polluters pay, not the public. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

handout photo: When officers arrived at the scene, the victim was located and rushed to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to CTV. He was identified as Toronto resident Daniel Boima. Toronto police were called to a home in the area of Tower Drive and Lawrence Avenue at around 10 40 p.m. on May 2 after a citizen found a man on the ground suffering from a gunshot wound. Daniel Boima, 23, is shown in this handout photo. Following the execution of search warrants in Scarborough and Oshawa on Friday, police said Joshua Johnson, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Boima has been identified as the victim in a fatal shooting in Scarborough on Saturday night. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

investigation units: The Canadian Press has found that of the 167 members involved in these units, 111 are former officers or have had a working relationship with police, and 118 of them are men, according to CTV. Every province but British Columbia also provided the number of investigators in their units who identify as a visible minority or person of colour. Seven provincial independent investigation units currently look into incidents involving police. There are 20. How can you expect any trust from those cultural minorities and Indigenous Peoples The interaction between the independent bureau and our communities it's practically non-existent. It's very, very biased, says Ghislain Picard, regional chief for the Assembly of First Nations in Quebec and Labrador. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

league: Last week, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell admitted for the first time that the league got it wrong in silencing players who sought to demonstrate against systemic racism, according to Rabble. Some have now called for owners to formally apologize to Kaepernick, but I'd also argue that we in the media owe the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback a sincere mea culpa. His peaceful and silent demonstration set off a firestorm around the country and within NFL boardrooms, where many of the league's 32 owners argued that the kneeling, which was duplicated by players on other teams, needed to stop because fans were angry and sponsors were skittish, jeopardizing the bottom line. Instead of staying focused on the meaning behind his protest, we allowed others to hijack the message and twist it into a discussion about the military, the anthem, patriotism, respect everything but racial inequality or police brutality against people of color. Read more perspectives from black McCormick Their deaths haunt my dreams. As I watched it play out, I couldn't help but think how the false narrative illuminated the need for increased diversity in the newsroom, particularly at the decision-making levels. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

pre-written posts: As is often the case when we're off, there may be some pre-written posts that go live, according to Rabble. And since not every car company is observing the day, if news breaks and one of us is near a keyboard, we'll try to catch it and post. That means we'll be off on Friday, June 19th. I, myself, will spend part of the day learning about a refresh for a particular German sedan under embargo until the 23rd . Our weekend posting schedule will likely remain the same, even with Father's Day being this Sunday. And if your dad has departed, or you don't get along, I understand Father's Day may be fraught for you. So, until we're back full-throttle on Monday, take some time to reflect on the experiences of others, and enjoy Father's Day, however you may celebrate it during a time of social distance. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.