Syrian refugee crisis: Today, the Syrian refugee crisis is the worst the world has faced in decades. One million refugees are now in Lebanon alone, a country that is only twice the size of Prince Edward Island. It is as if half a million refugees descended on Charlottetown, according to The Star. The most dramatic example of Canadas past refugee activism is Hungary where, following invasion by the Soviet Union in 1956, some 200,000 Hungarians fled the country. The Canadian governments initial reaction was timid. Hungarian refugees would be given precedence over others, but with no change in the system, delays would be long and refugees few in number and At times, Canadian governments have acted decisively in the face of refugee crises. Take the 37,000 Hungarian refugees in 1956-57, 7,000 Ugandan Asians in 1972-73, more than 60,000 Vietnamese boat people in 1979-80, and 20,000 Soviet Jews between 1970 and 1990. While the governments response to this crisis has so far been modest , it is not too late for Canada to seize the bull by the horns and make a real difference consistent with our history as a place of refuge for the oppressed. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Honourable Mike Harris: news.ca is carrying the event live . Jim Flaherty funeral: Stephen Harper to deliver tribute Jim Flaherty remembered at state funeral in Toronto , according to CBC and A state funeral for former finance minster Jim Flaherty, who died last Thursday of a heart attack at age 64, is being held at Toronto's St. James Cathedral Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET. Here is a list of dignitaries and invited guests to the funeral, according to Heritage Canada: Mr. David Alward The Honourable John Baird The Honourable Candice Bergen The Honourable Maxime Bernier The Honourable Steven Blaney The Honourable Scott Brison Mr. Mark Carney The Honourable Michael Chan The Honourable Bob Chiarelli The Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson The Honourable Tony Clement The Honourable Michael Coteau The Honourable William G. Davis The Honourable Stockwell Day The Honourable Michael DeJong Mr. Paul Desmarais Jr. His Honour the Honourable Pierre Duchesne The Honourable Brad Duguid The Honourable Ernie Eves Mr. Mike Ewles The Honourable Julian Fantino The Honourable Ed Fast The Honourable Kerry-Lynne Findlay The Honourable Steven Fletcher The Honourable Kevin Flynn Ms. Diane Ford Mr. Doug Ford His Worship Rob Ford His Worship Adrian Foster The Honourable Shelly Glover The Honourable Gary Goodyear The Honourable Bal Gosal Mr. Edward Evelyn The Right Honourable Stephen Harper The Honourable Mike Harris His Worship John Henry U.S. Ambassador to Canada Bruce Heyman Mr. Blaine Higgs Mr. Tim Hudack The Honourable Ed Holder Michael Horgan Mr. Doug Horner Ms. Andrea Horvath The Honourable Jennifer Howard Mr. Duncan N. R. Jackman The Honourable Hal Jackman Mr. Don Johnson His Excellency the Right Honourable David Lloyd Johnston The Honourable Jason Kenney The Honourable Peter Kent The Honourable Ken Krawetz The Honourable Kellie Leitch The Honourable Gary Lunn Ms. Maureen MacDonald The Honourable Peter MacKay The Honourable Tom Marshall Chief Justice Beverly McLaughlin Mr. Bob McLeod The Honourable Madeleine Meilleur Mr. J. Michael Miltenberger Mr. Jack Mintz The Honourable James Moore The Honourable Rob Moore The Honourable Thomas Mulcair The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney Mr. Peter Munk The Honourable Robert Nicholson The Honourable Deepak Obhrai The Honourable Bev Oda The Honourable Diane Ablonczy Chief Shawn Atleo The Honourable Christopher Alexander The Honourable David Alward The Honourable Joe Oliver His Honour the Honourable David Onley The Honourable David R. Peterson Mr. Stephen Poloz The Honourable Jim Prentice The Honourable Lisa Raitt Mr. Paul Rochon The Honourable Andrew Sheer Mr. Wesley J. Sheridan The Honourable Charles Sousa Mr. Don Stewart The Honourable Chuck Strahl Mr. Justin Trudeau The Right Honourable John Turner The Honourable Bernard Valcourt The Honourable Peter Van Loan Mr. Robert Wildeboer The Honourable Michael Wilson Mr. Wayne Wouters The Honourable Kathleen Wynne The Honourable Lynne Yelich (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Mohamed Fahmy: If he obliges, he would make Canada the only democratic nation to go along, according to The Star. In return, Egyptian ruler Field Marshall Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi may release Canadian citizen Mohamed Fahmy, the Al-Jazeera journalist detained in Cairo along with two colleagues since December on multiple charges, including terrorism and Egypts military government the one that seized power in a coup last July and has created a police state since has been lobbying potentially friendly governments to give it a pass on its wretched human rights record and help it crush its only real opposition, the Muslim Brotherhood, by designating it a terrorist group. Prime Minister Stephen Harper is among those the military junta is pinning its hopes on. In February, Saudi Arabia followed Egypt in slapping the Brotherhood with the terrorist label. The only other state to have ever done so was Russia, back in 2006, when Vladimir Putin did it as a favour to another military strongman, then-president Hosni Mubarak. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Saad Khalid: The teen who came to Canada with his family from Pakistan in the mid-1990s played on the high school cricket team and took part in the school's multicultural society before heading off to university. See the interactive, according to CBC. Somewhere along the way, though, things changed for Khalid, who now sits in an eastern Ontario maximum-security prison, serving a 20-year sentence for his part in the so-called Toronto 18 plot to bomb high-profile targets in the city's downtown. Saad Khalid had what he calls a typical middle-class immigrant upbringing in the suburbs west of Toronto. Interactive Homegrown terrorist (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Philippe Couillards Liberals: This is the opinion of Jean-Marc Leger, head of Leger Marketing, and this is also the fear of many Parti Quebecois activists. After his partys crushing defeat at the hands of Philippe Couillards Liberals, former transport minister Sylvain Gaudreault said his worry is that the Liberal Party will keep being elected and re-elected, like the Conservative Party in Alberta. More Related to this Story, according to Globe and Mail. KEN Now, Quebec must decide what to stand up for Has the Liberal Party become the natural governing party of Quebec? Stop cheering Quebecs sovereignty movement is far from finished (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

evangelical Christian school: Prairie Christian Academy, an evangelical Christian school in Three Hills northeast of Calgary, had stated on its website that teachers are required to "abstain from homosexual relations" and sexual relations outside the bonds of marriage. , according to Huffington Post. Opposition parties lined up to condemn the school's anti-gay policy in the Alberta Legislature today including Wildrose leader Danielle Smith. Alberta's education minister faced questions today about why tax dollars are going to a school with anti-gay policies. Not only is the school funded by the province, but it is also slated for $7 million in renovations. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Correctional Service Canada: A joint investigation by The Canadian Press and CBC has learned that in August 2013, of 591 female federal inmates in five correctional institutions, 370 were being prescribed at least one psychotropic medication, drugs that impact mood and behaviour, according to Huffington Post. That is a significant increase from 2001, when the prescription rate was 42 per cent, according to a study by Correctional Service Canada that raised concerns about what it called "overprescribing and multiple prescribing of psychotropics" in some prisons and Canada's prison watchdog has launched an investigation into the prescribing practices in federal prisons, after it was revealed that more than 60 per cent of female inmates across the country are receiving psychiatric medication. When separated by region, the prescription rate jumps to almost 75 per cent in prisons such as the Nova Institution for Women in Nova Scotia, the Joliette Institution for Women in Quebec and the Fraser Valley Institution for Women in British Columbia. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

OaS Contractors Inc.: The International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 115, and the Ironworkers, Local 97, want the court to immediately revoke any temporary foreign worker permits issued to OaS Contractors Inc., of Springfield, Ore, according to CTV. Local 115 business manager Brian Cochrane says that's when the union learned OaS had instead hired a crew of up to 10 workers from the U.S., and they were already employed at the construction job and - Two unions are taking the latest battle over temporary foreign workers to Federal Court in Vancouver, but they hope two government ministers will step in to speed things up. According to the unions, OaS was working for Conifex Power Ltd., near Mackenzie, B.C., and had already made arrangements to hire a specialized Canadian worker who was told the project was delayed due to weather. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Canadian Federation of Independent Business: The reason they hire foreign temporary workers when 1.3 million Canadians are unemployed, they insist, is that they have a better work ethic than domestic job applicants. If we re not prepared to do these jobs and we dont want our kids to do them either yet we still want to go to the mall and find a clean bathroom and we still want someone to clean our hotel rooms why are we so afraid to allow people to come to Canada to happily do these jobs? asked Dan Kelly , head of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business according to The Star. Its time to have an adult conversation about the world of work, the president of the lobby group representing 109,000 small businesses declared last week. His comments came after the owner of three McDonalds franchises in Victoria was caught bringing in Filipino workers while cutting the hours of domestic staff and turning away Canadian job seekers. Kenney immediately launched a federal investigation, warning the franchise owner and any other employer who bypasses qualified Canadians that Ottawa would impose criminal sanctions. We will not tolerate it, the minister vowed. They will be put on the blacklist and as soon as monetary fines are in place, we will be throwing the book at them and Tired of being demonized by the media, denounced in Parliament and disciplined by Employment Minister Jason Kenney , Canadas small business owners are starting to push back. They re going to show up to work on time. They re going to work a full week without disappearing. They re not going to take off because they have to take their dog to the vet, he told CBC News. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

David Emerson: Paul Hong, 34, a lawyer and former policy advisor in the offices of John Baird, Lawrence Cannon, David Emerson and Jason Kenney, will challenge MP Dave Tilson for the nomination in Dufferin-Caledon, has learned, according to The Star. He said it is important for political parties to renew internally, adding, I believe theres a logical time to renew our elected officials and for our riding I believe that time is now and Another incumbent Ontario MP will face a challenge from a newcomer for the right to be the federal Conservative candidate in the 2015 election. Hong, a Korean-Canadian who has worked on Tilsons past federal campaigns, says he hopes to become the first MP of Korean descent in the Commons and intends to run a positive campaign. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Chief Justice Glenn Joyal: Chief Justice Glenn Joyal with the Court of Queen's Bench said lawyers are welcome to argue against having a TV camera in those courtrooms, but the assumption is that they are allowed. This marks a huge shift in Manitoba where hand-held cameras have never been allowed past security, according to Times Colonist. While cameras have been allowed in Appeal Court and in certain cases in other provinces, this is thought to be the first time a province has designated courtrooms where proceedings can be broadcast automatically. All matters before the Manitoba Court of Appeal can also be broadcast unless a strong case is made against it and Manitoba's top judges are designating courtrooms where video cameras will be allowed to record a move they say is unique in Canada. "We're terribly excited by this," Joyal said Tuesday. "This is the first meaningful, collective initiative by all three levels of court ... which stipulates that there is a presumption in favour of broadcasting that one court." (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Federal Court: Copyright, according to Times Colonist and Two unions are taking the latest battle over temporary foreign workers to Federal Court in Vancouver, but they hope two government ministers will step in to speed things up. The International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 115, and the Ironworkers, Local 97, want the court to immediately revoke any temporary foreign worker permits issued to OaS Contractors Inc., of Springfield, Ore. According to the unions, OaS was working for Conifex Power Ltd., near Mackenzie and had already made arrangements to hire a specialized Canadian worker who was told the project was delayed due to weather. Local 115 business manager Brian Cochrane says that's when the union learned OaS had instead hired a crew of up to 10 workers from the U.S., and they were already employed at the construction job. Cochrane says B.C. and Canada don't need another problem with the temporary foreign worker program and he's urging Employment Minister Jason Kenney and Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander to intervene. He says the union's lawyer will press ahead in Federal Court if the ministers don't take action. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Halifax: Halifax's Park West has 800 students from p rimary to Grade 9 and overcrowding concerns have prompted the school board to start a boundary review. , according to CBC. But Janet Lee, part of the Park West school council, said school board members won't meet with parents. A boundary review that could see junior high students moved from a P-9 school in Halifax is causing controversy. The committee doing the review says it's considering moving the older students to Clayton Park Junior High. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Jamaican Canadian Association: I ve been cooking for 30 years, he says as he chops okra to complete the dish. And I love food, according to The Star. Richards just received a Harry Jerome Award . The Black Business and Professionals Association honoured him for his work as a chef and caterer in the business category. The prestigious national awards are given annually by Canadas black community for achievement in 16 categories and The flavours of spicy jerk chicken waft through the kitchen at the Jamaican Canadian Association as chef Selwyn Richards prepares a Caribbean meal from his first cookbook, The Art of Cooking: Soul of the Caribbean . And its that love of food the 53-year-old Jamaican-Canadian wants to share with the world. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

religious affiliation: Couillard in a secular charter mess of his own, April 10, according to The Star. When we move out, we should look and behave alike as Canadians. We should not declare our religious affiliation through our dress, appearance or behaviour and should not demand special treatment on the basis of our religion and Re: Couillard in a secular charter mess of his own, April 10 I have recently been admitted into Canada as an immigrant. I believe that religion is a matter between the individual and his God it is personal. Its tradition and customs have to be restricted to the four walls of the house. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Lev Tahor: The Superior Court judge ruled that 13 children who are part of a group known as Lev Tahor do not have to be sent back to Quebec, where much of the community fled late last year amid a child protection case. More Related to this Story, according to Globe and Mail. Judge scolds Lev Tahor members over childrens well-being An Ontario judge has grave concerns about the welfare of children in an ultra-orthodox Jewish sect, she wrote Monday even as she allowed an appeal from their parents. Lawyer sees ulterior motive in Lev Tahor arrests (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Narendra Modi: Narendra Modi will likely become Indias next prime minister. His victory in this months general election raises hopes for Indias sagging economic fortunes. But it also raises serious questions about Indias bilateral relations with Canada. More Related to this Story, according to Globe and Mail. Reviving investment is key, says man tipped to be Indiaas finance minister Anita Singh is a research fellow with the Centre for Foreign Policy Studies at Dalhousie University. Alex Wilner, a senior fellow at the Macdonald Laurier Institute, lectures at the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto. India rising: Mr. Fix-it and the desire for economic strength (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Ann Cavoukian: Ann Cavoukian said Monday that some Ontario police services routinely uploaded attempted suicide calls to the Canadian Police Information Centre to which U.S. border guards and the FBI have access. , according to CBC. Ellen Richardson was turned away at Toronto's Pearson airport by U.S. customs agents because she was hospitalized in June 2012 for clinical depression. Ontarios privacy commissioner has discovered that the mental-health information of some Canadians is accessible to the FBI and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. Cavoukian began investigating how U.S. law enforcement had access to such personal information after last fall's news that some Canadian travellers with a history of mental-health issues had been denied entry into the U.S. Canadian woman refused U.S. entry because of depression Canadians with mental illnesses denied U.S. entry (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

The Senate: The Senate, its reputation tainted by the recent expense spending scandal, is helping to redeem its image by taking on the government over the so-called Fair Elections Act, according to The Chronicle Herald. The Senate move does not compel the Commons to alter the bill, but if Parliament fails to respond, the upper chamber could amend Bill C-23 itself and Even though two-thirds of senators studying the law are Conservative and would normally support any government bill, their report, to be made public this week, unanimously sends the controversial bill back to Parliament for revision. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

McDonalds: Barrie McKenna Has Canadaas foreign labour program outgrown its usefulness?, according to Globe and Mail. An employer that wants to hire foreign workers has to apply to the federal government for a labour market opinion, which is based partly on information from the employer. Allegations about McDonalds franchisees in Victoria and Lethbridge, Alta., together with anecdotal evidence from other parts of Canada, suggest that some companies may actually prefer foreign workers because they believe them to be more willing to work longer and harder at tasks that attract little prestige, more deferential, and willing to work for less though in some of the McDonalds, they are actually paid slightly more than some of their Canadian co-workers and The evidence is mounting that, whatever the Temporary Foreign Worker Program may be accomplishing, it is not the alleviation of temporary labour shortages, its ostensible purpose. There are no widespread labour shortages in Canada. But since the 21st century began, the number of workers in the program has nearly tripled to around half a million. More Related to this Story Related Tories to introduce fines for employers abusing foreign-worker program Dozens of foreign domestic workers rally in Hong Kong to demand more workers' rights. Julie Noce reports. Reuters Watch Video: Protesters rally for foreign domestic workersa rights (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

criminal justice system: Embedded injustice, according to The Chronicle Herald. But as a province, lets not pat ourselves on the back just yet for justice served. This province has a very long way to go as Gerry Barton now has to fight after 44 years to win his victory over the crime committed by the criminal justice system 25 years after the royal commission on the Marshall prosecution and Garnetta Cromwell Oakleys bravery in taking on Leons Furniture to win her right to dignity and justice deserves celebration. No doubt. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Jews in Canada: As the community remembers this past, we should also think about the present. The Jewish community is well placed in Canada, but this wasnt always the case. Not too long ago, Jews in Canada had no political clout and were subjected to a none is too many exclusion policy. The community faced discrimination and was at times even demonized, according to The Star. Todays Jewish community understandably supports any government that stands behind Israel. Sadly it seems to have done so while suspending its historical connection to issues of social justice and The Jewish holiday of Passover is upon us. Traditionally it is a time when the Jewish community commemorates the exodus of our Israelite ancestors from slavery in Egypt into freedom. Jews wandered the desert for 40 years before reaching the land of Canaan. Why? Because Jews had strayed from essential values. Wandering for 40 years would bring forth a new generation. Has this vulnerable past been forgotten? Have we lost empathy for others who continue to face discrimination and require support? A core Jewish value, the directive to leave the world a better place Tikun olam seems today a faraway concept. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Juan Jose Ariza: Two years ago, Ariza left the house along with his wife and young son, to work on a farm in Ontario, vaccinating chickens. , according to CBC. The other survivors The house that Juan Jose Ariza started to build eight years ago is still not finished. There is a pile of rocks where the front steps should be, and the bedrooms arent all done yet. He went because his wife was ill and had to quit her job, his father-in-law was sick with cancer and Arizas earnings as a hotel employee were not enough to support them. Ariza knew it would be difficult to work in a foreign land, but he felt he had to go. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

foreign workers: Three McDonalds restaurants in Victoria employ temporary foreign workers and one has been the focus of a complaint that it hired foreign workers over local youth. , according to Times Colonist. She doesnt want her real name used for fear of retribution, so we are calling her Mary. A Kuwaiti woman is one of the 26 temporary foreign workers in Victoria who have been caught in a controversy over fair hiring practices. The 36-year-old woman, mother of 12- and 16-year-old children, came to Canada three years ago hoping to get a job and a home in order to give her family a better life with greater opportunties. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi: Rep. Steve Israel's comments are in line with those from House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi earlier this week, in which she blamed racial issues for Republicans' failure to act on comprehensive immigration legislation. Asked about Pelosi's comments, New York's Israel said he agreed with her assessment, according to Times Colonist. Frustration is mounting among the House's Democratic minority and immigration activists about Republicans' refusal to act on a far-reaching immigration bill passed by the Senate last year with bipartisan support. The Senate bill would provide a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the country illegally and tighten border security and An overhaul to the broken U.S. immigration system remains stalled because "the Republican base does have elements that are animated by racism," the head of the committee to elect Democratic lawmakers to the House said Sunday. "To a significant extent, the Republican base does have elements that are animated by racism. And that's unfortunate," said Israel, who heads the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Alex Salmond: Closing the Scottish National Partys SNP last conference before the ballot on Sept. 18, Salmond said a vote for independence was not a vote for his party or for him, but a way to put Scotlands future in its own hands. More Related to this Story, according to Globe and Mail. U.K. warns it may not buy electricity from an independent Scotland First Minister Alex Salmond on Saturday urged Scots to look beyond party politics and break the 307-year union with England when they vote in an independence referendum in September. Whisky makers fear loss of global network under Scottish independence (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.