David Berson: I should disclose that I too was caught up in this challenge that was taken on by community groups and various faith groups, according to Vancouver Courier. It seemed like such a Canadian thing to do. These are people who have been moved to lend a hand by the horrendous disaster driving hundreds of thousands of people from their homes in Syria and finding themselves in pitiful conditions in refugee camps. Even before Harper Tories, with their pathetic response to this crisis, were knocked from power, Vancouverites, among others, were organizing themselves to reach out to privately sponsor refugees. According to David Berson, who is part of a group connected to Vancouver Or Shalom synagogue, some 3,000 people hereabouts have raised three quarters of a million dollars and have applied to bring in about 100 refugees. When the Liberals took over and committed to increasing the number of government sponsored refugees, while encouraging Canadians to take part in this humanitarian exercise, many more groups in cities and towns from coast to coast joined in. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Immigration Refugee Board: Both his passport and study-permit application state his date of birth as Nov. 25, 1998, meaning he would be 17 years old, according to Brandon Sun. However, the fiction unravelled after he applied in December for an American visa so he could travel to the States to play basketball with his high school team, government lawyer Kelly Cutting told the April 19 detention review. For the time being, however, Jonathan Nicola will remain behind bars after an immigration official ruled that he cannot be trusted. "I am not a liar person," Nicola recently told an Immigration and Refugee Board hearing via video conference. "I did not come here to harm any people or do something bad." Nicola arrived in Canada on Nov. 23, 2015, and was issued a study permit to attend Catholic Central Secondary School in Windsor, Ont., which had offered him an athletic scholarship, according to board documents. Information from U.S. authorities showed Nicola had applied unsuccessfully for refugee status in 2007 and had given his date of birth as Nov. 1, 1986, which would now make him 29 years old, not 17. After an interview at the Toronto consulate in January, U.S. authorities turned him down on the grounds he had lied about his age and that he was, in fact, trying to immigrate to the U.S. rather than visit. He had also applied for a U.S. student visa in April 2015, where he hoped to go to become a student on a full scholarship and gave his date of birth as 1998, Cutting said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Emanuel: The Apkarians will be the first Syrian refugees in Sutton, Emanuel said, according to Brandon Sun. And while Hay Doun, a Montreal-based Armenian community group, is backing the application, the family is effectively being sponsored by the entire town. "People in the community are by and large very happy and excited we are doing this," Emanuel said. A bank account has been opened on their behalf, a home is being prepared and an organic farmer has already promised them free, fresh fruits and vegetables for one year. "People have been asking me, 'When are they coming ' They are all excited," said Lu Emanuel, the Sutton resident who started the project to have the town sponsor a Syrian refugee family. Emanuel first contacted Rafi Allaouirdian, an Armenian shoemaker from Lebanon who been living in Sutton for several years. "My ex-wife is a Syrian-Armenian," said Allaouirdian. "We know a lot of people who are refugees and living all over the world. And that when the Apkarians came into the picture." The couple and their three children, aged between 15 and 20, are in Lebanon waiting for the Canadian government to give them a medical examination. I said maybe I could find a family to sponsor. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Windsor: He then attended Catholic Central High School in Windsor, Ont., as a 17-year-old student in Grade 11, and played on the basketball team, according to Globe and Mail. This is a catch-all ASF view; only displays when an unsupported article type is put in an ASF drop zone He was arrested by the Canada Border Services Agency on April 15 and is being held at the South West Detention Centre, a maximum-security jail in Windsor. Nicola came to Canada in November from South Sudan on a student visa that indicated he was born Nov. 25, 1998. Nicola had his first detention review hearing last Tuesday and it was determined he was a flight risk. On Monday, the Canada Border Services Agency applied to the Immigration and Refugee Board for an admissibility hearing. Detention reviews occur until the main case is heard. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

hunger strike: Nearly 80 detainees at Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ontario ended a hunger strike over the weekend that was initiated last Thursday April 21, according to Rabble. The strike had been an effort to draw attention to indefinite immigration detention and recent inmate deaths. Chip in to keep stories like these coming. The detainees -- all racialized, undocumented men -- have two main demands: end immigration detention and "end indefinite and maximum security imprisonment, overhaul the judicial review process, and improve prisons conditions." According to the End Immigration Detention Network, the strike concluded after the Canadian Border Services Agency promised to provide updates and answers to these issues in two weeks. The most recent death, which occurred on March 13 2016, was of Francisco Javier Romero Astorga, a 39-year-old Chilean father of four. There have been at least 13 deaths in Canadian immigration detention since 2000 -- most of which have had minimal explanation or understanding. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

political exiles: He said he'd be glad to make it a reality. "Well, now I have to get elected," Trump told the morning show Fox and Friends. "I'll be doing a great service to our country, according to CBC. I have to win . Now, it much more important. The billionaire candidate expressed delight Tuesday when asked about the phenomenon of famous Americans talking about becoming political exiles if he elected. In fact, I'll immediately get off this call and start campaigning right now." He was appearing on the Fox show on the morning of five northeastern primaries, which he expected to dominate, although they won't clinch the Republican nomination for him. .@real Donald Trump: If me winning means Rosie O'Donnell moves to Canada, I'd be doing a great service to our @foxandfriends Trump was asked specifically about actress Lena Dunham. She said she knows a lovely place in Vancouver and could work from there. The star of the show, Girls, said she is serious about leaving. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Nicola: Jonathan Nicola to remain in custody, review board determines'Suspicions' arose over age of Jonathan Nicola, Catholic Central coach says South Sudanese man, 29, allegedly posed as high school student in Windsor, Ont. "I do not know, I really do not know what is my real age, I cannot tell you what my real age is," Nicola said at the hearing, according to transcripts provided to CBC News by the Immigration Refugee Board. "My mom always kept telling us different ages . I do not remember what specific age." Nicola has been detained by the CBSA for allegedly using false information on a passport and student visa application to come to Canada from the South Sudan, according to CBC. He remains in detention after the Immigration and Refugee Board ruled he remains a flight risk at a second detention review hearing Tuesday. According to Jonathan Nicola testimony at an immigration and refugee board hearing on April 19 in Windsor, Ont., his mother never told him his birthday, leading him to believe he 17, and not 29, as the Canada Border Services Agency alleges. That ruling means he will stay in custody until May 24, but he could have an admissibility hearing as early as this week, which would determine whether he can stay in Canada. According to the CBSA, when Nicola entered Canada, his passport and visa application listed his birth date as November 1998. Attended high school Nicola has attended Catholic Central high school in Windsor since November 2015 and was detained by CBSA officials April 15. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Barbara Miller Nix: We all have a role to play: help out, say 'hello,' make them feel at home, she said, according to Metro News. The welcoming centre based in the Chocolate Lake Hotel, where refugees stayed before moving into permanent housing, closed last month. Nabiha Atallah, ISANS spokeswoman, said Monday many newcomers hope to shed the label of refugee, adding now that they’re settled, the community should see them as their new neighbours. Almost 700 government-assisted refugees were placed in their new homes across Halifax Regional Municipality. Barbara Miller Nix, who oversees the YMCA immigrant services, said Monday staff there are now focusing on settling the kids into schools, helping them fit in and engage in after-school activities. Atallah said the association continues to provide support for refugees settling into their new communities, from helping them with shopping to orienting them to Nova Scotia healthcare system. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: He said he’d be glad to make it a reality, according to Toronto Star. Well, now I have to get elected, Trump told the morning show Fox and Friends. The billionaire candidate expressed delight Tuesday when asked about the phenomenon of famous Americans talking about becoming political exiles if he elected. I’ll be doing a great service to our country. In fact, I’ll immediately get off this call and start campaigning right now. I have to . Now, it much more important. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

credit card: Today poulet to-do is part of the brainstorming for a Jamaican spot Zuccarini is hatching, according to Toronto Star. My dad didn’t get a credit card until he was in his 60s, she’d told me just minutes prior as we rendezvoused at the back of her Italian restaurant on Portland St., north of King St. All in day work for Zuccarini, one of Toronto cleverest restaurateurs, and one who started leaning in long before Sheryl Sandberg made it a thing. W., which serves 1,000 people a day and sits across the street from where Chubby — that aforementioned Jamaican spot — will rise. Her dad has one of those classic immigrant stories: he had an evangelical approach to money, always had a plan, was the first to bring an espresso machine to Canada, she tells me, as part of an importing business. As is often the case for women with blistering ambition, a fatherly shadow is never far. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

political exiles: He said he'd be glad to make it a reality. "Well, now I have to get elected," Trump told the morning show Fox and Friends. "I'll be doing a great service to our country, according to CTV. I have to . Now, it much more important. The billionaire candidate expressed delight Tuesday when asked about the phenomenon of famous Americans talking about becoming political exiles if he elected. In fact, I'll immediately get off this call and start campaigning right now." He was appearing on the Fox show on the morning of five northeastern primaries, which he expected to dominate, although they won't clinch the Republican nomination for him. The star of the show, "Girls," said she is serious about leaving. Trump was asked specifically about actress Lena Dunham. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

physical practice: Yoga provides one path to recognize not only our shared humanity, but also the responsibilities we incur as a result of this recognition, according to Huffington Post Canada. We act on this belief in many ways beyond the physical practice of yoga, by mobilizing our students to provide food and presents to needy families over the holidays, by collecting donations for the Snowsuit Fund, and most recently by joining Canadians in the shared mission of offering refuge to Syrians in need of a new home. This quotation from the Yoga Sutras expresses a hope that "beings everywhere will be happy and free", and then directs us to focus our energy towards making this happen: "May the thoughts, words and actions of my own contribute in some way to that happiness, and to that freedom for all." The word yoga means "union," and in our studio we not only encourage students to unite their movements with their breathing but most importantly to find a common base from which to connect with others. We will pave their way to Canadian citizenship with the love and warmth that Canadians can extend. Desperate Syrians flee the destruction of their homes and cities, in fear for their lives; they are forced to seek haven in neighbouring states, often so poor they can do little to support the newcomers. Right now, the humanitarian disaster of our time is transpiring in Syria and the Canadian government has given private citizens the opportunity to leverage their own resources in support of those in need abroad. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Chinese-American: So when Ali Kazimi won, in an online auction, a cache of home movies about the Fungs, a middle-class Chinese-American family based in Chicago, he tracked down surviving family members to piece together a portrait of their lives, according to NOW Magazine. The result is a gorgeous, multi-layered document not just about the extended Fung family, but also about immigration, integration, racism in pre- and postwar America and economic opportunities. Rating­: NNNNNMoving images from the early 20th century showing people of colour in the U.S. and Canada are rare. Historian Henry Yu points out that the normal images we see often contradict those from Hollywood and the press. Their surviving daughter, Irena Lum, brings a forthright personal touch to the film, and Kazimi keeps his own comments to a minimum, resulting in a haunting, essential document that, for all its specificity, comments on the universal human condition. The man behind the home movies is Silas Fung, a commercial artist who was obsessed with Chicago 1933 World Fair; his wife, Edythe, sold insurance to Chinese immigrants, basically funding Silas home movie hobby. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

political exiles: WILKES-BARRE TIMES-LEADER OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT WASHINGTON - Donald Trump has a message for some of the celebrities musing about leaving for Canada if he elected president: Don't let the door hit you on the way out, according to Brandon Sun. The billionaire candidate expressed delight Tuesday when asked about the phenomenon of famous Americans talking about becoming political exiles if he elected. Trump has a message for some of the celebrities musing about leaving for Canada if he elected president: Don't let the door hit you on the way out. He said he'd be glad to make it a reality. "Well, now I have to get elected," Trump told the morning show Fox and Friends. "I'll be doing a great service to our country. In fact, I'll immediately get off this call and start campaigning right now." He was appearing on the Fox show on the morning of five northeastern primaries, which he expected to dominate, although they won't clinch the Republican nomination for him. I have to . Now, it much more important. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: I have to . Now, it much more important, according to National Observer. In fact, I’ll immediately get off this call and start campaigning right now."He was appearing on the Fox show on the morning of five northeastern primaries, which he expected to dominate, although they won’t clinch the Republican nomination for him. He said he’d be glad to make it a reality."Well, now I have to get elected," Trump told the morning show Fox and Friends."I’ll be doing a great service to our country. Trump was asked specifically about actress Lena Dunham. She said she knows a lovely place in Vancouver and could work from there. The star of the show, "Girls," said she is serious about leaving. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Canadian media: New Canadian Media, a news site dedicated to Canadian immigrants, recently released its Ethnic Media & Diversity Style Guide, according to NOW Magazine. Their coordinators did not feel it was necessary to acknowledge the humanity of Black people by capitalizing the B. Capitalize the proper names of nationalities, peoples, races and tribes," the guide reads. "Ex. But according to Canadian media, I’m just an adjective – a descriptor, a colour, 'black’ not ‘Black.’You see, in all of the inches written about Black Lives Matter Toronto and Black people in Canada, from CBC to the Toronto Star to Maclean to NOW Magazine, the 'B' in ‘Black people’ is always in lowercase. Aboriginal peoples, Arab, Caucasian, French-Canadian, Inuit, Jew, Latin, Negro, Asian, Cree. The Canadian Press Style Book, the journalist bible, advises the same: "black ."‘Negro' is a pejorative name for Black people, and not the name that Black people use to identify themselves. Note that black and white do not name races and are therefore lowercase. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Toronto Police Fugitive Squad: According to a source, McGowan immigrated to Canada under the name Delroy Lowe, which was the name he lived under in Canada for years before being tracked down by the Fugitive Squad, according to CTV. Court documents from the U.S. show McGowan was arrested by the Chicago Police Department Postal Interdiction Team in 2001 for felony cannabis trafficking. Delroy McGowan, 43, was arrested by members of the Toronto Police Fugitive Squad the evening of April 21 after returning home from his job at a Vaughan rail yard. He was released on bail and, when he didn't show up for a court appearance, a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. In 2004, he was convicted in absentia of drug offences and sentenced to 12 to 60 years in prison. According to an affidavit sworn by a special agent with the FBI, authorities had reason to believe McGowan had fled to Florida. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

open market: One of the ideas is to create a new open market — or a community café — which would be a weekly mini-market where locals can cook and sell food, clothing and other items within the community, according to Metro News. You can call it an informal business, said Ali, noting the place will serve as a meeting place to liven the neighbourliness. Students from University of Toronto urban planning program have teamed up with area residents and youth to come up with improvement proposals for a community that been identified as a priority Park Women Committee chair Sabina Ali said most of the projects identified through the partnership have a focus on youth engagement, and some of them are already set to start this summer. We believe it will help build self-esteem for our residents, some of whom are new immigrants. The results were concerning, said Kesley Carriere, a student in U of T master of science in planning program. Also, as part of the collaboration, students evaluated the neighbourhood existing network of bike and pedestrian paths, both in the community and the surrounding ravines near the Don River. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

overtime pay: Most don't get minimum wage, nor do they get overtime pay, vacation pay or holiday pay, according to Huffington Post Canada. Many get paid half by cash, half by cheque, and the pay stub doesn't reflect actual hours of work, and there are no statutory deductions. Sweet & Sour: The Struggle of Chinese Restaurant-Workers, released Monday, was prepared by the Metro Toronto Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic. Avvy Go, a lawyer and the director of the clinic, told CBC Metro Morning the clinic has heard the same story from hundreds of workers and has repeatedly tried to raise the issue with the Ontario Ministry of Labour. "They come to us with the same story and same complaints — no overtime pay, no minimum wage," she said. "We are telling the same story over and over again to the ministry, and a lot of times still many workers don't get what they are owed," she said. "We feel like it time for us to document the stories, and validate their experiences and try get the government to pay more attention to this issue." Go said the typical worker is male, older, an immigrant who lacks English-speaking skills and who can work 44 to 60 hours a week. Go said the workers are often afraid of losing their jobs. Among those who lost their jobs, the majority were denied notice or pay in lieu of notice. The report says it found "widespread and persistent violations" of workers' rights as guaranteed under Ontario Employment Standards Act and Occupational Health and Safety Act. "A significant number of workers were paid less than minimum wage, and were routinely denied overtime pay, holiday pay and vacation pay," the report reads. "Many workers reported they were owed wages by employers, often in the range of several thousand dollars. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

federal responsibilities: That when Vancouver group shifted the focus to reinstating a youth cultural program and increasing Indigenous language funding, both federal responsibilities, according to CBC. A spokesperson from INAC confirmed via email that Minister Carolyn Bennett will meet with the group "in the coming weeks" to discuss language funding, and also to discuss a youth culture program disbanded by the Harper government in 2012. "We've heard from the youth about the importance of rebuilding their identity as proud Indigenous people, and we agree that cultural and wellness programming plays a valuable role," states the email. Toronto protesters left that city INAC buidling on Thursday, saying they were directed to leave by youth from Attawapiskat. Protesters who occupied the INAC office in Vancouver for six days say they've secured a meeting with Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett. The fallout from historical injustices in Indigenous communities has created circumstances in which people, like those in Attawapaskat, are now killing themselves. "As mothers, we see the sense of urgency and we did what we had to do to make addressing it a priority," said Webster. Webster said she cautiously optimistic about the gesture. "This new government didn't just shut its ears; it listened, it wants direction and we're here to provide that, but we don't want lip service." Re-establishing culture and language programs fits into a bigger healing picture, Webster said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: We are a country built on immigration, according to Hamilton Spectator. We have a moral obligation to offer shelter and a future. Few aware of the peril this wave of refugees has experienced would deny them a safer home. It not the first such wave of immigration and is unlikely to be the last. While their early days were anything but easy in a new country their determination and perseverance is what has built this diverse nation. It is important to remember Ireland, Ukraine and more recently Vietnam. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

minimum wage: Avvy Go, a lawyer and the director of the clinic, told CBC Metro Morning the clinic has heard the same story from hundreds of workers and has repeatedly tried to raise the issue with the Ontario Ministry of Labour. "They come to us with the same story and same complaints — no overtime pay, no minimum wage," she said. "We are telling the same story over and over again to the ministry, and a lot of times still many workers don't get what they are owed," she said, according to CBC. Avvy Go, a lawyer and the director of the Metro Toronto Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic, says the report is an attempt to document the experiences of Chinese restaurant workers. "This is not an isolated incident," she says. "We feel like it time for us to document the stories, and validate their experiences and try get the government to pay more attention to this issue." Go said the typical worker is male, older, an immigrant who lacks English-speaking skills and who can work 44 to 60 hours a week. Sweet & Sour: The Struggle of Chinese Restaurant-Workers, released Monday, was prepared by the Metro Toronto Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic. Most don't get minimum wage, nor do they get overtime pay, vacation pay or holiday pay. Go said the workers are often afraid of losing their jobs. Many get paid half by cash, half by cheque, and the pay stub doesn't reflect actual hours of work, and there are no statutory deductions. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: He was a soldier in his home country, however, according to Globe and Mail. His application for refugee status now hinges on whether or not he participated in human-rights violations, and, if he did, whether he did so enthusiastically or under duress. This is a catch-all ASF view; only displays when an unsupported article type is put in an ASF drop zone A young Eritrean man named Ayinom has arrived at the airport in Halifax with a fake passport via an incredible journey that took him through Sudan, Libya and Germany. Ayinom – a fascinating figure, for sure – remains off-stage for the entirety of Refuge. Vingoe is more interested in the suspicion of refugees, and guilt over the suspicion of refugees, by those of us born with Canadian citizenship. The two East African characters who do appear in the play are minor. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Swedish Number: Claiming to be the world first country with its own phone number, the Swedish Tourist Association recently launched the Swedish Number, +46-771-793-336, a single phone line that connects international callers to random Swedish volunteers who are ready and willing to talk about anything at all, according to Toronto Star. In the beginning lots of people just called just to see if it worked, said Jenny Engstrom, one of about 30,000 volunteers who have downloaded a mobile app that puts them on calling list for the next two months. Just asks one of the thousands of Swedish telephone ambassadors who’ve signed up to drop everything and sing their country praises at the sound of a phone ringing. A girl from South Korea called me and asked ‘Are you a robot ’ ‘No,’ I said, ‘I’m not a robot, I’m real.’ The phone line is meant to mark the 250th anniversary of Sweden abolishment of censorship and to educate foreigners about the country and its culture. The 46-year-old said over the past two weeks she has spoken with more than 30 people about all sorts of topics, including a tomato farmer from Illinois who gave her advice on growing vegetables and a girl from Holland who asked about the party scene in Stockholm. Engstrom, who works for the tourist association and was celebrating her son confirmation when she picked up the phone, said the phone line has been an amazing success, with more than 100,000 incoming calls from around the world. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

international community: However, too often Canada interests in Yemen are relegated to a single line in the debate about Canada arms deals with Saudi Arabia, according to Globe and Mail. Why is Canada not thinking more broadly about Yemen This is a catch-all ASF view; only displays when an unsupported article type is put in an ASF drop zone In Yemen, Canada can make a significant difference where the international community has failed to act, but the window is closing. This forgotten war has produced arguably the world greatest humanitarian disaster and is on track to become the next major refugee crisis. More people in Yemen need urgent humanitarian aid than in any other place in the world, including Syria. Thousands have been killed in the fighting, and millions are on the verge of famine. More than 21 million Yemenis are at risk – the population of Ontario and Quebec combined. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

legitimate purpose: Such companies often have a legitimate purpose, but they can also be used as vehicles for, among other things, evading or avoiding taxes that a person would otherwise have to pay, according to NOW Magazine. David Piccolo, a tax lawyer and partner with Tax Chambers LLP, was kind enough to sit down for an interview to provide his thoughts on this matter:What are your thoughts on the leak Panama has notoriety in the tax world as being a place that protects privacy more than other jurisdictions. The leak revealed that the firm had spent decades helping wealthy people from around the world set up offshore shell companies. Once, it was thought that the Cayman Islands, Switzerland and other quote-unquote havens were thought of as jurisdictions that valued privacy. Panama has tried to maintain its secrecy, so there is a little bit of notoriety attached to Panama, because unscrupulous people know that the Panamanians will protect their secrecy. These jurisdictions have given up some of that privacy in recent years to get in line with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development crackdown on tax havens. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.