Senate committee: The question of why came up Wednesday at a Senate committee studying the refugee resettlement program and McCallum initially pinpointed two reasons: the fact refugees do not have high levels of income upon arrival and something else. "There may be a cultural element,'' he said. "You have to remember the refugees are coming from an entirely different world, according to Huffington Post Canada. Immigration Minister John McCallum speaks during a news conference in Ottawa on Nov. 24, 2015. "Our world is very different than their world. Food banks from Halifax to B.C. have reported serving hundreds of Syrians who have come to Canada since November, the month the Liberal government launched a major resettlement program to bring 25,000 people by the end of February and thousands more by the end of this year. Sometimes they have been living in refugee camps; maybe it the norm to be offered meals. About 15,000 are government-assisted, meaning they receive a year of income support from the federal government linked to the size of the family and provincial social assistance rates. I'm not overly concerned about this.'' But later Wednesday McCallum met with reporters outside the House of Commons to take back those remarks. "I regret having made that comment.'' "The remark I made about food banks I think was insensitive so I regret having made that comment,'' he said. 27,000 refugees from Syria have arrived To date, about 27,000 Syrian refugees have arrived in Canada, spread among nearly 300 communities. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: Brown by the arm to take him back to his seat, according to Globe and Mail. In the process, Mr. Trudeau pushed through a crowd of MPs and grabbed Mr. Trudeau elbowed a New Democrat in the chest. And to think, earlier in the day we joked about how polite Canadian politics was. > Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion is headed to Saudi Arabia, where he says he will raise concerns with the country human rights. It wasn't the Shawinigan handshake, but that didn't stopnumerouscommentators from declaring it the end of sunny ways in Ottawa. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Komagatu Maru: The ship and its passengers were eventually forced back out to sea, according to Toronto Star. Sukhi Ghuman great-grandfather, Harnam Singh Sohi, was a passenger aboard the Komagatu Maru that was turned away from Vancouver harbour by Canadian authorities in 1914. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has apologized for Canada refusal to allow 376 passengers - most of them Sikhs - aboard the vessel to disembark. By Bruce Campion-Smith Ottawa Bureau Wed., May 18, 2016 OTTAWA—Harnam Singh Sohi set out for Canada with dreams of starting a new life but was denied the chance to ever set foot in his new homeland. In what remains a dark stain on Canada immigration record, the boatload of mostly Sikh travellers was instead sent back to India after officials used a discriminatory law to deny them entry. Instead, Sohi was among the more than 300 other passengers onboard the ship Komagata Maru who were turned away by Canadian authorities after their arrival in Vancouver in 1914. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: He thought she'd just taken them to school and so waited until the end of the day, according to Metro News. But when they didn't return, he went to the police, where he was promptly arrested: his wife had accused him of abuse. He told refugee settlement workers he'd come home to find his wife and two children missing. Centre staff say they don't know what happened to her. But on average, at least one Syrian woman a week is disclosing to them they are a victim of domestic violence. "This is not something that is prevalent within this particular group, it is prevalent within all refugee and newcomer populations," Huda Bukhari, the centre executive director, said Wednesday in an interview. "But because this particular group has come in all at once, then we see a lot more."Close to $1 billion in federal funds has been set aside for the Syrian refugee program, although a breakdown of how it being spent hasn't been released. Rumour has it she fled to Vancouver. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: Your commute will be long and interrupted living outside the city and if you need daycare, senior care or if you even care then your time here in Toronto is going to be difficult, according to Toronto Star. Our dollar is so low, which makes all that sweet real estate such a bargain for those not living in our country. For recent immigrants, those working in the health and service or the arts industries for minimum wage, rent is painful enough, never mind trying to own something. There are no rules in place to protect the working poor still living here. Article Continued Below Those that can are laughing and loving it as their sweet dollar signs grow and grow. We are being pushed out of a city we love. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Sean Kilpatrick: The RCMP fears more eyes looking over its shoulder could compromise criminal investigations, while the electronic spies at the Communications Security Establishment warn against creating a super-watchdog with its associated "burden and costs," say notes obtained under the Access to Information Act, according to Brandon Sun. The Trudeau government plans to usher in a national security committee of parliamentarians, whose members would have access to classified records. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA - As the Liberals prepare to bolster a review of national spy services, two federal security agencies have flagged serious headaches that might come with more scrutiny, internal documents show. It is also studying gaps in the current web of watchdogs that monitor intelligence services to ensure a comprehensive system is in place. It means the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission, which oversees the RCMP national security activities, might be barred from exchanging notes on an alleged scandal with the watchdog that keeps an eye on the Communications Security Establishment. Existing review bodies cannot look at issues beyond their specific agency of focus, and have "limited authority" to collaborate with one another, say briefing notes prepared for Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

literacy test scores: Her comment seems a little tone-deaf to the concerns of parents who see the irony of our children sub-par achievements, even as we are embedded in the promised land of Ontario innovation and technology sector, according to The Waterloo Record. Of course test scores are not a race. Earlier this week, Sandals said that she wasn't troubled by weak math and literacy test scores in local schools, nor that our high school graduation rates are in the bottom third of all municipalities in the province. "It not a race," she said. But that doesn't mean you dismiss problems that they reveal. Those in charge of boards that aren't doing well compared with the rest of the province should be doing everything in their power to figure out how to do better for our children. Board-by-board comparisons are there for a reason. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: He thought she'd just taken them to school and so waited until the end of the day, according to The Waterloo Record. But when they didn't return, he went to the police, where he was promptly arrested: his wife had accused him of abuse. He told refugee settlement workers he'd come home to find his wife and two children missing. Centre staff say they don't know what happened to her. But on average, at least one Syrian woman a week is disclosing to them they are a victim of domestic violence. "This is not something that is prevalent within this particular group, it is prevalent within all refugee and newcomer populations," Huda Bukhari, the centre executive director, said Wednesday in an interview. "But because this particular group has come in all at once, then we see a lot more." Close to $1 billion in federal funds has been set aside for the Syrian refugee program, although a breakdown of how it being spent hasn't been released. Rumour has it she fled to Vancouver. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Africa: Another Rwanda looms in Africa, this time in the tiny Central African nation of Burundi, and the world is standing by determined to do nothing to prevent it, according to Rabble. This calamitous possibility, which I wrote about in January, looms closer, according to many observers, yet intervention by African leaders or the United Nations Security Council is no closer. Chip in to keep stories like these coming. In 2002, when the African Union was created as a forum for continental decision-making, its aspiration was a "new Africa" characterized by "African solutions for African problems." The AU Charter boldly gave the organization the right to intervene in a fellow nation state "in respect of grave circumstances, namely: war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity." In the previous tragic decades, tyrants and madmen had inflicted all of these atrocities on their fellow Africans with impunity while the rest of Africa leadership remained passive bystanders. Currently, many anticipate an imminent bloodbath in Burundi, Rwanda southern neighbour, but there will be no AU intervention. AU military missions have intervened in various conflicts, in Darfur, South Sudan, Somalia and Mali, among others. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Charlottetown airport: Jean School," said Basel Al Rashdan, a grade five student who arrived in Charlottetown from Syria just four months ago, according to CBC. Al Rashdan project, entitled My Journey, shows maps of Syria and photos of he and his family being welcomed by provincial politicians as they arrived at the Charlottetown airport. P.E.I. Syrian refugees settling into new lives Refugees from Syria find life on P.E.I. 'perfect' The event, being held this Thursday at the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown, features history projects from students in grades five to nine who explore the history of their families, communities, province or country. "I found good people, and I found this school, St. There even a snapshot of Al Rashdan with a smiling Premier Wade Mac Lauchlan. "This is great place. Jean School currently has 19 Syrian refugee students, two of whom are participating in the provincial heritage fair. I feel I am so happy for that because we are all right here, and we are good," Al Rashdan told CBC News reporter Lindsay Carroll. "When my country be safe, I will go back." St. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

continuous journey: They were hoping to challenge the immigration laws at the time which refused entry to any Indians who had not arrived in Canada via a continuous journey from the home country — nearly impossible at the time, according to Huffington Post Canada. Except for 20 passengers who had previously lived in Canada, Canadian officials refused to allow the Indians in, even though they were British subjects just like every other Canadian of the time. The chartered vessel was carrying 376 Indian passengers, nearly all of them Sikhs, bound for what they thought would be a new life in Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. For that, and for every regrettable consequence that followed, we are sorry.'' Trudeau formal apology is the second from a Canadian prime minister. The vessel returned to India, where 19 of the passengers were killed in a skirmish with British authorities and dozens of others were imprisoned or forced into hiding. "Canada cannot solely be blamed for every tragic mistake that occurred with the Komagata Maru and its passengers,'' a Trudeau told the House, which was packed with MPs and onlookers, many of whom had travelled from across the country. "But Canada government was, without question, responsible for the laws that prevented these passengers from immigrating peacefully and securely. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Joseph: When the CBSA met Joseph, the officer decided he might not show up for his refugee appointments, so they transferred him to a detention centre for migrants, according to Toronto Star. That would have been frightening enough for Joseph, but after an assessment by a CBSA-contracted doctor — using a security guard as a language interpreter — Joseph found himself transferred to a maximum-security prison. By Rachel Kronick, and Michaela Beder Wed., May 18, 2016 He entered the wrong entrance at the subway and the next thing he knew, TTC security was calling the Canada Border Services Agency . Joseph had fled his own country and come to Canada as a refugee claimant. Why did Joseph, a refugee claimant seeking safety in Canada, get sent to jail Because the doctor had understood that he was thinking of suicide. As physicians we believe no one should be transferred to jail for being sick and we are joining more than 140 health-care providers in calling for an immediate end to the transfer of immigration detainees to jails in Ontario. Joseph had not been charged with any crime, but was incarcerated because he was deemed to be suicidal. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Christin Milloy: Currently, someone who wants to make such a change has to provide a birth certificate or immigration document showing they have changed their sex designation from birth, according to Huffington Post Canada. Christin Milloy argues that Employment and Social Development Canada doesn't need to collect sex designation information. Employment and Social Development Canada says, among other things, social insurance number holders wouldn't need a new birth certificate to change the sex designation on their social insurance record. Since 2015, the department has allowed people to make the change in cases where a revised birth certificate isn't available. Milloy has argued the department doesn't need to collect the information at all. That happened just as the department headed to mediation at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal after failing to easily allow Christin Milloy to change the designation on her record to female. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

House of Commons: With a turban proudly on his head and a chest full of medals for his Canadian community service, he rose to his feet in the public gallery of the House of Commons and shouted the phrase for all to hear, according to The Chronicle Herald. And the hundreds of Indo-Canadians in attendance Wednesday for the historic moment roared back their thanks in union. So as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau concluded his formal apology Wednesday for the Komagata Maru incident of 1914, Amarjeet Singh Sohi, who had travelled from outside Toronto to watch the event, could not restrain himself. Text of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apology for the Komagata Maru incident This is a country for people who bring prosperity to be part of the mainstream, work together, play together, pray together, Sohi said afterwards. In 1914, the Canadian government turned away most of the passengers of the Japanese steamship Komagata Maru, nearly all Sikhs, who'd hoped to start a new life in Canada. It wasn't always that way. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration laws: The passengers were seeking to challenge existing immigration laws which refused entry to any Indians who had not arrived in Canada via a continuous journey from the home country — a nearly impossible feat at the time, according to Metro News. June 1914: Twenty passengers who had previously resided in Canada are allowed in, but the rest are required to stay on the ship. Here is a timeline of some events leading up to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apology Wednesday:May 1914: The Japanese steam ship Komagata Maru anchors just outside Vancouver, B.C., with 376 passengers on board — all Indians who were at the time also British subjects. July 1914: After court hearings and clashes with authorities, the ship is finally escorted out of Canadian waters and sets sail for Calcutta, India. Others are arrested or go into hiding.2002: Alliance MP Gurmant Grewal presents a petition in the House of Commons calling on the Liberal government of the day to issue an apology.2006: Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he'll consult with Indo-Canadians to determine how to recognize the "sad moment" in Canadian history.2007: NDP put forward a motion calling on the government to apologize but it voted down by the Conservatives. September 1914: Police in India attempt to force the passengers onto trains for Punjab; a riot ensues and 19 people are killed. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: On board were 376 passengers, most of whom were Sikh migrants from what was then British India, according to Hamilton Spectator. The ship was not allowed to dock. In mid-May 1914, the Komagata Maru, a Japanese steamship, arrived in Vancouver after leaving Hong Kong in early April. A 1908 Canadian law at the time forbade arrivals in the country who did not make a "continuous journey" from their nation of birth or citizenship. In a challenge to the rules, the Komagata Maru, chartered by a Sikh businessman with ties to an influential Sikh political party in the Americas, steamed across the Pacific. In an era when hundreds of thousands of white European immigrants were settling in Canada, the law was seen as a measure to stymie Indian arrivals because it was practically impossible to travel directly from the Indian mainland to North America. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

House of Commons: With a turban proudly on his head and a chest full of medals for his Canadian community service, he rose to his feet in the public gallery of the House of Commons and shouted the phrase for all to hear, according to Hamilton Spectator. And the hundreds of Indo-Canadians in attendance Wednesday for the historic moment roared back their thanks in union. "This is a country for people who bring prosperity to be part of the mainstream, work together, play together, pray together," Sohi said afterwards. Related Stories Justin Trudeau apologizes for... Text of Trudeau Komagata Maru... Komagata Maru: a chronology of... Komagata Maru resonates across... Prof hopes Komagata Maru apology... So as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau concluded his formal apology Wednesday for the Komagata Maru incident of 1914, Amarjeet Singh Sohi, who had travelled from outside Toronto to watch the event, could not restrain himself. It wasn't always that way. The 376 passengers arrived off the coast of B.C. hoping to challenge the immigration laws at the time which refused entry to any Indians who had not arrived in Canada via a continuous journey from the home country — nearly impossible at the time. In 1914, the Canadian government turned away most of the passengers of the Japanese steamship Komagata Maru, nearly all Sikhs, who'd hoped to start a new life in Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Canada racist behaviour: At long last, a formal apology is being delivered in the House of Commons for Canada racist behaviour in its shameful treatment of Sikh passengers aboard the Komagata Maru who had the effrontery to seek immigration to the West Coast more than a hundred years ago, according to Rabble. Not only were they denied entry, they were subjected to two months of exceptionally inhumane treatment by unflinching immigration officers. Chip in to keep stories like these coming. While many now know the basics of the ill-fated voyage, the story has many elements that are less well known. Just days before the outbreak of the First World War, the most direct challenge to Canada racist, anti-Asian immigration policies was about to come to a potentially bloody end in the waters of Burrard Inlet. I'm indebted to Hugh Johnston and his definitive book, The Voyage of the Komagata Maru. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Canadian community service: With a turban proudly on his head and a chest full of medals for his Canadian community service, he rose to his feet in the public gallery of the House of Commons and shouted the phrase for all to hear, according to The Waterloo Record. And the hundreds of Indo-Canadians in attendance Wednesday for the historic moment roared back their thanks in union. "This is a country for people who bring prosperity to be part of the mainstream, work together, play together, pray together," Sohi said afterwards. So as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau concluded his formal apology Wednesday for the Komagata Maru incident of 1914, Amarjeet Singh Sohi, who had travelled from outside Toronto to watch the event, could not restrain himself. It wasn't always that way. The 376 passengers arrived off the coast of B.C. hoping to challenge the immigration laws at the time which refused entry to any Indians who had not arrived in Canada via a continuous journey from the home country — nearly impossible at the time. In 1914, the Canadian government turned away most of the passengers of the Japanese steamship Komagata Maru, nearly all Sikhs, who'd hoped to start a new life in Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

hipster: Without fail, the line snakes out the door from late afternoon to close, the too-close tables crammed with young hipster couples, families with small kids and singles waiting for takeout, according to Vancouver Courier. It quintessential East Van, right down to the astute observation a recent houseguest made while we were waiting for burritos: Vancouver so white. It always packed. I hear this a lot from visitors, mostly people who, like my guest, have lived here before and moved away. It threatens the narrative we, liberal West Coasters, with a strong sense of social justice, tell ourselves about our thriving multicultural metropolis. I bristle every time this is noted. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Canadian Human Rights Tribunal: Currently, someone who wants to make such a change has to provide a birth certificate or immigration document showing they have changed their sex designation from birth, according to Guelph Mercury. Since 2015, the department has allowed people to make the change in cases where a revised birth certificate isn't available. Employment and Social Development Canada says, among other things, social insurance number holders wouldn't need a new birth certificate to change the sex designation on their social insurance record. That happened just as the department headed to mediation at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal after failing to easily allow Christin Milloy to change the designation on her record to female. Should mediation fail, the tribunal could force the government to stop collecting the information altogether. Milloy has argued the department doesn't need to collect the information at all. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

impossible feat: The passengers were seeking to challenge existing immigration laws which refused entry to any Indians who had not arrived in Canada via a continuous journey from the home country — a nearly impossible feat at the time, according to Brandon Sun. Related Items Articles Liberal majority wants greater control over timing in House of Commons End Related Items June 1914: Twenty passengers who had previously resided in Canada are allowed in, but the rest are required to stay on the ship. Here is a timeline of some events leading up to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apology Wednesday: May 1914: The Japanese steam ship Komagata Maru anchors just outside Vancouver, B.C., with 376 passengers on board — all Indians who were at the time also British subjects. July 1914: After court hearings and clashes with authorities, the ship is finally escorted out of Canadian waters and sets sail for Calcutta, India. Others are arrested or go into hiding. 2002: Alliance MP Gurmant Grewal presents a petition in the House of Commons calling on the Liberal government of the day to issue an apology. 2006: Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he'll consult with Indo-Canadians to determine how to recognize the "sad moment" in Canadian history. 2007: NDP put forward a motion calling on the government to apologize but it voted down by the Conservatives. September 1914: Police in India attempt to force the passengers onto trains for Punjab; a riot ensues and 19 people are killed. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

South Asian community: The Liberal promise came after the South Asian community rejected an apology from then-PM Stephen Harper, which was delivered during a speech at a festival in B.C. The Komagata Maru incident that began on May 23, 1914 is considered a longstanding injustice among members of Canada South Asian community, according to CTV. At the time, the Canadian government refused to allow 376 Indians to come ashore as landed immigrants in B.C. The Indian immigrants, who were primarily Sikhs from British India Punjab province, were left stranded on the boat for two months, thereby denying them official landed immigrant status. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apology for the Komagata Maru incident comes eight years after the Liberals first pledged to acknowledge the incident in the House of Commons. The vessel was eventually forced to return to India, where a conflict with British officials led to the deaths of 19 passengers. York University professor and writer Ali Kazimi says there are "many layers" to the Komagata Maru incident. "In many ways, the government of Canada acted beyond the rule of law," Kazimi told CTV News Channel. Many others were forced into hiding as a result. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Minister John McCallum: Food banks from Halifax to B.C. have reported serving hundreds of Syrians who have come to Canada since November, the month the Liberal government launched a major resettlement program to bring 25,000 people by the end of February, according to Toronto Star. The question of why came up Wednesday at a Senate committee studying the refugee resettlement program and McCallum initially pinpointed two reasons: the fact refugees do not have high levels of income upon arrival and something else."There may be a cultural element," he said. "You have to remember the refugees are coming from an entirely different world. By The Canadian Press7:32 PM, Wed., May 18, 2016 OTTAWA—Immigration Minister John McCallum says his suggestion there a cultural element driving Syrian refugees to food banks was insensitive and he regrets it. Our world is very different than their world. I'm not overly concerned about this. Sometimes they have been living in refugee camps; maybe it the norm to be offered meals. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

refugee camps: The question of why came up Wednesday at a Senate committee studying the refugee resettlement program and McCallum initially pinpointed two reasons: the fact refugees do not have high levels of income upon arrival and something else. "There may be a cultural element," he said. "You have to remember the refugees are coming from an entirely different world. "Our world is very different than their world, according to Hamilton Spectator. Sometimes they have been living in refugee camps; maybe it the norm to be offered meals. Food banks from Halifax to B.C. have reported serving hundreds of Syrians who have come to Canada since November, the month the Liberal government launched a major resettlement program to bring 25,000 people by the end of February and thousands more by the end of this year. I'm not overly concerned about this." But later Wednesday McCallum met with reporters outside the House of Commons to take back those remarks. "The remark I made about food banks I think was insensitive so I regret having made that comment," he said. About 15,000 are government-assisted, meaning they receive a year of income support from the federal government linked to the size of the family and provincial social assistance rates. To date, about 27,000 Syrian refugees have arrived in Canada, spread among nearly 300 communities. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Saudi Arabia: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW IN OTTAWA > Though the Liberals cite Sweden as a country that suffered economic hardship after cancelling a weapons deal with Saudi Arabia in their defence that Canada can't do the same, Steven Chase reports that the Scandinavian country got little blowback and appears to still have good relations with the Saudis. > Coming out of an international meeting in Vienna, Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion says Canada will help with more humanitarian aid in Syria if the current ceasefire fails. > The assisted-dying bill seems unlikely to meet its deadline imposed by the Supreme Court, after senators told the House of Commons what changes they would like to see in the bill. > In a sign of maturity for tech startups, Ottawa-based Shopify has hired its first in-house lobbyist – someone whom the Liberals know quite well. > And a popular Parliament Hill journalist and a senior senator got into a Twitter scrap over who, exactly, leaked an audit, according to Globe and Mail. REGIONAL ROUNDUP > Alberta: Wildfires continue to rage around Fort McMurray, causing further delays to getting oil production restarted. > British Columbia: A former government staffer has been charged with breach of trust after a three-year-long RCMP investigation. > Ontario: The Liberals have tabled their campaign-finance legislation, which would ban union and corporate donations and dramatically lower the annual donation cap. As Renisa Mawani explains, the incident had wider implications for immigration that went beyond the experience of those 376 migrants. The new rules would give parties a subsidy based on their popular vote. In other news, Jane Taber takes a closer look at Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown who is trying to move the party to the middle through appeals to gay, lesbian and transgender Ontarians and proposals to fight climate change. However, the bill does not address private fundraisers and still allows for larger donations in election years. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.