Chris Young: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young.TORONTO - A miniseries based on Margaret Atwood novel "Alias Grace" will screen on CBC and Netflix, according to Brandon Sun. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sarah Polley is writing and producing the six-hour project, which will begin shooting in Ontario in August. A miniseries based on Margaret Atwood novel "Alias Grace" will screen on CBC and Netflix. Mary Harron will direct. She and stable hand James McDermott were convicted of the murders of their employer, Thomas Kinnear, and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery, in 1843. The story is inspired by the real-life murder case involving Grace Marks, an Irish immigrant and maid in Upper Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Nancy Montgomery: Mary Harron will direct, according to Guelph Mercury. The story is inspired by the real-life murder case involving Grace Marks, an Irish immigrant and maid in Upper Canada. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sarah Polley is writing and producing the six-hour project, which will begin shooting in Ontario in August. She and stable hand James McDermott were convicted of the murders of their employer, Thomas Kinnear, and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery, in 1843. After 30 years in jail, she was exonerated. McDermott was hanged while Marks was sentenced to life imprisonment. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

fluent English speaker: Karina was studying economics at Aleppo University, when the fighting broke out, according to CBC. Even though she a more fluent English speaker than most of the recent arrivals, her written English wasn't at the level required for writing a university essay. English is a key employment barrier facing Toronto Syrian newcomers. For the past two months, Kheshvajian has been learning to write essays and prepare presentations at SEC, one of three language academies in Toronto to offer scholarships to Syrian refugees — part of the Refugee Career Jumpstart Project . Corporations contribute $750K to help Syrian refugees pay for housing in Toronto​ The Jumpstart project is the brainchild of three close friends, all Syrian-Canadians who wanted to help their fellow Syrians when they began arriving by the hundreds in December of 2015, part of the Liberal government pledge to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada by the following spring. Today, they've compiled job-skill profiles for 350 Syrian refugees and are planning to add hundreds more by the end of the year. At first Mustafa Alio, Bassel Ramli, and Omar Salaymeh pledged they would each help five refugees find jobs. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

controversial decision: The previous Conservative government imposed visas in 2009 to stop thousands of asylum claims being made by Mexican citizens later ruled to be unfounded, according to Hamilton Spectator. It was a controversial decision that sparked outcry from industry and the Mexican government. But multiple sources tell The Canadian Press negotiations are still underway on whether the plan will contain a fixed date to remove the visas as Canadian officials push to link it to the implementation of new border controls still in their infancy. "We shall see," Immigration Minister John McCallum said when asked whether a deal will be reached by June 29. The Liberals promised during the election campaign the visa would be lifted. The visa issue was among the diplomatic irritants at the time, though the Conservatives had promised to lift some restrictions through a new electronic travel authorization system that was supposed to take effect in March 2016, but has been delayed. Pressure to do so intensified as part of Trudeau decision to convene the Three Amigos summit — the meeting between the leaders of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico the Tories postponed last year. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration law: The study also uncovered concerns about a trend toward using immigration law to expel war criminals rather than pursuing prosecutions or revoking citizenship, according to Toronto Star. Overall, there were fears that Canada contribution to combating crimes against humanity was diminishing due to capacity and resource issues. By Jim Bronskill The Canadian Press Mon., June 20, 2016 OTTAWA—A stagnant budget, inadequate training and lack of public communication have eroded Canada efforts to deny safe haven to war criminals, says an internal evaluation. A January 2016 presentation of preliminary evaluation findings about the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program was released to The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act. Article Continued Below Michael Davis, a spokesman for Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, declined to comment on the initial findings, noting the evaluation process is ongoing. Resources have not changed since 1998 and are considered inadequate, says the presentation, prepared for the Justice Department by Prairie Research Associates. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Syrian refugees: Surrey is destination for nearly half of the more than 1,600 Syrian refugees that arrived in B.C. since Nov. 4, and settlement agencies are now attempting to tackle an emerging mental health challenge, according to Metro News. The first task for families after they arrive is, of course, to find housing, get their kids in school, learn English, and eventually look for work, said Corina Carroll, manager of counselling services for DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society. Because many asylum-seekers have fled war abroad — some having been tortured, kidnapped, or witnessed unfathomable violence — those traumas can leave unseen scars that only surface once in a safer place. But even unexpected things can trigger their trauma. Even as refugee settlement organizations scrambled to find homes for the influx of refugees from the Middle East over the past eight months, amidst sky-high B.C. housing costs, the mental health needs of the new arrivals became obvious. For some it might be a sense of smell or a fear of quiet, she said, or seeing a police officer. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Parliament Hill: Overall, there were fears that Canada contribution to the global fight against crimes against humanity was "diminishing due to capacity and resource issues." A Canadian flag flies in the the wind on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday, Dec. 7, 2015, according to Huffington Post Canada. A January 2016 presentation of preliminary evaluation findings about the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program was released to The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act. "Resources have not changed since 1998 and are considered inadequate," says the presentation, prepared for the Justice Department by Prairie Research Associates. The study also uncovered concerns about a trend toward using immigration law to remove war criminals from Canada rather than pursuing prosecutions or revoking citizenship. The justice minister office had no immediate comment on the findings. Just 2 citizenship revocation cases The consultants examined data, surveyed staff and interviewed 49 people — including federal employees and representatives of foreign governments, NGOs and academic institutions. The multi-agency federal program, with an annual budget of about $16 million, tries to keep war criminals out of Canada, prevent those in Canada from obtaining citizenship, revoke the status of people complicit in atrocities, and investigate and prosecute suspects when appropriate. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

gay men: He said Canada "stands with the people of Afghanistan in their struggle against terrorism in all its forms."____ Health Canada is making it easier for gay men to give blood, so long as they have been celibate for one year, according to Metro News. Canadian Blood Services and Hema-Quebec will now be allowed to accept blood from men who have had sex with men as recently as one year ago. Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion also came forward Monday to condemn the attack. The government says the change comes after those agencies provided scientific data that the change would not compromise safety. Canada lifted the lifetime ban on gay men donating blood in 2013, requiring instead that potential male donors not have had sex with other men for five years.___UN SAYS 65 MILLION PEOPLE DISPLACED IN 2015: The United Nations refugee agency says one in every 113 people around the world is either an asylum-seeker, internally displaced or a refugee. The move brings Canada in line with a number of other countries, including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland and France. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

tiny portion: Although McCallum says Canadians have stepped up, he admits the number Canada is taking is a tiny portion of those in need, according to CTV. McCallum said German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been a real heroine for allowing in more than a million migrants -- many of them considered refugees. The minister comments, made on CTV News Channel, come as a new United Nations report says that a record 65 million people were displaced in 2015. I mean, she in some trouble for it now, he said, but I think it was an amazing gesture. I think that is why the world took such notice when we stepped up to the plate under Justin Trudeau leadership, when he met that first plane of refugees and that photograph went around the world, he said. I think the world overall is not responding very well to this vast number of refugees, McCallum added, stating that intolerance is preventing some nations from taking their share. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

annual budget: The justice minister office had no immediate comment on the findings, according to National Observer. The multi-agency federal program, with an annual budget of about $16 million, tries to keep war criminals out of Canada, prevent those in Canada from obtaining citizenship, revoke the status of people complicit in atrocities, and investigate and prosecute suspects when appropriate. Overall, there were fears that Canada contribution to the global fight against crimes against humanity was "diminishing due to capacity and resource issues."A January 2016 presentation of preliminary evaluation findings about the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program was released to The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act."Resources have not changed since 1998 and are considered inadequate," says the presentation, prepared for the Justice Department by Prairie Research Associates. The consultants examined data, surveyed staff and interviewed 49 people — including federal employees and representatives of foreign governments, NGOs and academic institutions. There was "indirect evidence" the program had been effective, such as the denial of more than 3,000 visas over 10 years on grounds of war crimes or crimes against humanity. However, they found complete annual performance data existed only through 2010-11, making the assessment challenging and highlighting a desire for "more accountability," even among program personnel. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

The Canadian Press: Overall, there were fears that Canada contribution to combating crimes against humanity was "diminishing due to capacity and resource issues." A January 2016 presentation of preliminary evaluation findings about the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program was released to The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act. "Resources have not changed since 1998 and are considered inadequate," says the presentation, prepared for the Justice Department by Prairie Research Associates, according to The Waterloo Record. Michael Davis, a spokesman for Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, declined to comment on the initial findings, noting the evaluation process is ongoing. The study also uncovered concerns about a trend toward using immigration law to expel war criminals rather than pursuing prosecutions or revoking citizenship. The multi-agency federal program, with an annual budget of about $16 million, tries to keep war criminals out of Canada, prevent those in Canada from obtaining citizenship, revoke the status of people complicit in atrocities and investigate and prosecute suspects when appropriate. However, they found complete annual performance data existed only through 2010-11, making the assessment challenging and highlighting a desire for "more accountability," even among program personnel. The consultants examined data, surveyed staff and interviewed 49 people — including federal employees and representatives of foreign governments, NGOs and academic institutions. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

adult language programs: English language training Today, many of children are enrolled in schools and taking special English language training, according to CBC. The Halifax Regional School Board said as of June it has 320 students registered — with six more expected to start in September. Mills says when Nova Scotia began taking in Syrian refugees early this year, the focus was on their safety, finding them a place to live and making sure they were in good health. Mills said adults older than 25 are in adult language programs — programs that now have a wait list. ISANS has reassigned one of its instructors to start a summer program at the Cunard Centre along the Halifax waterfront. Language skills essential But it the 18-to-25-year-old demographic that of concern to ISANS. "There are so many of them who have missed a lot of education who need to get their language and do some career exploration," Mills said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Canadian cabinet ministers: By Stephanie Levitz The Canadian Press Mon., June 20, 2016 OTTAWA—Federal politicians meet a lot of people, but Syrian children don't meet a lot of federal politicians — let alone the same one twice, in two different countries, each a world apart from the other, according to Toronto Star. Hamza Ali, 13, remembers clearly the day last November when a trio of Canadian cabinet ministers trooped into an ad-hoc art gallery set up in the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan. Hamza did the painting after he met McCallum at a refugee camp in Jordan last year. Ali, one of the artists, shook the ministers' hands and explained the concept behind his gripping paintings of women and men struggling with life and the war in Syria. Women do all the heavy lifting, McCallum remarked. Immigration Minister John McCallum told Ali he was struck by the symbolism of a painting showing a woman carrying a map of Syria on her back up a flight of stairs, a heavy red sky in the background. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Immigration Minister John McCallum: Ali, one of the artists, shook the ministers' hands and explained the concept behind his gripping paintings of women and men struggling with life and the war in Syria, according to Huffington Post Canada. Immigration Minister John McCallum holds a painting Hamza Ali, 13, presented him with as his father Mohammad Ali looks on at an event in Ottawa, Monday June 20, 2016. Hamza Ali, 13, remembers clearly the day last November when a trio of Canadian cabinet ministers trooped into an ad-hoc art gallery set up in the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan. Immigration Minister John McCallum told Ali he was struck by the symbolism of a painting showing a woman carrying a map of Syria on her back up a flight of stairs, a heavy red sky in the background. "Women do all the heavy lifting," McCallum remarked. McCallum didn't have one — until Monday. That painting now hangs in Health Minister Jane Philpott office in Ottawa. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

University of Toronto International Human Rights Program: The 54-page report is based on interviews with more than 50 Mexican healthcare workers, human rights activists, journalists, LGBT community members, and HIV patients, according to CTV. It found that, while Mexico has enacted an "impressive" array of human rights legislation including universal healthcare for all, vulnerable Mexicans actually have little legal protection. According to the report, published by the University of Toronto International Human Rights Program on Monday, failure to remove Mexico from Ottawa designated countries of origin list could mean that Canada is violating its international legal obligations. This is especially true for people living with HIV and sexual minorities, the report said. "We uncovered that the scene that Mexico portrays in terms of its announcement of universal access to healthcare is not really the case on the ground," the report co-author and supervising lawyer Kristin Marshall told CTV News Channel. For example: In June 2015, unknown armed assailants beat and shot a transgender woman in the head, before wrapping her body in a Mexican flag. Marshall said that, while Mexico has legislation in place to prevent the discrimination of sexual minorities, "these rights are not respected and there no recourse when there is a violation." The report noted some of the violence sexual minorities face in Mexico. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Deepak Chopra: It was later discussed in other seminal texts -- the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita, according to Huffington Post Canada. In the 4th century CE, Maharishi Patanjali is believed to have organized the diffuse practice into a set of structured principles. The concept of yoga was first mentioned in the ancient Hindu scriptures of the 6th century BCE, the Rig Vedas. The word yoga in Sanskrit means union. Modern guru Deepak Chopra explains it more simply as the union of mind, body, and soul. The official website of the International Day of Yoga defines yoga as the process whereby the individual is united with the Cosmic Consciousness. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

unemployment rate: Mulroney, who signed the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1992, said Trump proposal to slap large tariffs on imports from countries like China, Mexico and Canada would shut down the American economy, according to CTV. He said NAFTA proved to be a huge success for the U.S., where it has created millions of jobs and led to a five per cent unemployment rate. If you talked to anybody who has been in government in a serious way in the last 50 years, they'll tell you all you've got to do is look at the 1930s, he told Power Play on Monday. Mulroney also said Trump plan to block immigration of Muslims would be perilous for the economy. We need more immigration, not less. Great countries like Canada and the United States are built on immigrants, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

: Where are you really from is the common enough subtext directed at minorities, according to Toronto Star. As a relatively recent immigrant, this doesn't offend me. By Shree Paradkar Toronto Star Mon., June 20, 2016 Where are you from is a common enough question in multiracial Toronto. I did come from somewhere else. For second-generation and older minority immigrants, however, I can see why that can be offensive. This country is a beloved home as is my country of origin. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Statistics Canada: The growth was entirely the result of a modern high 1,994 immigrants, who came to the province between January and March, at least 60 per cent of those Syrian refugees, according to CBC. According to Statistics Canada, the number of international immigrants arriving in New Brunswick last winter was double anything the province has experienced since comprehensive record keeping began in 1971. Overall, New Brunswick grew by 1,133 people during the first quarter of the year, the single largest gain in six years. New Brunswick welcomes first Syrian refugees Maritime provinces lead the way in resettling Syrian refugees New Brunswick is 'crying out' for Syrian refugees, John McCallum says But it also widely beat any of the less reliable quarterly immigration counts which date back to 1946. New Brunswick has welcomed the most Syrian refugees per capita in Canada. Patrick Charbonneau, agency population analyst, said although New Brunswick continues to face serious demographic problems, the rush of immigration this year has so far overwhelmed all other issues. "New Brunswick had the highest proportion of Syrian refugees in Canada and the gain outnumbered the losses that occurred," said Charbonneau. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Canadian cabinet ministers: Ali, one of the artists, shook the ministers' hands and explained the concept behind his gripping paintings of women and men struggling with life and the war in Syria, according to Hamilton Spectator. Immigration Minister John McCallum told Ali he was struck by the symbolism of a painting showing a woman carrying a map of Syria on her back up a flight of stairs, a heavy red sky in the background. "Women do all the heavy lifting," McCallum remarked. Hamza Ali, 13, remembers clearly the day last November when a trio of Canadian cabinet ministers trooped into an ad-hoc art gallery set up in the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan. That painting now hangs in Health Minister Jane Philpott office in Ottawa. The ministers left the camp and went on to open a massive refugee processing centre near Amman that would eventually see thousands of refugees interviewed and screened to come to Canada. McCallum didn't have one — until Monday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

pariah state: Or she may not, according to Metro News. That just one more secret of the world pariah state. Yonah Martin may have a living, breathing cousin. Before she was born and before the Korean War that split the country along the 38th parallel, Martin father fled southward, but he left behind a sister unable to travel. The few defectors who actually escape are automatically granted South Korean citizenship. She was nine months pregnant."We don't know what happened to them," Martin recalled Monday. "Because of the armistice and the war that technically continues to this day, I have no way for knowing if my family survived."That personal connection infused Martin work in preparing a Senate report, released Monday, that calls on the government to do more to help North Korea defectors, who are caught in an international legal limbo. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

gay men: He said Canada "stands with the people of Afghanistan in their struggle against terrorism in all its forms."____ Health Canada is making it easier for gay men to give blood, so long as they have been celibate for one year, according to Brandon Sun. Canadian Blood Services and Hema-Quebec will now be allowed to accept blood from men who have had sex with men as recently as one year ago. Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion also came forward Monday to condemn the attack. The government says the change comes after those agencies provided scientific data that the change would not compromise safety. Canada lifted the lifetime ban on gay men donating blood in 2013, requiring instead that potential male donors not have had sex with other men for five years.___UN SAYS 65 MILLION PEOPLE DISPLACED IN 2015: The United Nations refugee agency says one in every 113 people around the world is either an asylum-seeker, internally displaced or a refugee. The move brings Canada in line with a number of other countries, including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland and France. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

federal Conservatives: As benefits increase, so potentially will the premiums deducted from workers' paycheques, according to Brandon Sun. The federal Conservatives say that amounts to a payroll tax hike. Any improvements to the CPP will come at a cost. But Frank Graves, president of EKOS Research Associates, says it appears Canadians are prepared for that.———CANADA DOING ITS PART TO STEM GLOBAL REFUGEE CRISISThe United Nations' refugee agency has released some sobering statistics today to mark World Refugee Day. The U.N. agency says that by the end of last year, 65.3 million people had been forcibly displaced from their homes. It says one in every 113 people around the world is either an asylum-seeker, internally displaced or a refugee. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Jane Philpott: Immigration Minister John McCallum told Ali he was struck by the symbolism of a painting showing a woman carrying a map of Syria on her back up a flight of stairs, a heavy red sky in the background."Women do all the heavy lifting," McCallum remarked, according to National Observer. That painting now hangs in Health Minister Jane Philpott office in Ottawa. Ali, one of the artists, shook the ministers' hands and explained the concept behind his gripping paintings of women and men struggling with life and the war in Syria. McCallum didn't have one — until Monday. Five of them ended up being the Ali family. The ministers left the camp and went on to open a massive refugee processing centre near Amman that would eventually see thousands of refugees interviewed and screened to come to Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

Canadian cabinet ministers: Ali, one of the artists, shook the ministers' hands and explained the concept behind his gripping paintings of women and men struggling with life and the war in Syria, according to The Waterloo Record. Immigration Minister John McCallum told Ali he was struck by the symbolism of a painting showing a woman carrying a map of Syria on her back up a flight of stairs, a heavy red sky in the background. "Women do all the heavy lifting," McCallum remarked. Hamza Ali, 13, remembers clearly the day last November when a trio of Canadian cabinet ministers trooped into an ad-hoc art gallery set up in the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan. That painting now hangs in Health Minister Jane Philpott office in Ottawa. The ministers left the camp and went on to open a massive refugee processing centre near Amman that would eventually see thousands of refugees interviewed and screened to come to Canada. McCallum didn't have one — until Monday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

pariah state: Or she may not, according to The Waterloo Record. That just one more secret of the world pariah state. Yonah Martin may have a living, breathing cousin. Before she was born and before the Korean War that split the country along the 38th parallel, Martin father fled southward, but he left behind a sister unable to travel. The few defectors who actually escape are automatically granted South Korean citizenship. She was nine months pregnant. "We don't know what happened to them," Martin recalled Monday. "Because of the armistice and the war that technically continues to this day, I have no way for knowing if my family survived." That personal connection infused Martin work in preparing a Senate report, released Monday, that calls on the government to do more to help North Korea defectors, who are caught in an international legal limbo. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.