mongol expansion: Terrified by the ruthless hordes, most of the Russian princes surrender their lands on enemy terms, according to NOW Magazine. The invaders pillage and burn down cities, flooding Russian soil with blood, until a Ryazan swordsman Evpaty Kolovrat stands in their way. Mid-13th-century Russia is fragmented into principalities that fall one by one before the westward Mongol expansion led by Batu Khan. Kolovrat leads a detachment of several hundred brave souls to avenge his love, his people, and his homeland. The legendary warrior's name forever remains in his people's memory, and his heroic feat lives on in the annals of history. Kolovrat's courage is so astounding, even Batu Khan himself is humbled by it. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ball: Elizabeth Ball who argued it was a gift to vote and a privilege that comes with being and becoming a Canadian citizen.article continues below Trending Stories Vancouver Park Board doubles down on doobies at Sunset Beach Fancy a walk down Electric Alley' Design concept for Arbutus Greenway released Rio Theatre crowdfunding campaign makes history Vancouver police roll out new electronic ticketing technologyrelated Task force recommends sweeping changes for 2018 civic election Should permanent residents be allowed to vote in the next civic election Does ballot order matter in elections Coming to Canada and becoming a citizen is highly coveted all around the world, she told council, according to Vancouver Courier. There are reasons why it's coveted because we are a civilized society with rules, and those rules allow us all to live together in a relatively happy way. The vote, however, didn't come without some reservations from NPA Coun. Ball said the motion brought forward by Vision Vancouver Coun. She requested city staff provide an analysis and legal opinion of what changing voting requirements would mean for the municipal election. Andrea Reimer to allow permanent residents to vote didn't outline the responsibilities of becoming a Canadian citizen. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

design concept: Before the flash of The Hulkster, the electricity of The Rock and the foul-mouth of Stone Cold, all Sammartino required to become wrestling's biggest box office draw was a pair of tights, boots and an honest promo that made fans believe in the most illegitimate of sports.article continues below Trending Stories Fancy a walk down Electric Alley' Design concept for Arbutus Greenway released Vancouver Park Board doubles down on doobies at Sunset Beach Vancouver police looking for dash cam footage following Granville Street crashNPA president demands apology from municipal affairs minister Sammartino, professional wrestling's Living Legend and one of its longest-reigning champions, has died, according to Vancouver Courier. He was 82. The son of Italian immigrants, Bruno Sammartino fled the Nazis as a child and built a career beating a string of bad guys that thrilled fans and made him reign as the conscientious champ for more than a decade. One of the finest men I knew, in life and in business, WWE chairman Vince McMahon said. He will be missed. Bruno Sammartino proved that hard work can overcome even the most difficult of circumstances. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

marginalized communities: Life within marginalized communities is difficult on the best days, but things get exponentially more complicated when you're living with HIV. Maintaining stable employment while accessing critical healthcare resources and raising a healthy family would be nearly impossible without help, according to NOW Magazine. Celebrating a 30-year anniversary, Fife House is the largest provider of housing and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS in the Greater Toronto Area. Dozens of Toronto restaurants are set to donate a portion of their gross proceeds from evening sales on April 25 to support people and families living with HIV/AIDS. Full information here. These services can range from accessing housing or crisis intervention services, to basic assistance for refugee claims and a variety of legal issues. This spring will bring about the construction of a new housing initiative, which will transform the former Casey House hospital for HIV/AIDS care into 20 rooms of transitional housing. As one of Toronto's first points of contact with underprivileged communities, Fife House has grown significantly over its decades-long evolution and now serves hundreds of residents and clients through outreach and housing programs. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rights wright: Patrick Stein, Gavin Wright and Curtis Allen were convicted of one count of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction and one count of conspiracy against civil rights, according to Vancouver Courier. Wright was convicted of a charge of lying to the FBI. Sentencing is set for June 27.article continues below Trending Stories Fancy a walk down Electric Alley' Design concept for Arbutus Greenway released Vancouver Park Board doubles down on doobies at Sunset Beach Vancouver police looking for dash cam footage following Granville Street crash Vancouver council pushes province to allow permanent residents right to voteU.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions called the verdicts a significant victory against domestic terrorism and hate crimes. Three Kansas militia members were convicted Wednesday of plotting to bomb a mosque and apartment complex housing Somali refugees, an attack thwarted by another member of the group who tipped off federal authorities about escalating threats of violence. The defendants in this case acted with clear premeditation in an attempt to kill people on the basis of their religion and national origin, Sessions said in a news release. Defence attorneys declined to comment following the verdict. That's not just illegal it's immoral and unacceptable, and we're not going to stand for it. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

abousfian abdelrazik: Abdelrazik, 56, came from Africa as a refugee in 1990 and attained Canadian citizenship five years later, according to Vancouver Courier. He was arrested, but not charged, during a 2003 visit to see his ailing mother in Sudan. The federal government recently nixed the planned mediation sessions in the case of Abousfian Abdelrazik just before they were to begin, said lawyer Paul Champ, who has fought on behalf of his client for years.article continues below Trending Stories Rio Theatre crowdfunding campaign makes history Is rapid transit in Delta on horizon Court orders closure of Vancouver sex shop Police seek accused 'sugar daddy' scammer Champ accused the government Tuesday of shelving the prospect of a resolution with Abdelrazik over political blowback from a multimillion-dollar settlement in a lawsuit filed by Toronto-born Omar Khadr. While in Sudanese custody, he was interrogated by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service about suspected extremist links. He denies involvement in terrorism and seeks financial compensation and an apology from the federal government for his prolonged ordeal in Sudan. Abdelrazik claims he was tortured by Sudanese intelligence officials during two periods of detention, but Canada says it knew nothing of the alleged abuse. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

atlantic canadians: As a recruitment professional, I want to see our young people stay in the region as much as countless other Atlantic Canadians who lament the move west for opportunity mentality, according to The Chronicle Herald. To limit the conversation to retention ignores strategies that offer local organizations distinct market advantages while growing our economy. The premise being that there simply aren't enough millennials entering through the front door to replace the retirees exiting out the back door. In a global economy, organizations do not need to halt operations due to limited local resources. Attracting people is a more important and more complex endeavour than sourcing inputs, such as raw materials or machinery. Rather, successful organizations look to the world to find the necessary resources and determine how best to acquire them. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

businesses: There are many ways that business in our region can make investments with the intention that a return will follow, according to The Chronicle Herald. Sometimes it is in research and development related to new product. Businesses highlighted in the next few pages are investing in Nova Scotia from reimagining the future of a province that is accessible, to taking advantage of the untapped opportunities that the ocean sector may provide, or to simply supporting one another as members of a community. With other businesses it is an investment in a physical space, through new facilities or equipment. It's the latter that holds the most significant and immediate opportunity for our region. And with others, it is investment in people new and diverse talent that can create value for both customers and shareholders through capability, ingenuity and good old-fashioned service. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

changes fall: Advocates and critics say, however, they are disappointed the proposed changes fall short of a full repeal of the excessive medical demand clause, and that people with disabilities continue to be viewed as liabilities, according to Toronto Star. A full repeal was recommended by a parliamentary immigration committee in a study released in December. The change will be made as part of the government's inclusive agenda. On Monday, federal Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen announced that he will update the 40-year-old policy that bars prospective immigrants deemed medically inadmissible to Canada, with new criteria of medical demand for immigration assessment taking effect on June 1. The proposed changes will raise the cost threshold for medical inadmissibility to three times that level, or 19,965, and remove references to special education, social and vocational services and personal support services needed by the applicants. Vote now Under current law, medical demand is found to be excessive if it exceeds the average annual health-care costs for a Canadian, which is estimated at 6,655. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

emeline b: Under the current regime, immigration applicants whose annual medical costs would exceed 6,655 the average annual cost for a Canadian are considered too expensive, according to Toronto Star. The changes, which triple the threshold, to 19,965, come into effect on June 1. The Immigration Act will be amended to decrease the number of people found medically inadmissible to Canada. The announcement was seen as a victory for some families in B.C. whose applications had been denied because of the old rules. Article Continued Below In 2017, her application for permanent residency for her and her 12-year-old son, Laurence, whom she had been forced to leave behind in the Philippines, was denied. Emeline B., who requested anonymity due to an ongoing immigration application, is a single mother from the Philippines who came to the country eight years ago under the live-in caregiver program. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

government tuesday: Champ accused the government Tuesday of shelving the prospect of a resolution with Abdelrazik over political blowback from a multimillion-dollar settlement in a lawsuit filed by Toronto-born Omar Khadr, according to The Chronicle Herald. Abdelrazik, 56, came from Africa as a refugee in 1990 and attained Canadian citizenship five years later. The federal government recently nixed the planned mediation sessions in the case of Abousfian Abdelrazik just before they were to begin, said lawyer Paul Champ, who has fought on behalf of his client for years. He was arrested, but not charged, during a 2003 visit to see his ailing mother in Sudan. Abdelrazik claims he was tortured by Sudanese intelligence officials during two periods of detention, but Canada says it knew nothing of the alleged abuse. While in Sudanese custody, he was interrogated by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service about suspected extremist links. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

inflatable boat: But that guilt in my heart, I will take it to my grave, according to CTV. Kurdi gave her brother Abdullah nearly 5,000 to pay smugglers to take him and his family from Turkey to Greece, after the Turkish government would not grant them the exit visas they needed to enter Canada as refugees. I was trying to help my family, Tima Kurdi, who is based in Coquitlam, B.C., said in an interview with CTV's Your Morning. Their September 2015 journey across the Mediterranean ended in tragedy after the flimsy inflatable boat sank in rough seas. The images of Alan, wearing a red T-shirt, blue shorts and black shoes, and lying face-down in the surf, sparked outcry around the world. Eleven refugees died, including Abdullah's wife, Rehanna, and his two young boys, Ghalib and Alan. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

myanmar citizens: It was granted to 8,490 Myanmar citizens and 51 foreigners, according to CTV. A statement from presidential spokesman Zaw Thay said those released included the aged, people in ill health and drug offenders. The amnesty, announced Tuesday, coincided with Myanmar's traditional New Year. None was individually named. The releases were to take place at prisons nationwide. It also said 36 of those freed had been listed as political prisoners by the independent Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

record: The 44-year-old native of Nepal holds the world record for summits of Everest by a woman and plans to return this month for what has become an annual expedition to the top of the world, according to CTV. My body knows that I have already been this high. Even so, she has done it a record eight times -- and hopes to outdo herself yet again. It's like a computer. My body knows the high altitude. It figures it out very quickly. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

vote: The vote was 5-4, with Justice Neil M. Gorsuch joining the court's four more liberal members to form a bare majority, which was a first, according to Toronto Star. Gorsuch wrote that the law crossed a constitutional line. The decision will limit the Trump administration's efforts to deport people convicted of some kinds of crimes. Vague laws, he wrote in a concurring opinion, invite arbitrary power. His vote in Tuesday's case was not entirely surprising, though, as he has a skepticism of vague laws that do not give people affected by them adequate notice of what they prohibit. Read more In 7 months on U.S. Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch has been just what conservatives hoped for and what liberals feared Article Continued Below Gorsuch had voted with the court's conservative majority in February in a different immigration case, one that ruled that people held in immigration detention, sometimes for years, are not entitled to periodic hearings to decide whether they may be released on bail. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

anti-immigrant voices: He also browsed regularly for Muslims, mass murderer Dylann Roof, mass shootings, feminists, and a plethora of far-right conspiracists and pundits. ; Bissonnette's motives, clearly outlined during his confession and the 45-page report on the contents of his laptop, show a young man under the steady influence of far-right and anti-immigrant voices; a man clearly alarmed by Muslims, fearful of 'others,' and ultimately radicalized, according to National Observer. One day after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted that he was ready to welcome immigrants fleeing persecution, terror and war, and two days after Trump ordered his anti-Muslim travel ban, Bissonnette went to the Quebec City mosque to commit a heinous crime. According to evidence presented in court on Monday, the 28-year-old, who gunned down six innocent men in prayer at a Quebec City mosque last year, was obsessed with Donald Trump and searched for the U.S. president online more than 800 times between Jan. 1 and Jan. 29, 2017, the day of the harrowing shooting. I was watching TV and learned that the Canadian government was going to take more refugees, you know, who couldn't go to the United States, and they were coming here, he told S ret du Qu bec Sergeant Steve Girard in an interrogation clip that played at his sentencing hearing on Friday. I don't want us to become like Europe. I saw that and lost my mind. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

conservation movement: She pointed to examples, including a partnership with the Gitga'at First Nation, billed as the first of its kind, to protect marine life in British Columbia and promote sustainable economic development, and WWF-Canada's work on Arctic renewable energy, according to National Observer. But she said the conservation movement has historically had some problematic ways of looking at the world, such as failing to fully consider how its efforts to protect natural areas might intrude on communities in those areas or not respect Indigenous relationships with the land. Megan Leslie, who took over as president of WWF-Canada last fall, made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with National Observer's Ottawa bureau on April 17, where she also expanded on the issues of climate change, biodiversity, marine protection, species at risk, and the role of women and visible minorities in her sector. ; Leslie said she is proud of the way her group has worked with particular Indigenous communities and governments, but at their request. WWF, like other environmental NGOs, we have not been excellent on the issue of engagement with Indigenous communities all the time. The movement has done a good job of recognizing this, she explained, but it's the next step how do we use conservation as a tool for reconciliation World Wildlife Fund Canada president Megan Leslie in Ottawa on April 17, 2018. We need to go through a process of decolonizing ourselves, said Leslie. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

evening prayers: The victims are in the sky and I'm living in hell, according to National Observer. Cayouette's report was entered as evidence during sentencing arguments for Bissonnette, who pleaded guilty last month to six charges of first-degree murder and six of attempted murder in the shooting. In her report tabled by the Crown, social worker Guylaine Cayouette said Alexandre Bissonnette told her he had idolized serial killers since his adolescence and he wanted to make a splash of his own. ; I regret not having killed more people, Bissonnette reportedly said in September 2017, eight months after he entered a Quebec City mosque and shot dead six men following evening prayers. She had met Bissonnette on the request of a nurse, who said he had not been feeling well. The social worker added that Bissonnette also told her, I wanted glory. Cayouette noted that as soon as the 28-year-old entered her office in the Quebec City prison, he began to cry. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

m b.c: Abdelrazik, 56, came from Africa as a refugee in 1990 and attained Canadian citizenship five years later, according to Vancouver Courier. He was arrested, but not charged, during a 2003 visit to see his ailing mother in Sudan. The federal government recently nixed the planned mediation sessions in the case of Abousfian Abdelrazik just before they were to begin, said lawyer Paul Champ, who has fought on behalf of his client for years.article continues below Trending Stories Rio Theatre crowdfunding campaign makes history Michelle Pfeiffer linked to 28.8m B.C. luxury estate listing Is rapid transit in Delta on horizon Greater Vancouver home prices to drop 21 per cent by 2019 analysis Champ accused the government Tuesday of shelving the prospect of a resolution with Abdelrazik over political blowback from a multimillion-dollar settlement in a lawsuit filed by Toronto-born Omar Khadr. While in Sudanese custody, he was interrogated by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service about suspected extremist links. He denies involvement in terrorism and seeks financial compensation and an apology from the federal government for his prolonged ordeal in Sudan. Abdelrazik claims he was tortured by Sudanese intelligence officials during two periods of detention, but Canada says it knew nothing of the alleged abuse. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

toronto cmas: But Montr al's proportion of renters has declined slightly from 45 per cent in 2011, whereas Vancouver and Toronto CMAs are both on the rise.article continues below Trending Stories Rio Theatre crowdfunding campaign makes history Michelle Pfeiffer linked to 28.8m B.C. luxury estate listing Is rapid transit in Delta on horizon Greater Vancouver home prices to drop 21 per cent by 2019 analysisrelated New laws give more protection to tenants facing renovictionsB.C. government forms Rental Housing Task Force Metro Vancouver's renter rate increased to 36.3 per cent in 2016 from 34.5 per cent in 2011, according to Vancouver Courier. Toronto CMA's proportion of renters rose to 33.5 per cent from 31.7 per cent during the same period. Overall, the Montr al Census Metropolitan Area CMA still has the highest rate of renters in the country, at 44.6 per cent of households, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's report. When broken down by age group, among non-immigrant millennials aged 25-34, the percentage of households who rent their home is now higher in both the Vancouver and Toronto CMAs than in Montr al. This resulted in Vancouver overtaking Montr al's renter proportion in that age group, which rose just 1.9 percentage points to 57.8 per cent. Between 2011 and 2016, the proportion of these renters in Vancouver rose by 7.4 percentage points to 63.2 per cent. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

asylum seekers: Even the numbers we're getting from the federal government show us that the situation is different, there's going to be more asylum seekers, so we need a new plan, he said, according to CTV. Heurtel said projections suggest there will be up to 400 crossings a day this summer, compared to 250 in 2017. The number so far this year has tripled to 6,074 from about 2,000 during the same period in 2017 and is forecast to increase significantly this summer, Immigration Minister David Heurtel said Monday. He noted that the ball is in Ottawa's court and that he will meet with federal officials Wednesday to discuss the matter. This is not about money, this is about saying that Quebec can do its part, but our resources are completely saturated and we can't do more, Heurtel said. The province said in addition to front-line services, there are other costs like health care and education that are stretched thin. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

backyard barbecue: On June 7, Ayoola plans to cast a ballot for a party she's never voted for before, now that there's a Ford in charge, according to Toronto Star. The way they care about the little people, the way they help them, that's what matters, said Ayoola, who moved to Canada from Nigeria in 1998. The 32-year-old Mississauga resident is a regular at Ford Fest, the annual backyard barbecue hosted by rookie Progressive Conservative leader and former Toronto councillor Doug Ford and his brother, late mayor Rob Ford, at their mother Diane's Etobicoke home. As a mother with six kids between 16 months and 11 years old, it can be tough to make ends meet, she said. Like, how can we cope Ayoola said. The food prices are going up, everything's getting higher and higher. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

guard troops: The governor determined that what we asked for is unsupportable, but we will have other iterations, Ronald Vitiello, U.S. Customs and Border Protection's acting deputy commissioner, told reporters in Washington, according to Toronto Star. Brown elicited rare and effusive praise from U.S. President Donald Trump last week for pledging 400 troops to the Guard's third large-scale border mission since 2006. Jerry Brown rejected terms of the National Guard's initial deployment to the Mexican border, but a state official said nothing was decided. Read more Sessions to bring his firm stance on immigration to border sheriffs meeting Article Continued Below Trump wins pledges of 1,600 National Guard troops for Mexico border duty Arizona, Texas sending 400 National Guard troops to U.S.-Mexico border after Trump's call But the Democratic governor conditioned his commitment on his state's troops having nothing to do with immigration enforcement, even in a supporting role. react-empty 142 Brown's announcement last week did not address what specific jobs the California Guard would and would not do, nor answer the thorny question of how state officials would distinguish work related to immigration from other duties. According to two U.S. officials, the initial jobs for those troops include fixing and maintaining vehicles, using remote-control surveillance cameras to report suspicious activity to U.S. Border Patrol agents, operating radios and providing mission support, which can include clerical work, buying gas and handling payrolls. Vitiello said the governor decided California will not accept terms of an initial troop rollout for the state that was similar to plans for the other three border states, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

land border: Asylum claims surged to 50,000 in Canada in 2017 more than double from the year prior and the highest number of claims in more than two decades according to data from Citizenship and Immigration Canada, according to CTV. Beuze said that most of those seeking asylum in Canada in 2017 did so at regular points of entry, like an airport, seaport or land border. Beuze said the goal of his press conference on Parliament Hill was to dispel some fears within the population that those people who are arriving in large numbers in Canada pose any threat to the security of Canadians or are people who are not entitled for whatever reason to the protection of Canadian authorities. Roughly 20,000 crossed into Canada irregularly, he added, with the majority of irregular arrivals taking place in Quebec. A large number of the people coming into Canada are simply passing through the U.S. on the way to their final destination in Canada, Beuze said. He also challenged the idea that the withdrawal of temporary protected status for various immigrant groups in the U.S., coupled with anti-migrant rhetoric coming from the White House, was responsible for the surge in asylum claimants. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

state: Since the Jeff Sessions-led Department of Justice sued California last month over its so-called sanctuary state law limiting police collaboration with immigration agents, at least a dozen local governments have voted to either join or support the lawsuit or for resolutions opposing the state's position, according to The Chronicle Herald. Those include the Board of Supervisors in Orange County, which has more than 3 million people. More local governments in California are saying they don't want to be part of the state's efforts to resist the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, especially in pockets where Republicans still dominate in the otherwise Democratic state. More action is coming this week, with leaders in the Orange County city of Los Alamitos scheduled to vote Monday on a proposal to exempt the community of 12,000 from the state law. On Tuesday, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors is meeting to consider joining the Trump administration lawsuit. Demonstrators for and against the plan are expected to gather outside City Hall ahead of the council meeting set for 6 p.m. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

tenured professor: Most of those impacted by the policy have been economic immigrants already working and creating jobs in Canada, but whose children or spouses may have a disability, Hussen said, according to CTV. The current provisions on medical inadmissibility are over 40 years old and are clearly not in line with Canadian values or our government's vision of inclusion. The government will no longer be allowed to reject permanent resident applications from those with serious health conditions or disabilities. He cited the case of a tenured professor at York University who was denied permanent residence because his son had Down syndrome and another case of a family that came to Canada and started a business, but were rejected because of a child with epilepsy. These newcomers have the ability to help grow our economy and enrich our social fabric. These newcomers can contribute and are not a burden to Canada, the minister said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.