immigrantscanada.com

Independent topical source of current affairs, opinion and issues, featuring stories making news in Canada from immigrants, newcomers, minorities & ethnic communities' point of view and interests.

indigenous-owned eateries: In recent years, Indigenous-owned eateries like his have emerged in many Canadian cities serving traditional foods like bannock and buffalo, according to Vancouver Courier. While it's taken time to move into the mainstream, chefs say demand is high thanks to increasing awareness of Indigenous culture and desire for local foods.article continues below Trending Stories Trump Vancouver opening video Vancouver Aquarium shares cute video of sea otters rafting Father-son musicians make Leo Awards history Vancouver's record-breaking homeless population at 2,181 people They're enjoying it. Bannock food truck in Vancouver nearly a year ago, the chef has hired several employees for his in-demand fusion food business. Like, everybody is going a little crazy, said Natrall of the reception to the bannock, tacos, chicken and waffles, and other dishes on his menu. There are a number of reasons why Indigenous cuisine has taken some time to emerge in major Canadian cities where there's a glut of other ethnic food choices. He's worked in the industry for about a decade and launched the truck last January after diners at his pop-up events kept asking when the chef would open a more permanent location. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

party system: It operates under a party system and voters elect council members at-large because Vancouver hasn't had wards since the 1930s, according to Vancouver Courier. Since 2008, centre-left Vision Vancouver has dominated council under Mayor Gregor Robertson, who is not running again. The city's political system is already unusual in Canada. Before that, the centre-right Non-Partisan Association had the longest ruling legacy with some notable exceptions, including 2002 when the Coalition of Progressive Electors won the mayor's office and eight of 10 council seats. Only four incumbent councillors are running and among them, only one is returning from Vision Vancouver. This year, newcomers who considered throwing their names in the hat are looking at a rare opportunity. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

quebec identity: But in Quebec, Masse's revolutionary party held three seats in the legislature at dissolution, has a good chance of winning more on Oct. 1 and has become a fixture in televised leaders' debates.article continues below Trending Stories Trump Vancouver opening video Vancouver Aquarium shares cute video of sea otters rafting Father-son musicians make Leo Awards history Vancouver's record-breaking homeless population at 2,181 people In a campaign where sovereignty is not a defining issue, the prominence of Quebec solidaire is just one example of how the election remains a distinctly Quebec affair, according to Vancouver Courier. Issues of Quebec identity have dominated the campaign. Across Canada, many political parties at the provincial and federal level have less-than-mainstream views. There is broad consensus on the need to cut carbon emissions. Masse's Sept. 19 speech was the first time a Quebec solidaire leader had been invited to address the Montreal Board of Trade, the embodiment of the capitalism her party pledges to leave behind. And none of the main parties can be considered traditionally conservative. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

avenir centre: Filling these vacancies can mean millions of dollars to the city, and, since 51 per cent of Moncton's population growth is coming from immigration, it's a trend the city hopes to continue, according to CTV. Job fairs, like the one held on Friday, are aimed at attracting top international talent and retaining the ones who may already be here attending post-secondary institutions. A job fair aimed at boosting immigration drew hundreds of people to the Avenir Centre on Friday. Our goal is to keep people here and we know one of the main ways we're going to do that is through matching them with employment, said Angelique Reddy-Kalala, an immigration strategy officer with the city of Moncton. They were looking to fill nearly 1,000 job openings. There were about 35 vendors at the job fair representing a wide range of industries. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

year: Chadia Kayinamura, 23, stands with a painting inspired by her refugee experience, according to Toronto Star. Born in the Congo, she and her family spent 17 years as refugees in Uganda before immigrating to Canada last year. Collaborators from a slew of immigration settlement organizations, non-profits and universities in Halifax accepted five youth in the area to participate in the new program, which culminated in Saturday's exhibit of photography, paintings, poetry, and story-telling. Taryn Grant / Star Metro Halifax Project co-ordinator Louise Hanavan said the group met bi-weekly over the past year for workshops on social justice, activism and creative expression. They shared with each other peers who had faced similar migration challenges, and who continue to face similar settlement challenges in Canada. They also had lessons with a professional has really been a tool for them to share their experiences, she said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

toure: Then the four friends who came to pick him up cheered and ran to him from across the parking lot, according to Toronto Star. Gebere Mageraga reached Toure first, wrapping him in a bear hug. He paused briefly outside the back gates of the Immigration Holding Centre, clutching a garbage bag of his belongings. Toure grinned. Ebrahim Toure, right, is greeted by friend Gebere Mageraga after his release from detention on Friday. I'm just so happy, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

guarantee security: Speaking outside the presidential palace in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, Francis recalled that until the arrival of totalitarian ideologies in the 20th century, Lithuania had peacefully been home to a variety of ethnic and religious groups, including Christians, Jews and Muslims, according to CTV. He said the world today is marked by political forces that exploit fear to justify violence and intolerance of others, proclaiming that the only way possible to guarantee security and the continued existence of a culture is to try to eliminate, cancel or expel others. Francis was greeted by Lithuanian President Dalia Grybuskaiteova at the airport and immediately launched into a hectic schedule of political meetings and visits with Lutheran and Russian Orthodox leaders and ordinary Catholics, who are a majority in Lithuania but minorities in Latvia and Estonia. In a reference to the spread of anti-immigrant, populist forces in Europe and beyond, Francis said Lithuania could be a model of openness, understanding, tolerance and solidarity. Francis was travelling to the region to mark their 100th anniversaries of independence and to encourage the faith in the Baltics, which saw five decades of Soviet-imposed religious repression and state-sponsored atheism. You have suffered 'in the flesh' those efforts to impose a single model that would annul differences under the pretense of believing that the privileges of a few are more important than the dignity of others or the common good, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

deportation agents: The Florida landscaping worker took the bold step of going to a government office to submit fingerprints and other documents required for immigrants to get their children out of government custody and are now being shared with deportation agents, according to Toronto Star. He was then told that the woman he rents a room from would also need to submit fingerprints, something she refused to do. He has been stymied at every turn. He then sought out friends who are here legally to help him out, to no avail. Richard Drew / The Associated Press I don't know what to do, said Tabora, an immigrant from Honduras who has lived more than a decade in the shadows without being detected. In this Aug. 3 file photo, Honduran Eilyn Carbajal hugs her then-8-year-old son Nahun Eduardo Puerto Pineda, right, after they were reunited at the Cayuga Center, in New York. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

peace deal: The army says the Syrian migrants were being smuggled to Cyprus, according to CTV. Lebanese Al-Jadeed TV reported, however, that the drowned five-year-old child was from Palestine. The army says Saturday all other passengers were rescued off the coast of Akkar. Lebanon is host to the highest number of Syrian refugees per capita, with at least 1 million registered in the country. But U.N. officials say with no peace deal in Syria, it is too early for the mass return of refugees. As violence wanes in Syria, Lebanese authorities have begun organizing return trips to refugees willing to go back. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

syrian refugees: The leader of Germany's hard-right AfD party has attacked a dance piece by local youths and young Syrian refugees as amateurish multiculturalism aiming to break down the difference between ourselves and the Other, according to Rabble. It means a break with your national culture. It was carefully coded, like Make America Great Again, but the intent was we are in a war of our civilization against others unlike us, so let us defend together. Steve Bannon, the high-end version of Trump, gets teary recalling how our forefathers defeated Islam at the gates of Vienna in 1683 or Tours in 742 ! as if he was there. But it also exposes the incoherence of the civilizations/heritage argument. This takes xenophobia a step beyond the fear of losing your job to Mexican rapists and murderers or in the U.K. version, the Polish plumber -- ironic, wot . It's about selfhood and identity Us versus Them. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

iranian lives: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif blamed regional countries and their U.S. masters for funding and arming the separatists, issuing a stark warning as regional tensions remain high in the wake of the U.S. withdraw from the Iranian nuclear deal, according to Vancouver Courier. Iran will respond swiftly and decisively in defence of Iranian lives, Zarif wrote on Twitter. Women and children scattered along with once-marching Revolutionary Guard soldiers as heavy gunfire rang out at the parade in Ahvaz, the chaos captured live on state television.article continues below Trending Stories Throwback video shows how Vancouver changed from the 1930s to the 1990sThe best pumpkin patches to visit in the Lower Mainland Here's why Vancourier was judged Canada's best community newspaper website It's raining dead birds in Metro Vancouver The region's Arab separatists, once only known for nighttime attacks on unguarded oil pipelines, claimed responsibility for the brazen assault. The attack came as rows of Revolutionary Guardsmen marched down Ahvaz's Quds, or Jerusalem, Boulevard. Journalists and onlookers turned to look toward the first shots, then the rows of marchers broke as soldiers and civilians sought cover under sustained gunfire. It was one of many around the country marking the start of Iran's long 1980s war with Iraq, commemorations known as the Sacred Defence Week. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

box office: Drugs and other excesses got involved during the filming in Peru, according to Vancouver Observer. It bombed at the box office and with critics and has been little seen since 1971. The Last Movie was Dennis Hopper's follow-up to Easy Rider but he was given too much money and freedom to make it. Since then it's developed a reputation as essential and a great lost film. A new restoration plays once a day until Monday. Hopper thought it was his masterpiece though making it was one long sex-and-drugs orgy. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

hadhad family: Back in 2016, they opened up a chocolate shop in Antigonish, N.S., called Peace By Chocolate and quickly became a Canadian success story, according to CTV. But most recently, their treats have reached a new orbit of success with astronauts floating in the International Space Station ISS posing with their treats in zero gravity. But now, the Hadhad family, who fled their home in Syria six years ago, can count themselves among that group. We are always looking to go beyond boundaries,we are always with the belief that, even the sky is never the limit, said Tareq Hadhad, a Syrian refugee and founder of Peace by Chocolate. Each of the chocolate bars have the word peace printed on them, translated into numerous languages from around the world, including Spanish, Arabic, French and even Mi'kmaq, which is spoken by the Indigenous peoples in the region. His family opened a factory just outside of their home in Antigonish last year, with their shop in town regularly filled with customers. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration officials: Chatham-Kent had supplied information, brochures and videos to immigration officials in Quebec, who asked the migrants if they would be interested in settling down in southwestern Ontario, according to Toronto Star. Chatham-Kent has been designated as a welcoming community, said April Rietdyk, the municipality's community and human services manager, and we stand by that designation. The 20 newcomers, who originally hail from Africa and the Middle East, were bussed in from Montreal on Sept. 14 after completing vigorous security and medical screenings and being cleared by both the RCMP and Canada border officials. The pilot project, capped at five families for the time being, has been in the works since the summer after an influx of irregular migrants overwhelmed Toronto's shelter system, prompting the city to open student dormitories at Centennial and Humber colleges to accommodate the overflow. However, the number of asylum seekers has since decreased and the triage plan involving the use of the NAV Convention Centre in Cornwall is not currently necessary, an immigration department spokesperson told the Star. Article Continued Below At the time, the federal government also announced the creation of a triage centre in Cornwall, Ont., where border-crossers would be transferred after arriving in Lacolle, Que., and then redirected to smaller communities outside Greater Toronto. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

rohingya: In Washington, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland praised MPs for passing the motion to recognize 'this atrocity'. 'It is a very important step for Canada to recognize that crimes against the Rohingya constitute a genocide,' she said after emerging from NATA talks, according to Rabble. Canada is leading an international effort for justice and accountability, Freeland said... Rohingya's Long History of Jihadism Must Be international community has rightly condemned the crackdown. The motion, put forward by Liberal MP Andrew Leslie, also endorses the findings of a UN fact-finding mission outlining how crimes against humanity have been committed by the Myanmar military against the Rohingya and other minorities. But, in doing so, it has failed to recognize that Rohingya militants have been waging jihad in the country - a reality that makes it extremely difficult to break the cycle of terror and violence. Local militants are suspected of having ties with the Islamic State ISIS al-Qaeda, and other terrorist organizations. Rakhine State, where most of Myanmar's Rohingya reside, is attracting jihadists from far and wide. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration: In one instance, an immigration detainee was held for more than 11 years, according to Toronto Star. Children can also be detained. Yet Canada remains one of only a few liberal democracies in the world without a legislated limit on the length of time an immigration detainee can be held behind bars for purely non-criminal, administrative reasons. Over the past five years, Canada has detained more than 35,000 people in centres like this one in Laval, Que., seen in this August 2016 file photo. Canada was urged to stop detaining children and to enact a maximum length of time that anyone can spend in immigration detention. Graham Hughes / THE CANADIAN PRESS file photo This week, Canada responded to 275 recommendations from member states on the United Nations Human Rights Council to improve its human rights record. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

test: Coalition Avenir Quebec CAQ Leader Fran ois Legault previously suggested expelling immigrants who fail a French-language test, according to Toronto Star. Paul Chiasson / THE CANADIAN PRESS file photo His answers to questions about how immigrants who fail a French test would be expelled from Quebec have not been clear and his opponents have jumped on his stance to paint him as heartless toward newcomers. The question of immigration has dogged Legault over the past couple of weeks and he has seen his party's lead in the polls slowly vanish since the start of the campaign. I am not perfect, Legault said directly to Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard in Thursday's televised debate. I listen and I correct my mistakes. It happens, I make mistakes, when I answer certain questions on immigration. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

questions: His answers to questions about how immigrants who fail a French test would be expelled from Quebec have not been clear -- and his opponents have jumped on his stance to paint him as heartless toward newcomers, according to CTV. I am not perfect, Legault said directly to Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard in Thursday's televised debate. The question of immigration has dogged Legault over the past couple of weeks and he has seen his party's lead in the polls slowly vanish since the start of the campaign. It happens, I make mistakes, when I answer certain questions on immigration. Legault didn't specify exactly what he was talking about, nor did he renounce his position that newcomers should be forced to pass a French and values test if they want to stay in the province and become a citizen. I listen, and I correct my mistakes. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

site thursday: Greater Moncton became a more diverse community last year as the area welcomed about 1,100 immigrants, according to CTV. With the launch of the new website, officials hope to bring that number to more than 2000. The city launched the site Thursday and it's aimed at attracting highly skilled newcomers to fill vacant jobs. The website is part of the greater Moncton immigration strategy. The website will also help direct newly landed immigrants to the services they need and help answer some questions for them. A lot of immigrants that are moving here are very high skilled and we really look at what are the skill sets that are needed on the ground and how can we connect people to those jobs when they arrive, said Angelique Reddy-Kalala, an immigration strategy officer with the city of Moncton. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

tva nouvelles: Quebec solidaire co-spokeswoman Manon Mass Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard, the Coalition Avenir Quebec's Fran ois Legault and the Parti Qu b cois' Jean-Fran ois Lis e paired up throughout the evening to challenge each other one-on-one, before the floor opened for all participants, according to National Observer. After weeks of taking fire for his controversial immigration position, the CAQ's Fran ois Legault said I'm not perfect, I make mistakes. The debate, hosted by TVA Nouvelles, followed a different format from its predecessors. QCdebate qcpoli Quebec2018Legault, under attack in recent weeks for his controversial position on immigration, espoused a more tempered tone on the topic than in the previous two debates, saying that his policy is not a question of expulsion the only people I want to expel is the Liberals. Both parties are currently leveraging between 30 and 31 per cent of Quebecers' support, while the sovereigntist parties trail behind. The CAQ has seen its long-held lead in the polls disappear this week and is now trailing the Liberals by less than half a point, according to the latest numbers from poll analysis website qc125. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

background checks: Shelters that house immigrant children have come under scrutiny since the Trump administration introduced a zero tolerance policy that resulted in more than 2,900 children being separated from their families, most of whom have since been reunited, according to Vancouver Courier. Southwest Key was supposed to provide information updating Arizona on the required fingerprint checks by Sept. 14 but didn't do so on time. Texas-based Southwest Key demonstrated an astonishingly flippant attitude toward the state's concerns about delayed background checks for workers at its eight Arizona shelters, the state Department of Health said in a scathing letter Wednesday.article continues below Trending Stories It's raining dead birds in Metro Vancouver Meetings in the works to address 'sorriest' bus stop in Metro Vancouver Richmond's off-street prostitution rings highlighted by deportation case Manny SobralA state investigation this summer prompted by several reports of sexual abuse of immigrant children in Arizona found that some shelters had not conducted fingerprint checks for all employees. When it did, the spreadsheets it provided were out of context and impossible for the health department to decipher, said Dr. Southwest Key's lack of ability to deliver a simple report on the critical protections these children have against dangerous felons demonstrate an utter disregard for Arizona law, the mutual agreement with the department, and calls into question the privilege you enjoy operating a health care institution in the state of Arizona, Christ said in a letter to the non-profit. Cara Christ, the agency's director. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

legault: I am not perfect, Legault said directly to Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard in Thursday's televised debate, according to Vancouver Courier. It happens, I make mistakes, when I answer certain questions on immigration. The question of immigration has dogged Legault over the past couple of weeks and he has seen his party's lead in the polls slowly vanish since the start of the campaign.article continues below Trending Stories It's raining dead birds in Metro Vancouver Meetings in the works to address 'sorriest' bus stop in Metro Vancouver Richmond's off-street prostitution rings highlighted by deportation case Manny Sobral His answers to questions about how immigrants who fail a French test would be expelled from Quebec have not been clear and his opponents have jumped on his stance to paint him as heartless toward newcomers. I listen, and I correct my mistakes. But he did brandish a new line that he subsequently used two more times during the debate. Legault didn't specify exactly what he was talking about, nor did he renounce his position that newcomers should be forced to pass a French and values test if they want to stay in the province and become a citizen. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

vancouver artist: They also announced proceeds from the song will benefit the student-led March for Our Lives organization, calling for stricter gun laws, and Families Belong Together, a protest against the Trump administration policy of separating children from families after they are detained crossing the U.S. border illegally.article continues below Trending Stories Meetings in the works to address 'sorriest' bus stop in Metro Vancouver Manny Sobral Vancouver Aquarium shares cute video of sea otters rafting Challenge accepted this Vancouver artist wants to travel to the moon In the video confronting gun violence at schools, BEP members will.i.am and Taboo who portray a teacher and a gym coach are shot by a gunman along with several students, while others run for safety, according to Vancouver Courier. Apl.de.ap is a police officer in the clip. The trio it's unclear if Fergie is still part of the group released the videos Friday. The second video focuses on border portal officers stopping immigrants from crossing the U.S. border. It will be released Oct. 12 and is their first album since 2010's The Beginning. Big Love, which is reminiscent of the Black Eyed Peas 2003 hit Where Is the Love, will appear on the band's new album, Masters of the Sun. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

alex nyt: So when you go to school, bear in mind that one day you'll be someone which will serve the nation, according to Toronto Star. An Ethiopian rides a horse as hundreds of thousands gather to welcome returning leaders of the once-banned Oromo Liberation Front OLF . Mulugeta Ayene / AP Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia has become the most closely watched leader in Africa a man who says he wants to to change his country from the inside out. You will end up in the palace. ALEX WELSH / NYT With that preposterous prophesy for a boy growing up in a house without electricity in a tiny Ethiopian village, she kissed him on his head and sent him on his way. After taking office in March, he officially ended two decades of hostilities with Ethiopia's longtime rival and neighbour, Eritrea. Abiy, now 42, not only ended up in the prime minister's palace, he has also become the most closely watched leader in Africa a man who says he wants to change his country from the inside out and fast. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

d.c .,: Specifically the motion called for MPs to agree to Endorse the findings of the UN fact-finding mission in Myanmar that crimes against humanity were committed;That these horrific acts' be sanctioned;Recognize that these crimes constitute genocide;Call on the UN Security Council to refer the matter to the International Criminal Court; and that Senior Myanmar military officials be investigated and prosecuted for the crime of genocide, according to CTV. After the motion was read, MPs clapped and agreed to adopt the motion. The motion was brought forward by Liberal MP and foreign affairs parliamentary secretary Andrew Leslie. Speaking from Washington, D.C., Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland called it a very important statement by Canada. Canada has publicly condemned the violence and has committed 300 million over the next three years to help refugees fleeing the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the southeast Asian country. She thanked all MPs for their work in recognizing this atrocity. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

family: Alice's sister was six years old and has not seen since, according to Rabble. Since her family defected, Alice has struggled with her dual identities. In order to travel outside of North Korea as diplomats, Alice's older sister had to stay behind with military officials. One that had a regular childhood and no recollection of the sacrifices her family made to get her out of North Korea. This, along with the dream of reuniting with her sister inspired her decision to become an advocate for North Korean refugees. The other was one where she was reminded and isolated for her family's previous connections to the country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.