assistance spending: The fact that Canada's international assistance spending is at a near historical low, merely reaching 0.26 per cent of gross national income, as compared to the UN aid target of 0.7 per cent, undermines its credibility and leadership on the international stage, according to National Observer. The study zeros in on areas where women in conflict zones are not getting the help they need or where efforts to improve gender equality in these areas are not being fully realized. Currently, Canada's international assistance funding is out of step with its ambition to be a world leader on gender equality and feminist aid and foreign policy, the report states. Unsettling findings Among unsettling findings are the 25 to 50 per cent of maternal deaths in refugee camps caused by unsafe abortions and related complications. Our argument is that services are totally life-saving when you consider, for example, that last year 500 women and girls died during emergencies every single day from pregnancy and childbirth complications simply because sexual and reproductive health and rights weren't a priority, said Brittany Lambert, a women's rights policy and advocacy specialist with Oxfam Canada. This is due, in part, to a lack of adequate access to sexual and reproductive health services, which are often seen as a second-tier priority when people are forced to flee their homes due to conflict. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

catch-and-release loopholes: After those encounters, Mexico's immigration authority sent out a fresh warning late Monday that the migrants would have to satisfy Mexican officials individually and that only those meeting requirements would be allowed to enter, according to CTV. U.S. authorities were watching as well. The group estimated at 1,600 to 2,000 people fleeing poverty and violence in Honduras marched into Guatemala in sweltering heat Monday, twice pushing past outnumbered police sent to stop them -- first at the border and then at a roadblock just outside Esquipulas. Katie Waldman, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman, said in a statement that the caravan was what we see day-in and day-out at the border as a result of well-advertised and well-known catch-and-release loopholes. The exhausted migrants entered Esquipulas during the evening and sought out food and places to sleep, hobbling on blistered feet. Until Congress acts, we will continue to have de-facto open borders that guarantees future 'caravans' and record numbers of family units entering the country illegally, she said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

climate change: The NDP got the ball rolling early in the day, with a letter to the Speaker signed by Parliamentary Leader Guy Caron, according to Rabble. It pointed to some of the damning numbers in last week's United Nations Panel report on climate change. At the request of the NDP, the Green Party and one Liberal MP, Parliament held an emergency debate on global warming, which went on from the supper hour until midnight. To meet the required emissions levels outlined by the panel, the NDP's Caron said, Canada's emissions will need to be reduced by almost half far below our current performance. The panel has made clear that preventing a single extra degree of heat could make a life-or-death difference for millions of people across the globe. In fact, according to the panel, the world needs to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 to avoid catastrophic climate change. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

danny park: Danny Park and Jennifer Bradshaw snapped this photo after Park voted for the first time since getting Canadian citizenship two weeks ago, according to Toronto Star. Twitter But he's waiting for the election results before celebrating. That's because Park, 27, voted for the first time since getting his Canadian citizenship only two weeks ago. Everyone else seemed excited, but for me it was hard to be, because I realized the potential consequences of this election could impact my life, said Park in an interview Tuesday. Article Continued Below The difference between this election and previous ones, was that Park finally felt like he could weigh in on the issues that affect his life. Park and Bradshaw, 31, who describe themselves as a young tech professional couple,' are concerned about rising rental costs and keen to see the city move in a direction that prioritizes affordability for young people. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

policy agenda: Canada has made great strides when it comes to making gender equality and feminism a key priority of its domestic and foreign policy agenda, but more can be done to help women being disproportionately affected by global crisis, the report says, according to CTV. Currently, Canada's international assistance funding is out of step with its ambition to be a world leader on gender equality and feminist aid and foreign policy, the report states. That's according to a new report from Oxfam Canada, which takes a close look at how Canada provides international humanitarian aid and the gaps that exist when it comes to outcomes for women and girls in refugee situations. The fact that Canada's international assistance spending is at a near historical low, merely reaching 0.26 per cent of gross national income, as compared to the UN aid target of 0.7 per cent, undermines its credibility and leadership on the international stage. Some of the findings are unsettling, including a statistic showing 25 to 50 per cent of maternal deaths in refugee camps are caused by unsafe abortions and related complications. The study zeros in on areas where women in conflict zones are not getting the help they need or where efforts to improve gender equality in these areas are not being fully realized. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ethiopia: This decision is the first in the history of Ethiopia and probably in Africa, according to Toronto Star. Ethiopia's newly appointed Minister of National Defence, Aisha Mohammed, arrives to take her oath of office at the parliament in the capital Addis Ababa on October 16. Our women ministers will disprove the old adage that women can't lead, Abiy said while presenting his choices. STRINGER / AFP/GETTY IMAGES Ethiopia has faced sweeping political and economic reforms since the 42-year-old prime minister took office in April after months of anti-government protests and made pledges that include free and fair elections. French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in recent years unveiled gender-balanced Cabinets. The Horn of Africa power joins a handful of countries, mostly European, where women make up 50 per cent or more of ministerial positions, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union and U.N. Women. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

lance coulter: The Soldiers of Odin turned up at the event the previous weekend in their biker-style colours with their organization's name emblazoned on their jackets, hats and T-shirts, according to Rabble. My appeal to be reinstated as a nomination contestant for Edmonton-West Henday has been denied and I was not given the chance to speak to the board, Mr. In a social media post, Lance Coulter also accused his two former competitors to represent the UCP in the Edmonton-West Henday Riding of lying about the invitation to members of the Soldiers of Odin anti-immigrant vigilante group. Coulter said in a short post on his campaign Facebook page, which was deleted on October 15. Mr. I condemn racism in the strongest terms, he wrote, but continued I was disqualified because I refused to lie when the party asked me to, unlike the other two candidates. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

marine corps: Mattis said Trump gave him this assurance during a phone call while Mattis was flying from Washington to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on Tuesday, according to CTV. A few hours earlier, Mattis told reporters travelling with him that he and Trump had never discussed the possibility of Mattis leaving the Pentagon job. The assertion comes just days after Trump mused on national television about Mattis leaving his post. Mattis initially was responding to reporters' questions about Trump's comments on CBS' 60 Minutes Sunday that Mattis may leave his administration and that he thinks the retired Marine Corps general is sort of a Democrat. Later, Mattis approached reporters travelling with him to say he'd just spoken to Trump. Asked what he made of Trump's comments, in which the president also said he likes Mattis and that eventually all appointees move on, Mattis said, Nothing at all, adding, We have never talked about me leaving. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

protest rally: Rohingya women cry as they shout slogans during a protest rally in Bangladesh on August 25, according to Toronto Star. Justin Trudeau's government could be doing more to address gender-specific challenges faced by women affected by global wars and displacement, according to a new report from Oxfam Canada, which takes a close look at how Canada provides international humanitarian aid and where gaps exist when it comes to outcomes for women and girls in refugee situations. That's according to a new report from Oxfam Canada, which takes a close look at how Canada provides international humanitarian aid and the gaps that exist when it comes to outcomes for women and girls in refugee situations. Altaf Qadri / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Canada has made great strides when it comes to making gender equality and feminism a key priority of its domestic and foreign policy agenda, but more can be done to help women being disproportionately affected by global crisis, the report says. The fact that Canada's international assistance spending is at a near historical low, merely reaching 0.26 per cent of gross national income, as compared to the UN aid target of 0.7 per cent, undermines its credibility and leadership on the international stage. Currently, Canada's international assistance funding is out of step with its ambition to be a world leader on gender equality and feminist aid and foreign policy, the report states. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

emergency debate: It bluntly said the world is on the precipice of major disasters if governments don't step up with a firmer plan to stop spewing so many greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, according to Vancouver Courier. The report says the world needs to aim to hold global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, but that marker will be upon us by 2040 if drastic, global action isn't taken. The emergency debate was granted by House of Commons Speaker Geoffrey Regan just a week after the United Nations climate change arm dropped an explosive warning. Canada would need to cut its annual emissions almost in half from current levels within 12 years to meet that goal but currently aims to cut them by a little more than 25 per cent by 2030. The report takes a close look at how Canada provides international humanitarian aid and the gaps that exist when it comes to outcomes for women and girls in refugee situations. OXFAM SAYS MORE HELP NEEDED FOR WOMEN REFUGEESJustin Trudeau's self-proclaimed feminist government could and should be doing more to address gender-specific challenges faced by female refugees affected by wars and displacement, according to a new report from Oxfam Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

maria goeppert-mayer: Really Is that all the associate professor in University of Waterloo's physics and astronomy department said earlier this month, according to NOW Magazine. I thought there might have been more. When Donna Strickland was asked by a reporter how she felt about being the third woman in history to receive the Nobel Prize in physics, she was surprised. But the sad reality is, there hasn't been. This year, Strickland and French laser physicist G rard Mourou jointly received the honour by helping pave the way for the shortest and most intense laser pulses created by humankind. Strickland is the third woman after Marie Curie in 1903 and Maria Goeppert-Mayer in 1963. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

oxfam canada: Currently, Canada's international assistance funding is out of step with its ambition to be a world leader on gender equality and feminist aid and foreign policy, the report states, according to Vancouver Courier. The fact that Canada's international assistance spending is at a near historical low, merely reaching 0.26 per cent of gross national income, as compared to the UN aid target of 0.7 per cent, undermines its credibility and leadership on the international stage. That's according to a new report from Oxfam Canada, which takes a close look at how Canada provides international humanitarian aid and the gaps that exist when it comes to outcomes for women and girls in refugee situations.article continues below Trending Stories These are the three most likely outcomes of Vancouver election New poll shows Kennedy Stewart continues to lead Vancouver mayoral race Five things to know about the B.C. Cannabis Store in Kamloops Vancouver Skateboard Coalition carves out election wants and needs Canada has made great strides when it comes to making gender equality and feminism a key priority of its domestic and foreign policy agenda, but more can be done to help women being disproportionately affected by global crisis, the report says. The study zeros in on areas where women in conflict zones are not getting the help they need or where efforts to improve gender equality in these areas are not being fully realized. This is due, in part, to a lack of adequate access to sexual and reproductive health services, which are often seen as a second-tier priority when people are forced to flee their homes due to conflict. Some of the findings are unsettling, including a statistic showing 25 to 50 per cent of maternal deaths in refugee camps are caused by unsafe abortions and related complications. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

state secularism: If true religious neutrality and state secularism were its desired goals, Legault's Coalition Avenir Qu bec CAQ' party has already failed spectacularly, according to National Observer. Glaring double standard ; The embarrassing double standard displayed in such a declaration is further proof that Quebec attempts to legislate secularism have always looked more like half-baked versions of state-sanctioned discrimination, in which all but Christian religious symbols are subject to discrimination. This is the twisted logic that Legault relies on to justify planned legislation to ban public servants from wearing religious symbols, while fighting to preserve the most sacred and universally known symbol of Christianity, the cross, in the National Assembly, where laws are voted in and equally applied to all Quebecers. If you claim to be for secularism you can't cherry pick which symbols stay and which ones leave. Attempting to bypass the issue, or shelter your preferred religion from the new proposal, by pretending that the cross isn't, in fact, a religious symbol, but merely a quaint heritage symbol, does not rectify the problem. They must all go, or you appear profoundly hypocritical. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

vancouver election: She alleged that Bell Media broke national broadcasting rules and breached her right to free expression in refusing to air her campaign advertisement, according to Vancouver Courier. Cavanagh said that while the court has jurisdiction when it comes to charter rights issues, he decided not to deal separately with those matters in this case. In his written decision, Justice Peter Cavanagh said Faith Goldy's complaint should be addressed to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission and not the court.article continues below Trending Stories These are the three most likely outcomes of Vancouver election New poll shows Kennedy Stewart continues to lead Vancouver mayoral race Five things to know about the B.C. Cannabis Store in Kamloops Vancouver Skateboard Coalition carves out election wants and needs Goldy, a former journalist who is now a fringe candidate in Toronto's municipal election, wanted the court to order the broadcaster to run the ad until the Oct. 22 vote. I decline to exercise my discretion to carve out the charter issues and have them heard separately by the Superior Court of Justice, Cavanagh said in his decision. Vote Faith Goldy for mayor and Toronto ceases to be a Sharia safe space, she said in a recent tweet. The entire application should be heard by the same tribunal, the CRTC. Goldy, whose campaign includes anti-immigrant policies, once penned an article suggesting there was white genocide in Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

internet users: Another shared a false story about the rape of a Buddhist woman by a Muslim man, according to Toronto Star. The Facebook posts were not from everyday internet users. One said Islam was a global threat to Buddhism. Instead, they were from burma military personnel who turned the social network into a tool for ethnic cleansing, according to former military officials, researchers and civilian officials in the country. With fake pages and sham accounts, the country's military is said to be behind a Facebook campaign that targeted the mostly Muslim Rohingya minority group that fueled genocide, said former military officials, researchers and civilian officials. A settlement for Rohingya arrivals in Thang Khali, Bangladesh, Sept. 7, 2017. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

store effiloche: She said with her lease ending just as construction began, she decided to quit while she was ahead, according to CTV. It's just basically something I didn't want to live through, she said. Ginette Verdone has sold knitting and fabric supplies at her store Effiloche for 13 years but the construction led her to believe it was time to close up shop. I didn't have to so it was an easy choice. The city has promised compensation for the businesses that take a hit, but St-Hubert Plaza Merchants Association Executive Director Mike Parente said there's lots of unanswered questions. Once the project is complete, the city will have installed new aqueducts, road and sidewalks, as well as more than 200 new trees and a new awning. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

prince william: WILL THE BABY EVER BE KING OR QUEEN It is very unlikely, according to CTV. Harry and Meghan's first child will be seventh in the line of succession for the throne when it is born next spring. Here are answers to some questions about the baby-to-be. The baby will be behind its grandfather, Prince Charles; its uncle, Prince William; its cousins, William's three children George, Charlotte and five-month-old Prince Louis; and the baby's father, Prince Harry. ------ WILL THE BABY BE A PRINCE OR PRINCESS The baby will not automatically become a prince or princess, although it is possible that could happen if Queen Elizabeth II chooses to intervene. The baby will also not be entitled to the HRH designation, meaning His royal highness or Her royal highness. Titles were limited by King George V in 1917 in a way that would exclude Harry's children unless the queen takes action. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

tents: But often they're a place of terror, according to CTV. The camp sits on a hill covered in olive trees just a few kilometres from the island's capital, Mytilene. They should be a space of privacy and safety. Women living there and in the informal settlement beside it say they are in constant fear of harassment, with most avoiding the washroom at night and limiting the number of times they leave their tents. Women, meanwhile, huddle together in their tents or metal containers, some rarely venturing into the main square and staying away completely at night. Men dominate the public space, taking up work in makeshift coffee stands and barber shops, their voices filling the air. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mytilene women: The camp sits on a hill covered in olive trees just a few kilometres from the island's capital, Mytilene, according to Vancouver Courier. Women living there and in the informal settlement beside it say they are in constant fear of harassment, with most avoiding the washroom at night and limiting the number of times they leave their tents. They should be a space of privacy and safety.article continues below Trending Stories New poll shows Kennedy Stewart continues to lead Vancouver mayoral race Want legal pot Head to Kamloops Vision Vancouver will not run a mayoral candidate for first time in party's history Owners must find tenants soon or risk empty homes tax But often they're a place of terror. Men dominate the public space, taking up work in makeshift coffee stands and barber shops, their voices filling the air. We don't feel safe. Women, meanwhile, huddle together in their tents or metal containers, some rarely venturing into the main square and staying away completely at night. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

climate refugees: We are at our children's climate crossroads, according to National Observer. The two paths are clear, as are their consequences. Struggling to conceive leaves you with ample time to think about the Earth your child will inherit and whether, knowing what we know, it is even still ethical to bring life into this world. Which will we choose Climate Change cndpoli onpoli OPed in Nat Observer To put it starkly, I sometimes ponder the odds of my future children dying in a climate-related natural disaster, becoming climate refugees, or fighting in the climate conflicts to come. Such are the perils of being born into the throes of the sixth great extinction where fully one-quarter of all plant and animal species on land are threatened with obliteration by 2050. Unless you've been keeping up with the science, their odds are probably worse than you think. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

islamophobic person: In the United States, a racist, homophobic, xenophobic and Islamophobic person who lauds white supremacists and mocks people with disabilities is president, according to NOW Magazine. In Austria, Hungary, Poland and Israel, the hard right hold the balance of power. Some days it's hard not to fear for humanity. And right here in Ontario the recent election of Doug Ford is laying waste to progressive policy and labour reforms. Twenty-four hours after Legault's election, his transition team made it very clear those public servants in positions of authority who wear turbans, kippahs and hijabs will lose their jobs. However, it is with our neighbour to the east, Quebec, where the diversity, tolerance and acceptance that used to be commended as Canadian traits are quickly losing ground with Coalition Avenir Qu bec CAQ leader Fran ois Legault's stunning victory in the October 1 provincial election. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

parties: Both parties have signed a non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreement, according to Vancouver Courier. The parties have resolved all outstanding issues. Complainant Andreas Kargut, a now former resident of the Wellington Court townhouse complex in Richmond, said a settlement had been reached in the 11th hour, prior to Monday's scheduled tribunal hearing.article continues below Trending Stories New poll shows Kennedy Stewart continues to lead Vancouver mayoral race Want legal pot Head to Kamloops Vision Vancouver will not run a mayoral candidate for first time in party's history Owners must find tenants soon or risk empty homes tax Kargut, and eight other owners of various ethnic and linguistic backgrounds, made national headlines in December 2015, after claiming racial discrimination from the Mandarin speakers who allegedly refused to conduct strata council meetings including the 2015 Annual General Meeting AGM in English and with no translation service. The parties will not be disclosing the details of the settlement, said Kargut, who previously claimed the future of English in Canada was at stake. According to a request by Glacier Media under the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act, the provincial government has not pursued changes to the Strata Property Act nor looked at establishing an official language law since Kargut went public with his claim. As it stands, residential strata council meetings in B.C. will continue to be able to operate in any language of a council's choosing, as B.C. has no official language law and the Strata Property Act has no language requirements. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

school girls: Rating NNNNThe Howland Company and Crow's Theatre have combined forces to present a thoroughly riveting production of American Sarah DeLappe's Pulitzer Prize-nominated 2016 play, The Wolves, according to NOW Magazine. The title refers to the name of a high school girls' soccer team made up almost entirely of 16- to 17-year-olds who have played the game together since childhood. See listing. Over 90 minutes and six scenes, we see the girls chat during their warm-ups for games stretching, lunging, running, passing with the games themselves depicted only in short segments of beautifully stylized movement. Indeed, the play is so full of action and humour that it can be enjoyed solely as a complex, realistic portrait of female millennials and their social interactions that upends the older generation's tendency to view them as a homogenous group. DeLappe, born in 1990, has said, I wanted to see a portrait of teenage girls as human beings as complicated, nuanced, very idiosyncratic people who weren't just girlfriends or sex objects. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

october careens: As the month of October careens toward a box office record, the crowded marketplace can be a blessing or a curse for some films in their first weekends, although the hope is that they will play for weeks to come, according to CTV. Such is the idea for Universal Pictures' First Man, which took flight over the weekend with everything to its advantage -- prestige, good reviews 88 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes a movie star Gosling and an Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle . Studios estimated Sunday that First Man earned 16.5 million in ticket sales from 3,640 North American theatres, and 25 million worldwide. The Ryan Gosling-starrer and a host of newcomers, like the family-friendly Goosebumps sequel and the neo-noir mystery Bad Times at the El Royale, couldn't unseat last week's top two films, Venom and A Star Is Born, which again took first and second place. That was on par with expectations, but not exactly an eye-popping number for a space epic that cost nearly 60 million to produce. What we know is for these types of adult, fall films for discerning audiences, it's not about the opening weekend, Orr said. For Universal Pictures' president of domestic distribution Jim Orr, the box office intake for a film like First Man, which primarily appeals to older audiences not inclined to rush out to a movie theatre on the first weekend, is going to be a marathon not a sprint. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian funds: Israel has accused the agency of being biased, fuelling its conflict with the Palestinians and promoting hatred against the Jewish state, according to National Observer. Canada's foreign ministry says the new funds will help bring stability to the region by helping Palestinians cope with poverty, unemployment and food insecurity. The new Canadian funds announced today will be allocated over two years to assist the health and education efforts of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, or UNRWA. ; The Trump administration decided in August to withdraw US 300 million in support, ending the United States' status as the largest donor for an organization that had been trying to help more than five million Palestinian refugees. But it also says the money will assist UNRWA with its ongoing efforts to improve neutrality within the agency and its operations. Canada is earmarking 40 million towards the basic education, health and livelihood needs of millions of Palestinian refugees, especially women and children. This assistance demonstrates how Canada and UNRWA are working together to ensure respect for the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, operational independence and impartiality, said a statement from Global Affairs Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cannabis legalization: As the month of October careens toward a box office record, the crowded marketplace can be a blessing or a curse for some films in their first weekends, although the hope is that they will play for weeks to come.article continues below Trending Stories Vancouver's top cop says police ready for cannabis legalization This is how mobile voting stations work on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside One fall foliage spot in Metro Vancouver you need to see Here's who's running for school board in Vancouver this election Such is the idea for Universal Pictures' First Man, which took flight over the weekend with everything to its advantage prestige, good reviews 88 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes a movie star Gosling and an Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle . Studios estimated Sunday that First Man earned 16.5 million in ticket sales from 3,640 North American theatres, and 25 million worldwide, according to Vancouver Courier. That was on par with expectations, but not exactly an eye-popping number for a space epic that cost nearly 60 million to produce. The Ryan Gosling-starrer and a host of newcomers, like the family-friendly Goosebumps sequel and the neo-noir mystery Bad Times at the El Royale, couldn't unseat last week's top two films, Venom and A Star Is Born, which again took first and second place. For Universal Pictures' president of domestic distribution Jim Orr, the box office intake for a film like First Man, which primarily appeals to older audiences not inclined to rush out to a movie theatre on the first weekend, is going to be a marathon not a sprint. We're very comfortable that it's going to have a long life at the domestic box office. What we know is for these types of adult, fall films for discerning audiences, it's not about the opening weekend, Orr said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.