canadian fans: The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade heard about her idea and donated 80 tickets, and the teen has given them to various multicultural societies so kids they serve can have a chance to see Degeneres, according to Vancouver Courier. Everitt says everyone who's already been given a ticket will join her to sing O Canada before they enter the arena, and their own little show will include the flags of 80 countries where she has travelled with her family. Capri Everitt had planned to award two tickets to the best Canadian fans based on their performance of the national anthem with her outside Rogers Arena on Friday night.article continues below Trending Stories Here's who's running for city council in Vancouver this election Vision Vancouver dumps council candidate one day before election These are the three most likely outcomes of Vancouver election Here's who's running for school board in Vancouver this election Everitt says she earned the money for the tickets by busking in downtown Vancouver and wanted to pass them on to others as part of a pre-show performance to welcome the American entertainer. The Grade 9 student says she sang the national anthem of each country she visited, and in the native language, during a nine-month trip two years ago as part of her Around the World in 80 Anthems tour. I really learned to appreciate that because it's such a beautiful thing and not every country has it, she says. She says her global trip to raise money for a children's charity helped her feel grateful about Canada's multiculturalism. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

asian immigrants: Sometimes you're working six days, seven days a week, according to Vancouver Courier. Once the domain of white, blue-collar big-riggers, trucking has shifted gears as South Asian Canadians fill a growing labour shortage and reroute the industry with tech-savvy and chai-vending truck stops. Trucking is a very hard business, Chohan said, overlooking an asphalt lot brimming with semis. In 1996, less than two per cent of Canada's truckers were South Asian immigrants. More than half of all truckers in the Vancouver and Toronto areas were born in South Asia. In 2016, they comprised 18 per cent of the country's roughly 181,000 drivers, according to a study by Newcom Media Inc. based on Statistics Canada's National Household Survey. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

campaign: But none has taken such direct aim at Mnangagwa as the new documentary on the army operation he supported as state security minister between 1983 and 1987, according to Vancouver Courier. Gukurahundi genocide 36 years later is named after that campaign. The screening in the capital, Harare, would have been almost impossible under former leader Robert Mugabe, who led the country for 37 years and resigned following military intervention in November.article continues below Trending Stories Vision Vancouver dumps council candidate one day before election This is what a Vancouver rental scam looks like These are the three most likely outcomes of Vancouver election Here's who's running for city council in Vancouver this election President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a longtime Mugabe loyalist and enforcer who succeeded him, has tolerated documentaries and plays critical of the government amid promises of a flowering of democracy. During Operation Gukurahundi the early rains that blow away the chaff in the local Shona language - a North Korean-trained brigade rampaged through the southwestern provinces of Matabeleland, leaving 10,000 to 20,000 civilians dead. Like his predecessor, Mnangagwa has refused to apologize but said he will accept recommendations of a national peace and reconciliation commission conducting public hearings on the atrocities. That's according to a 1997 report by the Catholic Commission on Peace and Justice that drew on more than 1,000 interviews and is seen as the most authoritative account. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

fortress ford: Few have dared to challenge in fortress Ford and 2018 is mostly no different with a number of also-rans from 2014 running again, according to NOW Magazine. But there are two exceptions community worker Naiima Farah, who's advocating a fresh approach, and longtime local resident and businessperson Carol Royer, who's pushing for more community investment and affordable housing. That they happen to be vying for a seat in the ward that used to be represented by now Premier Doug Ford and before that his late mayor brother Rob adds to the mockery. Royer is the one with the better chance of winning.WARD 2 Etobicoke Centre Who's running Bill Boersma, John Campbell, Angelo Carnevale, Stephen Holyday, Erica Kelly Key demographics 30 per cent of households have annual incomes of over 125,000; Italians make up largest ethnic group 4.9 per cent Progressive choice Council right-wingers Campbell and Holyday are essentially two sides of the same coin, with Holyday the more conservative of the two. Erica Kelly, who ran for the NDP here during the provincial election, represents a long shot, but if you really want to irritate Doug Ford as we do then vote for her.WARD 3 Etobicoke-Lakeshore Who's running Svitlana Burlakova, Iain Davis, Pamela Gough, Mark Grimes, Robert Gunnyon, Michael Julihen, Michael Loomans, Amber Morley, Peggy Moulder, Patrizia -Nigro Key demographics 11.8 per cent growth in population between 2011 and 2016; 28 per cent are visible minority; Polish speakers make up largest ethnic group 4.5 per cent Progressive choice Longtime incumbent Grimes, part of the old Etobicoke cabal that's been in charge forever, has been flying under the radar ever since he entered municipal politics some 15 years ago despite having one of the worst attendance records on council, and the fact that he's been cited by the Integrity Commissioner for improper dealings with developers. Carnevale, meanwhile, seems to have the support of Doug Ford and local MPP Kinga Surma. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigrant communities: With her parents by her side, the Eritrean-Canadian human rights lawyer outlined the key tenets of her progressive platform affordable housing, free public transit, less policing and more jobs for youth, according to NOW Magazine. The experts tell me our communities the working-class, immigrant communities don't vote. On October 10, the first day of advance voting, mayoral candidate Saron Gebresellassi congregated with a small contingent of first-time voters and community organizers at Nathan Phillips Square. I see my primary mission to convert non-voters to voters. I'm not trying to woo the folks who would vote for John Tory. That's the real key ingredient to success, says Gebresellassi the next day over the phone. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

business visa: There is no support for that bill at present, Morrison told reporters, according to CTV. The centre-left opposition Labor Party argues that a lifetime ban on refugees ever visiting Australia on a tourist or business visa was unnecessary and against Australia's interests. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday he was willing to brief non-government senators on the travel ban bill. The conservative government is under mounting pressure to relax its five-year-old policy of banning asylum seekers who come by boat from ever settling in Australia. Morrison's policy shift could also be influenced by a crucial byelection in a progressive Sydney electorate on Saturday. The policy has effectively ended the people smuggling traffic, but concerns are mounting over the fates of hundreds of asylum seekers languishing in an immigration camp on Nauru and male-only facilities on Papua New Guinea. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

darryl dyck: Members of the Sikh Motorcycle Club are reflected in a fellow member's sunglasses during the annual Vaisakhi parade in Vancouver on April 16, 2016, according to Toronto Star. Darryl Dyck / THE CANADIAN PRESS But in Doug Ford's Ontario, the two have now been placed on an equal footing. Motorcycles not so much. As of Thursday, observant Sikhs have gained a special exemption from the Progressive Conservative government to ride helmetless, at high speed, on Ontario's highways. Article Continued Below That's a slogan you'll hear the PC government recite endlessly in public. Promise made, promise kept. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

director: Weyni Mengesha, incoming artistic director of Soulpepper Theatre, is part of a growing trend which sees more women and racialized groups reaching positions of authority in Canadian theatre companies, according to Toronto Star. Richard Lautens / Toronto Star Artistic director Nina Lee Aquino at Factory Theatre in 2015. Factory Theatre's artistic director Nina Lee Aquino posted this message on Facebook last Thursday afternoon along with the grinning face and smiling eyes emoji. Marta Iwanek / Toronto Star The post got 114 likes and loves but interestingly, no comments. The outpouring of support for Mengesha's appointment continues in conversations throughout the theatre community. The theatre world knew exactly what Aquino was talking about, no gloss necessary the announcement earlier that day that Weyni Mengesha is the new artistic director of Soulpepper Theatre. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

politics: That said, one assumption from the claim is true; namely, that pro rep almost always produces minority or coalition governments, according to Rabble. Which is great!Minority outcomes result in more cooperation in our politics. The claim is unsubstantiated nonsense. Parties have to put together governing alliances or coalitions that, in combination, reflect the majority of voters. The culture, tone and practice of politics is less divisive. And they are forced to collaborate on policies that better reflect the desires of a majority. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

press china: In this 2017 file photo, Uyghur security personnel patrol near the Id Kah Mosque in Kashgar in western China's Xinjiang region, according to Toronto Star. Ng Han Guan / The Associated Press China's resistance to Western pressure over the camps highlights its growing confidence under President Xi Jinping, who has offered Beijing's authoritarian system as a model for other countries. The report is the ruling Communist Party's latest effort to defend its extrajudicial detention of Central Asian Muslim minorities against mounting criticism. About one million Uyghur, Kazakhs and other minorities have been arbitrarily detained in mass internment camps in China's far west Xinjiang region, according to estimates by a U.N. panel. The report by the official Xinhua News Agency indicated that key to the party's vision in Xinjiang is the assimilation of the Indigenous Central Asian ethnic minorities into Han Chinese society and in turn, a modern lifestyle. Former detainees say they were forced to disavow their Islamic beliefs in the camps, while children of detainees are being placed in dozens of orphanages across the region. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

study edmonton: The data collection revealed the most common harassment women face in public places include unwanted sexual remarks, groping and stalking, according to CTV. The places where it is most likely to happen are to and from home, work and school, public transit, malls, bars and restaurants, and in public spaces in central Edmonton. In 2016, the city and province carried out a study Edmonton Safe City with the UN to learn more about sexual assault trends in Edmonton. The study also revealed that females between 13-25 years of age and minorities especially Indigenous women are more likely to be harassed. There's some work we need to do in the area of public transportation and we also know that our Indigenous women and girls are overrepresented in sexual assaults or harassment, so we have work to do there. We want to build a city that's safe for women and girls in all of our public spaces, Ward 2 Councillor Bev Esslinger said at the UN's Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces Global Leaders' Forum Tuesday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

conflict-averse fragility: Do you think I'm exaggerating Consider this A white man, along with his white cabinet, elected by white Ontario, enacted a bill that rigs Toronto's imminent election in favour of white candidates, according to National Observer. The bill was then struck down by a white man, on the grounds that it violated a Constitution written by white men. Both are rooted in a conflict-averse fragility that comfortably masquerades as pragmatism. Alas, more white men later ruled to stay the decision effectively reversing it so that the two white front runners for mayor could enjoy the balance of convenience, as they vie to lead Canada's most diverse city. With the table now set for him, incumbent mayoral candidate John Tory need not be bothered to even leave his house, let alone put forth an idea. Are you feeling defensive yet Now imagine how defensive those 577 refugees felt when a white person recently attempted to set the local hotel they are staying in on fire while they slept. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

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.