doug: She's recounting the moment she hit the threshold and decided to get into the mayor's race, according to NOW Magazine. It was after Doug Ford announced his plan to cut council in half and John Tory's tepid response was to call for a referendum instead. This is not cool. It became abundantly clear to me that Doug Ford was going to continue to interfere with the city of Toronto, says Keesmaat, who registered to run hours before the deadline. And so begins my 30-minute sit-down with Keesmaat. And that you can't really fight conservative cuts with a conservative mayor who was the leader of the conservative party for five years. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

medicaid services: About 10 million people currently have private coverage under former President Barack Obama's health care law, according to Vancouver Courier. Consumers applying for subsidized coverage have to provide extensive personal information, including Social Security numbers, income, and citizenship or legal immigration status. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services made the announcement late in the afternoon ahead of a weekend, a time slot agencies often use to release unfavourable developments.article continues below Trending Stories Vancouver election 2018 live blog Kennedy Stewart elected mayor of Vancouver Vancouver will not have a woman as mayor again Vancouver independents fail to make inroads on council, park and school board Officials said the hacked system was shut down and technicians are working to restore it before sign-up season starts Nov. 1 for health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act. The system that was hacked is used by insurance agents and brokers to directly enrol customers. This concerns the agent and broker portal, which is not accessible to the general public, he said. All other sign-up systems are working.CMS spokesman Johnathan Monroe said nothing happened to the Health Care.gov website used by the general public. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

polling stations: On the eve of the balloting, voting in Kandahar province was postponed for a week, following a deadly attack there Thursday that killed at least two senior provincial officials, including its powerful police chief, according to Vancouver Courier. The Taliban claimed responsibility.article continues below Trending Stories Vancouver election 2018 live blog Kennedy Stewart elected mayor of Vancouver Vancouver will not have a woman as mayor again Vancouver independents fail to make inroads on council, park and school board Besides the security challenges, there have also been concerns over the transparency of the vote and for the first time, the election commission has equipped polling stations with biometric identification systems. The vote comes amid a particularly vicious campaign by the Taliban and the Islamic State group, which have been staging near-daily attacks. Here is a look at the elections, the figures and key issues in the vote HOW MANY SEATS, HOW MANY CANDIDATES AND POLLING STATIONS There are 2,565 candidates vying for 249 seats in the lower house of parliament, including 417 women candidates. Of those, the elections commission says as many as 11,667 polling stations are reserved for men and 7,429 for women, while 46 will serve Afghan nomads, known as Kochis, and 22 will serve minority Sikhs and Hindus. Voters will be able to cast ballots at more than 19,000 polling stations in 33 provinces. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

quebec: This cabinet is at your service, according to National Observer. We will work with all our strength and with all our heart for you, but we will need you. But as he was sworn in as premier, Legault offered assurances that even though his Coalition Avenir Quebec party was handed a large majority in the Oct. 1 election, he would seek consensus for his reforms. ; This government is your government, he said in a speech after the ceremony at Quebec City's legislature. If we are millions pushing in the same direction, anything is possible. However, he made it clear he would be sticking to his promises, including a plan to ban the wearing of religious symbols for state employees in positions of authority, which has already been the subject of protests in the Montreal area. Legault's 20-minute speech focused largely on his commitments to health, education and the economy, while avoiding his controversial proposal to reduce immigration. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

vancouver independents: Now, in the final weeks before midterm elections, he's back at it as he looks to stave off Democratic gains in Congress, according to Vancouver Courier. It's an approach that offers both risks and rewards. Donald Trump fueled his 2016 campaign with fiery immigration rhetoric, visions of hordes flowing across the border to assault Americans and steal their jobs. He could energize Democratic foes as well as the Republicans he wants to rouse to the polls.article continues below Trending Stories Vancouver election 2018 live blog Kennedy Stewart elected mayor of Vancouver Vancouver will not have a woman as mayor again Vancouver independents fail to make inroads on council, park and school board But for the president, the potential gains clearly win out. He tweeted that the caravan was an assault on our country at our Southern Border. In campaign stops and on Twitter in recent days, he has seized on a huge caravan of Central American migrants trying to reach the United States through Mexico as fresh evidence that his tough immigration prescriptions are needed. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

brampton: Jeffrey brought in outside auditors to help clean up Brampton's finances after years of reckless spending and mismanagement under former mayor Susan Fennell, according to Toronto Star. She trimmed senior staff, cut her own salary and raised the city's credit rating. She hasn't solved all the problems, but she's made enough progress to have earned another four years from voters when they go to the polls on Monday. Beyond that, she's pushed to make city hall and Peel police more reflective of the area's population, which is more than 70 per cent visible minorities. Rick Madonik / Toronto Star All this is positive and long-overdue. Brampton Mayor Linda Jeffrey was a Liberal minister at Queen's Park before returning to municipal politics. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

el soldiers: The day before he was killed, the archbishop gave a sermon that commanded El Salvador's soldiers to disobey the orders of their superiors, according to Rabble. I would like to make a special appeal to the men of the army, and specifically to the ranks of the National Guard, the police and the military. The pope was wearing Romero's bloodstained rope belt, the one Romero wore when he was assassinated on March 24, 1980. Brothers, you come from our own people. Matt Eisenbrandt, human-rights lawyer and the author of Assassination of a Saint The Plot to Murder scar Romero and the Quest to Bring His Killers to Justice, described that sermon on the Democracy Now! news hour You can hear on the audiotapes of the radio broadcast the way that that applause built as he led up to that line saying, 'Stop the repression.' That then echoed throughout the radios around the country into every corner of El Salvador. You are killing your own brother peasants when any human order to kill must be subordinate to the law of God which says, 'Thou shalt not kill.' He went on, In the name of God, in the name of this suffering people whose cries rise to heaven more loudly each day, I implore you, I beg you, I order you in the name of God Stop the repression. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

friday night: 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, according to CTV. 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. 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. 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. She says her global trip to raise money for a children's charity helped her feel grateful about Canada's multiculturalism. 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. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

guatemalan border: I couldn't stand it anymore, according to Toronto Star. People in a migrant caravan make their way towards the Guatemalan border with Mexico on October 18 in Siquinala, Guatemala. Thank you, thank you very much, Zuniga told her, accepting the gift with a broad grin. The immigrants were part of a migrant caravan of thousands of Central Americans, most from Honduras, hoping to eventually reach the United States. In neighbouring Guatemala, where their journey continued Wednesday amid warning tweets from U.S. President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials, they were helped at every turn by residents who offered them food, water and rides in pickups or on flatbed of semi-trailer trucks. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to cancel the recent trade deal with Mexico and withhold aid to Central American countries if the caravan isn't stopped before reaching the U.S. John Moore / GETTY IMAGES Many of the more than 2,000 Hondurans in a migrant caravan trying to wend its way to the United States left spontaneously with little more than the clothes on their backs and what they could quickly throw into backpacks. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sentiment influence: The Yemeni refugees have risked every danger to come to our country, just so that they could survive, Choi said Thursday, according to CTV. It's no different from the people of our own country half a century ago, when they wandered around foreign countries as refugees through war and division. Justice Party spokesman Choi Seok said South Korea was neglecting its responsibility as a member of the United Nations and letting public sentiment influence critical decisions on human rights. We should no longer ignore the voices of people who seek to live. The ministry rejected stay permits for 34 asylum seekers, who still could appeal, and postponed applications from 85 others for further interviews. South Korea's Justice Ministry on Wednesday said it would not grant refugee status to nearly 400 Yemenis, instead saying it would issue one-year humanitarian stays to 339 of them. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

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.