christmas collaboration: I'm half-tempted, as I write, to go on a saver-return pilgrimage through Rugby and Crewe and Penrith to find the bit that says Remember, George no man is a failure who has friends, according to Rabble. The project is a Christmas collaboration between the mental health charity Rethink and Virgin Trains. The lines from Frank Capra's film five miles of them in total run along the yellow line at the edge of platforms, temporarily replacing Mind the Gap with some of the movie's indelible messages about human connection. It aims to act as a reminder, amid the festive busyness, that for people struggling with loneliness and depression this time of year can be the toughest of all and of the effect that small acts of kindness can have in keeping the most vulnerable away from the edge. One of the reasons It's a Wonderful Life was chosen as the nation's favourite Christmas film pipping Elf and The Muppet Christmas Carol in a Radio Times poll last week was that it continues to do what the best films always do give those of us who are watching in the dark perspectives by which to understand our lives. The project also, perhaps, offers a quiet, unspooling answer to the questions that currently nag at our fractured national psyche how will we ever bring our country back together What are the values that we might unite around It seems a lot to ask of a 72-year-old movie, but the message at the platform's edge, stretching along the spine of the country, might be seen as a timely metaphor. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

jonathan vance: It will also likely be the prime minister's only visit, as operations are currently scheduled to wind down at the end of July -- even though the UN and some allies would like Canada to stay until Romanian replacements arrive in the fall, according to CTV. Trudeau flew into Gao aboard a military transport plane -- and under a veil of secrecy due to security concerns -- with a delegation that included Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and chief of defence staff Gen. The visit to this hot, dusty camp in northern Mali was Trudeau's first since 250 Canadian troops and eight helicopters arrived this summer to begin providing lifesaving medical evacuations for wounded UN peacekeepers and workers. Jonathan Vance. We think often -- and we hear this from Canadians -- that Canada has a great history of peacekeeping, Trudeau told the assembled troops after helping serve turkey dinners to them. The bright sun and hot desert air belied the fact that the prime minister's visit to this part of Africa was timed to coincide with a pre-Christmas celebration for the troops. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

nicholas coates: It also features Canadian astronaut Roberta Bondar, American singer-songwriter Michael Franti and National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Perry Bellegarde as the biblical three kings, according to CTV. Rev. The 110-year-old Red Deer Lake United Church's display shows Mary and Joseph with dark complexions and wearing contemporary clothing. Nicholas Coates said his church strives to make everyone feel accepted, and that too often, nativity scenes are just aggressively white. That, I think, can open up a lot of really important questions when we think about immigration policies and how we welcome the others, Coates added. If this is a story that took place in first century Middle East, they would be brown people, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

al: Syrian refugee family Mohammad Al Mnajer and wife Fouzia Al Hashish sit with their three daughters Judy, right, Jaidaa, centre, and Baylasan at their home in Mississauga, Ont., Dec. 13, according to Toronto Star. Frank Gunn / THE CANADIAN PRESS I'm not a refugee. The 23-year-old mother's 2019 goal is already quite clear a Canadian citizenship and a dark blue passport for herself, husband Mohammad Al Mnajer, and their children. I'm a Canadian, same as you, she said in an interview at her home in Mississauga, Ont. However, refugee advocates say obstacles remain for many other applicants surviving on welfare, who remain uncertain about how they'll pay hefty fees or pass the language certifications. Al Hashish is among the 25,000 Syrian refugees who came to Canada between December 2015 and March 2016, and who are becoming eligible to apply for citizenship after spending 1,095 days in the country and meeting language requirements. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sizes weaved: Protests were held in Estevan, Regina and Yorkton on Saturday, to support pipelines and the energy sector, and oppose a number of other policies, according to CTV. Estevan Following similar protests throughout Alberta earlier this week, hundreds of trucks made their way through the City of Estevan on Saturday afternoon. The demonstrations that began in France to protest President Emanuel Macron's green tax, has moved into Canada over the last few weeks to take on the federal government's carbon tax. A total of 427 trucks of different sizes weaved through the city in a convoy. We're basically trying to tell everybody we need to unite as Canadians. Organizers say that one of the aims of the protest is to support pipelines to try and get Canadians back to work. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

jon m: But inside that frame, first-time director and lead actor Bradley Cooper fills scenes with truth and humanity, proving that he is an avid student of the top directors he has worked with, according to Rabble. The second smart thing he did was to cast the luminous Lady Gaga, whose acting is as strong as her singing. ; The third was to surround the couple with a stellar cast of supporting actors, including Andrew Dice Clay and Dave Chappelle. - John LuiCRAZY RICH ASIANSDirected by Jon M. ChuKevin Kwan's 2013 bestseller was smart and funny, but it was also a loose set of comic observations about the obscenely wealthy built on the slight framework of a couple in love and their meet-the-family moment. WARNER BROTHERS ; On the surface, this movie, the third remake of a 1937 original, clings to formula As one performer rises, the other falls, and for a few blissful moments, they are happy together. Chu, with screenwriters Adele Lim and Peter Chiarelli, made priority one the creation of strong, believable female characters in Rachel Constance Wu and her antagonist, Eleanor Young Michelle Yeoh . Next was to keep the promise made by the rich in the title through set design. MAGNOLIA PICTURESThere is enough warmth, joy and sadness in this movie to fill three ordinary films. It might have been easy to make the Araminta-Colin society wedding opulent - but it takes a real film-maker to make the scene achingly beautiful. - John LuiSHOPLIFTERSDirected by Hirokazu Kore-eda Lily Franky and Jyo Kairi in a scene from Shoplifters. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cent chance: I just want to thank them from the bottom of my heart, Mance told CTV Winnipeg, according to CTV. This is the person that is saving my life. The family of 16-year-old Roshlind Mance, who lives with a pair of rare blood diseases known as aplastic anemia and paroxysmal hemoglobinuria, announced on Friday that she has found a donor and should receive a much-needed stem cell transplant in early 2019. The family says the anonymous donor is a 90 per cent match to Mance. Mance's family compared finding a match to winning the lottery in part due to the family's Filipino heritage. There's just a five per cent chance the transplant won't work, they say. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

couple claims: Honestly, it feels like we're living our worst nightmare right now, Kim told CTV News Friday, according to CTV. The fact that we are being accused right now of an unethical adoption is crazy. Kim and Clark Moran received a letter this week from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada informing them that the federal department has concerns about two-year-old Ayo, whom the couple claims they adopted from an orphanage in Nigeria and gained custody of in August. CTV News has learned that a third party has come forward with an allegation that Ayo's adoption came from a private residence and not an orphanage. Kim would not share a copy of the letter with CTV. In a statement, IRCC did not reveal any details regarding the Ayo's paperwork, but said the Government of Canada has obligations under international conventions to ensure children are not abducted, bought or sold, or removed from their biological families without legal consent. It does say that in the letter, Kim confirmed, adding that I have no idea where that information came from because both Clark and I were there in the office with all of the workers from the orphanage. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

question period: Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer speaks with the media following Question Period in Ottawa, Dec. 4, according to Toronto Star. Scheer says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is the most divisive prime minister in the history of Canada. Scheer is lashing out at Trudeau and the Liberal party for dismissing anyone who disagrees with them, particularly anyone who has questions about Canada's immigration system. Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS I actually think Justin Trudeau's approach to label people who have legitimate concerns with his issues as being un-Canadian and intolerant, that is very dangerous, said Scheer. Both leaders are issuing similar accusations at the same time as they are promising to run positive, upbeat campaigns for the 2019 election. His comments come several days after Trudeau told The Canadian Press that Scheer and the Conservatives were playing a dangerous game themselves by lying to Canadians to drum up fear over immigration. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

meng wanzhou: The United States alleges Meng lied to American banks about a corporate manoeuvre supposedly designed to get around U.S. sanctions against Iran; law-enforcement officials asked Canada to arrest her when she transited through Vancouver on her way to Mexico, according to National Observer. She has since been released on 10 million bail. We are deeply concerned by the arbitrary detention by Chinese authorities of two Canadians earlier this month and call for their immediate release, Freeland said in a written statement. ; Kovrig and Spavor were taken into custody on security grounds just days after Canadian authorities in Vancouver arrested Meng Wanzhou, a senior executive with Chinese firm Huawei Technologies, so she can be extradited to the U.S. to face fraud charges. Western analysts say China's detention of the two Canadians is clearly retaliation for Meng's arrest. Canada is conducting a fair, unbiased and transparent legal proceeding with respect to Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer. Canada is a country governed by the rule of law, Freeland said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

aplastic anemia: The teen, who lives in Alberta after moving from Winnipeg with her family, has aplastic anemia and paroxysmal hemoglobinuria, also known as PNH, conditions that kept her in and out of hospital and requiring regular blood transfusion, according to CTV. People with similar ethnic backgrounds are more likely to match, and only a fraction of those in the database are of Filipino descent. In early November, just over 500 people came out to a registration drive in Winnipeg for Canada's stem cell database, and to be swabbed to see if they were a match for Roshlind Mance. On Friday, it was announced a match for Mance was found. It's really an emotional thing, Mance told CTV News. There are no words to describe it. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

chinese officials: When Christian aid workers Julia and Kevin Garratt were arrested by Chinese officials in 2014 and accused of spying, their plight sparked widespread international outcry, according to Toronto Star. Allison Lu, left, and John Chang, centre, have been detained in China since March 2016. Of the many dozens of cases, only a few get strong or lasting attention. They're pictured here with their daughter, Amy Chang. International treaties and protocols can make it extremely tricky for Ottawa to intervene effectively on behalf of many of these individuals, said Guy Saint-Jacques, former Canadian ambassador to China from 2012 to 2016. Chang family But the friends and family of many other detained Canadians have struggled and failed to put their names in the spotlight. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

front page: They did so because no matter what the report into serious use of force incidents and lived experiences of Toronto's Black citizens found, the police response that would set the tone for the discussions that follow, according to Toronto Star. The Star's front page from March 31, 2005, revealing a secret 2003 meeting between police chief Julian Fantino and senior Black officers. But even as the commissioner was talking, many in the room were eyeing their phones waiting for the police response. Toronto Star The commission's review of Special Investigations Unit SIU director's reports includes the disturbing finding that between 2013 and 2017 seven of 10 people shot dead by police were Black. The SIU investigates all serious injuries, deaths and allegations of sexual assault involving police. And while Black people made up just 8.8 per cent of Toronto's population in 2016, they were involved in 25.4 per cent of SIU investigations and 36 per cent of police shootings over that same period. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

year: The past year has been a turbulent one on the Canadian political scene and the coming year is bound to get that much more tumultuous as politicians prepare for what both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer have predicted will be a nasty campaign, according to CTV. Think of the first six months of 2019 as the semi-finals, with party leaders jostling for position, test-driving their messages and refining their trash talk at opposing teams. It's going to be a bumpy ride to next fall's national election. The finals will begin when Parliament breaks at the end of June, even though the writ won't officially drop until Sept. 1, at the earliest, for the vote scheduled on Oct. 21. Watch Key moments from PM Trudeau's interview on CTV's Question Period But if the past year is any measure, there will doubtless be numerous twists and turns. Trudeau's Liberals and Scheer's Conservatives are the main competitors as they head into playoff season; the NDP, Greens and Maxime Bernier's breakaway People's Party are bit players but potentially positioned as spoilers who will determine which of the two leading contenders walks off with the prize. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

weekend session: At the White House, Trump heard mixed messages during a lunch with conservative lawmakers; some wanted him to fight for the wall, others preferred to get the government re-opened, according to CTV. The Senate, which had gaveled in with the House for a rare weekend session, adjourned until Christmas Eve, but won't return for a full session until Dec. 27. Vice-President Mike Pence arrived on Capitol Hill with a counter-offer to Democrats after the two sides traded offers in recent days. Even a temporary measure to keep government running for a few days while negotiations continued seemed out of reach. But the situation seemed less hopeful for a resolution. Listen, anything can happen, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters after he closed the session. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

freedom caucus: Trump summoned the top House Republicans, along with the leaders of the far-right Freedom Caucus, to the White House midday Thursday and made clear he would sign no spending package that lacked at least 5 billion for border security, including his much-hyped border wall, according to Rabble. The President's pronouncement upended the agreed-to plan to keep the lights on through Feb. 8, when Democrats will have control of the House. There were very real doubts it could find sufficient support in either the House or the Senate.A shutdown, in other words, seemed certain. With less than 35 hours until a partial government shutdown, the President's demands set into motion a scramble on Capitol Hill, where members of Congress are eager to leave Washington for the holidays. McConnell told colleagues mid-Thursday afternoon that they should expect votes around noon on Friday if the House cobbles together votes for a spending bill. Officials in the Senate, which passed late Wednesday their part of a spending bill minus wall funding estimated a full half of the lawmakers had already left Washington. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

merrill gleddie-rogers: He was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 20 years following the reading of 24 victim impact statements by friends and family, according to CTV. In one particularly disturbing statement, Gleddie-Rogers' brother Graham Gleddie described how he had called his nephew on Nov. 20, 2016 the day of the murders. Visit CTV Ottawa for more details on this case On Thursday, Cameron Rogers pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of his adopted parents Dave Rogers and Merrill Gleddie-Rogers two years ago. I spoke to Cameron when he was in the middle of killing my sister, Gleddie later told CTV Ottawa outside the courthouse on Thursday. Gleddie said he later learned from police that his sister was being killed in that moment. Gleddie said when he called the house that afternoon Rogers answered the phone and told him everything was fine in a calm voice. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

methadone treatment: Teresa Michelle Gratton, pictured here in an undated family photo, was being held indefinitely as an immigration detainee at the maximum-security Vanier Centre for Women in Milton, according to Toronto Star. She died of acute methadone intoxication after receiving two doses of methadone from the jail's doctors. But the medical staff inside the maximum-security jail where Gratton was being held indefinitely as an immigration detainee started her at 30 milligrams. Provincial guidelines for methadone treatment say Gratton should have received a much lower dose than she did. Gratton died of acute methadone intoxication in the setting of ischemic heart disease, according to the coroner's report, which was given to the Star by Gratton's husband. Toronto Star photo illustration That's what caused her death. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

news conference: Manuel Balce Ceneta / The Associated Press Beginning about four years ago, Zhu and Zhang waged an intrusion campaign to gain access to computers and networks of managed service providers for businesses and governments around the world, the indictment says, according to Toronto Star. Such providers are private firms that manage clients' information by furnishing servers, storage, networking, consulting and information-technology support. In an indictment unsealed Thursday, prosecutors say Zhu Hua and Zhang Shilong were acting on behalf of China's main intelligence agency to pilfer information from several countries.A poster displayed during a news conference at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 20 shows two Chinese citizens suspected to be with the group AP 10 carrying out an extensive hacking campaign to steal data from U.S. companies. Breaking into one such computer system can provide a route into multiple customers' data; the hackers breached the computers of enterprises involved in activities ranging from banking and telecommunications to mining and health care, say the papers filed in U.S. District Court. They purportedly broke into computers belonging to or providing services to companies in at least 12 countries, including Canada. The indictment says Zhu and Zhang are members of a group operating in China known as Advanced Persistent Threat 10. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

fort st: The next morning, we found new colouring books and crayons in the fireplace, according to Vancouver Courier. We had no heat, no furniture and little food, but there it was Christmas in our fireplace.article continues below Trending Stories Girl found Are you sitting on a million B.C. regulator says fracking caused earthquakes near Fort St. He never visited us. John Judge expands Coastal Gas Link injunction against pipeline blockade Though my maternal grandfather came to Canada from India in the early 1900s, my parents arrived in the mid-1960s and started a family. They befriended neighbours through conversations in broken English, creating bonds that have lasted until today. They had 7 and little education when they landed in Vancouver, but they made a priority of becoming employable by learning to speak, read and write English. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

john: Video of John Grant - Queen of Denmark Strongroom Sessions John Grant sings Queen of Denmark, according to National Observer. Video from You Tube The purists will insist that a depression that is caused by something isn't a true depression. To borrow a line from the singer-songwriter, John Grant I wanted to change the world but I could not even change my underwear. The real stuff drops on you from nowhere like a toxic mudslide carrying off a village, or a biblical rainfall of frogs. But this separation between one's internal state and one's external influences strikes me as unnecessarily strict. Maybe they are right and certainly brain chemistry has a role to play. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

czech republic: But the escalating debate over people leaving their home countries for new ones has sparked increasing opposition and reservations among the U.N.'s 193 member states, according to CTV. The General Assembly resolution endorsing the compact was approved by a vote of 152-5, with Israel, the Czech Republic and Poland also voting no and 12 countries abstaining. The Global Compact for Migration, the first international document dealing with the issue, is not legally binding. The vote in favour of the resolution was lower than the 164 countries that approved the agreement by acclamation at a conference in Marrakech, Morocco, earlier this month. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the resolution's adoption, saying the compact provides a platform for international co-operation that points the way toward humane and sensible action to benefit countries of origin, transit and destination as well as migrants themselves. The compact represents a UN-led effort to give migrants seeking economic opportunity a chance to find it and to have authorities crack down on the often dangerous and illegal movements of people across borders that have turned human smuggling into a worldwide industry. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

election campaign: The province awaits a judicial review on whether bilingual paramedic services must be provided throughout New Brunswick, according to Toronto Star. Kevin Bissett / The Canadian Press I consider today's actions to be in the best interests of New Brunswickers because I am putting their lives and their safety first. The province's efforts to address a shortage of bilingual paramedics became a heated issue during the recent provincial election campaign, and critics have said any move to change the requirement could violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the province's Official Languages Act to provide equal services in both English and French. To me, there is no other path available, Health Minister Ted Flemming said Tuesday. The change is being made despite a judicial review of language requirements for ambulances, slated to begin next month. He said the changes would only be made in areas of the province that are primarily unilingual. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mciver: She was detained and questioned over a visa issue, according to CTV. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the situation earlier on Wednesday, saying that McIver's case did not appear to be linked to a matter of national security for the Chinese. She has been identified as Sarah McIver, of Alberta, and had been teaching in China. The first indications are that this is a very separate case compared to the two others that occurred, Trudeau told journalists at his year-end news conference. Earlier in December, China detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor in Beijing. The others that were arrested at the start of the week were accused of serious crimes, problems regarding national security, intelligence. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

merrill brother: But their son showed absolutely no emotion as he was sent away for life, according to CTV. In a chilling victim impact statement, Merrill Gleddie's brother, Graham Gleddie, described phoning his nephew at the moment of the murders on November 20, 2016 and a calm Cameron Rogers explaining everything was fine. It was an emotional day in court for the family of this couple who were painted as lovely people who adored their son. I spoke to Cameron when he was in the middle of killing my sister, Gleddie said outside court today. Graham said he called at 2 p.m., learning later through a police videotaped confession from Cameron that he had started murdering his parents at 11 a.m. that morning and that it had taken some time for his mother to die. The family had planned a dinner to celebrate the Gleddie family's mother turning 91 and Graham explains that Merrill had asked him to call between 2 and 4 p.m. that day. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

wind chill: I am thinking about it, according to Toronto Star. When you wake up from the bed you see your hands and you don't have your fingers, Iyal, 36, said in an interview last month. It comes into my dreams all the time. Razak Iyal, one of two asylum seekers who walked across the Canada/U.S. border in December and lost his fingers and toes because of severe frostbite, is photographed as he enters his refugee hearing in Winnipeg, Man., June 13, 2017. The overnight wind chill dipped to -30 C as the men trudged through snowy fields in the dark. JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS A powerful winter storm was pounding southern Manitoba as Iyal and Seidu Mohammed, whom he had met at a bus station in Minneapolis in 2016, made their way to the Canada-United States border near Emerson. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.