campaign: The politically charged term at the centre of special prosecutor Robert Mueller's investigation into whether President Donald Trump's campaign co-ordinated with Russia is among 18 entries on Lake Superior State University's 44th annual list, which was released Monday, according to CTV. University spokesman John Shibley said the school received about 3,000 votes through its website and Facebook pages. That's according to a Michigan school's latest List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness. Although Trump has repeatedly tweeted that there was no collusion and collusion was among the top-three vote-getters -- along with wheelhouse and in the books -- its inclusion should not be interpreted as a political statement by the list-makers. I can usually read a political nomination when I see it, he said. Rather, voters apparently were just irritated by hearing and reading the word so often in the past year, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

year: Canadian manufacturing has been booming, but there are storm clouds on the horizon and that's eroding Canadian CEOs confidence in 2019, Jeff Brownlee, publisher of Plant Magazine, which commissioned the survey, said Monday, according to CTV. The survey found 18 per cent of the senior executives were concerned about business prospects for the year ahead, but 51 per cent were cautiously optimistic in a similar level to last year. The survey, by RK Insights, showed 30 per cent of the 501 respondents were optimistic about business prospects for 2019, down from 44 per cent a year earlier. Looking over a three-year horizon, 11 per cent were optimistic about growth prospects for Canada, down from the 22 per cent last year. Sixty-five per cent of respondents were very concerned about U.S. protectionism, up from 54 per cent last year, while 61 per cent were very concerned about Trump's impact on bilateral relations, up from 45 per cent. The survey, conducted in August and September before a new North American trade deal was signed, showed an increase in concerns about the effects of U.S. President Donald Trump's trade policies. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

republican-led senate: Democrats in the House unveiled two bills Monday to fund shuttered government agencies and put hundreds of thousands of federal workers back on the job, according to CTV. They planned to pass them as soon as the new Congress convened Thursday, one of the first acts after Democrats took control, according to an aide who was not authorized to discuss the plan and spoke on condition of anonymity. At the same time, the president struggled to find leverage to break the stalemate before the GOP's monopoly on Washington power ended. Whether the Republican-led Senate, under Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, would consider the bills -- or if Trump would sign either into law -- was unclear. It's simple The Senate is not going to send something to the president that he won't sign, Stewart said. McConnell spokesman Donald Stewart said Senate Republicans would not take action without Trump's backing. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

australian rugby: If you maintain a little perspective on matters, none of the falls has been disastrous well, not yet, according to Rabble. What's unusual is that markets, institutions and individuals are tumbling just about everywhere you look. In the case of 2018, the falls were so broad in nature, it's almost been the year of going backwards. The stock market, Australian men's cricket, key Australian housing markets, Australian rugby, the Liberal and National parties, the Aussie dollar, new vehicle sales, real wages, permanent immigration visas, local business confidence, commodity prices, unemployment, banks' reputations, American politics, British politics, European politics, Chinese politics pretty much all politics they're all falling into 2019. The Bitcoin thingy a bubble designed to burst seems to be heading the way of Australia's energy policy Something that has fallen so far, we don't have one. And you can't forget cryptocurrencies when thinking of plunges. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

deputy minister: The news came out during Garnier's sentencing hearing for the second-degree murder of Catherine Campbell, a Truro, N.S., police officer, according to CTV. The court heard Veterans Affairs was covering the cost of his psychologist because his father is a veteran who has also been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Emails obtained by The Canadian Press through Access to Information and Privacy legislation reveal a slew of people within the Veterans Affairs office -- including the deputy minister, policy analysts and communications officers -- were involved in shaping the message that was relayed to media about Christopher Garnier's benefits. Within the hundreds of pages of emails deliberating how to respond to the inundation of media inquiries, officials discussed pertinent policy and what messages would support the rationale for including family members in a veterans treatment plan. Who may be included in a veteran's treatment plan or rehabilitation plan... is at the discretion of the decision-maker based on the recommendation of the veterans treating health professional, and in consultation with the veterans, said Nicholson in an Aug. 28 email. Trevor Nicholson, a senior policy analyst with Veterans Affairs, outlined for several of his colleagues how the department's mental health policy functions. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ryugyong: Outsiders saw the unfinished building as the epitome of failure, while people inside the country took care to rarely mention it at all, according to CTV. That is, until light designer Kim Yong Il made the building once again the talk of the town. The world's tallest unoccupied building has towered over North Korea's capital since 1987, a grand but empty pyramid entirely dark except for the lone aircraft warning light at its top. In a brilliant flip of the script, the Ryugyong has been reborn as a symbol of pride and North Korean ingenuity. The Ryugyong is still unfinished. For several hours each night, the building that doesn't have electricity inside becomes the backdrop of a massive light show in which more than 100,000 LEDs flash images of famous statues and monuments, bursts of fireworks, party symbols and political slogans. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

anthony ellis: Hailing from Jamaica, Anthony Ellis, too, has three teenage children and the same agricultural roots as a helper on his father's vegetable farm back home, when he is not working for Oulton in Canada, according to Toronto Star. Jamaican migrant farm worker Anthony Ellis appears in one of the videos by the Canadian Horticultural Council meant to pay tribute to the hard labour of migrant workers. He followed in his grandparents' steps and runs the 300-acre Tap Root Farms in Port Williams, an hour's drive from Halifax. Canadian Horticultural Council The two men not only share an employer-employee relationship but are family and now the poster boys of a social media campaign by the Canadian Horticultural Council to raise public awareness of Canadian agriculture and pay tribute to the hard labour of migrant workers like Ellis. I'm working with a wonderful boss, paused Ellis, 40, before correcting himself. The campaign builds on a couple dozen short videos profiling the stories of migrants workers and their employers. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

barb mclintock: Barb was a natural in this role, as a well-respected journalist from her days as a legislative reporter, according to CTV. She elevated the awareness of the work done by our agency in death investigation and leaves a tremendous legacy in this regard, said chief coroner Lisa Lapointe. Barb McLintock is being remembered as a consummate journalist who later became the first coroner of strategic programs, overseeing communications and media relations. She said McLintock died as a result of complications from thyroid cancer with which she was recently diagnosed. She will be truly missed. We fondly remember Barb and her knack for storytelling, her incredible sense of duty and public service, as well as her kindness and thoughtful acts. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration policies: Trump, whose administration has faced widespread criticism over the deaths, pointed on Twitter at Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally, according to CTV. Trump's accusations came as the partial government shutdown wore on with no sign of ending over funding for sections of a border wall. While Trump and Democrats traded barbs over immigration policy, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was visiting medical officials and Border Patrol agents at the southern border in Arizona and Texas, promising additional wellness screenings for migrant children. Most Homeland Security employees, including Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, are among those federal employees required to report for work without pay. On Sunday McAleenan called for a multifaceted solution to the immigration crisis, including not only better border security and new immigration laws but providing more aid to the Central American countries from which many of the migrants have fled. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said last week that prior to this month, no child had died in their custody in more than a decade. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

gang members: If he had been deported, the sheriff said, Cpl, according to CTV. Ronil Singh of the tiny Newman Police Department would still be alive. The sheriff leading the investigation blamed California's sanctuary law for preventing local authorities from reporting Gustavo Perez Arriaga to U.S. immigration officials for two previous drunken driving arrests. We can't ignore the fact that this could have been preventable, Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson told reporters, asking why the state was providing sanctuary for criminals and gang members. Following a statewide manhunt, Perez Arriaga was arrested on a murder warrant in a house near Bakersfield, about 200 miles 320 kilometres southeast of where Singh was shot Wednesday. It's a conversation we need to have. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

liberties association: Cole Burston/For National Post Chris Selley December 28, 20189 27 AM ESTFiled under Full Share this story Chris Selley Michael Bryant at the CCLA an unlikely man for an unlikely job Tumblr Pinterest Google Linked InWhen former Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant was named executive director and general counsel of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association earlier this year, a portion of the Canadian left was apoplectic, according to CBC. To some, Bryant is nothing less than a murderer who got away scot-free after mowing down Darcy Allan Sheppard in a 2009 motorist-vs.-cyclist confrontation in midtown Toronto an encounter Bryant insisted was born of a panicked attempt to escape a crazed Sheppard, who was threatening him and his then-wife Susan Abramovitch in their Saab convertible. To others, he's a perfect pick at a time when advocacy groups are vying for attention Executive Director and general counsel for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, Michael Bryant, poses for a photograph at the Superior Court of Justice in Toronto, Ont., on Nov. 8, 2018. Bryant obtained an acquittal because of his privilege and position, a petition with almost 1,400 signatures alleges, demanding the CCLA rescind its decision. Even for those who thought the outcome of that case reasonable the Crown withdrew all criminal charges against him relating to Sheppard's death there was cause for raised eyebrows. He has not done any of the work necessary to address his attack on a vulnerable person that would make him at all suited for a position where he would be expected to defend the rights of marginalized people. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

showdown friday: Trump is sticking with his demand for money to build a wall along the southern border, and Democrats, who take control of the House on Jan. 3, are refusing to give him what he wants, according to CTV. Trump worked to escalate the showdown Friday, reissuing threats to close the U.S.-Mexico border to pressure Congress to fund the wall and to shut off aid to three Central American countries from which many migrants have fled. Agreement eludes Washington in the waning days of the Republican monopoly on power, and that sets up the first big confrontation between Trump and newly empowered Democrats. We will be forced to close the Southern Border entirely if the Obstructionist Democrats do not give us the money to finish the Wall & also change the ridiculous immigration laws that our Country is saddled with, he wrote in one of a series of tweets. He tweeted Thursday evening that Democrats may be able to block him now, but we have the issue, Border Security. 2020! Watch Explaining Trump's border wall Incoming acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said Trump had cancelled his plans to travel to Florida to celebrate New Year's at his private Mar-a-Lago club. The president also signalled he was in no rush to seek a resolution, welcoming the fight as he heads toward his own bid for re-election in 2020. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

minister theresa: The world is missing its statesmen while rabble-rousers and populists are growing in popularity and notching up political victories, according to Rabble. Here is a quick look at some of the leading newsmakers of 2018 Brexit Britain is about to make its most significant political decision in a matter of months, but no one is sure what will it be, eventually. Fringe populism, both of the right and the left, has become increasingly mainstream and democracy is facing growing challenges. Britain's decision to leave the European Union has been set in motion by Prime Minister Theresa May and March 29 is the deadline for the process. She lost one foreign secretary, two Brexit secretaries and six other ministers because of the chaos surrounding Brexit. But, even May does not have a clue about how it is going to play out. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ski patrol: And women's visibility is rising in the industry's upper ranks, according to Toronto Star. In 2017, the NSAA and National Ski Patrol both appointed their first female leaders. What remains stable is the women's share, which hovers around 40 per cent. Women-specific gear, long an afterthought, has taken off to the point that the overall bestselling ski in America since the 2015-16 season has been a women's model, Blizzard's Black Pearl. Three days of concentrated instruction at Alta, near Salt Lake City, provided lessons in skiing the steeps, and a glimpse into why so many women seem to be flocking to these camps. Shelly Wedge, a ski instructor at the Women's Intermediate-Advanced Ski Camp at the Alta Lodge, leads participants in ski yoga before they head to the slopes at the Alta Ski Area in Utah, Jan. 21, 2018. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cent: The unemployment rate for working-aged immigrants in Canada is 6.4 per cent as of 2017, according to CTV. In contrast, the unemployment rate for Canadian-born people was five per cent in the same year. According to a Dec. 24 report from Statistics Canada, the immigrant unemployment level is at its lowest since 2006, when the data first started to be collected. The research released on Dec. 24 looked at the Canadian immigration labour market data between 2006 and 2017. It found that in 2017 the core working-age immigrant employment rate rose to 78.9 per cent, the highest it's been since Canada's data agency started tracking newcomers' employment rates. Specifically the findings are based on data from the monthly Labour Force Survey, focused on landed immigrants aged 25-54, known as the core working-age. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

world face: Members of the 1.5% Christian minority in Pakistan start life at a disadvantage, according to Rabble. They are called Choorhas, a pejorative term that means washroom cleaners. Pervez Masih / APIt is necessary to take stock of the plight of Pakistani Christians this year. That reflects their social status. However, for Pakistani Christians their image is the least of their problems. Plenty of other ethnic or cultural minorities around the world face this sort of discrimination. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

arrests: In the last few days, officials from the United States and Europe have joined Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland's complaints about the arrests, according to National Observer. Saturday, for the first time, Freeland directly demanded that China release the two.U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino called for their freedom on Friday. Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the detention of Huawei Technologies' chief financial officer is a much bigger international offence than China's own arrests of two Canadians, including a former diplomat. ; After Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Vancouver on an American extradition warrant, Chinese authorities picked up researcher and analyst Michael Kovrig, who is on leave from Canada's foreign service to work for the anti-war International Crisis Group, and businessman Michael Spavor, who arranges exchanges with North Korea. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was deeply concerned about a political motive for their arrests. Germany and France have issued similar statements. A statement from the European Union said the national-security claim raises concerns about legitimate research and business practices in China. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

increase: Justice Patricia Hennessy wrote that it's the Crown's duty to fulfil the treaty's promise to increase the payments over time, according to CTV. The Treaties were not meant to be the last word on the relationship, she wrote. The court found that the Crown has a mandatory and reviewable obligation to increase the annuity under the Robinson-Huron Treaty, which was signed in 1850. Renewal of the relationship was necessary to ensure that both parties could continue to thrive in changing environments. A delegation of 21 First Nations argued in the 2014 lawsuit that it is unfair that the annual payment of 4 to each of its members has not been raised, even though some members have been living in poverty. Hennessy did not say how much the payments should be, noting that there may be further steps and considerations in the implementation of her ruling. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

major-label deal: For a rap group featuring a prominent openly gay member Kevin Abstract to land a 15 million major-label deal and have the No. 1 album in America and to achieve that entirely through streaming and touring, with zero support from traditional radio felt like nothing less than a revolution in 2018, according to Rabble. Shea Diamond This trans R&B singer has a backstory that really should be made into an Oscar-winning biopic. Photos Getty Images More Every genre of music launched promising new stars in 2018, from silky-smooth soul stylists H.E.R., Ella Mai, Jorja Smith to rawk rabblerousers Dream Wife, Shame from LGBTQ trailblazers Shea Diamond, MNEK, Teddy 3 to fearless female rule-breakers Starcrawler, Billie Eilish . Below, the 15 artists who made the wildly diverse year's best first impression Brockhampton This year, the Pharrell-championed alternative hip-hop collective built on the buzz of their 2016 mixtape All-American Trash and 2017 Saturation trilogy with their first full-length release for RCA, Iridescence and the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard chart edging Josh Groban down into the No. 2 spot. After robbing a convenience store to try to fund her gender-affirming surgery and spending a decade in various men's correctional facilities as a result, the now-40-year-old Diamond found her voice behind bars. The record is funky AF but brims with the pain and passion that can only come from hard life experience. After her release from prison, she impressed hit songwriter Justin Tranter with a video of her a cappella at a Trans Lives Matter event; Tranter reached out and eventually executive-produced Diamond's supremely soulful and aptly titled debut EP, Seen It All. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

media reports: A Colombian news agency reported that he was spotted in surveillance camera footage captured at around 10 30 p.m. that night and appeared to be with other people at the time, according to CTV. On Thursday, the public prosecutor's office said police discovered Gencay's body on Christmas Day with help from the public. Ramazan Gencay, who also went by the nickname Ramo, was last seen in Medellin on Dec. 6. According to local media reports, his remains were badly decomposed and authorities had to use dental records to identify him. According to the school's website, he was scheduled to speak at an event on Nov. 28. The economics professor had travelled to the South American country to attend seminars at a local university. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

robert walker: Global Affairs Canada has been following this case for several years and has been providing consular assistance to the Canadian citizen since they were first detained in Liaoning, China, said Robert Walker, a spokesman for Canada's foreign ministry, according to CTV. We will continue to provide consular services to them and their family. The Global Times, an English-language publication of the official People's Daily, reported Thursday that Robert Lloyd Schellenberg's case is in an appeal phase, after he was previously convicted by a Chinese court. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hua Chunying said in a daily briefing Thursday that she didn't know much about the case, suggesting it's not related to the arrests of two other Canadians on national-security grounds earlier this month. But, she added As to the diplomatic tensions between China and Canada, I think you are very clear about the reason for that. I am not aware of the specifics of this case and I would refer you to the competent authority, she said, according to an English transcript posted to the ministry website. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sheeran raza: The oldest of the cats, Simba, with her furry golden coat, sauntered around the living room, while black-haired Mikey scampered, according to Rabble. Mother and child, I asked. In a two-storey building under a flyover in Bareilly, above namkeen shops, past a policeman posted in the stairwell, lives a 24-year-old woman with her parents, brother, two parrots and five Persian cats. No, no, partners, just like Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, the young woman giggled, her eyes sparkling, her long straight hair bouncing in a ponytail. The young woman was catapulted to fame in 2016 when she filed a case against her husband, Sheeran Raza Khan, accusing him of beating her after she failed to meet his family's demands for dowry. She might not have the international fame of film actor Chopra, who also grew up in Bareilly, but in this part of western Uttar Pradesh, everyone seems to know Nida Khan. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

treaty: The chiefs from the affected territory in northern Ontario have said the Anishinabek people agreed under the treaty to share their lands and resources with newcomers, according to Toronto Star. In return, the Crown would pay annuities that were supposed to increase as the territory generated revenues from forestry, mining and other resource development. The court found that the Crown has a mandatory and reviewable obligation to increase the annuity under the Robinson-Huron Treaty, which was signed in 1850. Supplied photo Justice Patricia Hennessy wrote that it's the Crown's duty to fulfil the treaty's promise to increase the payments over time. Renewal of the relationship was necessary to ensure that both parties could continue to thrive in changing environments. The Treaties were not meant to be the last word on the relationship, she wrote. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

election campaign: How can we make the city a better place in the year ahead For what's it's worth, here are a few suggestions 1, according to Toronto Star. Get on with Rail Deck Park The proposed 21-acre green space over the railroad tracks west of Spadina is one of the best ideas of recent years. Let's throw caution to the wind and dare to hope for the best. So what's happened to it True, Mayor John Tory called it a personal priority during the last election campaign, but so was Smart Track. If the city got the zoning, engineering and design competition organized, a public committee could do the rest, much like what happened at the Bentway, which marked a breakthrough in private-public partnerships. Let's give the project to citizen philanthropists. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

party leader: I was told initially that I was aloof, and I thought, well, that's way better than being dumb or lazy or any of those things, so you have to take your credit where you can, the Liberal leader told CTV News in a sit-down interview about his first year in the role, according to CTV. Wilkinson, who previously served as attorney general and justice minister, is both a doctor and a lawyer, leaving little room for doubt when it comes to his intelligence. And when you're new to the role like Andrew Wilkinson is, you also need to show people who you are. But after becoming party leader, he needed to prove his political prowess, so he went on the attack constantly challenging John Horgan's NDP on a plethora of policies and campaign promises. There's also the issue of the 10-a-day daycare, which they call 'a slogan' now. The 400 rebate per year for renters because they realized they'd have to pay it to millionaires as well as to people who are struggling, Wilkinson said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian oil: That's some serious snake oil aka propaganda that is sabotaging our chance to keep the world habitable for our children. ; Politicians in Ottawa and Alberta are spinning a good yarn, according to National Observer. Their tall tale taps into deeply entrenched Canadian insecurities as well as anxieties about U.S. control of Canadian resources. No, the truly crazy-making discount frenzy is the barrage of half-truths, misinformation and outright lies blaming Alberta's woes on the so-called discount on Canadian oil. The problem is, like any good yarn, it's full of blarney. Lower quality lower price Yes, there is a price differential between Canadian oil and most U.S. oil, but it's not because of any discount. The truth is that there is no discount on Canadian oil as most people understand the term. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.