building answers.ca: I would like to thank the hundreds of residents who submitted questions at Building Answers.ca for us to answer over the past three weeks, according to Toronto Star. Here are the top three questions The amount of new home construction in the GTA is driven by factors including natural growth and rural-to-urban migration. The objective is to demystify the development and home-building process in the GTA, and to have a dialogue with residents about the housing challenges facing the region. Richard Lautens / Toronto Star 1. Questions came from a wide range of residents from young and old, to single parents and single-income families. How will the challenge of affordability affect our ability to purchase a home By far the largest number of questions we have received pertain to people's ability to afford a home in the GTA. Questions included the challenges of finding rental properties and the status of purpose-built rental buildings in the region. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

detention centre: It said only 35 of those who escaped had returned without explaining why it had lowered its figures, according to Toronto Star. Migrants waits for their transfer from an immigration detention center in Tapachula, Chiapas state, Mexico, Thursday, April 25, 2019. Mexico's National Immigration Institute said in a statement that rather than the 1,300 escapees it reported Thursday night, only 645 migrants had actually fled. Moises Castillo / AP Photo The centre was holding 1,745 people at the time, nearly double its capacity, the statement said. That caused a commotion and migrants gained access to other parts of the detention centre before eventually making it to the main entrance. The escape began with Cuban migrants escaping their holding area into an area reserved for women, who were mostly Honduran. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

alexandre: Raymond Bissonnette's letter states that the use of the word terrorist to describe his son is putting his family at risk, according to CTV. The day after the crime committed by my son Alexandre Bissonnette at the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre, you stated categorically Make no mistake-- this was a terrorist attack. Alexandre Bissonnette killed six people and injured many more when he walked into a mosque during evening prayers and opened fire in January 2017. A few days later, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner confirmed that several Canadian politicians had already labelled Alexandre Bissonnette a terrorist, wrote Raymond Bissonnette. He added that his son's crime was extremely terrible and severe, and that the absence of terrorism charges in no way diminishes the gravity of the crime but it has no link to terrorism or to any particular ideology. Raymond Bissonnette points out that his son was charged and convicted on six counts of first degree murder, but was never charged with terrorism. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

boris johnson: People who read out bits from papers on late-night news shows, a former I'm A Celebrity because I'm Boris Johnson's sister contestant, an I Grew Up Damaged because I'm Jacob Rees-Mogg's sister casualty, and a woman seen in more TV car wrecks than a crash test dummy, Ann Widdecombe, according to Rabble. Everyone's least-favourite right-wing banshee has teamed up with Nigel Farage, slightly too late to make the casting for the Laurel and Hardy film, but still feeding us comic lines like the reason for her joining his Brexit Party Britain is a laughing stock. . Any no-deal stockpiler who's storing up mirrors, please send one to Widdecombe's house, pronto. No sooner was the Brexit delay announced, and vacancies to stand in the European elections for new parties realised, than a host of the usual suspects planted themselves before the cameras. Ann Widdecombe and Nigel Farage are two of the usual candidates Image PA Read More Ann Widdecombe 5 shocking things Brexit Party candidate has said and done The man who has failed seven times to be elected an MP believes anger over Theresa May's Brexit shambles will give him a resounding victory at these unwanted EU polls. But every solid Labour voter needs to realise that voting for Farage is like putting a picture of Thatcher over your fireplace or placing an advert in the Satanic Times saying, soul for sale . Because he does not represent your values. And he's making a serious play for Labour voters to join his protest bandwagon. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian females: And they don't wear scarves and they don't wear black, according to CTV. The group of six Muslim friends were standing outside the Wilfrid Laurier University library in Waterloo, Ont., when the woman in the video stopped to stare at them like zoo animals, wrote Shama Saleh in a Facebook post. In footage posted to Facebook, a white woman in a pink puffer jacket describes what she says is a standard look for young Canadian females the ripped jeans, the little jean jacket and the running shoes. This happened to us because being born and raised in Canada is not enough for people that look like us, wrote Saleh. This incident is incongruent with the values of equity, diversity and inclusion that we strive to foster at Laurier, the statement read. The university released a statement Wednesday condemning the woman's words and offering support for anyone in the school community affected. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

energy studies: Premier John Horgan says helping people keep their homes cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter makes sense, and the efficiency they're investing in will help B.C. reduce climate pollution, according to CTV. Incentives include a 3,000 rebate for those who switch to high-efficiency electric heat pumps, up to 2,000 in rebates for upgrades on doors and windows and up to 20,000 for energy studies to help identify improvements in commercial buildings. The Better Buildings program offers thousands of dollars in rebates and incentives to entice the switch to high-efficiency heating equipment and improve building envelopes, which include walls, windows, roofs and foundations. The plan allows for 14,100 for a home and 220,000 for a commercial business to make the energy-saving changes. Energy Minister Michelle Mungall says in a news release that energy-efficient buildings are a key part of a cleaner future. The CleanBC program announced last year was part of the agreement Horgan's NDP signed with the B.C. Green party in order to form a minority government in 2017. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

news outlet: United Conservative Party Leader Jason Kenney iPolitics/Matthew Usherwood In an interview with writer Stuart Thomson that ran in the National Post over the weekend, Kenney suggested that the online news outlet, which makes no secret of its ties to the pro-New Democrat Broadbent Institute, is not a legit media outlet, but a de facto political action committee and third party advertiser, according to Rabble. The NDP, if they can't get mainstream media to pick up on their research, they just email it over to Press Progress to breathlessly write it up, he argued. The site also provided regular bulletins on allegations of irregularities in the inaugural UCP leadership race, including claims of voter fraud and accusations that the eventual victor and now incoming premier Jason Kenney's campaign had covertly cooperated with one of his ostensible rivals, otherwise known as the kamikaze candidate scheme. If sharing a few memes with another leadership candidate constitutes a contribution, then running a full-time attack website, dumping NDP research into the campaign cycle definitely constitutes a campaign contribution. That was enough to set off alarm bells for Alberta blogger, David Climenhaga, who shared his concerns via another progressive platform, Rabble. So this is something that we will be looking at. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

sri: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/For The Washington Post By Pamela Constable and Pamela Constable Foreign correspondent covering Afghanistan, Pakistan, South Asia, Latin America and immigration Email Bio Follow Amantha Perera April 26 at 11 25 PMCOLOMBO, Sri Lanka Sri Lanka's president said Friday that intelligence failings allowed the devastating Easter attacks to take place and that a major reorganization of the security services would occur in the coming days, according to Rabble. Speaking to local media executives at his residence, President Maithripala Sirisena said the national police chief and defense secretary had both been warned about the attacks but did not inform him. Anthony's Church in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on April 25, 2019. Defense Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and police chief Pujith Jayasundara resigned this week at Sirisena's request. It was a serious lapse on their part and shirk of responsibility, he said. They did not say a word about this warning letter. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

railroad track: Honduran migrants Sandra Montoya, her husband Jose Vallecinos and their daughter Brittany rest on the railroad track before a freight train leaves Arriaga, Chiapas state, Mexico, Wednesday, April 24, 2019, according to Toronto Star. The train known as The Beast is once again rumbling through the night loaded with people headed toward the U.S. border after a raid on a migrant caravan threatened to end the practice of massive highway marches through Mexico. But getting there has proved much harder than expected Vallecillo, wife Sandra and 4-year-old daughter Brittany have endured a fruitless wait for visas, spent all their money on food and transportation, and escaped a police raid in which hundreds were arrested and hidden out in the countryside. Moises Castillo / AP Photo Honduran migrant Sandra Jeane Garcia Romero poses for a photo at the Hermanos en el camino migrant shelter, during her journey towards the US-Mexico border, in Ixtepec, Oaxaca state, Mexico, Wednesday, April 24, 2019. Of her five children, one was murdered, one is missing and another is facing drug charges, she said. Garcia Romero, who does not know how to read or write, says she joined the latest migrant caravan trying to escape the violence in her country, and is now taking refuge at the migrant shelter with her two remaining children. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

firefighter mother: The White House, however, has not said whether Trump intends to do so, according to Vancouver Courier. Shanahan is not thought to face any organized opposition to Senate confirmation, although his career service in the defence industry and limited government experience could be issues.article continues below Trending Stories'Bella Dolls' sex doll brothel has opened in VancouverNDP candidate looks to make Canadian electoral history Vancouver teens get a snapshot of life as a firefighter Mother of missing B.C. woman makes emotional public plea VIDEO After Mattis quit last December in protest of Trump's policies, the president installed Shanahan as acting secretary but did not nominate him. The decision by the Defence Department inspector general appears to open the door for President Donald Trump to nominate Shanahan to succeed Jim Mattis as defence secretary. Although he has publicly praised Shanahan's work, Trump has seemed content letting him remain in limbo, as he has with a number of other Cabinet-level officials and others. It gives me more flexibility, Trump said in January. I like acting. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

vancouverndp candidate: It is a political fight, which Canada's top commander in the region believes could be decided in the coming months based on the actions of Iraq's government.article continues below Trending Stories Bike share program gets ready to roll'Bella Dolls' sex doll brothel has opened in VancouverNDP candidate looks to make Canadian electoral history Vancouver teens get a snapshot of life as a firefighter This summer will be pretty important to them, honestly, as they move out of the wet season and into the dry season, Brig.-Gen, according to Vancouver Courier. Colin Keiver, the commander of Joint Task Force-Iraq, said in an interview Thursday. That battle, however, won't be fought with bullets and missiles. The rolling electrical blackouts, potential water shortages, things like that, this will be a big test for the government of Iraq in terms of how they react and how they respond to the needs of their citizens. These factors have been repeatedly cited as key contributors to the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in 2014, as the group used these grievances against Baghdad to gather support and take control of large swathes of territory. The Iraqi government has long been blasted for failing to provide basic services such as water and electricity to Iraqis, let alone cracking down on endemic corruption and discrimination against certain religious and ethnic groups. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mac lauchlan: Welcome to a new day in Prince Edward Island! Tory Leader Dennis King told supporters, who immediately roared their approval, according to CTV. Welcome to a new era of Island politics. With all polls reporting Tuesday, the Tories had won 12 seats, the Greens held eight, and the incumbent Liberals, led by Premier Wade Mac Lauchlan, had won six. Welcome to the tremendous honour and the tremendous responsibility of governing. It shows that Prince Edward Island wants the parties to put partisanship behind them ... to do what's best for Prince Edward Island, he told the crowd. Remarking on the strong showing by the Greens, King said it showed that Island voters want their political parties to work together. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

aarav mishra: Hindu Society of Manitoba president Ajay Pandey says Aarav's older brother, Shreyaan, remains in critical condition, according to CTV. Winnipeg police say paramedics pulled the three out of an indoor pool at an apartment building Sunday. A member of the city's Hindu community who knows the family says Aarav Mishra died Tuesday afternoon, one day after his father, 38-year-old Ram Nivash Misra, died in hospital. Police did not release further details, but confirmed the boys' ages as nine and 10. Misra's wife and sons moved to the city about two months ago, he said, and they were living in the Courts of St. Pandey says Misra is originally from India and moved to Winnipeg about a year ago. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

reason moore: Over time, though, it's become clear that having no idea what he's talking about when it comes to fiscal or monetary policy isn't the only reason Moore should probably be kept far away from the central banking system, the other being that he's a raging unrepentant misogynist who's had some unfortunate things to say about transgender people to boot!We know this, because Moore has proudly shared such views in numerous columns over the years, though now that they've been highlighted in light of his new job prospect, he thinks he's the victim of an attack not unlike the one waged on Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was forced to suffer through credible allegations of assault and misconduct on his way to a lifetime appointment, according to Rabble. I was so honored when I got the call from Donald Trump, he told a conservative talk-radio show Tuesday morning. When Donald Trump first announced his intention to nominate Stephen Moore for a seat on the Federal Reserve Board, the conservative economist's candidacy was panned far and wide on the basis of Moore being so unqualified for the job that, in the words of University of Michigan professor of public policy and economics Justin Wolfers, Ivanka would have been a better pick. But all it's been since then has been one personal assault after another, and a kind of character assassination having nothing to do with economics . . . They're pulling a Kavanaugh against me, he said, suggesting that because he might be making less money on the Fed board, people should shut up about the gross things he's said about women, gender equality, and trying to pick up a younger mommy for his kids, in front of his kids. So, you know, I mean, it's true public service. I'm taking a 60 percent pay cut to do this job, he added. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

alberta election: Only days after Kenney's United Conservative Party won a decisive majority in the Alberta election, the campaign, which was launched by the youth-led organization Climate Justice Edmonton CJE has surpassed 12,500 and counting, according to National Observer. About 200 people have chipped in with donations. It started with an online campaign that was initially a tongue in cheek response to Kenney's promise to develop a 30-million war room against environmental activists. Fight disinformation with facts. Goal 75,000 24,385Donate And although Kenney's party captured about 55 per cent of the electoral vote and two thirds of the seats in the provincial legislature, the group says it wants to send a message that not all Albertans agree with the incoming premier's views and policies related to the oilpatch. Support the Election Integrity Reporting Project!This is how much readers like you have donated so far. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

marine environment: There will be incremental benefits to the whole value chain of marine traffic in the Salish Sea, according to National Observer. Anderson, Trans Mountain Corp.'s president and chief executive officer, was referring to measures recommended by the National Energy Board NEB to mitigate significant adverse environmental impacts on Southern resident killer whales orcas and on Indigenous cultural use related to them. There will no doubt be measures taken that will make the transit and the understanding of the marine environment better than it was before, Anderson said in a podcast interview with ARC Energy Research Institute, the investment analysis arm of an energy-focused private equity fund. Fight disinformation with facts. Goal 75,000 24,385Donate He also said in the April 4 podcast that absent an injunction that stops construction, his crews would be ready to break ground and get in the water by the summer, despite what he called pockets of opposition from Indigenous groups. Support the Election Integrity Reporting Project!This is how much readers like you have donated so far. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

amal alshteiwi: CTV Calgary CBE stands behind supports offered despite young girl's suicide Aref Alshteiwi and Nasra Abdulrahmin, speaking through a translator, told CTV News Calgary that their daughter's teacher was informed of the bullying, but claim the school did nothing to address the issue, according to CTV. When I noticed that my kid was having problems at the school and slipping away, and all my other kids they are not happy at school, I went to the school myself, explained Nasra Abdulrahmin, Amal's mother. Amal Alshteiwi -- whose first name translates to 'hope' -- died by suicide in March, following what her parents say was tireless bullying that resulted in her changing schools. Her parents ultimately decided to transfer Amal to another school. The kids were bullying my daughter and even asking her to go and hang herself and kill herself, said Aref Alshteiwi, her father. She died by suicide four days after the move. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian press: During last month's G7 meeting of foreign ministers in Dinard, France, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland met with stiff resistance from some fellow attendees over the language she wanted to use in a joint communique, The Canadian Press has learned, according to CTV. Freeland wanted the G7 to issue a joint statement after the mosque shootings that killed 50 people in Christchurch, New Zealand, but it didn't end up going out because we couldn't get agreement from all other countries about white supremacy and Islamophobia, said one Canadian official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the deliberations. The quiet but at-times-controversial diplomacy has come as Justin Trudeau's Liberals, gearing up for a federal election campaign this fall, try to portray Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer and his party as soft on white supremacy and so-called alt-right views. Prior to that meeting, Freeland spoke at the United Nations General Assembly, where she singled out white supremacy as the greatest security threat facing the world -- remarks that later sparked a clash with a Conservative senator during testimony before the upper chamber's foreign affairs committee. On Islamophobia and the threat of white nationalism, Canada tends to be the country that speaks the most about these issues and pushes the hardest to get the language included in communiques. When the ministers met in France in early April, some of her counterparts pushed back against Freeland's assertion that white supremacy now poses broader threats, the official said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

pulitzer prize: The reporters were arrested in December 2017 and sentenced last September after being accused of illegally possessing official documents, a violation of a colonial-era law, according to CTV. The court did not given a reason for its decision, which was quickly decried by rights advocates. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo earlier this month shared with their colleagues the Pulitzer Prize for international reporting, one of journalism's highest honours. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo should never have been arrested, much less prosecuted, for doing their jobs as investigative journalists, said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for New York-based Human Rights Watch. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who are being held in a prison in Yangon, were not present for the ruling, but their wives were. Sadly, when it comes to media freedom, both Myanmar's military and the civilian government seem equally determined to extinguish any ability to question their misrule and rights violations. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

world remarks: Freeland wanted the G7 to issue a joint statement after the mosque shootings that killed 50 people in Christchurch, New Zealand, but it didn't end up going out because we couldn't get agreement from all other countries about white supremacy and Islamophobia, said one Canadian official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the deliberations, according to Vancouver Courier. Prior to that meeting, Freeland spoke at the United Nations General Assembly, where she singled out white supremacy as the greatest security threat facing the world remarks that later sparked a clash with a Conservative senator during testimony before the upper chamber's foreign affairs committee. The quiet but at-times-controversial diplomacy has come as Justin Trudeau's Liberals, gearing up for a federal election campaign this fall, try to portray Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer and his party as soft on white supremacy and so-called alt-right views.article continues below Trending Stories Cheap flights Vancouver to Las Vegas or Ontario for only 79 CADCity calls for six big moves' to fight climate change in Vancouver Vision Vancouver will not run a mayoral candidate for first time in party's history Georgian Towers, once the talk of the town, now just another building likely to come down During last month's G7 meeting of foreign ministers in Dinard, France, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland met with stiff resistance from some fellow attendees over the language she wanted to use in a joint communique, The Canadian Press has learned. When the ministers met in France in early April, some of her counterparts pushed back against Freeland's assertion that white supremacy now poses broader threats, the official said. Said a second Canadian official, also speaking on condition of anonymity These are obviously important issues for us and something we've been trying to speak up about at home, but also abroad. On Islamophobia and the threat of white nationalism, Canada tends to be the country that speaks the most about these issues and pushes the hardest to get the language included in communiques. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

suicide bombings: The government shut down some social media, armed security forces patrolled the largely deserted, central streets in the capital of Colombo, and a curfew went into effect, according to CTV. The military was given a wider berth to detain and arrest suspects -- powers that were used during the civil war but withdrawn when it ended. The suicide bombings struck three churches and three luxury hotels Sunday in the island nation's deadliest violence since a devastating civil war ended in 2009. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he feared the massacre could unleash instability and he vowed to vest all necessary powers with the defence forces to act against those responsible. No injuries were reported. Adding to the tension, three unexploded bombs blew up Monday inside a van parked near one of the stricken churches as police were trying to defuse them, sending pedestrians fleeing in panic. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

apc abt: After serving as the Vice President of this Country for 8 yrs, according to Rabble. Makes mockery of Naija as a Nation,Its politicians do not care abt the public perception of its actions & utterances. The public statements eminating frm the Camps of the political parties, especially the APC abt the eligiblity of the PDP Presidential Candidate Atiku to contest for the office of the President of Nigeria in the just concluded Presidential election. Which makes this Country to look like Banana Republic b4 the international Communities.I pray that God shall give the Justices at the President-ial Election Tribunal,the wisdom & independent minf to be fort right to resist bribery,coersion or intimadation frm any quarters to be firm to do justice on the Court Case b4 them wtout favour,ill will or Parochial considerations,As expected by well meaning Nigerians,irrespective of party affiliation or other mundane Considerations. ! Reply (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

man: The Yucatan Times reports that Bruce Ivan Allen, 70, was found dead Friday in the community of Progreso, which is located at the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula, according to CTV. According to the Yucatan Times, Allen's body was found naked on a bed in the apartment he shared with another Canadian man. A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada told CTVNews.ca Sunday that a Canadian citizen had died in Mexico. The body is believed to have been discovered by the other Canadian man following a heated argument between Allen and a Mexican man. There had been no reports of any arrests as of Sunday afternoon. State and municipal police are investigating Allen's death. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

hotel guests: Wijewardena said most of the bombings were believed to have been suicide attacks, according to CTV. The explosions -- mostly in or around Colombo, the capital -- collapsed ceilings and blew out windows, killing worshippers and hotel guests in one scene after another of smoke, soot, blood, broken glass, screams and wailing alarms. Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardena described the blasts as a terrorist attack by religious extremists, and police said 13 suspects were arrested, though there was no immediate claim of responsibility. Victims were carried out of blood-spattered pews. People didn't know what was going on. People were being dragged out, said Bhanuka Harischandra, of Colombo, a 24-year-old founder of a tech marketing company who was going to the Shangri-La Hotel for a meeting when it was bombed. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

songwriter morrissey: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO Suranne Jones stars as Anne Lister, a.k.a, according to Toronto Star. Gentleman Jack, in the new HBO period drama. WASHINGTON POST FILE PHOTO British singer and songwriter Morrissey finally returns to Toronto for two shows April 26 and 27. JAY BROOKS / HBO Late filmmaker Rob Stewart films his beloved sharks in the documentary Sharkwater Extinction. COURTESY OF MED HONDO The Things I Carry by Lee Su-Feh is about immigration, family stories and their greater implication for Canadian society.A scene from Masala, a pioneering drama by Indo-Canadian filmmaker Srinivas Krishna. BELL MEDIA A scene from the movie Soleil O by Med Hondo. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

party supporter: Voting day is Tuesday, according to CTV. Green party Leader Peter Bevan-Baker, whose party has been leading in the polls, issued a statement saying he was bereft when he learned of Underhay's death. The party confirmed Saturday that Josh Underhay and his son died in a canoeing accident on Friday afternoon. Josh has been a dear friend and colleague of mine for many years, as a volunteer, musician, passionate cycling advocate and Green party supporter, Bevan-Baker said. Bevan-Baker said the Greens would suspend all election-related activities for the remainder of the campaign. He has touched the lives of everyone who knew him, including the students he taught, fellow musicians and members of the party ... Josh brought humour, enthusiasm and boundless energy to every situation. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.