immigrantscanada.com

Independent topical source of current affairs, opinion and issues, featuring stories making news in Canada from immigrants, newcomers, minorities & ethnic communities' point of view and interests.

death: There is much to grieve for, according to National Observer. The climate emergency is causing many of us to feel a rising grief that is difficult to process and that can, at times, threaten to overwhelm us. Flooding, fires, refugees. But grief itself is a well-known, well studied human emotion and there is much we have learned from the death and dying process of individuals that can help us navigate this larger ecological grief. Though often misinterpreted, the stages were intended to illustrate some of the emotions that individuals feel after a diagnosis of illness or death and are not intended as stages, but rather different modes that one may move between. Applying the well-known five stages of death and dying developed by Elisabeth K bler-Ross gives us a map to help us navigate through these difficult times. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

jewish: Quite often the media will not hear about those things, according to Vancouver Courier. You only hear about it when a tragedy happens, but we have thwarted several attempts in our city. Palmer broke the news to reporters after a Vancouver Police Board meeting at the Jewish Community Centre, where the audience heard that Jewish people are consistently targeted more for hate crimes than any other group in the city.article continues below Trending Stories Vancouver's largest car free day festival takes over Main Street on Sunday Vision Vancouver will not run a mayoral candidate for first time in party's history Three's company Teen stabbed in 'violent dispute over limo' in Downtown Vancouver We follow up on threats very quickly, and there have been a number of threats for active shooter type situations not related to the Jewish community but related to other places in Vancouver over the years that we have proactively stopped, the chief told reporters. Palmer said police conduct active shooter drills and run evacuation and lockdown exercises at various sites around the city. The chief said such training, which includes a video showing people how to run, hide and fight, assists the Jewish community but also gets officers familiar with a facility in case they have to respond to an emergency. He didn't say which ones, but noted the Jewish community requested extra training. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

york city: Police raided an underground gay bar in Manhattan and all hell broke loose, according to Vancouver Courier. Violent counter demonstrations broke out in the aftermath. Flashback to June 28, 1969 in New York City, in what was the touchstone moment for gay rights in both the U.S. and Canada. It was high time for America, and the world at large, to take a long look in the mirror. Canada decriminalized homosexuality in 1969. Within a year, the first gay pride marches were happening in major U.S. cities. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

gun charges: Here's another ugly freaking scumbag drug dealer, Moniz wrote in one instance, drawing ire from friends and family of the accused, according to Rabble. In another post, for example, he wrote, This cockroach gave a bad name to our Cape Verdean community. BROCKTON A local celebrity in his own right, Manny Moniz was a polarizing, ever-present figure on the Brockton Hub, the Facebook group of nearly 60,000 users where he was notorious for sharing news stories with booking photos of people arrested on drug and gun charges, shaming them and labeling them as scumbags. Moniz, a longtime resident of Avon, who owned an area painting company, died on Monday at Massachusetts General Hospital following a rapid decline, after being diagnosed last year with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ALS better known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Moniz, according to his longtime girlfriend, has continued to attract controversy even in his death, with some of his detractors sending her nasty, threatening messages about him, and others posting gleeful remarks about his demise on the Brockton Hub page. Moniz was 51 years old. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

car horns: This is the best day of my life! said John Cooke, 35, of Toronto, according to CTV. The crowd sang Queen's We Are the Champions as they streamed into clogged streets. Thousands of spectators who jammed Jurassic Park, the fan zone outside the team's empty downtown arena, to watch Game 6 of the finals on big screens erupted in gleeful pandemonium as the final buzzer sounded. Some climbed poles and waved shirts, car horns blared in a triumphant cacophony. It's magical. I've never been a part of something like this, said Jocelyn Campbell, 23, of Toronto. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

life sentences: I've wanted to plead guilty since day one, Hicks told Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson, according to CTV. Hudson sentenced Hicks to three consecutive life sentences without parole, tacking on five more years for shooting into a building. Craig Stephen Hicks, 50, pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder more than four years after the February 2015 slayings and two months after incoming District Attorney Satana Deberry dropped plans to seek the death penalty in hopes of concluding a case she said had languished too long. Hicks burst into a Chapel Hill condo owned by 23-year-old Deah Barakat and fatally shot Barakat, his wife, Yusor Abu-Salha, 21 and the woman's 19-year-old sister Razan Abu-Salha. Relatives said the victims were targeted because they were Muslim, and asked federal authorities to pursue hate-crime charges. At the time, Chapel Hill police said Hicks claimed he was provoked by competition over parking spaces at the complex where they lived. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

peak level: The dollar's share dropped slightly to 61.7%. That is down more than 7 percentage points from its peak level before the global financial crisis of 2007-2009, according to CTV. It's primarily diversification away from the dollar, which benefits the euro, ECB executive board member Benoit Coeure said. The euro's share of measurable foreign reserves held by central banks and governments around the world rose 1.2 percentage points during 2018 to 20.7%, reversing a declining trend. The dollar, however, is still very much the dominant currency for international trade, borrowing and reserves, despite a slow diversification toward other currencies over recent years, most recently toward the Chinese yuan. Russia sold about 100 billion worth of U.S. dollar-denominated assets in the wake of new rounds of U.S. sanctions, making the euro Moscow's main currency holding with 39% of reserves. Factors affecting the dollar's use include countries selling dollars to support their own currency, and U.S. financial sanctions such as those against Russia, which has moved some holdings to other currencies to avoid U.S restrictions. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

climate change: The apology gives me faith in our legal system that truth can still win out, even in an era of 'fake news' and 'alternative facts,' Mann said in an email to National Observer, according to National Observer. Renowned climate scientist Michael E. Mann got an apology Friday from a think-tank that published an interview attacking his reputation. Eight years later, the Winnipeg-based Frontier Centre for Public Policy which often promotes climate change denial apologized Friday and wiped the inflammatory interview from its website. In the fight against climate disinformation, experts like him are turning to new arenas. Mann is best known as the lead researcher on a landmark 1998 paper on climate change. In the fight against climate disinformation, experts like Mann, an atmospheric scientist at Pennsylvania State University, are turning to new arenas. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

coal mines: They were at the Vancouver Convention Centre, where the Canadian government hosted the Clean Energy Ministerial, a summit that brought together around 2,500 government officials, private sector representatives and experts from 25 countries in late May, according to National Observer. One booth in particular stood out at a recent Clean Energy Summit in Vancouver, writes brennaowen . It was laden with bright red hats, pens and bumper stickers that proclaim I love Canadian oil and promote the consumption of fossil fuels. At another, an engineer explained how new practices used to clean up inactive coal mines can also be used to create jobs in Alberta's oilpatch while cleaning up abandoned sites. The logos of some fossil fuel companies were also splashed around the room, with representatives explaining their efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The I love Canadian oil souvenirs are a hallmark of Canada's Energy Citizens, an initiative of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, the largest group of oilpatch lobbyists in Canada. ; Their goals include clearing the way for new fossil fuel development and pipelines that can carry Canadian oil and gas to international markets. But one booth in particular stood out, laden with bright red hats, pens and bumper stickers that proclaim I love Canadian oil and promote the consumption of fossil fuels. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

right: I raise my hand as one of those voices that's pointed to the capacity for foreign actors to try to put their finger on the scale of our upcoming federal election, or just to sow distrust in our democratic institutions, according to National Observer. But the more that researchers take a look at what is happening in countries around the world, the more the threat appears much more complex than just the Kremlin pulling strings. Worrying about Russian interference in our elections or possibly even Chinese is a hot topic in media and political circles. What's also apparent is a transnational extreme right movement exists, connecting and strategizing with local groups through online networks sometimes further backed by Russia, but not always. As Canadian scholar Barbara Perry has noted, the Internet gives them a place to express and connect with others on the basis of white European chauvinism that serves to then empower and embolden them as part of a common cause that is global rather than simply local. International researchers have been sounding the alarm that the extreme right is using increasingly sophisticated online strategies to amplify its messages on social media platforms, seeking to bring fringe ideologies into the mainstream. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

apartment resident: An apartment resident heard cries and notified the manager, who pulled the child from the dumpster, according to CTV. The boy was taken to a hospital. Authorities say the baby was found wrapped in a plastic bag shortly before noon Tuesday in the city of Stockton, south of Sacramento. Police say he's doing well. Police say she could face charges of child abuse and endangerment. Police found the baby's 15-year-old mother nearby and she was taken to a hospital. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

north-central b.c: They've never said No, but they've never said Yes, and they've never said they would sit down and negotiate what it would look like, according to CTV. That's all we're asking at this point, said David Crampton of the Dena Kayeh Institute, which is spearheading the project. The proposal would cover the ancestral areas of three Kaska Dena First Nations and would be larger than Vancouver Island, taking up a massive section of north-central B.C. Premier John Horgan's government hasn't said whether it supports or opposes the idea after seven months of phone calls, letters and meetings with officials from various ministries, say the project's proponents. We're not sure why. The First Nations have applied for 4 million in federal government funding for the project, known as the Kaska Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area, and now fear it won't receive funding because B.C. hasn't signed on. We have no idea really what's going on in the background of all this. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

wheels: Gauthier, who became the first female Canadian Monster Jam World Finals winner, told CTV News Channel she easily fell in love with the sport, according to CTV. It's more technical than people think, she said. But the loud engines and big wheels of a monster truck were too much to steer away from. Gauthier is one of the female drivers who'll make an appearance at the Monster Jam in Toronto later this month at the Scotiabank Arena. What most people might not know is that drivers control the front and back wheels separately. A Monster Jam truck weighs approximately 5,400 kg -- with 360 kg wheels -- and typically runs on 1,500 horsepower. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

bay biden: Trump has zeroed in on Biden as a threat to his reelection chances and is testing themes to keep him at bay, according to CTV. Biden, meanwhile, is campaigning as a front-runner with near-universal name recognition relishing the fight with Trump while trying to ensure he doesn't ignore the demands of the crowded Democratic primary . People don't respect him, Trump said of Biden after touring a renewable energy facility in Council Bluffs. The back-and-forth on Tuesday laid bare the rising political stakes for each man. Even the people that he's running against, they're saying 'Where is he What happened ' With a dose of exaggeration, the Republican president added He makes his stance in Iowa once every two weeks and then he mentions my name 74 times in one speech. That reminds me of Crooked Hillary. I don't know. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

region: It comes against the backdrop of high-stakes diplomatic activity aimed at easing tensions between the two foes, according to Vancouver Courier. The initiative, from beginning to end, was born in Lebanon. ... But I won't deny that this initiative had positive results on the region and appears to have stopped much of what might have happened, Zakka told reporters shortly after arriving in Lebanon. In his first comments after arriving in his native Lebanon, Nizar Zakka denied reports that his release was part of a wider deal but suggested that it had helped avert further escalation in the region.article continues below Trending Stories Controversial Vancouver restaurant Escobar has suddenly closed The heat is on Metro Vancouver weather forecast calls for temperatures in the 30sBaby attacked by family dog flown to Vancouver hospitalB.C. paying foster parents instead of supporting struggling families, experts say Zakka's release comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the U.S. after President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers. Zakka is one of several prisoners with either dual nationality or links to the West held in Iran. The White House said it was thankful for Zakka's release but wants to see other Americans who are detained there released as well. Lebanese officials have for years asked for his release, and it was not clear why Iran decided to act now. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

dogon: The killings highlight the Malian security forces' inability to contain the spreading extremism by fighters linked to the Islamic State organization and al-Qaida and the growing danger of frightened communities arming themselves, according to CTV. Nineteen people were missing after the Dogon village of Sobame Da was attacked around 3 a.m. on Monday, said Interior Security ministry spokesman Amadou Sangho. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack on the ethnic Dogon village, though tensions have been high since an ethnic Dogon militia was accused of carrying out a massacre in an ethnic Peuhl village in March that left at least 157 dead. Homes were burned and animals slaughtered, the government said. Some Peuhl leaders had vowed to carry out reprisal attacks for the March bloodshed that was blamed on the Dogon militia known as Dan Na Ambassagou. The village is in the commune of Sangha, the heart of the Dogon militia blamed for the March attack that has been the deadliest so far. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

education cuts: Tabitha Bernard, a spokesperson for Engage Canada, said in a written statement that the group's ad campaigns are meant to fight back against the dominance of corporate interests on the airwaves, according to CTV. The ad that ran during Monday night's Raptors game accuses Scheer of hiding something and says that, if elected, he would follow Ontario Premier Doug Ford when it comes to health care and education cuts. Where did the group get the cash to pay for a Toronto Raptors playoff commercial that could cost upwards of 50,000 The group is hesitant to say. The group describes itself as a grassroots organization. Formally created in December 2014, according to incorporation documents, Engage Canada orchestrated a targeted ad campaign against Stephen Harper in the lead up to the 2015 federal election. Corporate records and archived union documents show that it is comprised of veteran political strategists and individuals with strong ties to some of Canada's largest union groups. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

stanley cup: But experts say this adjustment in sports loyalty isn't just thanks to the Raptors impressive performance this season, according to CTV. Some of it comes down to our country's changing demographics. With no Canadian teams to cheer for in the Stanley Cup Final, and the Toronto Raptors making an impressive push for their first-ever NBA championship title, our collective national attention has shifted from the ice to the hardwood. For example, the most recent census reported visible minority groups represent more than 20 per cent of the population. Vinu Selvaratnam, a sports researcher at the University of Waterloo, says that not only is basketball a more global game than hockey and therefore more familiar to new Canadians the diversity of the Raptors roster itself is inspiring new Canadians to jump on the bandwagon. In Toronto, that statistic is even higher, with 51.5 per cent of residents identifying as visible minorities. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

information act: The Canadian Press recently obtained a copy of the eight-page, August 2018 directive, Guidance on the Collection of Canadian Citizen Information, through the Access to Information Act. ; The instruction to National Defence employees and members of the Canadian Forces says any information collected about Canadians must have a direct and immediate relationship to a military operation or activity, according to National Observer. But it also warns that emerging technologies and capabilities are increasing the possibility that such Canadian information will be scooped up inadvertently from open sources like social-media feeds. The prospect of defence-intelligence agents having personal data about Canadians worries civil-liberties advocates because it is unclear just how much is collected incidentally from the vast reaches of cyberspace. Data about Canadians, whether it's collected intentionally or not, may be kept and used to support authorized defence-intelligence operations, the directive says. The committee plans to deliver a special report to the prime minister on the subject this year. The national-security and intelligence committee of parliamentarians is examining the directive as part of a study on how National Defence and the Canadian Forces gather, use, keep and share information about Canadians as part of their intelligence work. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

degrees celsius: Sign up for our Capital Dispatch newsletter, delivered twice weekly to your inbox and every day during the election Specifically, the party will have to be ready to roll out a plan to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, she said, according to CTV. This is something both the federal Liberals and New Democrats have said they support, while the Conservatives have yet to unveil their climate change policy, though it is expected soon. In an interview on CTV's Question Period, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said she is entering the 2019 campaign with no preference for who she could see the Greens working with, other than a party that has a serious plan to limit global warming. Incrementalism is out, and doing deals with people just for power, when our children's futures at stake is not something I will ever do, said May. We have to do what's required. We cannot ever accept a government that thinks they can get away with tiny targets on climate which they then don't achieve. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

information act: The Canadian Press recently obtained a copy of the eight-page, August 2018 directive, Guidance on the Collection of Canadian Citizen Information, through the Access to Information Act, according to CTV. The instruction to National Defence employees and members of the Canadian Forces says any information collected about Canadians must have a direct and immediate relationship to a military operation or activity. The prospect of defence-intelligence agents having personal data about Canadians worries civil-liberties advocates because it is unclear just how much is collected incidentally from the vast reaches of cyberspace. But it also warns that emerging technologies and capabilities are increasing the possibility that such Canadian information will be scooped up inadvertently from open sources like social-media feeds. The national-security and intelligence committee of parliamentarians is examining the directive as part of a study on how National Defence and the Canadian Forces gather, use, keep and share information about Canadians as part of their intelligence work. Data about Canadians, whether it's collected intentionally or not, may be kept and used to support authorized defence-intelligence operations, the directive says. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

phone interview: Affordable apartments that were posted online were scooped up almost immediately, leading her to constantly scour Kijiji, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, according to CTV. I would say within the hour of some places going up they'd get so many replies the owner couldn't answer any more, Fagan said in a phone interview. But when she started looking, the 31-year-old found there was almost nothing in her price range of 1,200-a-month, much less a two-bedroom that accepted animals. Someone we know is a homeowner in St-Henri, and her neighbour said that within an hour of putting up her duplex for rent, she got about 300 responses. Fagan and her fiance managed to find a new apartment meeting their criteria, but it meant leaving St-Henri for nearby Cote-des-Neiges, where they've settled in to the top unit of a fourplex. Fagan's story has become a common one this year in Montreal, where the lowest vacancy rate in decades has led to a mad scramble to find housing and, according to housing advocates, is threatening the city's reputation for affordable rent. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian information: The instruction to National Defence employees and members of the Canadian Forces says any information collected about Canadians must have a direct and immediate relationship to a military operation or activity, according to Vancouver Courier. But it also warns that emerging technologies and capabilities are increasing the possibility that such Canadian information will be scooped up inadvertently from open sources like social-media feeds. The prospect of defence-intelligence agents having personal data about Canadians worries civil-liberties advocates because it is unclear just how much is collected incidentally from the vast reaches of cyberspace.article continues below Trending Stories Vancouver trustee wants name of 19th century mining magnate removed from school sign This Vancouver market is handing out embarrassing plastic bags to customers Dashcam footage shows terrifying near miss at Vancouver intersection VIDEO Syrian man from the airport' starts new life in Vancouver The Canadian Press recently obtained a copy of the eight-page, August 2018 directive, Guidance on the Collection of Canadian Citizen Information, through the Access to Information Act. Data about Canadians, whether it's collected intentionally or not, may be kept and used to support authorized defence-intelligence operations, the directive says. The committee plans to deliver a special report to the prime minister on the subject this year. The national-security and intelligence committee of parliamentarians is examining the directive as part of a study on how National Defence and the Canadian Forces gather, use, keep and share information about Canadians as part of their intelligence work. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

krista ross: I love how people are actually welcoming us, said Elsaid, according to CTV. When I first came here, I felt like I didn't belong, because I barely knew anyone, but when I started meeting people and talking to them, people were actually nice and were helping me out. Salma Elsaid is from Egypt, and came to Fredericton a year ago. That's exactly what the city and business leaders want to hear. The aim is for the city to increase its population by 1,000 people each year, for the next 25 years and, by 2036, to have four working-aged people in the city, for every retiree. It is time to take our efforts to the next level, and this strategy is going to be our roadmap to get us there, said Krista Ross, the CEO of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ctv news: Due to the provisions under the Privacy Act, no further information can be disclosed, according to CTV. Police on the Caribbean island said in a series of written statements that a Canadian was shot and seriously injured during an armed robbery on Wednesday. Canadian consular officials are in contact with local authorities in Florida and are providing consular assistance to the family, a spokesperson told CTV News in a statement. On Friday, they said the 48-year-old man whose initials are S.V. had been stabilized and would be flown out of the country to receive medical treatment. The man was shot after a brief struggle and found bleeding on the ground, police said. The victim was with his daughter when they were attacked by an unknown person at around 11 p.m. on Wednesday, according to the Police Force of Sint Maarten. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

returns asylum-seekers: A joint declaration released by the State Department said the U.S. will immediately expand a program that returns asylum-seekers, while their claims are under review, to Mexico after they have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border, according to CTV. Mexico will offer jobs, healthcare and education to those people, according to the agreement. But the deal he announced Friday night, after returning from a trip to Europe, falls short of some of the dramatic overhauls pushed for by his administration. Mexico has agreed, it said, to unprecedented steps to increase enforcement to curb irregular migration, including the deployment of the Mexican National Guard throughout the country, especially on its southern border with Guatemala. He called for a gathering Saturday to celebrate in Tijuana. Trump put the number of troops at 6,000, and said in a tweet Saturday, Mexico will try very hard, and if they do that, this will be a very successful agreement for both the United States and Mexico! Mexico's president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, said on Twitter that Thanks to the support of all Mexicans, the imposition of tariffs on Mexican products exported to the USA has been avoided. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.