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.

census respondents: Still, the decision was clearly a reversal, according to CTV. The Supreme Court had blocked his effort by disputing his administration's rationale for demanding that census respondents declare whether or not they were citizens. Not only didn't I back down, I backed up because anybody else would have given this up a long time ago, Trump told reporters Friday, one day after directing federal agencies to try to compile the citizenship information using existing databases. Trump had said last week that he was very seriously considering an executive order to try to force the question. The president said he would sign an executive order directing every federal department and agency to provide the Commerce Department with all records pertaining to the number of citizens and noncitizens in the country. But the government has begun the lengthy and expensive process of printing the census questionnaire without it, and such a move would surely have drawn an immediate legal challenge. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

family operation: Similar operations occurred in 2016 under President Barack Obama and in 2017 under Trump, according to CTV. This family operation is nothing new, Albence told The Associated Press. Matthew Albence, the agency's acting director, said targets were on an accelerated docket of immigration court cases for predominantly Central Americans who recently arrived at the U.S. border in unprecedented numbers. It's part of our day-to-day operations. The operation will target people with final deportation orders on 10 major court dockets, including Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Miami. We're trying to surge some additional resources to deal with this glut of cases that came out of the accelerated docket, but after this operation is over, these cases are still going to be viable cases that we'll be out there investigating and pursuing. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

d-n.y .,: Liz Cheney, R-Wyo, according to Rabble. Ocasio-Cortez's claim she and other freshman progressives are being singled out as newly-elected women of color shows Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's, D-N.Y., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's latest disagreement is indicative of the Democratic Party's drastic shift to the left, according to Rep. Pelosi's, D-Calif. attempts to quell dissent within her ranks is not working, Cheney claimed Thursday on The Story. You have a situation where you have this very radical wing of the House Democrats, and the Speaker has attempted many times to keep everybody under control by, in the past, moving very far left. I think what you're watching is really the unraveling of the Democratic Party as we've known it in the past, she said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

fellow democrats: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez claiming the speaker has been disrespectful to several minority lawmakers, saying she has the backing of her caucus and defending her handling of the rabble-rousing freshman 'squad' that Ocasio-Cortez leads, according to Rabble. Notably, Pelosi all but confirmed that a warning she delivered to rank-and-file lawmakers a day earlier about using social media for attacks on fellow Democrats was prompted by Ocasio-Cortez's chief of staff. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stood her ground Thursday in response to New York Democratic Rep. Asked about her ongoing spat with the New York lawmaker, Pelosi acknowledged how she recently addressed -- at the request of my members -- an offensive tweet that came out of one of the member's offices that compared centrist Democrats to segregationists. Our members took offense at that, Pelosi said, claiming her comments received a positive response. That tweet was authored and then deleted by Ocasio-Cortez' chief of staff Saikat Chakrabarti. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

james: Set in 1781 at the height of the struggle to abolish slavery, this pacy thriller centres around the discovery of a famed abolitionist's body, according to Rabble. It has come in for high praise from veterans of crime fiction says the New Statesman. Blood and Sugar by Laura Shepherd-Robinson The year kicked off with a debut novel that had the tongues of critics wagging. Order now Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James Marlon James crashed onto the literary scene with his Booker Prize-winning A Brief History of Seven Killings in 2015. The first of three novels in James' Dark Star trilogy, Black Leopard, Red Wolf fuses mythology, fantasy, and African history into a sensual, psychological triumph, says Esquire. His second book is a sprawling, epic fantasy about a mercenary hired to find a missing child. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

strategy: On Thursday, Singh led a bike tour of downtown Ottawa with several of his party's local candidates to highlight the need for better cycling infrastructure, according to CTV. NDP MP Gord Johns has a private member's bill before Parliament to establish a national cycling strategy that would commit Ottawa to set targets for expanding cycling infrastructure, encourage more Canadians to use bikes to get around and create a public-education campaign on cycling safety for cyclists and motorists. Singh now wants to bring his love for to Canadians everywhere with a national strategy to make cycling safer for everyone. A national cycling strategy was also a promise in Singh's 2017 run for the NDP leadership. We're determined to make it easier and safer to ride, Singh tweeted before embarking on the four-kilometre bike from an Ottawa bike store to the Parliamentary district. Singh says investing in transit and cycling infrastructure is not only helpful to reduce the amount of time Canadians spend stuck in traffic, it's also better for the environment. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

dna barcoding: The Life Scanner DNA species identification kit uses DNA barcoding and smartphone technology to identify what you're eating, what's in your garden, or in your home, according to CTV. So, if you think your meat contains something else, you can find out by scanning the product barcode, taking a picture, collecting a sample of what you want to identify and then mailing it to the lab at the University of Guelph. Researchers at the University of Guelph have developed a tool to detect food fraud that allows you to see if what you're eating is what it says it is. In about five to eight business days, the results are sent directly to an app on your smartphone. Because of inadequate labelling regulations, customers curious about food authenticity would need to buy the seafood or meat product first and send it for testing before knowing its full contents. It goes into the lab, we extract the DNA from the tissue and we sequence it and then we identify using algorithms and a massive database that's been collected over the last 15 years, Life Scanner founder Sujeevan Ratnasingham told CTV Kitchener. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ctv news: The men, wearing vests adorned with the symbols of the Northern Guard, surrounded Bernier with smiles on their faces, according to CTV. White supremacy and white nationalism undermine the fabric of our society, Carlene Variyan, a spokesperson for Goodale, said in a statement provided to CTV News in reaction to the photo. The statement comes after Bernier was photographed with people who appear to belong to an alleged hate group on Sunday in Calgary. For political leaders to court these views is a terrible mistake; we condemn Mr. A spokesperson for the PPC leader, Martin Masse, said Bernier does not know the people in this picture. Bernier's attempt to legitimize this type of hatred. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration agency: Lucia Ascencio of Venezuela had waited for three months in Nuevo Laredo with her husband and two young sons just for the chance to make her asylum petition in Laredo, Texas, according to CTV. She was stunned by her return to Mexico as they walked from the bridge carrying plastic bags containing a bottle of water, a bottle of juice and an orange. The 10 migrants crossed the border to seek U.S. asylum Monday and will now have to wait in Mexico as their applications are processed. We hadn't thought that they were going to send us back, she said. A spokeswoman with Mexico's immigration agency confirmed that the first group of 10 returned Tuesday under the program, which is formally known as the Migrant Protection Protocols. Her family was given a date in September to return for the next step in their process. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

alvaro bedoya: All three states -- which offer driving privileges to immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally -- agreed to the ICE requests, according to documents shared with The Associated Press on Monday and first reported by The Washington Post, according to CTV. States asked undocumented people to come out of the shadows to get licenses. Public records obtained by the Georgetown Law Center on Privacy and Technology provided the first proof that ICE had sought such scans, which were conducted in Utah, Vermont and Washington. Then ICE turns around and uses that to find them, Alvaro Bedoya, the centre's director, said Monday. During the course of an investigation, ICE has the ability to collaborate with external local, federal and international agencies to obtain information that may assist in case completion and prosecution efforts, Bourke said in a written response. ICE spokesman Matthew Bourke did not directly address written questions, including whether the agency used the scans to arrest or deport anyone. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

speech rule: It also bans hate speech on the basis of someone's race, gender and other categories, according to CTV. Tuesday's change broadens the hate speech rule to forbid likening entire religious groups to subhumans or vermin, without targeting a specific individual. The social network already bars hateful language directed at individual religious adherents. Twitter, along with You Tube and Facebook, has been under fire for the prevalence of harassment and hate on its service. The company says it may also ban similar language aimed at other groups such as those defined by gender, race and sexual orientation, but it has not done so yet, sparking criticism from civil rights groups. Twitter's latest update came after users wrote in thousands of responses when the company asked for suggestions on how to expand its hate speech policies. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

executive chair: DeMarco has served as the longtime executive chair for the Environmental and Land Tribunal and as associate chair for the Conservation Review Board and Environmental Review Tribunal an independent and impartial body that makes decisions on environmental permits and assessments, and was recently recognized by the United Nations Environment Programme for its best practices, according to National Observer. It's a fantastic choice, said Tim Gray, executive director of Environmental Defence, who has known DeMarco for some 25 years. Environmentalists are applauding the appointment, noting that DeMarco brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that could serve him well, depending on how the environment office in the auditor general's office is allowed to function. I'm really happy he's filling that role. It shows that they are filling the position vacated by Dianne Saxe former environmental commissioner seriously, Gray added. I think everyone is interested in seeing the degree of independence and effectiveness the office will have now ... but having DeMarco there would bode well for the office. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ont .,: Wickens has posted periodic updates on his recovery following a horrific August crash during an Indy Car race at Pocono, according to CTV. He suffered a thoracic spinal fracture, spinal cord injury, neck fracture, tibia and fibula fractures to both legs, fractures in both hands, a fractured right forearm, fractured elbow, four fractured ribs and a pulmonary contusion. The 30-year-old driver for Guelph, Ont., announced the news Monday in a video on his Twitter feed. Wickens says he'll drive an Acura NSX with hand controls provided by Arrow, and he says he plans on going fast. I can't wait to get a helmet on and go around in an amazing car. I get to basically be pole position for the race, which is a blast, Wickens said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

american drama: The American drama, based on the true story of a Planned Parenthood clinic director in Texas who becomes an anti-abortion speaker, will screen in 14 Cineplex theatres in Canada for a week beginning Friday, according to CTV. It will also screen in 10 Landmark Cinemas as well as some independent theatres in Canada, after a U.S. release that stirred up intense debate on both sides of the issue. Ellis Jacob, president and CEO of Cineplex, has released a statement that follows up comments the company made last week to The Canadian Press about the film's release. Jacob says showing controversial films on the big screen is not new to him, Cineplex or the industry as a whole, and he's confident the company made the right decision. When I immigrated to Canada back in 1969, one of the things that I loved, and still love, the most about living here was that we didn't shy away from our differences -- we embrace them, Jacob, who was born in India, said in the statement issued Monday. He adds it's important to remember that Canada is a country that values freedom of expression, and that audiences can decide whether or not they want to see the film. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

education provider: Visa delays, concerns over being shut out of research projects and safety fears have turned off Chinese students, according to several admissions consultancies and nearly a dozen parents and students interviewed by AFP. Rival education powerhouses such as Britain, Australia and Canada are the biggest beneficiaries, a survey by New Oriental China's biggest private education provider said, according to CTV. Japan and South Korea -- traditional study abroad destinations for the Chinese elite -- and parts of Europe, especially Germany and Scandinavian countries with strong engineering programs, have also seen an uptick in applications, the survey found. China accounts for nearly a third of foreign students on U.S. campuses who pour billions of dollars into the economy, but in March their numbers dropped for the first time in a decade. The chilling effect started mid-last year, after President Donald Trump's administration slashed the visa duration of students in science and technology fields from five years to one in some cases. Over one third of the roughly 360,000 Chinese students in the U.S. study in STEM fields -- science, technology, engineering and mathematics -- according to the Institute of International Education in New York. Now there's a lot of uncertainty on whether they can even finish their studies, said Gu Huini, founder of boutique college consultancy Zoom In. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

stephen plan: Perhaps there's a subtle distinction that escapes the uneducated layperson's eye, but can someone in Scheer's Conservative parliamentary caucus or Alberta Premier Jason Kenney's United Conservative Party explain the difference between Trudeau's restrictions on bitumen exports and Stephen Harper's plan for the same thing Oh, I know, any real Albertan believes Prime Minister Trudeau's bitumen export plan calls for our province's vast resources to be land-locked and the Canadian economy destroyed in the name of airy-fairy environmentalism while former Conservative prime minister Harper's plan was a wise blueprint for their prudent and environmentally friendly development to the benefit of all mankind, according to Rabble. Seriously, though, on closer examination -- which is not easy amid the current nearly hysterical state of political discourse in Alberta fostered by our recent provincial election -- it would appear there's not actually a lot of light between Trudeau's plan now and that of Harper back in the day. Notwithstanding a lack of persuasive evidence, the popularity of this refrain here in Alberta never seems to wane. Leastways, 11 odd years ago, in September 2008, the Reuters News Agency was mildly complaining that Harper's plan would ban exports of tar-like bitumen from Alberta's oilsands to countries that do not match Canada's efforts to cut carbon emissions. The environmentalists because they didn't feel it went far enough, especially with regards to Canada's own emissions, and the industry because it claimed it needed more time to study the details. Say what! According to Reuters, both the fossil fuel industry and environmentalists were perplexed by this Conservative Party of Canada policy. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cbsa immigration: Immigration holding centres, sometimes jails The Canada Border Services Agency can detain foreign nationals and permanent residents under certain conditions -- including if they pose security risks or are unlikely to appear for immigration proceedings -- but must first consider all reasonable alternatives, according to CTV. The CBSA says the physical and mental health and well-being of detainees are key considerations. Here's a look at how Canada deals with immigration detainees. A person may be detained at a CBSA immigration holding centre in Toronto, Laval, Que., or Vancouver. The Toronto centre can hold up to 195 detainees, while the Laval one can house up to 109. In other regions, people may be held in provincial jails. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

hong: Hong Kong has been riven by huge marches and sometimes disruptive protests for the past month, sparked by proposed changes to extradition laws that would have allowed suspects to be sent to the mainland to face trial, according to CTV. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam suspended the bill and apologized for how it was handled, but protesters want it to be formally withdrawn and for Lam to resign. Chanting Free Hong Kong and words of encouragement to their fellow citizens, wave after wave of demonstrators streamed by a shopping district popular with mainland visitors on a march to the high-speed railway station that connects the semi-autonomous Chinese territory to Guangdong and other mainland cities. Organizers said 230,000 people marched on Sunday, while police estimated the crowd at 56,000. We want to show them the true image and the message of Hong Kongers. We want to show our peaceful, graceful protest to the mainland visitors because the information is rather blocked in mainland, march organizer Ventus Lau said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

parking lot: She noticed a woman and two children in her rear-view mirror running for the bus, which closed its doors and drove away before they could make it, according to CTV. We were stopped at a red light, I didn't see any safety hazard why the bus couldn't stop and wait a few extra seconds, but instead, they closed the door and pulled up to the red light, explained Martin. Sunday morning, Martin was driving her car in front of a Halifax Transit bus. Being a mother herself, Martin immediately felt sympathy for the woman and offered to help. So, I turned around up at the next parking lot and swung back to see if they wanted a drive. At one point, I was a mom with a small child and had to take the bus, so, I really felt for her, said Martin. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mainland cities: Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam suspended the bill and apologized for how it was handled, but protesters want it to be formally withdrawn and for Lam to resign, according to Vancouver Courier. Organizers said 230,000 people marched on Sunday, while police estimated the crowd at 56,000. Chanting Free Hong Kong and words of encouragement to their fellow citizens, wave after wave of demonstrators streamed by a shopping district popular with mainland visitors on a march to the high-speed railway station that connects the semi-autonomous Chinese territory to Guangdong and other mainland cities.article continues below Trending Stories Being gay and grey in Vancouver better than ever Vancouver Pride Society rescinds UBC's entry into annual parade This deadly mushroom has been spotted in the City of Vancouver Scheer's climate plan will look at how Canada can cut emissions elsewhere Hong Kong has been riven by huge marches and sometimes disruptive protests for the past month, sparked by proposed changes to extradition laws that would have allowed suspects to be sent to the mainland to face trial. We want to show our peaceful, graceful protest to the mainland visitors because the information is rather blocked in mainland, march organizer Ventus Lau said. As the crowd broke up Sunday night, a few hundred remained and taunted police who had retreated behind huge barriers set up outside the railway station, while others moved to Canton Road, a street lined with luxury boutique stores. We want to show them the true image and the message of Hong Kongers, Chinese media have not covered the protests widely, focusing on clashes with police and damage to public property. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

melania trump: The humanoid, haunting figure was carved from a tree stump using a chainsaw and painted to emulate the blue dress Melania wore to the 2017 U.S. presidential inauguration ceremony, according to CTV. The statue is the contrivance of American conceptual artist Brad Downey, known for other polarizing works such as Wisdom Testicles,' and was carved by Slovenian local artist Ales Zupevc known as Maxi who was born in the same year and in the same hospital in Sevnica as Melania herself. Who is this mysterious figure a goddess of fertility Is it a tribute to a fallen soldier or perhaps a civil rights movement forerunner Actually, it's none of those it's Melania Trump. Maxi is featured in a documentary explaining his artistic process and his thoughts on everything from the U.S., class division, and immigration while carving, buffing and painting the statue. Reaction to the work has been mixed, to say the least. On Downey's Instagram account, a photo showing the back of the statue named This Echo on a gallery pamphlet, is captioned with an explanation that the piece explores the motive of the tragic mythological figure Echo, who was punished for concealing the god Zeus's infidelity and could only repeat sounds that reached her, and her love for the self-absorbed Narcissus. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

cadaver dogs: Officials say a 25-year-old man was paddle boarding when he slipped off his board and fell into the water, according to CTV. The man did not resurface. Lake Louise RCMP were called to the Herbert Lake area on June 30 at around 7 15 p.m. for reports of a drowning. A search, using dive teams, underwater cameras, boat and shore searches and cadaver dogs has been ongoing ever since. His name has not been released. On Saturday morning, police say they found the body of the victim, who was a citizen of India who was working in Lake Louise. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

copycat suicides: Before falling from a shopping mall on June 30, the 29-year-old woman left a message on Facebook that wished for the protesters' success but said she could not carry on, Hong Kong media have reported, according to CTV. A 21-year old student had fallen to her death the previous day, as did a man after hanging a protest banner about two weeks earlier. A mostly youthful gathering placed lit candles and incense at temporary memorials in a square in central Hong Kong. The three deaths have raised concerns about the possibility of copycat suicides among other disaffected people. Matthew Cheung, the chief secretary for administration, said Friday that the government feels deeply sorry and saddened by the suicides and will do all it can to stop the trend. The protesters say Hong Kong's leader, Carrie Lam, has not shown empathy for the victims. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

schedule overruns: Despite his attempts to avoid scrutiny before the election, all he could do was win a minority government, according to Rabble. Ball admitted that Muskrat Falls was the greatest fiscal mistake in Newfoundland and Labrador's history in the public inquiry today. That's probably one of the major reasons Ball called the 2019 election early in order to avoid his own public inquiry testimony creating large political re-election problems for him. Liberal Premier Dwight Ball took the stand Thursday at the public inquiry into cost and schedule overruns that have plagued the controversial dam on Labrador's lower Churchill River. Ball, who called the inquiry under intense public pressure, has called Muskrat Falls the greatest fiscal mistake in Newfoundland and Labrador's history. The 824-megawatt dam has essentially doubled in costs to more than 12.7 billion since it was sanctioned by a former Progressive Conservative government in 2012. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

media accounts: Now, we're also adding a weekly round-up to bring you a condensed version of the week in disinformation-related news, according to National Observer. This edition includes a viral video of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the G20 summit, a scandal-plagued robocall firm implicated in a mysterious mass text-messaging campaign, signs of foreign interference targeting Canada's election, evidence that Russia's 2016 influence operation may have boosted support for Donald Trump, not-so-great results from an external audit of Facebook and more. Through the Election Integrity Reporting Project, we're publishing exclusive investigations, in-depth analyses, fact-checks and breaking news, spanning topics from climate change to hate groups to fake social media accounts and beyond. Edited video of Trudeau Global News shared a video late last week that appeared to show Prime Minister Justin Trudeau being snubbed by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro at the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan. The clip ended at that point. Trudeau was seen motioning to Bolsonaro, only to watch as the Brazilian president turned his back, seemingly giving Trudeau the cold shoulder and ignoring his attempt at a handshake. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

claims processing: Only five families were relocated to an alternate location through this program before it ended, according to CTV. While successful as a proof of concept, it is apparent that a larger or more sustained program would require close provincial support, said Marie-Emmanuelle Cadieux, spokeswoman for Border Security Minister Bill Blair. The federal government says it needed buy-in from the province of Ontario for this program to be fully implemented -- something it was not able to secure. The triage program was announced last year after the Quebec government and the city of Toronto called on the federal government for help in dealing with an influx of asylum seekers flooding their temporary housing. That wait can take up to two years due to backlogs in claims processing. Ottawa's response was a plan to triage arriving migrants to see if they would be willing to settle in areas outside of Montreal or Toronto to await the outcomes of their refugee claims. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.