an alliance of university, community, and government partners dedicated to fostering welcoming communities and promoting the integration of immigrants and minorities across Canada
The Media Roundup provides links to recent and archived articles, in both English and French, on immigration and diversity appearing in the national and local news. Some international content is also included. Articles are updated weekly.
Edmonton Journal – Foreign Worker Rules Compromise Man’s Care
A Sherwood Park family says the changes to the temporary foreign worker program will harm their ability to find care for their disabled son. Grace Davidson who looks after her 52-year-old son with multiple sclerosis, says she fears what the changes to the temporary foreign worker program will mean for her son’s in-home care. […] Davidson receives funding from the province to provide for in-home care for Tim. Under the Self-Managed Care Program, she receives $4,650 to pay for 352 hours of work per month, to be divvied between two live-in caregivers. That translates to wages of $10.19 per hour, with a little extra for CPP, EI, workers’ compensation and to pay for a private agency that manages the payroll. Any additional expenses are be paid out of pocket, including fees to apply for temporary foreign workers to fill the caregiving positions. […] Unable to find Canadian workers to work at that rate, Davidson says she opted for temporary foreign workers to care for her son. And at $10.19 per hour, she says she even has difficulty attracting workers who have temporary foreign worker visas.
CBC – Anti-Immigration Signs and Stickers Plastered Around Saguenay
Signs and stickers with strong messages against immigration have been appearing in the town of Saguenay recently, leaving some residents to worry they are giving the town in central Quebec a racist reputation. “Immigrants now just think that Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean [is] just a racist and xenophobe society, but that’s not true. It’s really sad, because we have a lot to give,” said Louis-Michel Tremblay, director of theorganization Portes ouvertes sur le Lac, which encourages immigrants to live and work in the region. Spray-painted signs have popped up around town decorated with fleurs-de-lis that state in French, “Saguenay…a white town.” It’s not clear who painted the signs. Stickers were also put up around the city, including on recycling bins and parking signs, that say in French, “0% halal, 0% kosher….100% Québécois.” On the bottom of the sticker is the website address for a group called Fédération des Québécois de souche. The group campaigns for less immigration. Its website states that Quebec is currently being colonized by immigrants and that their influence is a threat.
Le Nouvelliste – Les agriculteurs peinent à trouver de la main-d’oeuvre étrangère
Des asperges montées en fleurs faute de main-d’oeuvre pour les récolter, des fraises qui pourrissent sur les plans par manque de journaliers dans les champs, autant de réalités qui découlent du renforcement des règles fédérales quant à l’embauche de travailleurs étrangers temporaires. Une situation que déplorent certains agriculteurs de la région qui font les frais de ce resserrement de vis à double tour. «Ça fait longtemps qu’on se bat pour avoir de la main-d’oeuvre. Il y a eu une petite accalmie ces dernières années, mais là on va recommencer à faire de l’insomnie», regrette Alain Beaubien de la ferme Le Saisonnier. «Cette année c’est pire que l’an passé, renchérit Sylvie Benoît de la Ferme du Domaine. Il y a eu des problèmes avec les visas, les contrôles sont plus serrés et plus longs pour l’obtention des permis.
Le Devoir – Immigration: Obama agirait d’ici la fin de l’été
Un conseiller haut placé de la Maison-Blanche affirme que le président américain Barack Obama décidera, d’ici la fin de l’été, de la façon dont il utilisera son autorité pour s’attaquer à la question des immigrants vivant illégalement aux États-Unis. Selon Dan Pleiffer, des informations voulant que le président retarde la déportation d’un groupe comptant jusqu’à cinq millions d’immigrants sont des « spéculations mal informées ». Il a plutôt déclaré que M. Obama attendait des recommandations du procureur général Eric Holder et du secrétaire à la Sécurité nationale Jeh Johnson avant d’agir, mais que toute démarche « respecterait la loi ». M. Pleiffer a ajouté que le président n’avait d’autre choix que d’agir seul, en raison de l’« incapacité du Congrès à réparer le système d’immigration » et d’offrir de l’argent supplémentaire pour gérer la crise des enfants d’Amérique Centrale traversant la frontière entre les États-Unis et le Mexique.
Guardian – Immigration Crisis Forces Obama to “Act Alone” with Executive Orders
When US lawmakers left Washington DC for a five-week long congressional recess late last week, a frustrated Barack Obama said he was left to “act alone” on immigration. But the president’s immigration battle has two fronts: the growing humanitarian crisis at the US-Mexico border, where more than 57,000 Central American children have arrived unaccompanied, and mounting pressure for reform from the more than 11 million undocumented people who live, work and raise families in the United States. […] Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice, an immigration advocacy group, said during the call that Congress’ refusal to pass immigration reform gives president “sole responsibility” to act, adding that the gridlock provides a pathway for the president “to go big on administrative action”. Big or small, probable or not, here are some of the actions the president could consider. […] Under an administrative tool called deferred enforced departure, the president could protect nationals of a specific country from removal, typically for a designated period of time. In this past, this approach has been applied for nationals from countries dealing with natural disasters, civil unrest or war, for example.
Toronto Star – Tories Strike Another Blow to Canada’s Once-Humane Immigration Policy
Until this month, any unmarried child of 21 or younger could qualify as a dependant under Canada’s immigration rules and be automatically accepted along with his or her parents. Accommodations could be made, too, for full-time students older than 21 who were financially dependent on their family. But as of Aug. 1, the federal government lowered the maximum age to 18 and eliminated all exceptions. Ottawa’s argument for doing so is two-fold. First, the government says it wants to bring the definition of dependant children in line with the Canadian standard. Never mind that more than 43 per cent of our 20-somethings still live at home or that so many other young adults are otherwise dependent on their parents. More importantly, the government argues that the labour market contributions of immigrants who receive their post-secondary education in Canada are significantly greater than those who are educated in their home countries. Bring them over later, the government claims, and we’ll get less out of them.
