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.
Vancouver Sun – Most B.C. Asylum Seekers Housed in Jail
More than two years after the United Nations refugee agency criticized Canada for holding immigration detainees in provincial jails in violation of international law, nothing has changed. Newly released figures suggest almost two-thirds of B.C. detainees are still sent to prisons. In an emailed statement to The Sun, the Canada Border Services Agency declined to say whether it has changed its detention system. […] International law stipulates that, except for short periods, detained migrants should be held in specifically designed centres tailored to their legal status and set up to provide for their needs, including access to legal counsel […] Detainees in B.C. are typically housed in provincial jails in the Fraser Valley.
Radio-Canada – La stratégie d’immigration du Grand Moncton est lancée
Le conseil municipal de Moncton a adopté le rapport Stratégie d’immigration du Grand Moncton. Le processus de consultation entamé en mai 2013 pour augmenter et faciliter l’immigration dans la région mène ainsi à un plan d’action étoffé. En entrevue à Radio-Canada, le directeur du développement économique à la Ville de Moncton, Kevin Silliker a affirmé que la municipalité entamera sous peu des discussions avec ses partenaires en vue d’une soumission à Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada. Avec cette stratégie, les autorités municipales, les acteurs communautaires et ceux du monde économique souhaitent attirer, retenir et intégrer de nouveaux immigrants dans la région. On veut également voir un meilleur soutien à la création d’entreprises par les immigrants et des réseaux d’entreprises. Selon David Campbell, président de Jupia Consultants Inc. et coauteur du document, la décision du conseil d’aller de l’avant avec la stratégie pourra permettre à Moncton et au Nouveau-Brunswick d’accélérer sa croissance démographique et économique.
CBC – Moncton Told to Boost Immigration in Next Decade
Moncton needs to significantly increase the number of immigrants moving to the city in the next decade, according to two consultants. Moncton attracts roughly 340 people to settle in the city each year. David Campbell, an economist and consultant for the city, said that number will need to jump to closer to 800 a year in the next few years. […] In about 10 years, he said the city will have to welcome closer to 1,700 new people per year. To put that into perspective, Campbell said, Moncton will need to lure as many immigrants to the city each year as presently come to the province. […] While Moncton is looking at adding even more immigrants, New Brunswick has not kept pace with the national average when it comes to attracting people from other countries.
Ottawa Citizen – Has Government Met Its Commitment to Syrian Refugees? No One Knows
Last year, in response to a United Nations’ request for help, the federal Conservative government said Canada would accept 1,300 of the 2.8 million Syrians who have fled the bloody fighting that has ripped their country apart since 2011. […] In defending the Conservative government’s record on Syria, Alexander says Canada has contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to help the UN deal with the refugee crisis. He has also said there are currently 1,150 Syrian refugees in Canada. […] Refugee groups and Syrian-Canadians believe the 1,150 cited are actually Syrians who were in Canada visiting or studying when the war broke out, and have since applied for asylum inside the country. While they say allowing such people to stay in Canada is welcome, citing such cases in response to questions about the government’s response to the UN is intentionally misleading and disingenuous, they say.
Radio-Canada – Manifestations contre la réforme des soins de santé aux réfugiés
Plus de 200 professionnels de la santé ont manifesté ce midi à Toronto contre la décision du gouvernement Harper d’avoir supprimé, il y a deux ans, le programme de soins gratuits pour les réfugiés. Il s’agissait du troisième rassemblement du genre au pays depuis 2012. D’autres manifestations ont eu lieu dans 17 autres villes du pays, comme Ottawa et Vancouver. Les organisateurs de l’événement ont une fois de plus demandé au ministre fédéral de l’Immigration, Chris Alexander, de restaurer le programme. La couverture médicale des réfugiés ne concerne plus que les soins urgents, ce qui veut dire que les traitements non urgents, les soins dentaires et oculaires ne sont plus couverts par le régime public. Depuis la réforme, six provinces, dont l’Ontario et le Québec, ont pris la relève en décidant de couvrir les frais de santé des réfugiés. Mais elles doivent le faire par l’intermédiaire de la Croix-Bleue.
Toronto Star – Ugandan Gay Activists Granted Visas for World Pride
Canadian officials have granted visitor visas to some of the Ugandan gay activists who had been denied a chance to attend the World Pride Human Rights Conference in Toronto. The immigration minister’s office said the visa applicants were asked to resubmit new applications with substantiated documentation. Half of the 10 Ugandan activists received visas in the past week, and conference organizers hope the rest will get their travel documents in time for the two-day international conference, which begins next Wednesday. […] The rejection drew public outrage because of Uganda’s recently passed anti-gay legislation, among the harshest in the world. Canada has joined many other countries in condemning the new law. […] The delegates were denied entry for a variety of reasons: lack of travel history, family ties in Canada and in Uganda, and insufficient funds for the trip (though the conference is sponsoring travel for some of them).
