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.
The Herald – UK Immigration Policy Puts Off Students Warns University Chief
Professor Anton Muscatelli, the Principal of Glasgow University, said the UK Government’s attitude to immigration could harm business development and growth north of the Border. Mr Muscatelli said: “It’s a message that says ‘don’t come here, we’re closed for business, closed for education’. […] In January, official figures revealed there had been a 4% drop in the number of overseas postgraduates and a 4% fall in the number of foreign students enrolled on first-year degree courses at UK universities between the 2011/12 and 2012/13 academic years. […] The decrease in foreign students followed the roll out of tough new visa restrictions by the Home Office in an effort to curb the proliferation of bogus colleges that immigration officials feared were being used like “visa shops”.
CBC – McDonald’s Foreign Workers Call it “Slavery”
Foreign workers recruited from Belize are accusing McDonald’s Canada of treating them like “slaves,” by effectively forcing them to share an expensive apartment – then deducting almost half their take-home pay as rent. […] Since recent Go Public reports about McDonald’s practices with foreign workers, they said the corporation required all staff to sign an agreement, stipulating they would not speak to the media. […] Employment Minister Jason Kenney told Go Public if the workers felt coerced to rent a place they didn’t want to live in, that would warrant investigation.
L’Aquilon – Forum de planification : Alors, ce plan?: La Fédération franco-ténoise s’engage à soutenir les régions
Lors du [Forum communautaire de la francophonie, qui se tenait le 12 avril] il a été affirmé que la population francophone avait augmenté de manière proportionnelle et absolue entre 2006 et 2011 aux Territoires du Nord-Ouest. […] Immigration TNO fera une pochette d’accueil à l’intention des immigrants et termine actuellement son plan stratégique. Les participants au Forum ont énoncé l’idée qu’il serait avantageux de faire mieux connaître l’idée que le gouvernement a l’obligation de fournir des services en français, par exemple par le biais d’un portail franco-ténois plus élaboré. En ce qui a trait à la rétention de la population, elle n’est pas très bonne, selon Richard Létourneau, mais s’est améliorée à Yellowknife grâce aux structures d’immigration et d’éducation. « La rétention dépend principalement de l’emploi, a affirmé la directrice générale du Conseil de développement économique des TNO (CDÉTNO), Anne-Christine Boudreau.
IRPP – Communiqué – Une étude recommande de supprimer l’obligation imposée aux aides familiaux résidants d’habiter chez leur employeur
Les modifications récemment apportées au Programme des aides familiaux résidants (PAFR) n’ont pas amélioré la situation de ces travailleurs immigrants. Une nouvelle étude de l’IRPP montre ainsi que l’obligation imposée aux aides familiaux d’habiter chez leur employeur pour être admissible à la résidence permanente continue de nuire à leurs conditions de vie et de travail. De surcroît, cette obligation nuit à leur capacité de gagner un revenu décent et de s’intégrer à la société canadienne après leur participation au Programme. On trouve peu d’études qui s’intéressent à l’intégration économique et sociale des travailleurs après leur participation au PAFR ou qui établissent une distinction entre les types de soins qu’ils prodiguent. Jelena Atanackovic (Université McMaster) et Ivy Lynn Bourgeault (Université d’Ottawa) ont voulu combler cette lacune par une recherche qualitative approfondie, fondée notamment sur des groupes de discussion et des entrevues avec 58 aides familiaux résidants.
Vancouver Sun – Temporary Foreign Workers Drive Youth out of Labour Market, Economics Professor Says
The federal government should put the brakes on the runaway growth of the Temporary Foreign Worker program, imposing yearly caps until a review determines whether its continued expansion is in the national interest, according to a Carleton University economics professor. […] The people who come in under the program range from seasonal agricultural workers to highly skilled IT professionals, but it is the fast-food industry’s use of such workers that has been under scrutiny in recent days after Ottawa announced it was investigating a McDonald’s franchisee in Victoria for allegedly abusing the program. […] Alexandra Fortier, a spokeswoman for Employment Minister Jason Kenney, said Wednesday that the government’s assurances of protection for Canadian workers also apply to part-time employees.
Calgary Herald – Alberta Won’t Support Ban on Temporary Workers in Low-Skill Jobs
With the use of temporary foreign workers in low-wage jobs in the spotlight, the Alberta government said Wednesday it wouldn’t support a blanket ban on such employees in sectors such as the fast-food industry. […] Alberta’s PC government has been strongly supportive of the controversial Temporary Foreign Worker program and the province uses more temporary foreign workers — 70,000 — than any other Canadian jurisdiction. […] Premier Dave Hancock said Wednesday he wouldn’t want to see one sector singled out for a ban, saying it would be ineffective. […] Both Hancock and Labour Minister Thomas Lukaszuk said the government would prefer to see less reliance on the temporary foreign worker program and a greater number of immigrants allowed in for work and permanent residence through the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program and other means.
