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 – Hong Kong Audience Hears of Plans for a New Canadian Immigrant Investor Program
Canada’s immigration minister was in Hong Kong Wednesday, where he gave Chinese media a sneak peek of a federal pilot program to attract wealthy immigrants to the country, just weeks after the government scrapped its immigrant investor program. Officials are brewing a revamped immigration investor venture capital pilot program set to be unveiled in the coming months, Chris Alexander, the minister for Citizenship and Immigration, told the South China Morning Post in a lengthy interview. “We want Chinese investors in Canada and the door is open,” Alexander told the Post. “We are making these changes for them.” The federal government had announced in the February budget it was axing its immigrant investor and entrepreneur programs, wiping from a backlogged waiting list tens of thousands of people who had been willing to lend $800,000 interest-free in return for permanent residence.
CBC – New Brunswick Population Shrinking, Statistics Canada Reports
A strong wave of immigrants coming to New Brunswick last year was not enough to reverse the province’s dwindling population numbers, as current residents continue to move west by the thousands, new figures show. Statistics Canada says New Brunswick’s population dropped by 764 during 2013, the second year in a row of decline, despite more than 2,000 international immigrants arriving during the year. Immigrants have become the most significant source of new citizens in New Brunswick, but their numbers are being overwhelmed by existing residents who have been leaving for other provinces, principally Alberta.
The Record – Six More Names Added to CBSA’s Wanted List
The names of six men have been added to the Canada Border Service Agency’s wanted list. […] The Wanted by the CBSA program, which was launched in 2011, is designed to apprehend individuals who have violated the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. […] CBSA says so far Canadians have helped locate 55 wanted individuals in Canada, of whom 43 have been removed from the country, and 14 individuals abroad. […] Roxanne James, the parliamentary secretary to the minister of public safety, said the fact that nearly half the people on the wanted list have been located shows not only the program’s usefulness but also the level of the public’s engagement.
Timmins Press – Multicultural Centre Offers Immigrant Services
There are some new faces at the Timmins and District Multicultural Centre. Here is a brief overview of the services provided by the Centre and bios of the new staff. The Timmins and District Multicultural Centre, an immigrant settlement service agency, is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. The Timmins office serves Temiskaming Shores, Earlton, Englehart, Matachewan, Kirkland Lake, Black River-Matheson, Iroquois Falls, Timmins and Cochrane. Practical assistance is provided to newcomers for the challenges of everyday life.
Radio-Canada – Une expérience de travail offerte aux immigrants à Bathurst
Des immigrants à Bathurst, au Nouveau-Brunswick, se voient offrir une première expérience de travail dans la région grâce à un programme de jumelage avec des employeurs. Il s’agit d’une initiative de l’Association multiculturelle de la région Chaleur. Les participants travaillent dans une entreprise pendant six à huit semaines. Cette expérience de travail en milieu canadien pourrait être un atout pour eux lors de leur future recherche d’emploi. Quatre nouveaux arrivants se sont déjà inscrits au programme. L’un d’eux, Gardy Joachin, qui est d’origine haïtienne, travaille à la Municipalité de Pointe-Verte. Il cherchait du travail depuis le mois d’août. Il explique qu’il aura maintenant des références à présenter aux employeurs lors de sa recherche d’emploi.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada News Release – Attracting Skilled Newcomers to Canada
Federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) immigration ministers today reiterated their commitment to actively recruit economic immigrants that have the skills the Canadian economy needs most. Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander and Alberta’s Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour Minister Thomas Lukaszuk co-chaired the meeting of FPT ministers responsible for immigration. Economic immigration was a top priority for all ministers around the table. Ministers agreed to continue collaborating on building the new active recruitment model which is known as the Expression of Interest (or EOI) system. It is intended to transform Canada’s immigration system into one that is more responsive to labour market needs.
