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.
Globe and Mail – Tories’ New Budget to Close Program Giving Investors Path to Citizenship
The Conservative government is scrapping Canada’s decades-old immigrant investor program in the 2014 budget, ending a path to citizenship that has been criticized for allowing foreigners to buy their way into this country without generating sufficient long-term benefit. The federal government, which stopped accepting new applications from foreign investors in 2012, has concluded the program is not reaping sufficient economic return for Canada, sources say. […]A source said the government is acting based on data that show that, 20 years after arriving in Canada, an immigrant investor has paid about $200,000 less in taxes than a newcomer who came in under the federal skilled worker program, and almost $100,000 less than one who was a live-in caregiver. In the past 28 years, more than 130,000 people have come to Canada under the investor program, including applicants and their families.
Radio-Canada – Les défis des Franco-Africains en Saskatchewan
Les Africains francophones, de plus en plus nombreux en Saskatchewan, doivent surmonter certains défis pour se tailler une place dans la communauté. La famille de Philbert Ngenzirabona et Consolate Nzeyimana fait partie des nouveaux visages de la Fransaskoisie. Le couple originaire du Burundi et son fils s’accrochent au petit bout de français qu’il leur reste. Phlibert est agent de la Gendarmerie royale du Canada, Consolate a trouvé un emploi au Conseil des écoles fransaskoises et leur fils Ryan fréquente l’école Monseigneur de Laval. La famille a aussi joint la paroisse francophone St-Jean-Baptiste. Les immigrants établis dans les grands centres ou dans les petites localités peuvent compter sur les services de la Communauté des Africains francophones de la Saskatchewan (CAFS).
45e Nord.ca – Les immigrants qui servent dans les Forces armées canadiennes deviendront citoyens plus rapidement
Les immigrants qui servent dans les Forces armées canadiennes verront réduire la durée de la période de résidence requise avant de pouvoir faire leur demande de citoyenneté. Le projet de loi C-24 déposé le 6 février à la Chambre des communes par le ministre de l’Immigration Chris Alexander veut imposer aux demandeurs d’habiter plus longtemps au Canada avant de pouvoir devenir citoyens. Le gouvernement Harper entend exiger que les candidats aient été présents physiquement au Canada pendant au moins quatre années sur une période de six ans. […] Mais, ces nouvelles règles plus sévères que propose le projet conservateur «ne s’applique pas au résident permanent […] qui, au cours de la période prévue [dans ce projet de loi], a accumulé un nombre d’années de service dans les Forces armées canadiennes égal à la durée de résidence requise dans ce projet moins un an».
The Guardian – US Relaxes Strict Rules on Potential Immigrants with Limited Terrorist Links
The Obama administration has eased the rules for would-be asylum-seekers, refugees and others who hope to come to or stay in the US and who gave “limited” support to terrorists or terrorist groups. The change is one of President Barack Obama’s first actions on immigration since he pledged during his State of the Union address last month to use more executive directives. The Department of Homeland Security and the State Department now say that people considered to have provided “limited material support” to terrorists or terrorist groups are no longer automatically barred from the US.
The Guardian – [British] Immigration Minister Resigns Over Illegal Immigrant Cleaner
Mark Harper, the immigration minister behind the controversial campaign that put “go home” adverts on vans to urge illegal immigrants to leave Britain, has resigned after learning that his private cleaner for seven years did not have permission to work in the UK. Harper, who was steering an immigration bill through the Commons that warns employers of their duty to check the status of employees, notified David Cameron on Friday, when his resignation was accepted “with regret”.
Reuters – Swiss Voters Back Quotas on Immigration From EU
Swiss voters on Sunday narrowly backed proposals to reintroduce immigration quotas with the European Union, Swiss television reported – a result that calls into question bilateral accords with the EU and could irk multinational companies. While neutral Switzerland is not a member of the EU, its immigration policy is based on free movement of people to and from the EU, as well as allowing in a restricted number of non-EU citizens. The vote, which comes 12 years after an agreement with the EU on free movement of people came into force, could hurt an economy dependent on foreign professionals by increasing red tape and jeopardising bilateral accords.
