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 – Former Supreme Court Justices Offer Conflicting Views of Quebec’s Secular Charter
Two former justices of the Supreme Court of Canada are offering conflicting views of the Quebec charter of values, underlying the deep divisions over an issue that may dominate the next provincial election. […] In a comment piece published in La Presse, Louise Arbour, who sat on the top court from 1999 to 2004 and is a former United Nations high commissioner for human rights, condemned the proposal to bar public-sector workers from wearing conspicuous religious headgear as an idea falsely portrayed to be religiously neutral. […] Noting that the policy would affect mainly female Muslims, she wrote: “It is particularly odious to put the burden on already marginalized women whose access to employment is a key factor to gain autonomy and integration.”
Globe and Mail – Tories to Speed Citizenship Stripping
Under changes to the Citizenship Act tabled this week as Bill C-24, Mr. Alexander – or any staffer he authorizes – can strip citizenship from a dual citizen the government suspects committed certain types of fraud in applying to become Canadian. More complex cases are sent to court. Until now, such cases have all typically gone through the courts and cabinet – which heavily slowed Tory efforts, announced in 2012, to strip citizenship from 11,000 alleged fraudsters. Now, in what the government calls “routine” cases, a subject’s only recourse is to send written information to the minister’s office to try to prove that person didn’t commit fraud. The final decision rests with Mr. Alexander or anyone he authorizes to act for him. […] The proposed changes come along with higher maximum fines and jail terms for citizenship fraud, as well as new options to – through the courts – strip citizenship from dual citizens convicted of certain serious crimes, such as terrorism.
Radio Canada – Pacer Promec avoue avoir remplacé des Canadiens par des travailleurs étrangers
La coentreprise Pacer Promec (PPJV) embauchera à nouveau des Canadiens après avoir recruté des travailleurs étrangers pour remplacer des employés syndiqués, a annoncé la direction vendredi. Après l’avoir démenti la veille, PPJV a reconnu avoir embauché des travailleurs temporaires étrangers sur le site de la mine Kearl, près de Fort McMurray. L’aveu arrive au lendemain d’allégations par le Syndicat des travailleurs de l’acier, selon lesquels ses membres mis à pied mardi avaient été remplacés par des travailleurs temporaires croates.
Radio Canada International – Pour devenir citoyen canadien, vous devrez vivre au Canada plus longtemps
Si vous êtes un criminel, on pourra vous enlever votre citoyenneté plus rapidement. Les citoyens étrangers à la recherche d’une nouvelle identité canadienne devront habiter plus longtemps au Canada, mais aussi verser plus d’argent pour accéder à leur rêve. L’annonce a été faite jeudi par le ministre canadien de l’Immigration, Chris Alexander, qui a déposé un projet de loi qui constituerait la première refonte majeure du cadre légal de l’immigration au Canada depuis 1977. Le gouvernement conservateur de Stephen Harper veut imposer aux demandeurs de citoyenneté canadienne d’être présents physiquement au Canada pendant au moins quatre années sur une période de six ans alors que l’exigence actuelle n’est que de trois années échelonnées sur une période de quatre ans.
Radio Canada – De l’aide pour l’intégration professionnelle des nouveaux arrivants
Le ministre fédéral de l’Emploi, du Développement social et du Multiculturalisme, Jason Kenney, a lancé vendredi un programme de soutien aux personnes formées à l’étranger, qui peine à trouver de l’emploi dans leur domaine au Canada. Une somme de 800 000 dollars sera versée à l’Association nationale des collèges de carrières. L’argent servira à informer les nouveaux arrivants sur les programmes disponibles dans les quelque 500 collèges d’enseignement professionnel que l’association représente.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada News Release – Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act
Today, Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander launched the Blueprint for Citizenship Improvements as a part of the government’s introduction of Bill C-24, the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act. Overall, Bill C-24 reinforces the government’s commitment to reduce backlogs and improve processing times while strengthening the integrity of Canadian citizenship. […] The government’s Blueprint for Citizenship Improvements aims to improve and streamline Canada’s citizenship program by reducing the decision making process from three steps to one. It is expected that by 2015–2016 this change will bring the average processing time for citizenship applications down to under a year. It is also projected that by 2015-2016, the current backlog will be reduced by more than 80 percent. Citizenship application fees will be better aligned with the actual cost of processing, relieving the burden on Canadian taxpayers who currently subsidize 80 percent of the cost.
