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.
La Presse – Des immigrés sortent «de l’ombre» à New York
Trois jours après le lancement d’une carte d’identité new-yorkaise, plus de 4.000 personnes sont allés chercher ce document promis par le maire pour «sortir de l’ombre» les immigrés illégaux de la métropole. «La vérité est que je passe mon temps à essayer de passer pour transparente», confie Doris, une mère de famille péruvienne qui vit à New York depuis douze années avec un visa expiré. «Avec ça, les choses vont changer. C’est très important, cela va beaucoup m’aider», raconte-t-elle en faisant la queue devant une bibliothèque municipale sur la 5e avenue pour retirer le document. Le nombre de demandes a surpris la mairie dont l’initiative lancée lundi par le maire Bill De Blasio vise à améliorer la situation du demi-million de sans-papiers new-yorkais. «Ce simple morceau de plastique va ouvrir tellement de portes à nos amis new-yorkais», a déclaré le maire démocrate lundi. «Sans papier d’identité, il y a tellement de choses qu’on ne peut faire dans une société moderne».
Toronto Star – Anti-Muslim, Anti-Immigrant Rallies Grow in Europe
A grassroots anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant movement is continuing to move across Europe in wake of the terror attacks that hit Paris last week. A crowd of nearly 25,000 attended an anti-Muslim rally in Dresden on Monday. For the last several months, the German group Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West, or PEGIDA, has been holding the demonstrations, calling for stricter controls on asylum rules and tighter immigration policies. Germany, along with northern European countries, is experiencing massive influxes of migrants from conflict zones in the Middle East and North Africa. Vast numbers of Syrians, Afghans, Iraqis and others caught up in war, persecution and poverty are all trying to settle in wealthier European countries to begin new lives. But as some European countries struggle with youth unemployment and sluggish economies, tensions rise.
CBC – Midwives from Other Countries to Practise in B.C.
B.C. has taken a step toward making it easier to hire a midwife in the province by funding new training for international students at the University of British Columbia. The program will train midwives educated in other countries so they can become fully licensed to practise in B.C. Applicants will be individually assessed, and the program will be tailored for each student, recognizing midwifery qualifications and experience gained abroad. The first classes will begin this spring with four international students. The program will expand to eight students per year starting next year. The provincial government is providing $680,000 in funding. “Now 18 per cent of births in British Columbia are performed by midwives, which is huge progress,” said Advanced Education Minister Andrew Wilkinson. “But, we are all aware of the fact there is need for more cultural sensitivity, more outreach, more language skills among midwives.”
Fort McMurray Today – Multicultural Groups Form Alliance to Promote Inclusion
Three multicultural groups in Fort McMurray are banding together to promote religious inclusion. Markaz Ul Islam, the Multicultural Association of Wood Buffalo and the municipality’s Regional Advisory Committee on Inclusion, Diversity and Equality (RACIDE) presented at Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo council Tuesday on their new initiative, the Collaboration for Religious Inclusion. “Our intent is to raise awareness and to promote religious inclusion,” said Wajeehullah Arain, VP Community Affairs of Markaz Ul Islam, a Muslim congregation in Fort McMurray. […] The presentation called on the municipality to champion the initiative, promote inclusion and condemn acts of racism and hate crime in the municipality and province. Mayor Melissa Blake said it was fantastic to see collaboration between groups. […] Thomas said that they would invite other religious groups to participate in the initiative as well, and Arain said multicultural unity is a strength in Fort McMurray.
BBC News – US House Votes to Block Obama Migrant Plan
The House of Representatives has voted to pass a bill that would effectively roll back President Obama’s recent immigration initiatives. The bill still needs to go to the Senate for approval and the White House has said the president will veto it. Mr. Obama announced in November that he would use his executive authorities to enact sweeping immigration changes. Republicans in the House say that the president’s actions overreach his authority and are unconstitutional. It is the Republican’s latest attempt to challenge the White House, after taking control of both chambers of Congress in November. […] Despite the fact that the president would likely veto the bill, this move carries significant weight because it signals the extent to which Republicans are willing to go in order to show their opposition to president Obama, who they think has overreached his authority. Even though the bill is unlikely to pass the Senate, Democrats may be worried that debate over the bill could scare away immigrants from signing up for Mr. Obama’s recent immigration programmes.
Asian Pacific Post – Billions of Dollars in Projects Depend on Asian Migrants
British Columbia will depend heavily on Asian workers and immigrants to help fix a looming shortage of skilled labour that could jeopardize billions of dollars worth of projects in the province over the next decade. Over one million total job openings are expected in B.C. to 2022, including 985,000 from economic activity already confirmed or planned, as well as up to 100,000 jobs from the expected LNG activity, concluded a newly released BC Labour outlook report. Given the predictions of labor shortages, B.C. last week introduced a new immigration stream under its Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) called Express Entry British Columbia. This new stream will work in tandem with Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC) new Express Entry application system, introduced on Jan. 1, 2015, allowing eligible applicants to receive priority processing of both their B.C. PNP application, and if nominated, their permanent residence application. […] Labour Market analysts and immigration experts expect Asian countries especially Philippines, India and China to provide the bulk of applications under the new system. The Philippines last year surpassed China and India as Canada’s top source country for new immigrants to Canada.
