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.
Metro News Canada – Canada May Be Better Haven than Israel for French Jews, says Rabbi
Canada may be a better answer than Israel as the safest of harbours in the event of a spiking Jewish exodus from France, a prominent American rabbi said Wednesday. Citing direct contact with potential Jewish émigrés who say they are reluctant to trade the uncertainties of France for the complications of Israel, Washington-based Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld is calling on both Canada and the U.S. to open immigration channels denied to an earlier generation of refugees at the onset of the Second World War. “The U.S. should open its doors. But so too should Canada — and French Canada, in particular, which is in many ways a more natural destination and a much more attractive option to many French Jews seeking safety.” […] Whatever the reason, Canada and the U.S. bear “the responsibility of history” to extend a welcome now, Herzfeld told the Toronto Star in an interview Wednesday as he readied for a trip to Israel for an annual mission that will include meetings with newly arrived French immigrants.
Global News – South Okanagan Group Aims to Create a Multicultural Region
South Okanagan Immigrant and Community Services (SOICS) has been providing services to newcomers for more than 30 years. Its expertise is the reason why Citizenship and Immigration Canada has chosen it to be a key player in a new group called the Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) Council. The new group is comprised of elected officials, business people and other community stakeholders, who are all working together to help new immigrants settle and integrate into the region. “I think that without the strategy, we would actually not experience any growth. We would actually see a decline, potentially. So I think from both an economic and societal point of view, it is important to attract newcomers,” says Nora Hunt-Half, LIP Coordinator. The new council has been working on strategies on how to attract and keep immigrants in the region. The plan will be finalized in the spring.
CBC – Quebec to Launch Consultation on Immigration and Diversity
The provincial government is getting ready to launch a consultation later this month, asking Quebecers what they think about immigration, diversity and inclusion. The measure comes as the government prepares to overhaul its immigration policy. Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil says one of the biggest challenges that new Quebecers face is finding a job. “Integration into the workforce, recognition of professional competencies — that is always the number one issue and it is the number one issue that we want to address,” Weil told CBC in an exclusive interview. She also said it will be a priority for the province to recognize foreign credentials. […] Weil says if new immigrants can’t find work, they feel shut out and excluded from Quebec society. She says it’s critical employers also be involved in the discussions around the new immigration policy.
Radio-Canada – Les immigrants connaissent-ils assez le français?
Selon les chiffres du ministère québécois de l’Immigration, de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion, c’était en fait 46 % des immigrants admis au Québec en 2004 qui ne connaissaient pas le français. En 2013, le pourcentage d’immigrants qui ne maîtrisaient pas cette langue avait légèrement diminué, s’établissant à 43 %; une variation de trois points de pourcentage (soit 14,2 % qui disaient connaître seulement l’anglais et 28,5 % qui ne connaissaient ni le français ni l’anglais). Parmi les différentes catégories d’immigrants, ceux qui sont admis pour investir, occuper un emploi ou gérer une entreprise connaissent le mieux la langue officielle du Québec, dans une proportion de 70 %. Et de tous les immigrants, les réfugiés sont les plus nombreux à ne pas connaître le français, dans une proportion de près de 60 %. Selon la plus récente étude du Conseil supérieur de la langue française, de nombreux immigrants arrivent au Québec avec la fausse idée qu’ils n’ont pas besoin de connaître le français.
Le Soleil – Charte des droits et libertés: une clause pour mieux lutter contre la haine
Le ministère de la Justice du Québec analyse la possibilité d’ajouter une disposition à la Charte québécoise des droits et libertés de la personne pour mieux lutter contre l’intimidation. En clair, cette disposition prohiberait explicitement «l’incitation publique à la haine pour un motif interdit de discrimination». Jolyane Pronovost, porte-parole de la ministre de la Justice, Stéphanie Vallée, a confirmé au Soleil, lundi, que le Ministère soupèse le pour et le contre de cette idée. Elle émane de la Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse. Celle-ci l’a suggérée dans un mémoire transmis à la fin de l’année dernière au Secrétariat du Forum sur la lutte contre l’intimidation. L’article 11 de la Charte des droits et libertés de la personne prévoit déjà que «nul ne peut diffuser, publier ou exposer en public un avis, un symbole ou un signe comportant discrimination».
Blackburn News – Perth Huron Newcomer Outreach Grant
The United Way Perth-Huron’s Multicultural Association has received a fifty-thousand dollar Trillium grant for its Newcomer Outreach and Needs Assessment project. Project Manager Mark Hertzberger explains the grant will allow them to visit more communities in Perth and Huron to determine the needs of immigrants when they first arrive. The Project also looks for barriers they might encounter in obtaining services, and tries to identify social needs. Hertzberger points out if immigrants come to a new community but do not feel welcome, they tend to turn to larger cities where they can find people who will include them into the community. Hertzberger adds they’ve built up good working relationships with employment agencies, school boards, and housing agencies to help make newcomers feel welcome in Perth and Huron.
