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.
The Record – Newcomers Celebrate Christmas Canadian Style
Reception House […] is a welcoming centre for government assisted refugees where they are provided a place to stay and services to help them find jobs and homes. Every year, staff host this party for clients who this year came from Somalia, Pakistan, Iraq, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Iran, Sudan and Burma. Most of the families have been placed in their own apartments, but several are still living at Reception House including a single Somali mother with 10 children. For all these families, particularly the children, gathering at Reception House for the party is a uniquely Canadian experience. […] Tamourt, a settlement worker at Reception House, has been in Canada since 2004, arriving from Algeria via Germany where she was studying for five years before immigrating. Being in Germany, she said, gave her a sense of how Christmas is celebrated in non-Muslim cultures though even in Algeria, Santa is known.
Métro Montréal – Immigration aux É-U: pénurie possible de juges
Les tribunaux de l’immigration aux États-Unis, qui accusent déjà beaucoup de retard dans le traitement des dossiers, risquent de sombrer un peu plus dans le chaos alors qu’environ la moitié de leurs 220 juges auront le droit de prendre leur retraite l’an prochain. Le bureau chargé de superviser les 59 tribunaux a révélé, dimanche, que 32 postes étaient déjà vacants et que cette situation expliquait en partie pourquoi 350 000 cas attendaient toujours d’être traités. Les magistrats sont débordés et les immigrants dont la demande d’asile est légitime doivent passer des années dans l’incertitude avant qu’une décision ne soit rendue dans leur dossier.
Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada – Communiqué – Le seul souhait du Père Noël : obtenir un passeport électronique
Le ministre de la Citoyenneté et de l’Immigration du Canada, Chris Alexander, était aujourd’hui à Vaughan, en Ontario, pour remettre officiellement les 2 999 999e et 3 000 000e passeports électroniques au Père Noël et à la Mère Noël. Le Père et la Mère Noël vivent au pôle Nord, au Canada, en compagnie de leurs nombreux lutins. Comme bien des Canadiens qui aiment voyager partout dans le monde, le Père et la Mère Noël étaient ravis de recevoir leur passeport électronique, l’un des documents de voyage les plus sûrs et les plus reconnus dans le monde.
CBC – Citizenship Backlog Stark Contrast to Fast-Tracked Olympic Skater
Earlier this week, American ice dancer Piper Gilles received her citizenship in time to compete for Canada at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. It was a good news story, a skater realizing her “dream” to represent Canada thanks to a provision in the law that allows the government to fast-track citizenship claims in “exceptional cases, in order to reward services of an exceptional value to Canada.” But Gilles’s smooth glide to citizenship is in stark contrast to the growing number of landed immigrants caught in a backlog that sees them waiting as long as three years to receive their official welcome to Canada.
Times Colonist – Reporter Katie DeRosa Honoured for Series on Human Smuggling
Times Colonist reporter Katie DeRosa has won an Amnesty International Canada media award for her series on Canada’s human smuggling reforms. DeRosa’s week-long series of articles, photos and online video documentaries examined the human consequences of Australia’s mandatory detention policy in light of similar measures introduced by the Harper government under Bill C-31. The tough refugee reforms were ushered in following the arrival of two ships of Tamil migrants in October 2009 and August 2010 off the B.C. coast. DeRosa travelled to Australia’s Christmas Island to examine the isolated detention facility where asylum seekers are held indefinitely, often resulting in psychological trauma and suicide. She also explored the desperate situation for Tamil refugees in Thailand, who face arbitrary arrest and imprisonment, while they await resettlement to a safe country.
Le Devoir – Journée internationale des migrants – Des politiques nuisibles à la santé des personnes
En cette Journée internationale des migrants, Médecins du monde Canada, tient à témoigner des impacts majeurs des politiques d’immigration sur la santé de certaines personnes vivant sur notre territoire. L’histoire de Mme Awan illustre de façon extrême ces conséquences néfastes. Mais elle n’est, hélas, qu’un exemple parmi des centaines d’autres qui sont placés devant un dilemme intenable, celui de renoncer à des soins médicaux au péril de leur vie ou de consulter à l’hôpital au risque d’être arrêtés par des agents de l’Agence des services frontaliers du Canada (ASFC).
