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.
Reuters – As Workforce Shrinks, Korea Struggles to Embrace Immigration
The [South Korean] population is the fastest ageing of the industrialized countries grouped in the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development. Immigration will almost certainly be needed to keep the economy growing as the ratio of senior citizens to working age people – now 1 to 5.6 – is projected to shift dramatically to 1 to 1.2 in the next 50 years. […] The risk is that without immigration the population will continue to shrink and fail to provide enough taxpayers to fund a social welfare burden that is set to grow as the country ages. Fewer workers could push up hiring costs, prompting firms to move production offshore to remain globally competitive, effectively hollowing out the economy.
Toronto Star – “Municipal ID” Urged for Non-Status Torontonians
An audit is recommending Toronto Council issue “municipal ID cards” to undocumented residents after it found 62 per cent of city-funded service providers demand identification to assess an individual’s eligibility. The Solidarity City Network, a coalition of advocacy groups for migrants, conducted a telephone survey of 185 child-care centres, health clinics, shelters and food banks this summer after council passed a motion to declare Toronto a “sanctuary city” for residents without legal status in Canada. […] While the majority of staff at these agencies wished to provide services to non-status residents, the 32-page report found they were not doing so due to inadequate training, with 25 per cent of surveyed agencies wrongly stating that undocumented residents are not eligible for services.
CBC – Tim Hortons Boss Accused of Cheating Filipino Workers for OT
Two former employees of a Tim Hortons in small-town British Columbia say their employer took advantage of their status as temporary foreign workers to cheat them out of overtime pay, and to pressure them to keep quiet about it. Heidi Kibanoff and her boyfriend, Richard Pepito, say Pierre Pelletier hired them and other Filipinos under Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program to work at the Tim Hortons in Fernie, where they often put in long hours. [… ]”This matter has been brought to our attention. We are treating it seriously and are currently conducting a review in full cooperation with B.C. Employment standards,” Tim Horton’s corporate office said in a written statement. Pelletier is also accused of charging employees the processing fees for renewing their temporary work permits. According to regulations, the employer is responsible for paying those fees.
Toronto Star – Border Agency Misled Public With “War Criminal” Label: Privacy Watchdog
Canada’s border agency misled the public on its highly touted “most wanted” list by inaccurately portraying some people as war criminals, says Canada’s Privacy Commissioner. The finding came more than two years after refugee advocates complained that border officials violated the individuals’ privacy rights by posting their mug shots and personal information, including date of birth, on the Internet and social media. […] In July, the Supreme Court ruled the federal government’s broad-brush approach resulted in innocent people being denied protection and wrongly labelled as “war criminals.” Janet Dench of the refugee council said at least four others on the most-wanted list — from Algeria, Angola, India and Rwanda — have been cast as war criminals simply based on the government’s definition and were excluded from refugee protection.
Rabble.ca – Changes to Canadian Experience Class Immigration Program Introduce New Eligibility Provisions
Between November 9, 2013 to October 31, 2014, CIC will accept a maximum of 12,000 new applications under the Canadian Experience Class immigration category. This change in program requirements and the imposition of caps has the potential to affect many individuals, and especially students, whose academic programs and work experience will no longer qualify them for immigration to Canada under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) immigration program. […] Other limitations to the program are also being imposed. CIC will establish sub-caps of 200 applications each for National Occupational Classification (NOC) B occupations. These occupations are mostly technical and administrative jobs or those in the skilled trades. […] CIC has also changed their policy on refunds. Applicants who do not meet the language proficiency standards will have their applications returned along with the processing fee.
Finance et investissements – Des services adaptés aux nouveaux arrivants
Plus de 55 000 immigrants s’installent au Québec chaque année. Si l’avenir démographique de la province passe par l’immigration, il en va de même pour celui des institutions qui font aujourd’hui des pieds et des mains pour accommoder les nouveaux arrivants. […] C’est en 2007 que le Mouvement Desjardins a officiellement décidé de miser sur cette clientèle toute spéciale. L’institution met alors sur pied le Carrefour, un centre situé au centre-ville de Montréal où l’équipe a développé une expertise consacrée aux nouveaux arrivants et communautés culturelles. L’offre de services de ce centre […] s’articule autour des besoins propres aux nouveaux arrivants comme, par exemple, la création d’un historique de crédit. Tout est mis en oeuvre pour faciliter leur arrivée.
