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.
In a change of course, President Obama said Tuesday that he would move forward on a piecemeal approach to immigration reform. During an interview with The Wall Street Journal’s annual CEO meeting, the president remarked: “If they want to chop that thing up into five pieces, as long as all five pieces get done, I don’t care what it looks like,” Mr. Obama said. “What we don’t want to do is simply carve out one piece of it…but leave behind some of the tougher stuff that still needs to get done.” Obama has long touted one big comprehensive bill, and championed a Senate version passed in June, but the bill has essentially died in the House. Republicans have made clear, however, that there isn’t enough time left in the legislative year to deal with immigration.
Daily Commercial News – Employers Showing Leadership with Immigrants Recognized in First-Ever Provincial Awards Program
The first Ontario Award for Leadership in Immigrant Employment recognized five leaders who champion diversity and support jobs in their communities. “These outstanding winners recognize the benefits of hiring a diverse workforce. Their hiring practices, innovation and inclusive business cultures pave the way for greater economic growth in this province by connecting our labour force to the global community,” said Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Michael Coteau. In the Champion Category – Small Organization, Marion Annau, the founder of Connect Legal in Toronto, was recognized for helping over 1,000 small business owners, including immigrants, get their companies off the ground through one-on-one legal advice and interactive workshops.
CBC – Gay Refugees From Iran Set to Arrive in Nova Scotia
A gay Iranian couple is set to land in Halifax on Wednesday, two of the first refugees to be sponsored by the Rainbow Refugee Association of Nova Scotia. Navid and Hadi fled Iran saying their lives were threatened. For the last year and a half they’ve been living in Turkey. There, they’ve been waiting to have their refugee application processed, surviving by working-under-the-table jobs, according to Corrie Melanson, with the Rainbow association.
Ottawa Citizen – People Smuggling to Canada From U.S. Increasing, Says Binational Threat Report
Smugglers were caught trying to slip dramatically more people into Canada in 2011 over the previous year at largely unguarded points along the border with the United States, says a newly declassified report. Authorities apprehended 487 people as smugglers attempted to sneak them into Canada at remote locales, up from 308 in 2010, says the binational report on border security. […] The figures on smuggling between official ports of entry appear in the 2012 Integrated Border Enforcement Team threat assessment report, obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act. […] An advocacy group for refugees attributes the 58-per-cent rise in Canada-bound human smuggling attempts to an agreement between the countries that has prompted desperate refugees to turn to criminal groups willing to help them across the border.
Digital Journal – Vital Services to Newcomers at Risk Unless COSTI Immigrant Services Get Serious About Treating Workers Fairly, Warns CUPE 2221-1 President
Vital services for immigrants and new Canadians in the Greater Toronto Area are unnecessarily being put at risk by COSTI Immigrant Services’ refusal to treat Language Instruction to Newcomers to Canada (LINC) instructors fairly, the President of Local 2221-1 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees warned today. […] The instructors, members of Local 2221-1 (a subunit of the larger CUPE Local) are seeking modest improvements to their collective agreement to keep pace with other unionized and non-unionized COSTI staff. Last week, members of Local 2221-1 voted unanimously in favour of giving their bargaining committee a mandate to take any-and-all actions necessary to secure a fair collective agreement, including strike action, if necessary.
TVA Nouvelles – Québec va aider les immigrants à se lancer en affaires
La ministre de l’Immigration et des Communautés culturelles, Diane de Courcy, croit que d’aider les immigrants à se lancer en affaires est un gage de réussite pour une bonne intégration des communautés culturelles à Montréal. Lancé aujourd’hui par la Conférence régionale des élus de Montréal (CRÉ) et le ministère de l’Immigration, le projet Entreprendre ici a pour but de faciliter les immigrants à se lancer en affaires. La ministre a annoncé que son gouvernement compte augmenter de 10 000 le nombre d’entreprises sur le territoire montréalais d’ici dix ans dont une partie sera issue de l’immigration.
