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.
Le Nouvelliste – Le SANA fête son 45e anniversaire
Le visage de l’immigration s’est bien sûr transformé ces quatre dernières décennies dans la région, mais les difficultés que connaissent les nouveaux arrivants sont les mêmes. Qu’ils proviennent de l’Europe, de l’Amérique du Sud ou de l’Afrique, les immigrants doivent apprendre à connaître leur terre d’accueil, son système et les valeurs de ses habitants. Depuis 45 ans maintenant, les intervenants et bénévoles du Service d’accueil des nouveaux arrivants (SANA) de Trois-Rivières accompagnent les immigrants et les réfugiés qui s’installent sur son territoire.
C’est dans le cadre de la Semaine de l’immigration francophone que plusieurs femmes qui ont fait l’expérience de la migration ou de l’immigration vers l’Alberta dans les dernières décennies se sont rassemblées pour partager leur expérience. Les panélistes invitées, Dulari Prithipaul, Sedami Gnidheou et Marie-Rose Bukuba, ont principalement laissé les participantes s’exprimer sur leur arrivée en Alberta, ce qui les interpelle dans la francophonie et ce qu’elles comptent faire pour la préserver. Une thématique qui revient beaucoup dans les récits de ces femmes – autant celles venues d’un autre continent que les Québécoises – est celle du français comme outil d’intégration.
Calgary Herald – Immigrant Teen’s Suicide Prompts Alberta’s Child Advocate to Call for Greater Cultural Awareness
When Kamil emigrated from the Middle East as a 12-year-old, he was described as energetic, with a good sense of humour and a “lot of love in him.” But shortly after his arrival in Canada, things went awry and Kamil — whose name is a pseudonym — became a ward of the state. During his four years in care, he had six different caseworkers and moved 10 times before taking his own life. A 38-page investigative review released Monday, called Kamil: An Immigrant Youth’s Struggle, examines the circumstances surrounding his death and recommends taking into account a young person’s “cultural context” when making assessments. […] Kamil had mental health issues, including developmental trauma disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and conduct disorder. He struggled to adjust to Canadian life, experienced significant language and cultural barriers and was still dealing with the traumas from his past, the report says.
Toronto Star – Hundreds Held in Canada’s Immigration Cells
Sixty people held in detention by Canadian immigration enforcement officials have been waiting to be deported for more than a year, the Star has learned. They are among 585 individuals currently in immigration cells as of Nov. 8, rare up-to-date figures obtained from the Canada Border Services Agency. The numbers provide a snapshot of the hundreds of men and women locked up at any one time and awaiting removal — failed refugees, migrants without legal status and former permanent residents who had their status revoked for criminal convictions. Typically, the majority will be released within days, according to border officials. But the lengthy detention of others raises questions about how long individuals should be held, particularly if they pose no threat to the public and have little prospect of a pending deportation.
CBC – Europe Tut-Tuts While African Migrants Die on its Doorstep
The worst recorded tragedy off the coast of Lampedusa took place just last month, Oct. 3, when a ship carrying more than 500 mainly Eritrean and Somali refugees caught fire and sank a mere kilometre from shore. More than 350 people drowned. It is a harrowing tale, but not a new one. An estimated 20,000 people fleeing conflict and hardship have died in the Mediterranean over the past 20 years in a bid to reach Europe. The scale of the October tragedy, and the sight of hundreds of coffins lined up on shore — the ones for the children white with small plush toys attached — has once more thrust these perilous journeys and the whole thorny issue of illegal migration into the spotlight. To little avail. The tragedy at Lampedusa prompted a wave of genuine distress across the European Union and much hand wringing, but little action.
Radio-Canada – Un programme pour prévenir les conflits entre élèves de différentes cultures
Une série d’ateliers a été mise sur pied pour encourager le respect et prévenir les conflits liés aux différences culturelles dans les écoles du Québec. Les tensions peuvent parfois être vives dans les cours d’école, notamment à Montréal, où plus du quart des élèves qui fréquentent la Commission scolaire de Montréal sont nés à l’extérieur du Québec. […] Désormais, ces élèves pourront suivre un nouveau programme intitulé « Ma culture dans le Respaix ». Le programme, créé par l’Institut Pacifique, se décline en quatre ateliers de 50 minutes mettant en scène des témoignages de neuf personnages d’origines diverses.
