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.
Toronto Star – What Should be Done About Climate Change Refugees?
A pending court case in New Zealand involving a man from the low-lying island of Kiribati could have profound implications worldwide on the future of migration due to climate change. […] The 37-year-old is seeking refugee status, but not because he is being persecuted back home, one of the definitions of a refugee. Rather, he says, flooding and rising sea levels due to climate change are making it too dangerous for him, his wife and three children to return to Kiribati. […] Whatever the outcome, the legal battle brings attention to a question that academics, researchers, environmentalists, politicians and diplomats have been puzzling over: what, if anything, should be done to aid the projected 200 million to 1 billion people who may be displaced by climate change over the next 50 years?
Montreal Gazette – Immigration Lawyer Calls for Review of All Failed MV Sun Sea Refugee Claims
Immigration lawyers say failed refugee claimants who came to Canada aboard the MV Sun Sea three years ago ought to have their cases re-opened following the revelation that government representatives did not disclose at some hearings evidence that the Tamil passengers could face persecution if returned to their native Sri Lanka.[…] Gabriel Chand, a Vancouver lawyer representing some of the Sun Sea passengers, said Friday that the government has provided “incomplete, and therefore, misleading” evidence to Immigration and Refugee Board adjudicators assessing the Sun Sea migrants’ refugee claims. “The Minister had documents about those men which supported the position that they were persecuted and that they were likely detained because they arrived on the MV Sun Sea,” Chand said in an email.
Cameroon Voice – Canada. Empreintes digitales désormais obligatoires pour certains pays
A partir du 23 Octobre 2013, les visiteurs de certains pays devront montrer « patte blanche » au gouvernement canadien et soumettre leurs empreintes digitales et leurs photos avant toute demande de visa de résident temporaire, incluant donc toutes les demandes de visa de visiteur, de permis d’études et de permis de travail. Toute demande de visa de résident temporaire sans données biométriques jointes au dossier ne sera tout simplement pas traitée. Les pays qui devront se plier à ces exigences à compter du 23 Octobre prochain sont les suivants :l’Albanie, l’Algérie, la République Démocratique du Congo, l’Erythrée, la Lybie, le Nigéria, l’Arabie Saoudite, la Somalie, le Soudan du Sud, le Soudan et la Tunisie.
Radio Canada International – L’immigration des 20-45 ans : au cœur de la vigueur du marché immobilier au Canada
Le marché immobilier au Canada défie encore et toujours les prévisions de chute annoncées depuis quelques années. Dans de nombreux pays développés, les immeubles ont perdu de leur attrait, mais surtout de leur valeur. Songez à l’Espagne, au Portugal et, plus près du Canada, la terrible « correction » qu’a connue le marché américain après l’éclatement de la bulle immobilière en 2008-2009 et avec la récession qui s’en est suivie au pays de l’Oncle Sam. […]Le facteur le plus important disent certains spécialistes réside dans le nombre croissant d’immigrants du la cohorte de 20-45 ans qui entrent sur le marché, qui achètent une résidence. S’il n’en était de l’immigration au Canada, les 20-45 ans seraient en fort déclin, comme on le constate amèrement en Europe.
The Halifax Refugee Clinic helps gay refugees in their struggle to have legal status in Canada. The clinic takes on a handful of cases each year. Usually immigrants are recommended to go through alternative routes to citizenship given the difficulty of claiming refugee status as a member of the LGBTQ community. But recent changes to immigration law have made it even more difficult for gay refugees to gain status. Wait times for a hearing range from 30 to 60 days, as opposed to the lengthy 2-year wait times. […] At the Immigration and Refugee Board hearings, most of the evidence is usually the claimant’s testimony. Refugees, many who come from gay-unfriendly countries such as Mexico, Korea and Uganda, are judged on their level of activity with the gay community. “People are being judged for their gayness,” says Chamagne. “Board members can bring a western-style perspective on what it means to be gay. One time a comment was made that a person should know that they are gay before 18 years old. Many refugees are just coming to terms with their sexuality.”
Globe and Mail – Harper Government Defends Security Certificate Program at Supreme Court
The Conservative government “carefully crafted” changes to the national security certificate system that brought the rarely used tool for dealing with threats to Canada in line with the Constitution, says a federal lawyer. […] As a Supreme Court hearing on the controversial certificate system began Thursday, federal counsel Urszula Kaczmarczyk said the 2007 reworking allowed Mohamed Harkat of Ottawa, accused of terrorist ties, to know the case against him. […] The person named in a security certificate – a means of deporting non-citizens suspected of being terrorists or spies – receives only a summary of the case against them, stripped of supporting details to protect sensitive intelligence sources and methods.
