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 – Canadian Government Examined Limiting Refugees with Health Problems
Staff at Citizenship and Immigration Canada were asked last year to suggest ways to cut down on the number of “high needs” refugees in order to reduce strain on the health-care system, according to documents obtained by The Canadian Press. That request came from former immigration minister Jason Kenney, who is still the Conservatives’ minister responsible for multiculturalism. He was eventually given a series of options including a cap on refugees with health problems — such as “developmental delay, blindness, victims of trauma and torture” — allowed from within a specific population group, according to one memo.
La Presse – Ottawa a songé à limiter l’accès à des réfugiés traumatisés ou torturés
Le gouvernement fédéral a examiné la possibilité d’établir des quotas pour restreindre l’accès aux demandeurs d’asile victimes de torture ou de traumatismes dans leur pays, afin d’économiser sur les soins de santé qu’on devrait ensuite leur prodiguer, selon un document obtenu par La Presse Canadienne. Le personnel du ministère de la Citoyenneté et de l’Immigration a reçu l’an dernier la consigne de trouver des façons de limiter l’accès aux réfugiés qui auraient besoin de beaucoup d’aide dans l’avenir. L’objectif de cette directive, qui émanait de l’ancien titulaire de ce ministère, Jason Kenney, était de trouver des façons de réaliser des économies dans les réseaux de la santé.
BBC – Malaysia Rounds Up Thousands of Migrant Workers
Tens of thousands of police, soldiers and local enforcement personnel are taking part in Malaysia’s largest round-up of foreign workers. Many of the workers come from Indonesia, Bangladesh and Burma. Human rights groups have expressed concern about possible abuse of the detainees. Squads of Malaysian enforcement officers descended on construction sites, plantations and ramshackle settlements as the campaign got underway on Sunday. […] Millions of migrants from neighbouring Indonesia and the Philippines flocked to Malaysia to work during the country’s construction and palm oil boom. Many others come from further afield, particularly Bangladesh, Nepal and Burma.
CBC – New Foreign Worker Fees Could Hurt Clubs and Arts Promoters
Music promoters worry that processing fees for temporary foreign workers may make it too expensive for up and coming international acts to tour Canada. Federal rules that came into effect on July 31 require an employer to pay a $275 for each foreign worker they want to hire. The fee covers the costs of obtaining a labour market opinion and must be paid for foreign musicians and their touring staff for each venue they play.
Surrey Leader – Summer Program Helps Newcomers Look to Success
For the sixth consecutive summer, the Delta School District supported recently immigrated families by offering a fun and informative summer orientation program providing education about life in Canada and in Delta, and explaining what to expect in the Canadian public school system. […] The Delta School District’s Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) program aids newcomers in navigating their initial settlement in Canada by working directly with both students and families. An important part of these efforts includes annually partnering with Progressive Intercultural Community Services to provide a month-long summer orientation day camp for recently arrived students and their families.
La Presse – Le Canada doit accueillir plus de réfugiés syriens, dit Trudeau
Le chef libéral, Justin Trudeau, affirme que le Canada devrait faire davantage pour accueillir des réfugiés du conflit syrien. M. Trudeau s’est dit enchanté, vendredi, d’entendre que le gouvernement conservateur n’avait pas l’intention de participer à une intervention militaire en Syrie, après la présumée attaque chimique du régime syrien qui aurait fait plus de 1400 morts, selon les États-Unis. Depuis le début de la guerre civile en Syrie, au moins 100 000 personnes ont été tuées et plus de six millions de Syriens ont fui leur maison, selon l’ONU. […] Le président de l’association des étudiants syriens à Ottawa, Yaman Marwah, a affirmé qu’on a appris à son groupe, plus tôt cette année, que le gouvernement canadien était prêt à accueillir 1500 réfugiés syriens.
