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.
Xtra – Government to Deport Gay Torontonian Monday
Israel Sanchez fled Panama in 1988, when he was only 21. A journalism student, Sanchez saw many of his colleagues “disappear” at the hands of dictator Manuel Noriega. So Sanchez escaped, arriving in Toronto to take advantage of Canada’s generous refugee system. But as his claim was being processed, a wrench was thrown into the machine – George HW Bush invaded Panama and installed a civilian government. The Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board decided that the threat had passed and that Sanchez had no grounds to become a refugee. Having already established himself in Canada, he launched an appeal. In 1995, his appeal was dismissed. […] He got married in 2009, and his husband sponsored his residency status, finally giving him legal status in the country. […] But things unravelled. Sanchez and his husband split acrimoniously. […] Sanchez’s sponsorship was revoked. And then the border officers came. He was taken to the Toronto West Detention Centre and told that he would be sent back to Panama on Feb 25.
HQ Prince George – IMSS Gets Funding for Immigrant Retention
Provincial funding will allow Prince George’s Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society to entice more immigrants to come to the city. $200,000 will go to IMSS to help raise awareness about the ethnic cultures in Prince George. Executive Director Baljit Sethi says the funding will also help raise the community’s profile to encourage immigrants to move to the city. “And making it more friendly and welcoming environment for our host community and our immigrants,” says Sethi, “it helps in the retention of foreign professionals and immigrants coming to our community.”
The current P.E.I. “gentle island” slogan is the basis of a marketing campaign aimed at tourists. While the new brand will also focus on tourism, it will go well beyond that. It will be the centre of immigration promotion, marketing for potatoes and oysters, and ideally even change the attitude of the people who live here already. The RFP asks prospective companies to “develop inspirational key messages that motivate cultural changes, changing the spirit of citizens to realize economic and personal goals through the development of their own education, skill development and pride.”
The provincial treasury is $18-million richer today thanks to Immigrants to P.E.I. who defaulted on their deposits guaranteeing they would stay in the province and learn English. […] The amount of money involved was unusually large last year, stemming from an unusually large number of immigrants rushed through the old PNP just before it was shut down in 2008. Each immigrant had to make a deposit of $25,000 guaranteeing they would stay in the province, and $20,000 guaranteeing they would learn English to a certain proficiency. But many immigrants did not meet those conditions and forfeited their deposits. Many never turned up on P.E.I. at all. Despite the budget boost, Finance Minister Wes Sheridan said he’d rather see the immigrants stay on the Island. […] Sheridan said P.E.I.’s immigrant retention rate is improving. The most recent figures show a retention rate of 56 per cent.
Calgary Herald – Syrian Canadians Despair for Relatives Trapped by War, Call on Kenney to do More
Like hundreds of other Syrian Canadians, Leila is angry with the federal Conservative Canadian government, which she accuses of doing nothing to reunite families with their trapped relatives. Not so, said Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, who expressed concern Friday about the plight of Syrian refugees and promised to do more to help. Such a sharp difference of opinion is not without political ramifications for the Conservative government: there are an estimated 40,000 Syrian Canadians in Quebec alone and as many 100,000 across the country. Faisal Alazem, spokesman for the Syrian Canadian Council, said he’s been getting complaints like Leila’s from families across Canada for the last six months.
Globe and Mail – Jamaican Students Complain of Lack of Jobs After Training
Some Jamaican students who signed up for B.C.-based courses in the hopes of gaining employment as resident-care aides in Canada say those jobs have not materialized. And students also say they have been stonewalled in efforts to get refunds of fees they paid to Marmicmon, the B.C.-based firm that co-ordinated the program. Marmicmon and its principal, Michael Patterson, acted as the matchmaker between students in the program and prospective employers in Canada, students said. […] B.C. is investigating a company called Hire Pro Drivers, which is run by Mr. Patterson and focuses on hiring professional truck drivers. Alberta, meanwhile, is looking into a complaint it received last year concerning allegations of fees being charged for a work placement.
