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.
National Post – Nasty Immigration Spat Pits Britain Against Rest of Europe
A debate with nasty overtones is going on in Britain, where predictions of a flood of “benefit tourists” from Romania and Bulgaria have set off an argument over immigration, overlaid with discontent about Britain’s membership in the European Union. The basis of the debate is the approaching end to curbs on migration by people from Bulgaria and Romania. When those two countries joined the EU in 2007 they were temporarily blocked from the open access to other EU countries that comes with membership. But the restrictions expire at the end of this year, and have set off predictions in Britain of a wave of people descending on the country in search of an easy life financed by public welfare programs.
Toronto Star – An Immigrant’s Essay: From Exclusion to Belonging
Next year, my family will celebrate the 50th anniversary of our immigration to Canada. Two months ago, we mourned the death of our father, June Yee, who had launched us on our epic journey from Hong Kong in 1964. We were sponsored by my grandfather, who had paid Canada’s infamous Chinese head tax when he immigrated here in 1917. I was only 4 years old when my large family came to Canada to start a new life. But my journey did not end when I arrived here, although Toronto is really the only home I know. Like many immigrants, I continued to search for a place to belong.
Toronto Star – Failed Refugee with Terminal Cancer Faces Deportation
Despite his terminal cancer, Shawn Pompey refused handouts and continued to work at a Toronto window factory until January, when he was slated to be deported to St. Vincent. Pompey, 42, a failed refugee, has been without health care coverage since June, when Ottawa’s new refugee health cuts kicked in, prohibiting unsuccessful asylum seekers awaiting deportation from accessing care. Fortunately, his oncologist at Brampton Civic Hospital, Dr. Philip Kuruvilla, has continued to treat him for free and managed to get him free medications for his liver cancer through various pharmaceutical companies’ compassionate drug access programs.
Toronto Star – Canada’s Immigration History One of Discrimination and Exclusion
Canada has a less than stellar record historically when it comes to immigration policy, having rejected or excluded Indians, Chinese, Jews and Blacks during various periods over the past century. Today, the country no longer discriminates based on the colour of an applicant’s skin or religion. But simply having an immigration policy discriminates or excludes certain people in one form or another, says Harold Troper, an immigration historian at the University of Toronto and co-author of None is Too Many: Canada and the Jews of Europe. […] Every nation’s immigration policy is written through an economic prism — it’s all about what’s good for the country economically, Troper says. That means someone will always be excluded or rejected.
Toronto Star – Canada Immigration: How a Decade of Policy Change Has Transformed the Immigration Landscape
Looking back on Canada’s last decade of immigration, two trends are obvious: One is the exponential growth of temporary foreign workers. Tens of thousands of migrant workers fill the endless labour shortage in jobs and places of which Canadians typically have no interest. Second is the federal government’s stepped-up effort on border control, from a crackdown on fraudulent marriages to fake visa students, illegitimate citizens and bogus refugees — all under the pretext of national security in light of global terrorism. While the Seasonal Agricultural Worker and Live-in Caregiver programs have long provided a staple stock of foreign migrant workers in Canada, the temporary foreign workforce is now also seen on factory assembly lines, in food processing plants and other service industries.
Toronto Star – Mexico Among Countries Deemed “Safe” by Canada Immigration
Eight new countries have been added to Canada’s list of nations that are considered safe for refugees, including Mexico,Iceland,Israel (excluding Gazaand the West Bank) and Japan, triggering renewed criticism from refugee advocacy groups and human rights lawyers. […] Many refugee advocacy groups are critical of the safe country list, including the Canadian Council for Refugees. “Discriminating between refugee claimants based on the country they are from is unfair,” said Loly Rico, president of the Canadian Council for Refugees. “Having a shorter time to prepare their stories and no opportunity to appeal means there can be more mistakes.” […] “A higher rejection rate will then be used as evidence, fulfilling the prophecy that their claims are not genuine to begin with.”
