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.
Metro News – Tolerance for Immigrants in Halifax Takes Dip in Survey, Mayor Says “We Need Them”
A year of increased focus and discussion on the importance of immigrants to the future of Halifax and Nova Scotia has had no impact on perceptions of tolerance in the latest City Matters survey. On a scale of 1 to 10, Halifax residents gave tolerance of immigrants an average score of 6.7 – lower than last year’s mean score of 7.0. The senior counsel for the research firm that conducted the survey said the results are surprising – and disappointing. […] The manager of the YMCA’s Center for Immigrant Services said the results suggest Halifax is “challenged” when it comes to looking at deeper issues of inclusion and cultural understanding. “There’s certain pockets of professionals, maybe, or people in the city that really see the value in diversity and are really working towards it, but somehow it doesn’t get shared with everybody,” said Kathryn Khan. Khan said more Halifax residents need to take the time to meet and talk to newcomers, rather than simply talking about them.
Brampton Guardian – Sheridan College Receives $500K Donation in Support of International Students
Sheridan College president Jeff Zabudsky was all smiles Thursday morning as he accepted a $500,000 donation that will help support the growing number of international students studying at the school. Guard.me International Insurance and its founders, Keith and Sharon Segal, provided the generous financial gift. The company is among the world’s largest health and travel insurance providers in international education and has a longstanding relationship with Sheridan. The money, which will be provided over five years, is earmarked to finance enhancement and expansion of the tutoring centre at Davis Campus in Brampton as well as provide scholarships and bursaries for international students. The announcement was made in the Library Learning Commons at Davis Campus and connected via Internet with a location in Chandigarh, India, where school, Canadian consulate and Guard.me officials were attending a reception to celebrate the donation. Students from India represent a large number of the some 4,500 international students from about 80 countries currently studying at Sheridan. About 3,000 of those students are in programs at the Brampton campus.
Now Toronto – New Insights into Homeless Newcomer Youth
A new report is one of the first looking specifically at newcomer youth homelessness in Canada. Until now, there is relatively little known about young new Canadians who find themselves without stable shelter. The report, led by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and Children’s Aid Society Toronto (CAST), looks at 74 people new to Canada within the last 10 years. The researchers focus on youth between the ages of 16 and 24 in the GTA who have “no permanent, safe, affordable, and adequate home.” […] One statistic that goes against broader studies is that over 50 per cent of participants have graduated Grade 12 and eight per cent have completed a post-secondary diploma or degree. This is in contrast to a recent study suggesting only 33 per cent of Canada’s homeless youth have graduated high school. This connected to a feeling of “shattered expectations” from some who had given up stable income, homes and family to come to Canada. Those from the older end of the study have, in some cases, come in search of greater prosperity and instead are now in shelters.
Radio Canada international – DeGama Coop de solidarité, pour favoriser l’intégration des immigrants
Coopérative de solidarité. L’appellation est belle, mais, qu’est-ce qu’elle représente? Une coopérative de solidarité est une entreprise, mais une entreprise que l’on gère démocratiquement et souvent de façon conjointe par des groupes souvent très différents les uns des autres, mais qui ont des intérêts et des objectifs communs. C’est une forme juridiquement reconnue de gestion d’entreprise. La coopérative de solidarité offre ainsi la possibilité aux personnes ayant un intérêt commun et des besoins diversifiés de se regrouper au sein d’une même société. DeGama est une coopérative de solidarité. DeGama s’est donnée pour mission de favoriser l’intégration des immigrants tout en valorisant l’offre de service des organismes et entreprises qui gravitent au sein de cette population et qui œuvrent auprès des nouveaux arrivants afin de faciliter leur intégration dans la société d’accueil. out nouveau joueur dans ce créneau, mais formé de passionnés du sujet, DeGama entend offrir tout un éventail d’activités touchant les quatre domaines de la vie de l’individu et de la famille, le personnel, le professionnel, le social et le familial.
Vancouver Sun – Sanctuary Seekers in Metro Vancouver to Share Their Stories
The three men who have sought sanctuary from deportation in Metro Vancouver churches and the communities that support them will come together for the first time Friday to share their experiences and build support for their movement. “There is a desire to connect together in a public way because I think many churches tend to feel a little bit isolated when supporting those in sanctuary,” said Pastor Lori-Anne Boutin-Crawford of Vancouver’s First Lutheran Church, which will host the event. “We wanted a way to share this common goal that we have and what it is that we’re doing in a way that reveals the heart of the sanctuary movement.” First Lutheran has been home to former KGB agent Mikhail Lennikov since June 2009. The government found Lennikov, who has lived here since 1997, inadmissible to Canada for security reasons. His wife and son were permitted to stay on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. The two other men in sanctuary, Rodney Watson and Jose Figueroa, will address the forum via Skype. There is no law preventing Canada Border Services Agency offers from entering a church to arrest someone, but thus far the agency has opted not to do so.
Radio Canada International – Jeunes immigrants itinérants à Toronto: un profil
Une étude réalisée à Toronto auprès de 244 jeunes sans domicile fixe, âgés entre 16 et 24 ans, révélait il y a quelques années que près du quart d’entre eux étaient nés à l’extérieur du Canada. Des chercheurs de la Société d’aide à l’enfance de Toronto et du Centre de toxicomanie et de santé mentale ont voulu brosser un portrait de cette population. Ils relatent leurs constatations dans un nouveau rapport intitulé Cachés parmi nous: les jeunes nouveaux arrivants sans abri à Toronto (Hidden in Our Midst: Homeless Newcomer Youth in Toronto). L’équipe s’est entretenue avec 74 adolescents — 55% d’entre eux des garçons — arrivés au pays au cours des dix dernières années et ayant quitté le domicile familial. La majorité des répondants au sondage ont rapporté être devenus itinérants en raison d’une relation conflictuelle avec leurs parents. Si de nombreux jeunes dans la population itinérante générale ont vécu des traumatismes, l’étude révèle que la proportion de victimes de violence physique ou sexuelle est plus élevée au sein du sous-groupe que représentent les nouveaux Canadiens – phénomène possiblement lié au fait qu’environ le quart des participants ont été des réfugiés.
