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.
Vancouver Sun – Kenney Lashes Out at NDP Over “Lost Canadians”
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney slammed the Opposition Friday for suggesting the government is failing to recognize the children of Canadians who served in the First and Second World Wars as citizens because they were born abroad before 1947 when Canada first established its own citizenship. […] He said he is well aware that a small number of individuals who were born overseas and out of wedlock to Canadian servicemen and their non-Canadian partners continue to fall through the cracks and has vowed to introduce legislation “very soon” to “correct this aberration.” Kenney said he has also granted citizenship to about a dozen people in this situation directly through orders in cabinet.
Toronto Star – Would-Be Newcomers Caught in Legal Quagmire
A group of would-be immigrants, who successfully sued the government over processing delays, will soon learn whether the bulk of them will remain out of luck in terms of their quest to come to Canada thanks to a new law that allows Citizenship and Immigration to toss out more than a quarter-of-a-million old applications. […] In a document filed in Federal Court this week, the government argued the new law — eliminating some 280,000 unassessed federal skilled worker applications received prior to February 27, 2008 and refunding their $130 million in application fees — trumps their agreement.
This article is no longer available online. Please contact the media source directly for more information. Original Source: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Would+newcomers+caught+legal+quagmire/6931480/story.html
Vancouver Sun – Canadians, Refugees Benefit from Inclusive Health Care Policy
Continuing supplemental health benefit coverage for resettlement refugees is certainly the right thing to do, and not just for the refugees’ welfare. Rather, it also helps reduce the costs to Canada’s health care system, for if refugees don’t receive such benefits – for example, if they don’t receive coverage for medications for chronic diseases – they will likely eventually require emergency or other treatment that is considerably more expensive.
Reuters – Immigrant Files Proposed Class Action Suit Over U.S. Gay Marriage Ban
The suit seeks to win for gays and lesbians the same immigration rights as heterosexual couples. The group that helped file the suit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security called it the first proposed class action of its kind. […] Peter Schey, executive director of the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law and the lead attorney in the case, said the waiver DeLeon was seeking to stay in the country was often granted to heterosexual couples. […] Schey said his group estimated there were thousands of gay and lesbian couples in the United States in which one partner was American and the other was an immigrant.
Canada.com – Desperate Central Americans Fleeing Violence, Poverty, Flood North Through Mexico to the US
While the number of Mexicans heading to the U.S. has dropped dramatically, a surge of Central American migrants is making the 1,000-mile northbound journey this year, fueled in large part by the rising violence brought by the spread of Mexican drug cartels. Other factors, experts say, are an easing in migration enforcement by Mexican authorities, and a false perception that Mexican criminal gangs are not preying on migrants as much as they had been.
Calgary Herald – Skills Shortage Tops Jason Kenney’s Meeting with Provincial Counterparts
Calgary’s Conservative political minister met Progressive Conservative cabinet members Dave Hancock and Stephen Kahn at the McDougall Centre to discuss matters related to immigration and integration. While the two governments have sparred over the issues in the past – with Alberta calling for a major expansion of its allotment under the provincial nominee program for immigrants – Kenney said the meeting was “very productive.” […] Kahn, the province’s Advanced Education and Enterprise Minister, said the two governments are “on the same page” on immigration though he acknowledges the number of immigrants coming to Alberta is still an issue.
