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.
Chronicle Herald – There Are Many Ways to Help Foreign Students Become Welcome Here
So far, the big outcome from the Nova Scotia Commission on Building Our New Economy, which was led by Acadia University president Ray Ivany, has been the creation of the oneNS Coalition. The coalition is a select group of Nova Scotians chosen to create a 10-year action plan for the province. […] On Friday, the coalition hosted a meeting at Acadia University to discuss ways Nova Scotia could retain more of its youth and international students. One member of the coalition, Martha Crago, vice-president of research and professor in human communication disorders at Dalhousie University, told me there were many interesting ideas that may not have been considered previously. It was a combination of suggestions, she says — from relatively minor tweaks in the system, to things like providing access to health insurance in the earlier months of an international student’s arrival in Nova Scotia, to being included more in university activities. The international students also learned about services that are available to them, which should help them to more actively participate in Nova Scotia society, says Crago. Things like the Greater Halifax Partnership’s connector program, she says, a simple referral database that aims to help immigrants, international students and young Nova Scotians build a professional network, which could lead to job opportunities.
St. Thomas Times Journal – St. Thomas and Elgin’s Inaugural Newcomer Champion Award to Honour Those Making a Difference
What does it mean to be a newcomer champion? It means settling in a new community and making a difference. Or being an individual, group or organization that supports newcomers as they settle in their new homes. And a new set of awards will recognize both types of champions in the New Year. The St. Thomas-Elgin Local Immigration Partnership is launching its first-ever Newcomer Champion Awards at a ceremony in February. But nominations are open now to anyone who wants to recognize people and organizations from St. Thomas and Elgin who are making a positive impact. The awards flow from STELIP’s mandate to create welcoming, caring and inclusive communities that are appealing to settlers. […] The Newcomer Community Leader Award will recognize a newcomer committed to making a difference. […] And the Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award will recognize those who have been positively and proactively supporting newcomers who choose to live in St. Thomas and Elgin county.
Ottawa Citizen – Top Doctor Silenced on Ebola Visa Rules, Critics Claim
Some public health advocates are questioning the independence of Canada’s top doctor because he has remained silent on the federal government’s decision to restrict visas for travel to and from countries affected by Ebola. Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Gregory Taylor has not publicly weighed in on the government’s Oct. 31 announcement that it is halting all visas for non-essential visits by people coming from West African countries affected by the disease. “It’s quite concerning I think, that we’re not seeing a whole lot of communication from Dr. Taylor on this one,” said Jason Nickerson, a clinical scientist at Ottawa’s Bruyère Research Institute who specializes in public health for post-conflict states. “Generally, there’s no science that really supports this move.” Taylor was not made available for comment Thursday. Health Minister Rona Ambrose’s spokesman referred questions to Citizenship and Immigration Canada. […] Like many scientists, Nickerson said restricting visas discourages countries from going public if they have an outbreak of Ebola, while individuals on the ground will find ways to disguise their travel plans so they can’t be identified as having visited an affected country.
CBC – Ruling that Broadened Refugee Appeal Powers Challenged by Ottawa
Immigration Minister Chris Alexander is appealing a Federal Court decision that rejects the way the Canadian government’s new Refugee Appeal Division evaluates refugee claims. In August, a judge ruled that the division of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), which began hearing cases in 2013, has been using too narrow a scope to conduct its work. In a case involving three failed refugee claimants from Kosovo, Judge Michael Phelan ruled the appeal division has been checking only the reasonableness of decisions by the board to declare whether individuals are refugees — the equivalent of a judicial review. Phelan said the division instead should exercise its full powers as an appeal body to reconsider the facts of a case and substitute a new decision if it disagrees with the appeal division. Now the federal government is opposing that broadening of the appeal division’s role.
Radio-Canada – Personnel immigrant au CSCN : un comité mis sur pied
Des organismes francophones et des « individus leaders » étudient l’intégration du personnel immigrant au sein du Conseil scolaire Centre-Nord (CSCN) de l’Alberta. Ils font partie d’un nouveau comité dont les membres ont été choisis le 5 novembre, lors de sa première réunion. En octobre, une pétition circulait pour réclamer davantage d’enseignants immigrants au sein des écoles du CSCN. Le comité se réunira quatre à six fois et présentera ses recommandations au Conseil scolaire en mai 2015. L’Association scolaire des parents africains en Alberta, Francophonie albertaine plurielle, l’Africa Centre et le Centre d’accueil et d’établissement du nord de l’Alberta siègent au comité. Firmin Guéladé, Ibrahim Karidio, Mathy Mulumba et Jean-Pierre Valois y représentent la communauté immigrante. Jeanne Lehman, de Francophonie albertaine plurielle, avait affirmé en octobre qu’il n’y avait aucun enseignant d’origine africaine à l’École Joseph-Moreau. Victor Moke-Ngala, à l’origine de la pétition, dénonçait la même situation à l’École Sainte-Jeanne-d’Arc. Au dernier recensement, les immigrants formaient 20 % de la population francophone à Edmonton.
Radio-Canada – L’ACF en Europe pour recruter des travailleurs francophones
Deux représentants de l’Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise (ACF) s’envoleront pour l’Europe, lundi, pour participer à la foire de l’emploi Destination Canada qui se tiendra à Paris, à Bruxelles et à Tunis du 17 au 25 novembre. Organisée par Immigration et Citoyenneté Canada avec l’Ambassade du Canada en France, Destination Canada permet à des employeurs et représentants des provinces d’entrer en contact avec des travailleurs francophones, possibles candidats à l’immigration au Canada. Plus de 1200 postes sont affichés dans le site web de la foire, dont 93 qui sont offerts par 33 employeurs saskatchewanais, selon le directeur général adjoint de l’ACF, Ronald Labrecque, qui se rendra en Europe. Ce sera la neuvième participation de l’ACF. L’année dernière, l’organisme a pu attirer plusieurs francophones dans la province grâce à sa présence à cette foire, souligne M. Labrecque. Ce dernier soutient qu’il est important pour les employeurs qui ne trouvent pas de candidats au Canada, malgré leurs efforts, de pouvoir se tourner vers les bassins francophones en Europe. L’abolition du programme Avantage significatif francophone par Ottawa rendra les choses plus difficiles pour les aspirants immigrants, admet toutefois M. Labrecque, puisque le laps de temps nécessaire pour compléter les démarches administratives avant de recevoir un visa pourrait être doublé.
