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.
Toronto Star – New Canadian Immigrants Are Bearing the Brunt of the Recession
New immigrants are, indeed, bearing the brunt of the recession. The jobless rate for newcomers runs at 8.4 per cent compared to 6 per cent for their Canadian-born counterparts, according to the Toronto Immigrant Employment Data Initiative (TIEDI). Fortunately for the Indian-born Bhasin, a friend steered her towards Acces, an established immigrant employment agency. After a month’s counselling, Bhasin started to get interviews, then job offers from the banking industry, and she landed a position as a client relations officer.
Toronto Star – What Does “Canadian Experience” Really Mean for Immigrants?
The clichéd example of doctors and engineers driving cabs in Toronto is a truism for a reason, says Allison Pond: “It still happens more than it needs to. It’s still an issue.” Pond is executive director of Acces Employment, a not-for-profit charitable organization with five locations across the GTA, handling about 16,000 clients per year and “very focused” on finding them jobs in their field. Acces and other groups, such as TRIEC (the Toronto Region Immigrant Council), are beacons of hope in a sometimes barren landscape where newcomers can face everything in the job market from ignorance to outright discrimination.
The Intelligencer – Immigration Plan Needed: Ellis
The city [of Belleville] may start looking overseas to help stock its pool of employable workers. Mayor Neil Ellis is pushing for an immigration plan to ensure the city has enough skilled workers. […] She said Quinte United Immigrant Services (QUIS), a Belleville-based agency helping newcomers settle in the region, is already addressing the issue and ahead of similar groups.
Toronto Star – Toronto Immigrant Networks Connect Newcomers with Jobs and Community Help
Recognizing the strength of community associations helping immigrants, the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council recently launched the Professional Immigrant Networks (PINs) website. Its goal is to “forge connections between immigrants, employers and community agencies,” with the ultimate objective of advancing immigrant employment, says manager Raquel Sevilla. The website features a directory searchable by profession or ethno-cultural group, individual success stories, an event calendar and background on each of the 32 community groups and agencies that form the network.
Toronto Star – Ontario Wants a Larger Piece of the Immigration Pie
Ontario will continue to be at a disadvantage when it comes to attracting skilled immigrants until it gets more say in who comes here and in what numbers, says provincial Immigration Minister Charles Sousa. The Ontario government is charting a new strategy for the province to meet its labour needs through immigration, Sousa told about 1,000 delegates at the recent National Metropolis Conference on immigration and settlement.
Globe and Mail – Legislating Away Immigration Backlog an Option, Kenney Declares
All options are on the table for eliminating the massive backlogs in Canada’s immigration system, including the possibility of legislating away the more than one-million applications waiting to be assessed. Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney made the startling suggestion at a speech to the Economic Club of Canada in Ottawa Wednesday, saying that he hadn’t made any decisions yet but is considering following the example of New Zealand, which eliminated its backlog by legislation in 2003.
