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.
London Free Press – Visa Fraudsters Pose Threat: Expert
A widespread market overseas for fake visa documents — including counterfeit clean police records — means false applicants are slipping past Canadian visa officials. And Christian Leuprecht, an expert on border and defence policy with the Royal Military College, cautions it poses a security challenge for Canada. Some of the main source countries of immigrants to Canada have developed what Leuprecht has dubbed a “corrupt immigrate-to-Canada industry” that provides potential visa applicants with things like clean record checks and bank statements to help ease the process.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada – Minister Kenney Opens Nominations For Paul Yuzyk Award For Multiculturalism
Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, today called on Canadians to submit nominations for the fourth annual Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism. The award pays tribute to people in Canada who have contributed to multiculturalism and the integration of new Canadians. It commemorates the legacy of the late Senator Paul Yuzyk, who worked to establish multiculturalism as a fundamental characteristic of Canadian identity. “Canada’s future depends upon our communities working together,” said Minister Kenney.
Toronto Star – Ottawa Faces Legal Challenge Over Backlogged Immigrant Visa Applications
More than 300 people around the world awaiting immigration visas have filed legal notices against the Canadian government, claiming they are being “warehoused” in a lengthy backlog. The notices, filed with the Federal Court of Canada, are asking Citizenship and Immigration Canada to process their applications within a reasonable time frame. The litigants, some of whom applied as far back as 2004, accuse CIC of violating a pledge to assess and finalize decisions in a timely fashion. “These people paid the application fees, but immigration has never even started processing their applications,” said Tim Leahy, one of the lawyers representing the litigants.
To anyone else, “like” and “special” are just words. For Alberto Camayo, those two words are, well, special, signaling an independence he’s had for the first time in London. Thanks to his workplace, Pivotal Services, the Thames Valley District school board and Ontario’s Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, Camayo can go places without his children acting as translators and say words such as “like” and “special” without worrying that he’s saying them incorrectly. “Now in public, I’m not afraid,” he said. “I feel more confident.”
Citizenship and Immigration Canada – Government Of Canada Bars Violent Criminals From Sponsoring Members Of Their Family
The Government of Canada is making it much harder for people convicted of crimes that result in bodily harm against members of their family or other particularly violent offences to sponsor any family class member to come to Canada, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney said today. “I was very concerned after a court decision in 2008 found that a Canadian citizen, who was convicted in India of killing his sister-in-law after setting her on fire, could sponsor his new wife,” said Minister Kenney. “The regulatory changes now in force aim to prevent a similar situation from happening again.”
Toronto Star – Majority Of Refugee Judges Fail Qualifying Tests For New Posts
More than half of the current refugee judges applying for the same job in a revamped asylum system have failed the qualifying exam and screening for the new posts. Sixty-three Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) members — political appointees who assess and adjudicate asylum claims — applied for the new positions under the Balanced Refugee Reform Act that takes effect in 2012. However, as of November, only 10 have passed the exams and screening process, while nine are awaiting final interviews, said the refugee board. One was screened out immediately, 24 failed the multiple-choice and written exams, six did not show for the exams, seven were eliminated at interviews, and six withdrew from the process.
