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.
The Irish Unemployed Seek Greener Shores In Toronto
When west-end contractor Mark Gillespie needed a few hammers for hire, he acted on a tip about Toronto’s hostels being packed with unemployed tradespeople and put up a “help wanted” ad at the Canadiana Backpackers Inn near Spadina and Queen. “I got a dozen calls the first day,” Mr. Gillespie said. “I had to ask the last guy to take down the ad.” All the respondents had two things in common: they were looking for work, and they had Irish accents.
Canada’s New Refugee Determination System To Start In June 2012
The Balanced Refugee Reform Act will come into force on June 29, 2012, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today. By law, the new refugee determination system comes into force 24 months after royal assent, which was received on June 29, 2010.
Ottawa’s Latest “Most-Wanted” List Targets Immigrants Accused Of Serious Crimes
The Canada Border Services Agency has added 32 names to its most-wanted list that targets immigrants in Canada who are accused of committing acts of ‘serious criminality.’ The CBSA’s president, Luc Portelance, made the announcement in Toronto Thursday morning along with public safety minister Vic Toews. These 32 names are in addition to the 30 people who were announced by Minister Toews as wanted on suspicion of war crimes back in July.
The Government of Canada expanded the key role it plays in helping foreign trained skilled workers succeed in Canada. The Foreign Credentials Referral Office’s (FCRO) annual report, released today, highlights the important achievements made by Citizenship and Immigration (CIC), Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) and Health Canada, who work in partnership with provinces and territories and other key stakeholders to help foreign trained workers with the foreign credential recognition processes. “We want newcomers to be able to use their skills as soon as possible in Canada and work to their full potential,” said Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. “It’s good for them and good for the Canadian economy.”
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is hiring 95 armed border agents to crack down on the more than 9,200 failed refugee claimants who go underground yearly, most in the Toronto area. About 350 CBSA enforcement officers are now trying to remove the failed refugees, but there’s still a huge backlog of deportees to find and remove in the Greater Toronto Area, agency officials said.
Federal Policy Resulting In Wave of Deportations Draws Protests
A program that is central to President Obama’s immigration enforcement strategy has drawn protests by Latino and immigrant organizations in six cities in the last two days, as those groups stepped up their confrontation with the administration over the fast pace of deportations. In Los Angeles, about 200 immigrants and their supporters walked out of a stormy hearing Monday evening that was called by a task force advising the enforcement program, known as Secure Communities . Bearing signs that said “Stop Ripping Families Apart,” the protesters called for an end to the program, which they said had led to the deportation of victims who reported domestic violence to the police, and to parents of American citizen children.
