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.
Western News – Abella: Don’t Let Recent Events Muddy Tolerant Waters
Canada needs today’s graduates, their ideas and their contributions, to protect the country’s cultural mosaic, Irving Abella, eminent historian and president of the Academy of the Arts and Humanities of the Royal Society of Canada, told graduates at the Thursday afternoon session of Western’s 304th Convocation. […] Western conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws, honoris causa (LL.D.) upon Abella in recognition of his distinguished career as a historian during which his commitment to social justice has been exemplary. […] He reminded graduates of a time before the 1960s when Canada’s immigration laws were xenophobic, even downright racist, stringently exclusive to persons of Asian and African countries specifically, Abella explained. […] Once Canadian immigration laws relaxed in the 1960s, ironically, there came a flood of immigrants from countries we tried to ban before, Abella continued. These new immigrants, who settled and worked hard and created a new life in Canada, likewise formed a new nation, one of tolerance, he said. “Your task as graduates is to protect and enhance their achievements.”
Orillia Packet – County Holds Second Annual Ceremony to Recognize Immigrants
The County of Simcoe honoured residents, businesses and organizations during the Newcomer Recognition Awards Wednesday. The awards ceremony, in its second year, recognized community leaders and champions who purposefully take action to enhance the lives of newcomers in the county. “On behalf of county council, I congratulate and thank all our community champions,” said Warden Cal Patterson. “The Local Immigration Partnership, in collaboration with community partners, is supporting positive programs that directly benefit newcomers to our region. However, this progress isn’t possible without the grassroots efforts of our residents and businesses that contribute to the greater good of our region. Thank you for all you do.” Award recipients were nominated by their peers in five categories through an open nomination process. Nomination forms were reviewed by the awards steering committee.
CBC – Syrian Refugees Would Be Welcomed in Calgary, Advocate Predicts
The head of a local immigration group says Canada should take in more refugees fleeing violence in Syria — and Calgarians are ready to help. The UN High Commission for Refugees says countries around the world need to help by accepting 100,000 Syrians. Canada’s share should be 10,000 refugees by 2016, according the Canadian Immigrant Settlement Sector Alliance. Calgary Catholic Immigration Society executive director Fariborz Birjandian says Canada been a world leader in helping refugees, and Calgarians are good at helping newcomers to the country get settled in. “Every time we have actually asked for help for refugees the community has responded very well. So I’m very optimistic about it,” he said. Calgary generally receives 1,200 to 1,400 refugees per year. “I would say if you would bring another 500 people in the next three to six months, I think Calgary can definitely manage it.”
Edmonton Journal – Thousands of Temporary Foreign Workers Lose Chance to Stay in Alberta
Thousands of temporary foreign workers hoping to stay permanently under Alberta’s special nominee program lost their chance this fall. The province announced last month wait times of more than two years in some categories to process applications for the 5,500 spots — and by that time any two-year work permits will have expired, making those workers’ applications invalid. “People are shocked because many were told about the provincial nominee program when they were deciding whether to come to Alberta,” said Marco Luciano of Migrante, a TFW advocacy group. […] Jobs Minister Ric McIver acknowledged the “tremendous interest” in the nominee program, where employers put forward workers for permanent residency. More than 10,000 applications are in the queue. McIver noted there is “time sensitivity” to the issue because by next spring, thousands of TFWs who arrived in 2011 will be scheduled to return home when their four-year contracts expire. McIver said he will be discussing with federal Employment Minister Jason Kenney “a number of different scenarios” to meet the spring crunch, with the goal of turning many more TFWs into permanent Alberta residents.
La Presse – Le Canada accordera la citoyenneté honoraire à Malala
Le premier ministre Stephen Harper accordera mercredi à Toronto le titre de citoyenne honoraire à Malala Yousafzai. M. Harper a fait cette annonce au terme de la période de questions mardi, après avoir déposé une motion pour que la jeune femme qui milite pour le droit des femmes à l’éducation soit ainsi honorée. L’adolescente pakistanaise de 17 ans devient ainsi la sixième et plus jeune récipiendaire de la citoyenneté honoraire canadienne. Quatre de ces six titres ont été accordés par le gouvernement Harper. Les autres personnalités incluent Nelson Mandela et le Dalaï-lama. Dans sa motion présentée à la Chambre des communes, M. Harper a expliqué sa décision en disant qu’« elle a été victime d’une attaque horrible commise par les Talibans qui à ce jour, souhaitent toujours la réduire au silence », et qu’« elle sert de modèle et d’inspiration pour les Canadiens et les Canadiennes et le monde entier dans sa lutte pour l’éducation universelle ». Malala Yousafzai a reçu le prix Nobel de la paix il y a 10 jours.
Winnipeg Free Press – Winnipeg Group Trying to Sponsor Three Syrian Refugee Families to Come to Canada
Winnipeg faith groups and secular Manitobans are working together to bring three Syrian refugee families in Lebanon to Winnipeg and help them get settled. The group called Refuge is trying to raise $120,000 to sponsor three Syrian families with their six adults and 18 children. They’re among millions who fled from the war in Syria that began in March 2011. “These families have suffered unimaginable emotional and physical trauma,” Dr. Ezzy Ibrahim with the group said in a press release. “One child was run over by an army vehicle and lost a leg. We want them out of the camps and reunited with their family as quickly as is legally and financially possible. One more day in a refugee camp is too much.”
