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.
La Presse – Pas de visa pour les agences spatiales russes et chinoises
L’apparent refus d’Ottawa d’accorder des visas aux plus importants délégués russes et chinois pour un congrès international sur l’astronautique à Toronto a pris de court l’Agence spatiale canadienne, à qui il revenait de formuler des explications. Les chefs des agences spatiales russes et chinoises brillaient par leur absence à la séance plénière qui ouvrait le congrès, soulevant des interrogations chez les quelques milliers de participants. Les premières questions ont été posées à l’ancien président de la Fédération internationale d’astronautique, Berndt Feuerbacher, qui animait la séance plénière à laquelle participaient les dirigeants des agences spatiales. Les délégués russes et chinois devaient être présents, a-t-il dit. Ils l’ont été par le passé et le seront à l’avenir. Leur absence malheureuse est attribuable à des problèmes de visa. Leur absence a été soulevée au milieu de discussions sur l’importance de la coopération internationale dans le domaine de l’exploration spatiale, tel que le symbolise la Station spatiale internationale (SSI).
Globe and Mail – Better Information Would Help TFW Program’s Image Problem
A debate is growing between employers and the Canadian government about the actual number of Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) with jobs in Canada. The differences in numbers are substantial: Some firms indicate much smaller numbers than those appearing in government documents. Many employers in various provinces are opposed to the recent reforms to the TFW program which restrict hiring, and this debate about numbers is an additional source of conflict between businesses and the government. Is it really a debate that has to occur? How can there be such a large gap in numbers of employed TFWs? The process of hiring TFWs has three steps: Employers’ applications are assessed by Employment and Social Development Canada. Accepted requests are then communicated to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, which provides visas. Then, eventually, border authorities make the ultimate decision for temporary foreign workers’ entry. So there are potentially three opportunities to collect administrative statistics starting with initial demand for TFWs and ending with actual entries of TFWs. Is it possible with such an extensive administrative process to collect undisputable numbers? Many OECD countries with a similar administrative system for TFW policy have succeeded in generating agreed-upon statistics about TFW characteristics and where they work.
South China Morning Post – “Putting Canada First” Drops Anti-Asian Activist Bradley Saltzberg Over Fake IDs
One of the most vocal critics of Asian immigration in Canada has been fired from the anti-multicultural group he helped found, after the South China Morning Post revealed he had been using fake identities to promote his agenda. Bradley Saltzberg, one of the directors of Putting Canada First and its British Columbia regional spokesman, was dismissed for having “unnecessarily harmed the organisation through his inappropriate inclusion of race in his discussions, and his use of any unprofessional email techniques”, PCF chairman Paul Bentley said, adding that Saltzberg had acted “deceptively”. Saltzberg has recently been targeting Olivia Chow and Meena Wong, two Hong Kong emigrants who are seeking the mayoralties of Toronto and Vancouver respectively. […] Putting Canada First is a non-profit political organisation that has dedicated itself to challenging Canadian multiculturalism and large-scale immigration. Although the ousted British Columbia director of PCF, Brad Saltzberg, had vocally championed the rights of what he called “CEOs”, or Canadians of European Origin, in his media statements for the group, its chairman Paul Bentley said it was not the group’s intention to single out any race.
CBC – Foreign Worker Paid Consultant $25K to Get Visa, But Arrived to Find No Job
An Ontario immigration consultant is under investigation for charging foreign clients up to $25,000 to help them enter Canada to work at low-skill jobs. In at least one case, the worker arrived to find the employer no longer existed. “[The consultant] said, ‘You must be thankful to me. I legally brought you to Canada,’” said Mohamad Tehrani of Iran, one of David Aryan’s clients. “But, I would not have paid this amount of money only to come to Canada and be unemployed.” Tehrani, 29, is from Iran and said he wanted to work hard in Canada and build a life here. […] “[The government] effectively gave a Labour Market Opinion (LMO) for 10 workers to a company that didn’t exist,” said immigration consultant Phil Mooney. […] In the last six years, the CBSA has investigated 172 serious complaints against immigration consultants. Thirteen have been found guilty so far.
Edmonton Journal – More Inspectors Needed to Safeguard Temporary Foreign Workers: Alberta Federation of Labour
More workplace inspections are the only way to stop employers from cheating their temporary foreign workers out of their legal wages, says the president of the Alberta Federation of Labour. The case of Filipina Angie Bestray, who is owed $12,261 in wages and overtime, is one of many cases the AFL has heard about, Gil McGowan said in an interview Monday. “This is what happens when you don’t actually enforce the rules,” said McGowan. “The employer has to know their site will be visited.” While federal Employment Minister Jason Kenney is trying to put stricter rules in place, the lack of inspectors to check on employers is a major problem, said McGowan. […] Alberta Labour Standards employs 60 inspectors to handle complaints. They will also investigate if they have a reason to suspect a violation, said spokesman Jay Fisher. The department also runs TFW advisory offices in Calgary and Edmonton where people can bring complaints over “unfair, unsafe or unhealthy” working conditions, said Fisher, noting the federal government also operates a complaints hotline. […] The province is “aware of the gap” in the legislation that limits the liability of directors and is studying it as part of a review of the Employment Standards Code, Fisher said.
Metro News – $300K Donation: Fanshawe College Launches Fund to Help International Students
There was a celebration at Fanshawe College’s downtown campus Monday, and one student was at the centre of it. The college announced a $300,000 donation from Scotiabank, establishing a fund to help international students. The Scotiabank International Leadership Scholarship will be awarded annually to an international student who demonstrates academic achievement and involvement in student life and the local community. The first recipient, who’s from China, certainly fits the description. Ronan Mao, 26, has maintained a cumulative 3.9 grade point average while volunteering to deliver food to low-income households and help new international students get to know London. At Fanshawe’s digital and performing arts centre on Monday, Mao was part of an event to announce the scholarship. The third-year civil engineering technology student, who expects to graduate next year, thanked everyone, and pledged to support other students in turn.
