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 Guardian [Charlottetown] – Immigrants Changing P.E.I.’s Culinary Landscape
Having newcomers choose P.E.I. as their permanent home in Canada has been a challenge. A report by UPEI and the P.E.I. Association for Newcomers to Canada in 2009 found that only 25 per cent of immigrants stayed in the province beyond a couple of years. That statistic is slowly improving (the number is closer to 37 per cent now) in part because newcomers are finding a community of people who share their culture — which includes food and restaurants— already established here. The retention rate of business owners who came through the PNP is about 64 per cent. “P.E.I. is the only province in Atlantic Canada that has grown our population last year, and that’s due to immigration,” said Jennifer Jeffrey, employment services co-ordinator with the P.E.I. Association for Newcomers to Canada. “Most (immigrants to P.E.I.) are coming through the PNP, so they have an obligation to start up a business within two years, so a lot of them are opening restaurants. And, of course, the more people who come and settle here, the more customer base they get here. And those of us who were born on P.E.I. get to try different foods that they get in other cities, and we benefit from that as well.”
Le Journal de Montreal – Le Canada réaffirme sa détermination
Le gouvernement fédéral a réaffirmé samedi son engagement à lutter contre la traite des personnes, en marge de l’évènement Freedom Walk qui se tenait pour la première fois à Ottawa. Devant les participants de cette marche, le ministre de la Sécurité publique, Steven Blaney, a déclaré que le gouvernement a «pris des mesures énergiques pour lutter contre la traite des êtres humains sous toutes ses formes». «Notre gouvernement se trouve sur les premières lignes de la lutte contre la traite de personnes, a indiqué Steven Blaney, ministre de la Sécurité publique. Nous sommes ici aujourd’hui pour continuer de forger des partenariats qui aideront à lutter contre ces crimes haineux. Ensemble, nous continuerons d’aider les victimes de ce crime odieux et nous nous assurerons que les responsables répondent de leurs actes.» La marche qui vise à sensibiliser les gens et à recueillir des fonds pour lutter contre la traite de personnes au Canada a lieu chaque année.
Al Jazeera – Refugees to West on Track for 20-Year High
Wars in Syria and Iraq, and instability in other places, are driving more people to seek asylum in wealthy nations, with requests on track to hit a 20-year high in 2014, the United Nations refugee agency has said. About 330,700 people sought refugee status in 44 industrialised countries in the first half of the year, an almost 24 percent rise on the same period in 2013, it said. If the trend continues, the number of new asylum claims could reach 700,000 in 2014, “the highest total for industrialised countries in 20 years and a level not seen since the 1990s conflict in former Yugoslavia,” it said in a report. […] More than two-thirds of all asylum claims in the first six months of this year were lodged in just six countries, in order: Germany, the United States, France, Sweden, Turkey and Italy, according to the UNHCR. […] The United States and Canada registered 52,800 and 5,800 asylum claims, respectively, with Chinese nationals forming the largest group in both North American countries, the UNHCR said.
Edmonton Journal – Municipalities Want An Alberta Temporary Foreign Worker Program
Alberta’s municipalities voted Friday to ask for Alberta-specific rules for the temporary foreign worker program. Cities, towns and villages passed the TFW resolution — brought forward by Red Deer — on the final morning of the annual Alberta Urban Municipalities Association. The resolution asks the province to advocate for short and long-term alterations to federal changes. Red Deer Mayor Tara Veer called changes introduced this summer “an overcorrection” that could lead to a labour market shortage in Alberta. […] Premier Jim Prentice has repeatedly vowed to speak to Prime Minister Stephen Harper about Alberta’s labour woes. On Wednesday, AUMA president Helen Rice issued a news release asking the federal government for province-specific changes to the TFW program. Although there were no opponents speaking against the resolution, Edmonton Coun. Amarjeet Sohi added an amendment adding immigration and citizenship to the discussions between the province and the feds. […]The AUMA is an advocacy association that represents 271 municipalities from large urban centres to small summer villages. Resolutions passed by delegates are not legally binding, but are taken to the province for consideration.
The Province – Coroner’s Inquest to Examine Mexican Woman’s Death in Vancouver Airport Holding Centre
A few days before last Christmas, a time traditionally for expatriate Mexicans in Vancouver to get together to celebrate, Lucia Vega Jimenez attempted suicide by hanging herself in the shower while in custody at Vancouver airport awaiting deportation. The 42-year-old Mexican woman, who worked as a chambermaid in Vancouver, died in hospital eight days later. Transit police caught her riding SkyTrain without paying the proper fare on Dec. 1, and she was detained at the Alouette women’s jail for about three weeks before being transferred to the Canada Border Services Agency’s airport holding centre. […] Questions remain about her death at the holding centre monitored by Genesis Security: How was she able to hang herself while being monitored? Why did CBSA keep her death secret for a month until the news came out through rumours and then news reports? Did she have access to a phone or support? The B.C. Coroner’s Service has called a five-day inquest into her death that’s scheduled to begin Monday in Vancouver. CBSA spokeswoman Kathy Liu said in an email CBSA will participate and has completed its own internal review.
CBC – 5 Things Canada Should Do to Attract the Immigrants We Need
Last week, Ottawa announced there had been a 74 per cent reduction in the number of temporary foreign worker applications received in July and August when compared to the same period in 2012. While the government says this shows its reforms to the program are “successful,” a decrease in temporary foreign worker applications will create a long-term problem in recruiting future Canadians, and contradicts other government goals of protecting the investment employers put into these types of workers. […] Referring to individuals as temporary foreign workers gives the impression that they are here for a short time and are disposable. While not every temporary foreign worker wants to immigrate to Canada, changing the name of these employees to probationary permanent residents will more accurately reflect the eventual immigration purpose of many of these employees. […] Under current federal rules, only certain high-skilled temporary foreign workers can apply for permanent residency. The federal government should adopt Manitoba’s immigration approach which allows for all temporary foreign workers to apply for Canadian permanent residency regardless of skill level.
