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.
CBC News – Granddaughter of Pembroke Assault Victim Tackles Racism in Her Community
Nearly four months after teenagers assaulted her 80-year-old grandmother in Pembroke, Ont., Carleton journalism student Cindy Tran is tackling racism in her own community, one word at a time. Tran is teaming up with the Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) — community groups funded by the federal government that strive to create a welcoming environment for newcomers — to tell the stories of people in Pembroke, and eventually across the Ottawa Valley, and bring them online.
La Presse – Les immigrantes subissent plus d’iniquités dans l’emploi
Les immigrantes se heurtent à plus d’obstacles à l’emploi que les femmes nées au Canada, mais aussi davantage que les immigrants masculins, révèlent des données compilées par le gouvernement fédéral. Ces immigrantes gagnent aussi moins que les autres. Les données du ministère fédéral de l’Immigration, obtenues par La Presse canadienne grâce à la Loi sur […].
Toronto Star – New Law to Let Canadian Officials Share Immigrants’ Personal Info
Immigration officials would be given access to permanent residents’ and citizens’ personal information from other government agencies for enforcement purposes under Ottawa’s proposed changes to the laws. The plan, published Friday, would allow information sharing between border enforcement officials, Employment and Social Development Canada, Canada Revenue Agency, the RCMP and the regulator of immigration consultants, as well as other federal and provincial bodies. […] According to the plan, the revenue agency would play a key role in the new information regime as the changes would let immigration authorities access the secure Income Verification Program as a source to identify “possible false representation, fraud, concealment of material circumstances, or discrepancies” provided by immigration and citizenship applicants. The information sharing, said the proposal, is meant to allow authorities to crack down on fraud, validate citizenship status for government services, authenticate the identity or status of individuals and “proactively” alert other officials of changes in their immigration status.
Les nouvelles St-Laurent – Recherche d’emploi: Un parcours plus ardu pour les minorités visibles
Être à la recherche d’un emploi est, plus souvent qu’autrement, un processus laborieux, mais selon certains organismes d’aide à l’emploi, le parcours est plus long pour les minorités visibles. Une réalité particulièrement frappante à Saint-Laurent, un secteur où huit personnes sur 10 sont issues de l’immigration. […] Un article paru récemment dans Nouvelles Saint-Laurent racontait l’histoire de Mohammed, un immigrant au curriculum vitae étoffé qui, malgré ses efforts soutenus, n’arrive pas à décrocher une seule entrevue d’embauche. Une situation qui ne surprend pas la direction du CJE de Saint-Laurent. «60% des jeunes qui fréquentent l’organisme proviennent d’un pays natal autre que le Canada, le premier pays sur la liste étant le Maroc. 52% d’entre eux s’identifient comme une minorité visible […] » mentionne le directeur général du CJE Saint-Laurent, M. Marc Grignon.
National Post – Some Police Softening Approach to Illegal Immigrants, as More Cities Consider Providing “Sanctuary”
Some police agencies have adopted something akin to don’t ask, don’t tell: They will ask about immigration status only in limited circumstances — and may turn a blind eye if an undocumented migrant is a victim or crime witness. The idea being, people should not be afraid to seek help just because they are undocumented. It comes amid a growing movement among North America cities to accommodate the undocumented — typically those who overstay their visas or are failed refugee claimants — and to make sure they and their families have access to basic city services. […] Kevin Menard, a spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander, said the government will not support efforts by any city that offers “sanctuary” to undocumented individuals. […] Several Canadian police agencies said they generally take this stance: if they believe a person is undocumented and that person is being investigated for a crime or has an active warrant, they will most likely notify federal immigration authorities. However, if they’re dealing with a victim or witness, officers may exercise discretion and not inquire into that person’s immigration status, some officials said.
CTV News – Groups Call on Transit Police and CBSA to Stop All Information Sharing
Several B.C. groups are calling on Transit Police to stop sharing all information about migrants with the Canada Border Services Agency. Transit Police announced last week that it would no longer arrest migrants for the CBSA unless they were wanted on an outstanding warrant. Omar Chu, of the group Transportation Not Deportation, told reporters on Friday that the decision was “a step in the right direction.” […] The Transit Police decision followed the December 2013 death of Lucia Vega Jimenez, a Mexican woman who hanged herself in a CBSA holding facility after Transit Police stopped her for fare evasion. Joining Transportation Not Deportation at Friday’s meeting of the Transit Police board were representatives from a variety of groups, including the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, the Council of Canadians Acting for Social Justice, Mexicans Living in Vancouver, and the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users. […] The assembled groups called on Transit Police to commit to not calling CBSA tip lines and accepting a broader range of identification including birth certificates or photo ID from any country, something Drennan said would be “a priority” for the organization.
