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.
Global News – Canada Gave Work Permit to Belgian Wanted in $10M Art Fraud, Money Laundering Case
David Bertiaux arrived in Canada a year ago, despite having been charged in Belgium in March 2017. Belgian authorities issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to show up for a court hearing. He was picked up by Canadian immigration authorities on Oct. 23 and is scheduled for deportation proceedings before the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) next Wednesday. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada declined to respond to questions about why a foreign citizen facing serious criminal charges was granted a two-year work permit.
CTV News – Immigration Minister Reassures Business Community After Botched PEQ Reform Attempt
Speaking to about 350 people at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Jolin-Barrette said he would be holding consultations “over the course of the next few weeks” in order to guarantee changes that would help employers. The PEQ has historically been open to all international students in order to fast-track their path towards permanent residency, and ultimately Canadian citizenship. Earlier this year Quebec’s government made retroactive changes which meant hundreds of foreign students would have to leave Canada.
Info Radio-Canada – Simon Jolin-Barrette se fait rassurant face au milieu des affaires
Le ministre de l’Immigration, Simon Jolin-Barrette, s’est fait rassurant, vendredi, devant des gens d’affaires de Montréal, promettant de revoir le Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ) pour qu’il corresponde mieux aux besoins de l’économie. Les bonnes relations semblent donc revenues entre le milieu des affaires et le ministre de l’Immigration, de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion, après l’épisode du PEQ et de sa liste de programmes pouvant déboucher sur des emplois.
Toronto Star – Toronto Immigrants Face ‘Thick Glass Ceiling’ When It Comes to Executive Jobs, Study Finds
Among the leading Greater Toronto Area employers across the public, private and non-profit sectors, only 6 per cent of executives — those at the level of vice-president or above — are immigrants, according to the study, “Building a Corporate Ladder for All,” to be released Thursday by the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council. While the public and non-profit sectors are faring slightly better with 6.6 per cent of their executives being immigrants, just 5 per cent of corporate executives overall in the GTA are newcomers, says the study.
CTV News – Guatemalan Family Faces Tough Choice as Deportation Looms in the New Year
Sandra Morales and her husband Daniel Roblero fled violence and persecution in Guatemala in the 1990s and lived illegally in the U.S. for years where they met, married and had six children. With the advent of the Trump presidency, they feared stepped-up immigration enforcement would lead to their deportation and their kids — aged five to 18, who are U.S. citizens — being taken from them. They all came to Canada in April 2017 where they applied for asylum. But a year ago the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada found the family did not meet refugee requirements.
CBC News – Edmonton Business Owner Convicted on Immigration Charges Denied Chance to Appeal
Bujar Rushiti was seeking to appeal his June 2018 charges, saying he was not given proper legal counsel before pleading guilty. An appeal is supposed to be filed within a month of conviction, but Rushit’s lawyer argued that circumstances, such as the amount of time it took to access legal counsel and disclosure, should warrant an exception. In a decision released Thursday, Justice Kevin Feehan denied Rushiti’s application to extend time to appeal, noting the lengthy period between conviction and appeal.
