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.
National Post – Asylum-claim Backlog Will Likely Reach 100,000 by End of 2021, IRB Head Tells MPs
Canada’s backlog of asylum claims will likely reach 100,000 by the end of 2021 before stabilizing, up from 75,000 today, the chairperson of the Immigration and Refugee Board told a parliamentary committee on Tuesday. The board’s goal now is to manage the growth of the backlog rather than to reduce it, Richard Wex told the committee. He said that without recent injections of federal funding, the backlog would likely have grown to 165,000 claims in the next couple of years.
Global News – Andrew Scheer Vows to End ‘Illegal’ Border Crossings as Part of Conservative Immigration Plan
Scheer included that as one of several general commitments outlined in a speech delivered in Toronto Tuesday outlining his vision for immigration in Canada. Speaking to a crowd of supporters at a conference centre, Scheer said he would close a loophole in the Safe Third Country Agreement between Canada and the United States that has allowed asylum-seekers who slip into the country by avoiding border checkpoints to make refugee claims that would be automatically rejected at official crossings.
Le Devoir – Immigration : Marine Le Pen appuie les mesures de François Legault
Le nouveau premier ministre élu, François Legault, s’est fait une alliée peu fréquentable : Marine Le Pen a appuyé sa position « pour moins d’immigration ». Dans un gazouillis, Mme Le Pen, qui est présidente du Rassemblement national, a répondu : « Contrairement à ce que serinaient les libéraux immigrationnistes béats, les Québécois ont voté pour moins d’immigration. La lucidité et la fermeté face au défi migratoire sont le point commun des élections de quasiment tous les pays du monde confrontés à cet enjeu. »
Toronto Star – Ford Government Blasted for Cuts to Refugee Kids
As the Star reported Monday, the government plans to eliminate the Transition Child Benefit on Nov. 1 as part of its overhaul of social assistance. Ontario opposition leaders say it is “heartless” and “shameful” for the Ford government to be killing a program that helps refugee families and other parents on welfare feed and clothe their children while they wait to become eligible for Ontario and Canada child benefits.
Radio-Canada – Info – L’ONU souhaite que le Canada contribue à la réinstallation des réfugiés
Les Nations unies exhortent le Canada à alléger le fardeau des réfugiés au Mexique en acceptant de réinstaller certaines des personnes les plus vulnérables parmi ces nouveaux arrivants, notamment les femmes, les enfants et les personnes LGBTQ. Le Mexique ressent le contrecoup d’un exode sans précédent de personnes fuyant les pays d’Amérique centrale. La violence sévissant dans ces pays qui ne sont même pas en guerre pousse les familles vers le nord.
CBC News – UN Urges Canada to Take More Vulnerable Central American Migrants From Mexico
Mexico is feeling the squeeze from an unprecedented exodus of people fleeing Central American countries and some of the worst violence from nations not at actually war is forcing families northward. “Our pitch to Canada is to do more,” said Mark Manly, the Mexico representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The request comes as the United States takes a harder line on its Mexican border, with President Donald Trump branding the caravans of migrants as being laced with violent criminals bent on destabilizing his country.
