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 – Immigrant Couple Donates $60M Fortune as Arctic Prize: ‘It’s Really All We Have’
Seven years after founding the Arctic Inspiration Prize, Arnold Witzig and Simi Sharifi are handing over what they say is their entire fortune to a trust fund that distributes millions of dollars every year to northern groups whose work improves the quality of life for their community members. As immigrants to Canada going back more than 30 years, Sharifi said, the couple wanted to focus their philanthropic efforts on their adopted homeland and its northern Indigenous people, whose resilience and culture they deeply respect.
CBC News – Growth, Immigration on the Minds of Mayors of Moncton, Riverview and Dieppe
The tale of two cities — and a town — continued at breakfast Wednesday, when the mayors of Dieppe, Moncton and Riverview gathered to talk about plans and challenges ahead, while feeling good about their self-described role as leaders in the province. LaPierre and his counterparts all said attracting more immigrants to the area is a priority. He said the University of Moncton brings in international students, and it’s up to the municipalities to persuade them to stay.
Montreal Gazette – The Language of Emotions: Syrian Women Follow Their Dreams in Montreal
Yussea Ballan, a Syrian refugee who has been in Montreal since 2016, is one of 13 participants in Women Weaving Their Dreams, a pilot project that aims to provide emotional support and vocational training for female Syrian refugees in Montreal. Funded in part by Montreal City Mission, the project is modelled after one in Beersheba, Israel, where Bedouin women receive similar support.
BBC News – US Ends Ban on Refugees From ‘High-Risk’ Countries
A US ban on refugees from 11 “high-risk” countries has been lifted but any who seek to enter the country will face new security measures, officials say. They will undergo risk-based assessments before admission, says Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. The Trump administration banned refugees from 10 Muslim-majority nations and North Korea in October.
CIC News – Websites Falsely Promoting a 2018 Canadian Visa Lottery Application
Online posts promoting news of a “Canadian Visa Lottery Application” for 2017/2018 or 2018/2019 are misleading and readers are advised not to interact with the websites involved. Residents of Ghana and Nigeria in particular have reported articles on a variety of websites entitled either “Canadian Visa Lottery Application Form 2017/2018” or “Canadian Visa Lottery Application Form 2018/2019” that promise readers an opportunity to apply to live in Canada.
Global News – MP Calls Allegations of ‘Sexist,’ ‘Aggressive’ Behaviour by Refugee Judges ‘Disturbing’
NDP immigration critic, Jenny Kwan, is calling for a review of the way Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) handles complaints following a Global News investigation that revealed allegations of inappropriate behaviour by two powerful refugee judges. The investigation also exposed lawyers’ concerns that the complaint system set up by the IRB is “opaque” and ineffective. The allegations stem from complaints made by several lawyers.
