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 – Surrey RCMP Says Growing Number of Asylum Seekers Illegally Crossing Border
Surrey RCMP is reporting an increase in people illegally crossing the border at 0 Avenue seeking asylum in Canada. Nearly 50 people were intercepted by B.C. Mounties when seeking asylum in November alone, and the RCMP has intercepted more than 675 making the crossing in the first 11 months of the year according to the federal government. B.C. trails only Manitoba, with nearly 1,000 and Quebec, with nearly 17,000 asylum seeker interceptions so far this year.
CBC News – Toronto Program Helps Deaf Newcomers Connect with American Sign Language
The Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) offers full-day courses and has taught dozens of immigrants from all over the world how to communicate. Knar Racanelli is an instructor at the Bob Rumball Centre for the Deaf, teaching facial expressions used in ASL. She explains that in many cases, students from other countries do not have access to education and therefore never had the opportunity to communicate in their country. There are around 50 newcomers who are currently participating in the LINC program.
CBC News – Canadian Citizenship Applications Surge After Government Relaxes Language, Residency Rules
There was a spike in applications for Canadian citizenship after the government relaxed the rules around residency requirements and language proficiency this fall. Figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship provided to CBC News show there was an average of 3,653 applications a week in the six months before changes were brought in Oct. 11. The number shot up to 17,500 applications the week after the new requirements kicked in. There were 12,530 applications submitted the week after that, but data for subsequent weeks is not yet available.
Radio-Canada – 2017 : année occupée aux frontières du Manitoba et des Etats-Unis
Les agents de l’Agence des services frontaliers du Canada (ASFC) du point d’entrée d’Emerson au Manitoba ont traité un nombre record de demandeurs d’asile en 2017. De janvier à novembre 2017, les cas de 1315 demandeurs d’asile au Manitoba ont été traités par le personnel de l’ASFC et ceux d’Immigration, Réfugiés et Citoyenneté Canada (IRCC).
Radio-Canada – Les demandes de citoyenneté canadienne en forte hausse depuis l’assouplissement des exigences
Le nombre de demandes de citoyenneté est en forte hausse à Ottawa depuis l’assouplissement, cet automne, des exigences imposées aux personnes qui souhaitent devenir Canadiennes. Les chiffres fournis par le ministère de l’Immigration à CBC News montrent qu’il y a eu en moyenne 3653 demandes par semaine au cours des six mois précédant le dépôt du changement, le 11 octobre.
Calgary Herald – With Loyalty and Thanks to Canada, Syrian Refugees Donate Their Blood
After arriving in the safety and compassion of Canada, 50 local Syrian refugees are thrilled at the chance to give back by “adopting” a blood collection centre to give blood for one day. Canadian Blood Services will open its clinic at Eau Claire Market on New Year’s Day, allowing the refugees to give blood and help with what is often a slow time for blood donations over the Christmas holidays.
