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 – Canada’s Population Tops 36 Million as Immigrants, Refugees Swell Numbers
A record number of immigrants and refugees arriving on Canadian shores helped push Canada’s official population over 36 million as of July 1, Statistics Canada says. The data agency says there were 437,815 more people living in Canada than there were on the same day a year earlier, bringing the official population to 36,286,425. […] Indeed, the numbers show that some 320,932 immigrants arrived in Canada between the two Canada Days. More than 30,000 Syrian refugees are included in that figure, as they are classified as permanent residents by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Radio-Canada – Un référendum en Hongrie pour dire non aux réfugiés
Près de 8,3 millions d’électeurs hongrois sont appelés aux urnes, dimanche, pour un référendum sur le plan de relocalisation des réfugiés adopté par l’Union européenne. Un scrutin que le non risque d’emporter largement et dont le seul enjeu est lié au taux de participation. Le premier ministre hongrois, Viktor Orban, compte sur un plébiscite pour justifier et légitimer […].
Toronto Star – Maryam Monsef Controversy Highlights Absurd Citizenship Law: Editorial
According to the law, if a person misrepresents their birthplace on a refugee claim, they may lose their citizenship and be deported regardless of whether they had any intent to deceive. The determination is made by a single government official and the refugee is given no hearing or recourse. […] Immigration Minister John McCallum at one time agreed that the process was unfair. When he was in opposition, he called the law “dictatorial” and promised to amend it once elected. Yet in their first months in office, the Liberals have continued to aggressively apply the law – at a rate of roughly 18 citizenship revocations per month – and have ignored calls to put a hold on the process until they revise the policy as promised.
CBC – Canada Should Talk “Growing Pains” with Countries Looking to Mimic Syrian Refugee Program, Senator Says
The federal government should acknowledge the shortcomings of Canada’s Syrian refugee program as it holds it up as a model for other countries, the chairman of the Senate’s human rights committee says. “I think ‘caution’ would be the watchword … in terms of exporting what we’ve done,” Senator Jim Munson told CBC News. “We should be telling other countries, ‘but here are the growing pains.'” […] But in June, Munson’s committee pointed out “urgent concerns” with Canada’s Syrian refugee program, including inadequate access to English and French language-training programs and the need for a plan to address the mental health needs of refugees who have experienced trauma.
CBC – Quebec Immigrants More Likely to be Unemployed, Overqualified, Report Finds
New arrivals to Quebec experience higher unemployment, have lower incomes and are more overqualified for their jobs than other Quebecers, according to a new report by a Montreal research group. The report, published by the Institut de recherche et d’informations socio-économiques (IRIS), found that in the past ten years, the unemployment rate for immigrants (11.2 per cent) has been nearly double that of people born in Canada (5.8 per cent).
The Globe and Mail – 320,000 Newcomers Came to Canada in Past Year, Highest Number Since 1971
More than 300,000 newcomers arrived in Canada in the past year, the highest number since modern record-keeping began, new estimates show. In the past year to July, 320,932 immigrants landed in the country, the largest annual number since at least July, 1971, when comparable records started, Statistics Canada said in its annual population count. That is a 33.3-per-cent increase over the prior year, when 240,844 immigrants came to Canada, the fastest growth in nearly three decades.
