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 – Refugee Financial Support: Setting the Record Straight
The group coordinating the arrival of 250 Syrians to P.E.I. wants to clear up any misconceptions about how much financial support refugees receive once they land here. Some Islanders have questioned recent news coverage on the influx of refugees, asking why refugees receive more help than other struggling Islanders, and suggesting the province should look after its own citizens first. […] Craig Mackie, executive director of the PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada, said the amount is meant to cover everything from rent to food to transportation.
CBC – Spousal Sponsorship Pilot Program Extended for 1 Year
The federal government has extended for one year a pilot program to help the spouses of Canadians already in the country but living in limbo while waiting for permanent residency. […] The pilot program launched under the Conservatives was extended last month without much fanfare except for a notice posted on the Immigration Department’s website. “Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada has extended the pilot program which gives open work permits to eligible spouses or partners in Canada whose in-Canada sponsorship applications have already been submitted, giving them the freedom to work while their applications for permanent residence are being processed,” Nancy Caron, a spokeswoman for the department, said in an email to CBC News.
Hamilton Spectator – Immigration Minister Says There Could be a Better Way to Accept Applicants for Parent Sponsorship
Immigration Minister John McCallum says there could be a better way to accept applications for a coveted sponsorship program other than the current system, which has some couriers charging hundreds of dollars to deliver files. But McCallum is not committed to making any changes, saying only that the government has a year to review the process before the parent and grandparent program reopens.
Globe and Mail – After Arriving in Canada, Syrian Refugees Still Stuck in Limbo
The food allowance for government-assisted refugees during short-term, temporary stays in hotels is $10 a day for each adult and a one-time flat fee of $50 for each child, no matter how long they stay. One father produced a handful of receipts for medicine prescribed for his young daughter who is ill. Although he did not have to pay the full amount, the $22 bill consumed a large portion of the family’s remaining cash. He is fearful about what will happen when the money runs out.
La Presse – Le nouveau portail d’immigration Québec connaît des ratés
Les ratés d’un nouveau portail web du ministère de l’Immigration forcent Québec à repousser une importante échéance pour les étrangers qui souhaitent immigrer dans la province. Les candidats à l’immigration et leurs avocats ont encerclé le lundi 18 janvier sur leur calendrier.
Le Huffington Post – Ça y est! Le Canada a accueilli son 10 000e réfugié syrien
Dix mille réfugiés syriens sont arrivés au Canada, avec deux semaines de retard sur le calendrier prévu, a annoncé mercredi le ministre canadien de l’Immigration John McCallum. “Une étape importante a été franchie” avec l’arrivée mardi soir à Toronto du 10 000e réfugié et le Canada se “rapproche de son objectif d’accueillir 25 000 […].
