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.
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper has acknowledged that his government asked for an audit of Syrian refugee cases earlier this year, but denies that any political staff were involved in vetting those files. Harper, responding to a Globe and Mail story, said that when it comes to admitting refugees, his government ensures the selection of the most vulnerable people while keeping the country safe and secure. […] Earlier, Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander confirmed a news report Wednesday that the Prime Minister’s Office directed Canadian immigration officials to stop processing a preliminary group of Syrian refugees, pending an audit of their cases. In a written statement, Alexander said the move to review the cases of the UN-designated refugees was designed to “ensure the integrity of our refugee referral system.” […] The newspaper said the processing halt was not disclosed to the public, and was in place for at least several weeks. “It is unclear when it was lifted. At the same time, an audit was ordered of all Syrian refugees referred by the United Nations in 2014 and 2015,” the report states.
Le Huffington Post – Angela Merkel : l’accueil des réfugiés, « tâche la plus difficile depuis la réunificaiton »
L’accueil des demandeurs d’asile qui affluent en Allemagne est “la tâche la plus difficile” du pays “depuis la Réunification”, a estimé mercredi soir Angela Merkel, refusant cependant de “participer au concours” entre Etats européens pour les dissuader de venir. “C’est une tâche difficile. Peut-être la plus difficile depuis la Réunification”, a jugé la chancelière allemande, invitée d’un talk-show sur la chaîne publique ARD, à propos des 800 000 à un million de demandeurs d’asile qu’attend l’Allemagne cette année, soit quatre à cinq fois plus que l’an dernier.
Radio-Canada – Harper nie toute ingérence politique dans l’accueil des réfugiés syriens
Les conservateurs ont été forcés d’admettre qu’ils ont retardé le traitement de demandes de réfugiés syriens, en interrompant le processus au printemps. Une information qui n’avait jamais été rendue publique. Le premier ministre Stephen Harper a défendu jeudi la nécessité de ces vérifications, précisant que le personnel politique n’avait jamais été impliqué dans l’approbation des demandes. M. Harper réagissait à un article paru dans l’édition de jeudi du Globe and Mail, qui avançait qu’Immigration Canada n’a pas eu toute l’indépendance souhaitée au cours des derniers mois pour sélectionner les candidats au statut de réfugié.
Radio-Canada – Le parti libéral du Canada est-il encore le parti du multiculturalisme?
La question des réfugiés syriens revient en force dans la campagne électorale alors que les conservateurs reconnaissent avoir ralenti l’accueil de réfugiés syriens. Au même moment, on célèbre au Canada l’anniversaire de la politique canadienne du multiculturalisme adoptée le 8 octobre 1971 à la Chambre des communes. 44 ans plus tard, le Parti libéral du Canada de Justin Trudeau est-il encore le parti du multiculturalisme tel que l’avait imaginé son père Pierre Elliot Trudeau à l’époque premier ministre du Canada?
The Telegram – Province Can Now Welcome 550 More Economic Migrants Annually
The province is opening its arms twice as wide in an effort to welcome more economic immigrants, it was announced Wednesday. On top of the 500 workers employers could already hire annually through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), the province has been allowed an additional 550 nominations through the new Express Entry Skilled Worker Category. The initiative ranks potential workers in a pool based on factors such as education level and language skills, and when one is given a job offer or a nomination, the road to residency is fast-tracked. […] Premier Paul Davis said the province’s retention numbers have improved steadily in recent years, and is now slightly below the Canadian average. “That means immigrants that we’re bringing to Newfoundland and Labrador are not using Newfoundland and Labrador as a gateway to move to other parts of Canada. It means more of them now are staying here in Newfoundland and Labrador and raising their families here,” he said, citing the national retention rate at 80 per cent and this province’s rate at 77 or 78 per cent.
North Shore News – Multicultural Society Considers Relocating
The high rental costs of the North Shore has one non-profit society asking local government for help. The North Shore Multicultural Society, an organization that has helped thousands of immigrants on the North Shore assimilate to Canadian life, is facing a substantial increase in rent on its 17,000-square-foot space just off Lonsdale Avenue. The annual rent for that space is $468,000. “We’re currently in a crisis situation,” said Vera Radyo, volunteer president of the North Shore Multicultural Society, speaking at Monday’s City of North Vancouver council meeting. “Even though we have been at our current location for 20 years, our landlord is demanding a 25 per cent increase in rent … that’s money that’s going to the landlord and is not going to services and funders will only fund a certain amount in terms of rent,” she said. The society’s executive director, Elizabeth Jones, said the 25 per cent, or approximately $117,000 increase in rent, could affect some of the programs at the society, such as youth, senior, and women’s and children’s programs. With a lease expiry of March 2016, Jones said they’ve been looking at finding other rental accommodations but have so far been unsuccessful.
