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.
Our Windsor – On Syrian Refugee Crisis, Canada Failing Miserably
The Syrian Civil War has generated the largest refugee crisis in decades. Since 2011, when the conflict began, over 4 million people have fled Syria. An additional 8 million find themselves displaced within the country itself, unable or unwilling to go abroad. Many are exceptionally young, and have experienced little but the trauma of violence, dispossession, and displacement. […] Canada, for its part, has failed miserably. While the federal government has pledged humanitarian, development, and security assistance, it has essentially refused to participate in the resettlement effort in a meaningful way. […] An additional problem concerns the fact that Canadian officials have made it clear that they are essentially prioritizing claims from members of “religious minorities,” a euphemism for Christians and Yazidis. This practice runs contrary to the non-discriminatory approach to status determination required by the 1951 Refugee Convention. Roughly 90 per cent of all Syrians (and the vast majority of those who have been displaced and persecuted) identify as Muslims. Their suffering and vulnerability should be taken just as seriously as that of non-Muslims.
Toronto Star – International Students Add Brainpower to Research Projects
They’re bright young minds from around the world — India, Mexico, China — and a record number have been lured here this summer to add brainpower to some of Canada’s most cutting-edge research. Some 750 international university students — nearly 60 per cent more than last year — are here under a federally funded program called Globalink that pays undergrads to come to Canada for a 12-week summer research stint. Some 64 are working in the GTA this year, and 357 have come to Toronto’s universities over the past three years. “The objective is to attract highly qualified undergraduates to do research with a Canadian professor at a Canadian institution, with Canadian research,” said math professor Alejandro Adem, head of the national, non-profit MITACS program that runs Globalink and other research partnerships between Canada and the world. […] The federal government has provided $20 million over three years to Globalink to bring students to Canada. Students come largely from India, China, Brazil, France, Mexico and Australia.
Radio-Canada – Kos, l’île grecque débordée par une marée de réfugiés
Des dizaines de réfugiés sont arrivés sur l’île grecque de Kos mercredi, s’ajoutant aux milliers d’autres qui s’y entassent déjà dans des conditions déplorables. Dépassés et mal préparés, les responsables de cette île de la mer Égée ont été vertement critiqués pour le traitement de ces migrants, qui viennent surtout de la Syrie et de l’Afghanistan, en passant par la Turquie. Mercredi, un millier de réfugiés ont fait la file pendant des heures dans un stade sous le soleil, sans accès à la nourriture, à l’eau ni à des installations d’hygiène, dans l’espoir d’obtenir les papiers nécessaires pour poursuivre leur voyage vers Athènes et d’autres pays d’Europe. Pour une deuxième journée de suite, les policiers ont utilisé des extincteurs pour contrôler la foule. La veille, ils avaient aussi eu recours à des matraques pour contenir une bousculade. D’ailleurs, plus de policiers ont été déployés sur l’île. Depuis que les combats en Libye ont rendu périlleux le trajet de l’Afrique vers l’Italie, la Grèce est devenue la principale porte d’entrée des réfugiés qui arrivent par la mer.
Richmond News – Immigration Draws International Media’s Attention
Richmond’s significant demographic shift as a result of immigration from China, as well as city council’s contentious handling of foreign-language business and real estate signs, has brought the city significant international media attention over the past two years. Most recently, in June, Germany’s largest broadcaster, comparable to the Canadian Broadcast Corporation, spent several days in Richmond filming and documenting changes to both this city and Vancouver. ZDF German TV producer Johannes Hano, based in New York, was producing a 90-minute documentary on Canada, which has yet to air. He travelled from coast to coast and said about 10 minutes of the two-segment show will be devoted to Metro Vancouver, including Richmond. The documentary will touch on the effects of foreign investment and wealth-based migration, largely from China, on housing affordability as well as socio-economic dynamics. […] The global media, including Hano, has sought out community activist Kerry Starchuk, who helped raise a petition to include some English or French on all signs in the community in 2013. […]Meanwhile, media from Japan and South Korea have also visited Starchuk’s home.She’s also been quoted in media stories from Armenia, the United States and Hong Kong.
North Shore News – North Shore Immigrants Overlooked for Hiring, Study Finds
Half of 115 North Shore-based employers recently surveyed are reporting a shortage of skilled workers, yet many new immigrants are being overlooked for those positions because they don’t have the right connections. The findings are part of a study conducted by the North Shore Immigrant Inclusion Partnership which found the shortage is most severe in the construction industry, with 50 per cent of the industry lacking employees with pertinent trades experience. Retail, health care and education are other fields experiencing skilled labour deficits on the North Shore. However, companies struggling to recruit new talent rarely reach out to government-funded employment services or immigrant-serving agencies to find workers, according to the report. Referrals from colleagues, employees or friends is the most common recruitment technique for 78 per cent of the survey’s respondents. For someone new to the North Shore, let alone the country, not having an “in” with a company is one of the challenges faced by some of the 2,000 immigrants who move to the area each year.
CBC – International Students Learn Aboriginal Perspective on Canadian History
About a dozen aboriginal and international students gathered at the University of Saskatchewan Monday night to learn about each other’s cultures. The Aboriginal Student Centre along with the International Student Centre hosted a potluck where immigrant students were able to learn a different perspective on Canada. Janelle Pewapsconias works at the Aboriginal Student Centre and helped create the program, called Building Bridges. “What I would love to see is people have a different and deeper understanding to Canada, to the history of this place, she said. “I can speak from personal experience that I know indigenous people maybe have misconceptions about newcomer folks as well as newcomer folks having misconceptions about indigenous folks.” Jebunnessa Chapola, a graduate student at the U of S, said she knew little about aboriginal culture when she arrived, but believes it’s important to learn.
