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.
Toronto Star – Deaf Teen Deemed “Medically Inadmissible” Can Now Join Mother in Canada
Facing public outrage, Ottawa has reversed an earlier decision and will now let a deaf girl it deemed “medically inadmissible” join her Filipino caregiver mother in Canada. […] Earlier this year, Ottawa told Talosig that Jazmine, 14, was inadmissible because her deafness could cost Canadians $91,500 for health-related services over five years — despite contrary evidence from the Burnaby school board and the British Columbia Provincial School for the Deaf. The public outrage also prompted B.C. Education Minister Peter Fassbender to weigh in on the federal government’s controversial decision, vouching that Jazmine would not incur extra costs to taxpayers because she has no additional learning or physical needs. The family’s supporters were ecstatic with Ottawa’s change of heart. […] The visa post’s latest decision didn’t come without a catch, however, said Toronto lawyer Adrienne Smith, who reached out to represent the family pro bono after reading their story in the Star. While Jazmine can come to Canada and permanent residency is highly likely, it is still not guaranteed.
Inside Halton – Halton Newcomer Strategy Earns Municipal Award
Halton Newcomer Strategy (HNS) has been recognized by the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association (OMSSA) with a Local Municipal Champion Award. The organization, which recently honoured the achievements of some of its members, consists of 45 community partners working together to make Halton a welcoming, inclusive and supportive community, where newcomers can prosper. “The Halton Newcomer Strategy plays such an important role in our community as an advocacy team that engages the community to help eliminate barriers to newcomers in Halton,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr a news release. […] The award recognizes a variety of areas. These include: building capacity for service providers helping newcomers including mental health; professional trade licensing and social media with more than 100 people receiving training; as well as creating Halton’s e-mentoring program, an online portal, which helps newcomers enhance their skills and confidence while networking by partnering them with a local employer. The award is also given in recognition of researching newcomer youth in Halton to help identify both best practices and gaps in current services to help create youth programs that best meet the needs of young newcomers.
Think Progress – The Truth about the Heckler at the White House Pride Reception Last Night
An undocumented transgender activist was escorted out of the White House Wednesday night after she called on the president to release LGBTQ immigrants in detention centers. “President Obama, release all LGBTQ immigrants from detention and stop all deportations,” activist Jennicet Gutiérrez shouted, interrupting the beginning of President Obama’s speech during a LGBT Pride Month Reception. Attendees drowned out her pleas with chants of “Obama! Obama! Obama!” One attendee shouted at Gutiérrez, “Enough! Enough. This is not for you. This is for all of us.” Another attendee shouted, “Shame on you” — words Obama then echoed, as he called for Gutiérrez’s removal from the reception. “Last night I spoke out to demand respect and acknowledgement of our gender expression and the release of the estimated 75 transgender immigrants in detention right now,” Gutiérrez wrote in a Washington Blade op-ed. Gutiérrez is a founding member of FAMILIA TQLM, an LGBTQ immigrant advocacy group. “There is no pride in how LGBTQ immigrants are treated in this country and there can be no celebration with an administration that has the ability to keep us detained and in danger or release us to freedom.”
Cape Breton Post – Canadian Museum of Immigration Reopens in Halifax Following Expansion
The newly renovated Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 in Halifax officially reopened Thursday, following a $30-million expansion. The building on the Halifax waterfront was the entry point for close to 1,000,000 immigrants to Canada between 1928 and 1971. […] Renovations at Pier 21 include a new permanent exhibit on the past four centuries of immigration to Canada and updates to the existing exhibit on the building’s history as a point of entry for immigrants.
Global News – Feds Spend $265M over 5 Years on Controversial Detainee Program: Documents
The Conservative government has spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars over five years to continue its often criticized practice of detaining potential immigrants and refugee claimants. “We don’t know what led to these detentions, we don’t know when these detainees will be released. We need to start shedding light on this,” said New Democrat immigration critic Andrew Cash. “The government has spent more than $250 million detaining eight- to 10,000 people per year including hundreds of children, and there is no oversight.” Costs related to detaining migrants, asylum seekers or immigrants have increased over the three most recent years with available data, despite a decreasing number of detainees being held across the country, according to Canadian Border Services Agency figures recently published. Between 2012-13 and 2013-14, costs of detaining individuals under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act increased more than 10 per cent despite a 13 per cent decrease in the number of people held over the same time period, according to the figures tabled in the House of Commons late last week.
Hamilton Spectator – Proof of Love? For Immigration Canada, 532 Page Report isn’t Enough
Maria Canella and her husband, Kurtis Lee Boulianne, were convinced nothing was missing from their spousal sponsorship application for her immigration to Canada. The 532-page “proof of relationship” they filed included: six pages of wedding receipts, 18 pages of congratulatory wedding cards, 30 pages of wedding photos, 21 pages of plane tickets, 39 pages of emails, 29 pages of cards and love letters, 57 pages of Facebook history, 36 pages of Skype and FaceTime records and 137 pages of iMessage chat logs. So the couple was shocked when, via an email in May, immigration officials requested additional proof their marriage is legitimate. “Honestly, I felt insulted (because of) the extensive documentation we’d already submitted. What more do they need?” said Canella, 29, a high school teacher from New York who met Ottawa resident Boulianne, 26, online in 2009 and married him in May 2014. “There’s no other explanation. Either they lost the whole file of support documents or they just didn’t look at what we had in the application package,” added Boulianne, who just graduated with a degree in computer science from Carleton University.
