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 – Ontario Employers Cashing in On Temporary Workers
Under Ontario’s antiquated Employment Standards Act, which is currently under review, there is no limit on how long a company can employ a worker as temporary before giving him or her a permanent job. There is nothing to stop employers from paying temp workers less than their permanent counterparts, nothing to prevent them from hiring their entire workforce on a “temporary” basis if they so choose. […] Over the past decade, there has been a 33 per cent increase in the number of temporary workers in Toronto, to more than 340,000 in 2014 from 256,000 in 2004, according to Statistics Canada. Industries such as food manufacturing, transportation and health care saw some of the biggest jumps. By contrast, the number of permanent employees increased by just 12 per cent over the same period. […] Ontario’s temp agency industry is flourishing. The province’s employment services sector earned $5.7 billion in revenue in 2012, a near 72-per-cent jump from 2002. Temporary agencies account for an estimated 60 per cent of that industry’s total revenue.
La Presse – En niqab à sa cérémonie de citoyenneté
Trois mois après que le débat eut fait rage partout au pays, une juge de la citoyenneté a accepté qu’une femme assiste à la quasi-totalité de sa propre cérémonie de citoyenneté en étant vêtue d’un niqab, plus tôt cette semaine à Montréal, a appris La Presse. La présence d’une candidate citoyenne vêtue d’un tel voile intégral est rarissime, selon une source gouvernementale. La toute nouvelle citoyenne canadienne a toutefois respecté les règles en vigueur et s’est découvert le visage pendant quelques instants, le temps de prêter serment. Certaines personnes dans l’audience ont ressenti un malaise face à la présence du niqab, ce voile intégral qui n’est percé que d’une étroite fente pour permettre la vision. Mais aucun esclandre n’est venu troubler la cérémonie, qui s’est tenue mercredi matin.
CBC – #SaveRIAC Campaign Keeps Refugee, Immigrant Council Open
An advisory council that has helped thousands of refugees and immigrants coming to Newfoundland and Labrador start new lives has been given a reprieve after nearing the brink of closure. The Refugee and Immigrant Advisory Council feared it would have to shut its doors and was forced to lay off staff. The council has relied on donations and the efforts of volunteers ever since it started more than 30 years ago. However, the current economic climate led to fewer donations. A fundraising campaign called #SaveRIAC, which began in March, generated $8,510.75 in cash and a pledge of $14,124.96. The donations will allow the organization to stay open in a reduced capacity, the council said in a news release, adding that volunteers will continue to offer what services they can. “We are optimistic about the possibility to bring back our staff, who were laid off by mid-March,” said executive director Jose Rivera.
Canadians will have to wait until the end of June or longer to find out the full effects of the Tories’ changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, despite the government’s promise to release information about it every three months. The Harper government has said it would post data on the number of foreigner workers approved through the program on a quarterly basis, but still hasn’t released information from the last quarter of 2014. […] Citizenship and Immigration Canada had released all of its data on Temporary Foreign Workers up to the end of September 2014 by mid- February of this year. But in February, when The Tyee asked for the numbers through to the end of 2014, Citizen and Immigration Canada said the figures would be released in a couple of months. The Tyee asked again Monday and CIC media relations staffer Remi Lariviere said the figures for 2014 might be released at the end of June.
Toronto Star – Prospective Immigrants Younger, Better Educated, Survey Finds
According to World Education Services (WES), one of a handful of agencies Ottawa designated to evaluate immigrant credentials, 80 per cent of all its work last year was done for those who were abroad, compared to 16 per cent in 2012. The study — offering a first glimpse into the impact on immigrant profiles under recent policy changes — surveyed 28,851 prospective immigrants referred by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. About 3,200 completed the questionnaire. The survey found that 95 per cent of the would-be immigrants were between 25 and 44, compared to just 84 per cent before 2013. Fifty-nine per cent of respondents said their highest level of education is a bachelor’s degree, while 42 per cent had a master’s degree and 3 per cent had a doctoral degree, said the report to be released Friday. In comparison, prior to 2012 when the mandatory educational credential assessment process was introduced, only 34 per cent of the respondents had an undergraduate degree; 18 per cent had a master’s; and 5 per cent, a PhD.
North Bay Nugget – City Asked to Support Permanent Resident Voting
City politicians will be asked Monday to support allowing permanent residents to vote in municipal elections. Don Curry, executive director of the North Bay and District Multicultural Centre, is slated to make a presentation to council calling on North Bay to back legislative changes that would extend voting rights in municipal elections to permanent residents – those who have immigrated to Canada, but are not citizens. It will be Curry’s second time appearing before council with the request. In 2013, Curry told council some people can remain permanent residents for more than a decade, all the while paying taxes and contributing to the financial, social and cultural well-being of the community, but without benefit of a political voice. His presentation was followed up by a favourable staff report which recommended council support the request. But the report was shelved and never discussed. Curry said Friday he’s not sure why the issue was never revisited. But he’s hoping the current council will be supportive. […] In North Bay, Curry estimates there are about 3,500 immigrants, most of which are Canadian citizen. He estimates between 500 and 1,000 are permanent residents.
