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.
Le Devoir – L’université, bouée de sauvetage d’une poignée de jeunes réfugiés africains
Plusieurs centaines de jeunes adultes, coincés dans des camps de réfugiés en Afrique depuis des années, tentent de trouver une façon de se construire une nouvelle vie. Les études supérieures font partie des portes de sortie pour obtenir l’asile à l’étranger, mais seulement une minorité parvient à faire le saut. Patrick Barici a vécu durant sept ans dans un camp de réfugiés au Malawi, après avoir fui le Burundi. Grâce au Programme d’étudiants réfugiés (PER) de l’Entraide universitaire mondiale du Canada (EUMC), organisme qui parraine environ 80 réfugiés répartis dans des universités canadiennes, il a réussi à venir étudier au Canada en 2011, à l’âge de 24 ans. Cette avenue était pour lui l’une des seules façons d’échapper à l’absence d’avenir dans les camps. Aujourd’hui étudiant à l’École des sciences de la gestion de l’UQAM, le jeune Burundais raconte, en baissant la voix, le long chemin parcouru de sa maison familiale au camp de réfugiés, à 16 ans, pour fuir un pays en guerre.
Toronto Star – Canada’s Refugee Acceptance Rate Up Despite Asylum Restrictions
According to the latest data obtained by the Star, almost half of the 19,960 claims processed in 2014 were granted, compared to just 38 per cent in 2013, despite measures the federal government introduced in late 2012 to restrict access by fast-tracking claims from the 42 so-called “safe countries.” The Immigration and Refugee Board has been running two systems side by side, processing the “legacy claims” filed prior to December 2012 under the old rules by government-appointed adjudicators and post-2012 claims adjudicated by civil servants under the new regulations. What is interesting, observers say, is that the acceptance rate for new claims is significantly higher than for the backlog claims: 61 per cent versus 34 per cent. “The high acceptance rates of claims from the safe countries contravene the government rhetoric that these countries are safe,” said Janet Dench, executive director of the Canadian Council for Refugees. “The new system was set up to be more difficult so claimants have a shorter amount of time to prepare for their case and collect the documents they need,” Dench said. “Their high acceptance rates are noteworthy.”
Toronto Star – New Law to Let Canadian Officials Share Immigrants’ Personal Info
Immigration officials would be given access to permanent residents’ and citizens’ personal information from other government agencies for enforcement purposes under Ottawa’s proposed changes to the laws. The plan, published Friday, would allow information sharing between border enforcement officials, Employment and Social Development Canada, Canada Revenue Agency, the RCMP and the regulator of immigration consultants, as well as other federal and provincial bodies. […] According to the plan, the revenue agency would play a key role in the new information regime as the changes would let immigration authorities access the secure Income Verification Program as a source to identify “possible false representation, fraud, concealment of material circumstances, or discrepancies” provided by immigration and citizenship applicants. The information sharing, said the proposal, is meant to allow authorities to crack down on fraud, validate citizenship status for government services, authenticate the identity or status of individuals and “proactively” alert other officials of changes in their immigration status.
Les nouvelles St-Laurent – Recherche d’emploi: Un parcours plus ardu pour les minorités visibles
Être à la recherche d’un emploi est, plus souvent qu’autrement, un processus laborieux, mais selon certains organismes d’aide à l’emploi, le parcours est plus long pour les minorités visibles. Une réalité particulièrement frappante à Saint-Laurent, un secteur où huit personnes sur 10 sont issues de l’immigration. […] Un article paru récemment dans Nouvelles Saint-Laurent racontait l’histoire de Mohammed, un immigrant au curriculum vitae étoffé qui, malgré ses efforts soutenus, n’arrive pas à décrocher une seule entrevue d’embauche. Une situation qui ne surprend pas la direction du CJE de Saint-Laurent. «60% des jeunes qui fréquentent l’organisme proviennent d’un pays natal autre que le Canada, le premier pays sur la liste étant le Maroc. 52% d’entre eux s’identifient comme une minorité visible […] » mentionne le directeur général du CJE Saint-Laurent, M. Marc Grignon.
National Post – Some Police Softening Approach to Illegal Immigrants, as More Cities Consider Providing “Sanctuary”
Some police agencies have adopted something akin to don’t ask, don’t tell: They will ask about immigration status only in limited circumstances — and may turn a blind eye if an undocumented migrant is a victim or crime witness. The idea being, people should not be afraid to seek help just because they are undocumented. It comes amid a growing movement among North America cities to accommodate the undocumented — typically those who overstay their visas or are failed refugee claimants — and to make sure they and their families have access to basic city services. […] Kevin Menard, a spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander, said the government will not support efforts by any city that offers “sanctuary” to undocumented individuals. […] Several Canadian police agencies said they generally take this stance: if they believe a person is undocumented and that person is being investigated for a crime or has an active warrant, they will most likely notify federal immigration authorities. However, if they’re dealing with a victim or witness, officers may exercise discretion and not inquire into that person’s immigration status, some officials said.
CTV News – Groups Call on Transit Police and CBSA to Stop All Information Sharing
Several B.C. groups are calling on Transit Police to stop sharing all information about migrants with the Canada Border Services Agency. Transit Police announced last week that it would no longer arrest migrants for the CBSA unless they were wanted on an outstanding warrant. Omar Chu, of the group Transportation Not Deportation, told reporters on Friday that the decision was “a step in the right direction.” […] The Transit Police decision followed the December 2013 death of Lucia Vega Jimenez, a Mexican woman who hanged herself in a CBSA holding facility after Transit Police stopped her for fare evasion. Joining Transportation Not Deportation at Friday’s meeting of the Transit Police board were representatives from a variety of groups, including the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, the Council of Canadians Acting for Social Justice, Mexicans Living in Vancouver, and the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users. […] The assembled groups called on Transit Police to commit to not calling CBSA tip lines and accepting a broader range of identification including birth certificates or photo ID from any country, something Drennan said would be “a priority” for the organization.
