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 – Government Had Warning about Foreign Workers and Youth Unemployment
The Conservative government knew the temporary foreign worker program was causing pressure on youth employment almost a year before reforming the program, documents show. In an August 2013 briefing note for Employment Minister Jason Kenney, department officials warned that industries which commonly employ young Canadians are also among the employers hiring the most temporary foreign workers. […] Critics of the temporary foreign worker program have raised concerns that employers were hiring lower-paid foreign workers, rather than Canadian workers. Kenney’s office says reforms made in June 2014, almost one year after the internal briefing, have specifically addressed the issue. […] The internal documents were obtained by the Opposition New Democrats under access to information law. According to the NDP, the documents prove the governing Conservatives were aware of problems with the temporary foreign worker program — specifically as it relates to youth employment — but took no action until media reports exposed abuse of the system. […] Kenney’s director of communications, Alexandra Fortier, disputed the opposition claims. She said the government’s June 2014 overhaul of the system directly addressed the issue of employers hiring lower-paid foreign workers over young Canadians.
The Shelburne County Coast Guard – Shelburne County Can Do More to Attract, Welcome Immigrants
Dolores Atwood, an outreach settlement officer for the YREACH program, was in Shelburne recently to talk with municipal and education officials about initiatives that could help the area become more welcoming for immigrants. One of the first things she hopes to help organize is a Shelburne County multicultural festival to celebrate the many different cultures and traditions of the people who already live here. Atwood says the multicultural festival held annually in Yarmouth has proven to be an immense draw that teaches about and celebrates the diversity of the area. At the Yarmouth festival, days of colorful activities are highlighted by entertainment, displays and an international food fair. […] For many newcomers, rural Nova Scotia life is a culture shock though and Atwood asks local people to be understanding and open-minded when dealing with new immigrants. […] Atwood hopes to partner with schools, businesses and local organizations over the coming months in an effort to develop supports for newcomers. She is also interested in helping immigrants in the area directly.
Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada – Communique – Reconnaître les contributions des nouveaux arrivants au Canada
Le ministre de la Citoyenneté et de l’Immigration du Canada, Chris Alexander, a félicité aujourd’hui les lauréats des troisièmes prix annuels de l’entrepreneuriat des immigrants, qui reconnaissent la réussite entrepreneuriale de nouveaux arrivants qui se sont établis au Canada. Ces prix, qui sont organisés par la Ville d’Ottawa en partenariat avec le Club économique du Canada, visent à reconnaître quatre personnes exceptionnelles ayant grandement contribué au milieu entrepreneurial d’Ottawa. Les lauréats des prix annuels de l’entrepreneuriat des immigrants sont les suivants : Anand Aggarwal, Manor Park Development; Abdul Haseeb Awan, BitAccess Inc.; Mona Kalra, Maple Care Physiotherapy Inc.; et Peyman Yazdani, Restaurants Subway.
Inside Toronto – Community Matters Toronto Receives Five-Year Grant to Help New Canadians in St. James Town
New Canadians living in St. James Town are set to have better health outcomes thanks to a five-year, $528,665 commitment by the federal government. St. James Town organization Community Matters Toronto received the grant for its Healthy Living in St. James Town project, which takes a multi-pronged, holistic and preventative approach to improving the well-being of residents in the downtown neighbourhood. Community Matters Toronto Board Chair Chris Hallett noted that Healthy Living in St. James Town has been in the works for more than a year, adding the program seeks to break down barriers to health care for newcomers. “Things like breast cancer screenings and cervical cancer screenings, in some cultures, people don’t even approach those subjects,” he said. “There’s a cultural barrier where that type of screening isn’t even discussed, and for some residents, there’s a fear of screenings, a fear of what the results might be and a lack of knowledge about them.” Healthy Living in St. James Town will aim to break down those barriers by partnering residents with foreign-trained medical professionals, who will become “community assistants” and provide support while demystifying the health-care system.
Winnipeg Free Press – Top US Colleges like Yale, Harvard Seek Students from Outside the Economic Elite
Top American universities like Yale and Harvard, widely regarded overseas as places only for children of the rich and powerful, are increasing efforts to attract the best international students, regardless of their financial backgrounds. With more undergraduates coming from abroad than ever, the Ivy League universities that have worked to overcome reputations for serving only children of the elite in the U.S. are trying to do the same the world over with travel, novel recruiting strategies and some help from the U.S. State Department. […] No country is receiving more attention than China, which sends far more students to the U.S. than any other country. Nearly 275,000 students came from China last year, 31 per cent of all international students, according to the Institute of International Education. As China has grown more prosperous, many U.S. colleges have stepped up recruiting there, seeking revenue-generating students who can pay their full way. A small number of schools pledge, like Yale, to meet the full financial need of admitted international students, and for them it is a matter of making that known around the country of 1.3 billion people.
CBC – Refugee Health Care Fight Cost Feds $1.4 Million in Legal Fees
The federal government is refusing to reveal the full price tag for its ongoing legal battle over the interim refugee health program. But so far, the tally exceeds $1.4 million. Last December, Toronto New Democrat MP Andrew Cash filed a written request seeking the total amount spent on legal fees and related costs to date. He also requested the estimated tab for the appeal of last year’s decision by the Federal Court, which ruled that the decision to cancel the program was unconstitutional. In a response tabled on Monday, Justice Minister Peter MacKay stated that the total legal cost is “approximately” $1,431,148.83. That, however, doesn’t include the money spent by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, which also was asked to reply to the question. In his response, Immigration Minister Chris Alexander acknowledged that his department would also have “incurred costs” as a result of the litigation, including responding to information requests from opposing counsel, preparing affidavits and related activities.
