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.
The Guardian (PEI) – RCMP Probe of PNP File Ends Quietly
A three-year RCMP probe into allegations of fraud and bribery involving Prince Edward Island’s controversial immigrant investor program is now closed. No criminal charges have been laid. “The PNP file is closed with no new information provided to RCMP for review/investigation,” MacDougall said in an email to The Guardian. “To date, none of the information provided to us has led to any criminal charges.” The probe was originally launched after explosive allegations of fraud and bribery involving senior government officials who administered the PNP were sent to Citizenship and Immigration Canada in 2011. The allegations, which include claims these officials accepted cash bribes by Chinese applicants to the PNP, were then forwarded by the federal department to the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency. The lengthy review of P.E.I.’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) quietly ended a few months ago, said Sherry MacDougall, senior communications adviser with the P.E.I. RCMP.
Toronto Star – “High Error Rate” Found in Canada’s Immigration Processing
Internal government reviews have identified a “high error rate” in immigration processing, from permanent resident applications to refugee work permits, prompting fears over the system’s integrity. The human errors — staff failing to use correct form letters, address missing documents and provide accurate timelines, among other shortcomings — could not only cost individual applicants a chance to live and work in Canada but affect the “efficiency of the system” and create unnecessary backlogs. […] Immigration applicants have complained about inconsistencies and a lack of fairness in the application processing — and sometimes the decision-making — by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) officials. The three so-called “quality management” reviews obtained by the Star focused on applications in three areas: permanent residence, refugee work permits and Canadian Experience Class. The reviews give the public a rare glimpse into the extent of these official errors, which authorities have never admitted to. While the rank and file of the immigration department blames the errors on the rising number of “casual employees” hired to replace well-trained permanent staff, the government insists that has not compromised the integrity of these programs.
Radio-Canada – Jean Johnson : la francophonie en Alberta a fait d’immenses gains en 2014
Le président de l’Association canadienne-française de l’Alberta (ACFA) Jean Johnson croit que la communauté francophone a progressé en 2014, notamment grâce à l’immigration. Bien qu’il soit fier des avancées de la communauté en économie et dans les services à la communauté, le président de l’ACFA constate toutefois un recul dans la capacité de pouvoir répondre à toutes les demandes du public d’expression française. Jean Johnson a également suivi de près les développements de la cause de Gilles Caron devant la Cour d’appel de l’Alberta. Il croit que l’ACFA a un rôle politique à jouer, peu importe le résultat de cette cause qui cherchera, en 2015, à faire reconnaître un statut bilingue à l’Alberta devant la Cour suprème du Canada. « Le résultat de la cause Caron n’est pas la solution pour les francophones, mais elle va influencer l’avenir des francophones », dit-il.
The Link – Immigrants Hold a Key for All Parties in 2015 Federal Election
“What’s most interesting politically about our coming to office and staying in office … the growth of Conservatism in Canada, our electoral support, has been largely, not exclusively, but largely by our penetration of immigrant voters … of so-called cultural communities,” Harper told Wall Street Journal editor Gerard Baker. “Fifteen years ago, like many Conservative parties in other parts of the world, we had a very small share of that vote. Today, we win most of those communities.” […]For Justin Trudeau, the immigrant vote in the 2015 campaign represents a symbolic and strategic goal — to reclaim the loyalty of a demographic once inextricably tied to his late father and also to rob Conservatives of a constituency that they’ve openly acknowledged as crucial to their power and legacy. And as odd as it was to hear Harper talking openly of strategy and Conservative legacy last fall, it was equally odd for Trudeau — reflecting on those remarks a few weeks later — to say he may agree with the prime minister to some extent about the conservatism of newcomers.
Toronto Star – Faith is Often a Visual Marker of Identity – But Also a Source of Discomfort
According to a new report by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, a poll of 2,005 Canadian adults put respect for human rights and freedoms at the top of a list of “Canadian values.” Yet, 64 per cent said they feel Canada’s multicultural ideals “allow for the pursuit of cultural practices that are incompatible with Canadian laws and norms.” Some 28 per cent named wearing of religious garb, such as hijabs, turbans or burkas, as an example of such practices. […] As Canada’s demographics have evolved with changing immigration patterns, the focus of multiculturalism has shifted. In the 1960s and ’70s, it was about recognizing the contributions of ethnic communities; in the 1980s and ’90s, the push to eliminate racism and enhance social equity. Today, the debate is dominated by questions about religious accommodation. With growing immigration from Asia and the Middle East, the percentage of Canadians following a non-Christian faith has risen in the past decade from 4.9 per cent to 7.2 per cent, led by Muslims (3.2 per cent), Hindu (1.5), Sikh (1.4), Buddhist (1.1) and Jewish (1). Ottawa’s creation of the Office of Religious Freedom in 2013 and recent introduction of the Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act are prime examples of the shift in focus.
National Post – Merkel Government Urged to Overhaul Germany’s Refugee System as Anti-Immigrant Protests Grow
The Bavarian coalition partners of German Chancellor Angela Merkel are urging a radical overhaul of the country’s asylum system, including the swift deportation of those who are turned down for refugee status. The proposals coincide with the rise of a new far-right protest movement in which thousands have demonstrated against what they say is the “Islamization” of the country by Muslim immigrants. […] Bavaria’s ruling Christian Social Union, which is also a member of Ms. Merkel’s federal coalition, has proposed a new fast-track asylum process, based on the system used in Switzerland, in which “simple” cases would be decided in just six weeks. […] Asylum applications currently take about eight months to be processed in Germany, which has led to hunger strikes by refugees who say they are left in limbo, unable to work or earn a living until their cases are decided. Under the CSU proposal, applicants from a country considered safe — or who have already registered in another European Union country — will have their cases decided on fast track.
