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.
La Presse – Visas imposés aux Mexicains: des économies… et une baisse du tourisme
La décision du gouvernement Harper d’imposer un visa aux ressortissants mexicains en 2009 a permis aux contribuables canadiens d’économiser 304 millions de dollars en frais de traitement de demandes d’asile infondées en trois ans. En revanche, cette mesure contestée par les autorités mexicaines a eu des effets néfastes sur l’industrie touristique au pays. Selon Statistique Canada, on estime à 340 millions de dollars les pertes subies par l’industrie durant cette même période.
Updated News – Rare Mass Rally Over Singapore Immigration Plans
Singaporeans have staged a rare demonstration, in protest at government plans to allow more immigration. Organisers said more than 4,000 people attended the rally, making it one of Singapore’s largest ever protests. They are angry at a recent government policy paper that predicted the population would grow by 30% to 6.9 million by 2030, with immigrants making up nearly half that figure. Many locals blame immigration for rises in property prices and living costs.
CBC – Hamilton Healthcare Group Condemns Federal Immigration Announcement
Thursday’s announcement by Immigration Minister Jason Kenney that eight foreign countries have been added to a list of safe places has drawn the ire of a Hamilton healthcare special interest group. Healthcare providers and students from Hamiltonians for Migrant and Refugee Health (HMRH) are condemning the announcement that countries including Mexico and Japan have been added to the list of Designated Countries of Origin — a list of “safe” countries whose refugee claimants have a streamlined process to prove they have genuine need for asylum. The HMRH says this move leaves increasing numbers of refugee claimants without access to emergency or preventative healthcare.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada News Release – The Government of Canada Supports Diversity in the Okanagan
The City of Kelowna will host three events to promote multiculturalism and celebrate cultural diversity in the Okanagan. Ron Cannan, Member of Parliament for Kelowna – Lake Country, today attended the first event entitled Global Children’s Villages, on behalf of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney. To support these events, Citizenship and Immigration Canada has contributed $12,000 from the Inter-Action program to the Intercultural Society of the Central Okanagan.
Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada – Communiqué — Le gouvernement du Canada appuie la diversité dans l’Okanagan
La Ville de Kelowna sera l’hôte de trois activités visant à faire la promotion du multiculturalisme et à célébrer la diversité culturelle dans l’Okanagan. Le député de Kelowna–Lake Country, Ron Cannan, a participé aujourd’hui à la première de ces activités, intitulée Global Children’s Villages, au nom du ministre de la Citoyenneté, de l’Immigration et du Multiculturalisme, Jason Kenney. Pour appuyer ces activités, Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada a versé une contribution de 12 000 $ à l’Intercultural Society of the Central Okanagan, dans le cadre du Programme Inter-Action.
National Post – Nasty Immigration Spat Pits Britain Against Rest of Europe
A debate with nasty overtones is going on in Britain, where predictions of a flood of “benefit tourists” from Romania and Bulgaria have set off an argument over immigration, overlaid with discontent about Britain’s membership in the European Union. The basis of the debate is the approaching end to curbs on migration by people from Bulgaria and Romania. When those two countries joined the EU in 2007 they were temporarily blocked from the open access to other EU countries that comes with membership. But the restrictions expire at the end of this year, and have set off predictions in Britain of a wave of people descending on the country in search of an easy life financed by public welfare programs.
