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.
Pilot Project To Attract More Working Families To B.C.
Family members of most temporary foreign workers in British Columbia will be able to work for any employer in the province, thanks to a pilot project launched today. The announcement was made by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney and British Columbia Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation Pat Bell. “Since I became Minister, I have heard from workers, employers, labour advocates and others who have asked me to make Canada more welcoming for working families coming to Canada as temporary residents,” said Minister Kenney. “With this pilot project, we will examine the benefits of allowing family members of temporary foreign workers to work while they are here with a principal applicant who has been hired because of his or her skills.”
Kenney In Mudslinging Match With Amnesty International
Immigration minister Jason Kenney launched a scathing attack on Amnesty International after the human rights organization criticized the government for releasing the names and photos of war crimes suspects facing deportation. Amnesty International Canada wrote an open letter Aug. 2 addressed to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews and Kenney about thirty individuals accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity who are believed to be living in Canada.
Minister Kenney Wraps Up Visits to New Zealand and Thailand
Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney left Bangkok Saturday marking the end of his official visit to Thailand and New Zealand. Minister Kenney first travelled to New Zealand to take part in a bilateral fellowship program between the two governments. These exchanges aim to share information on how the two governments can work together to tackle common concerns. As choice immigration destinations, Canada and New Zealand face similar challenges. While in Wellington, Minister Kenney met with government officials to discuss how New Zealand is dealing with migrant smuggling and the problems associated with it. They also discussed how their two countries can work together to dissuade potential migrants by warning them of not only the dangers of smuggling operations, but also the legal consequences of trying to enter Canada and New Zealand illegally.
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney says authorities have headed off as many as four human-smuggling operations bound for Canada in the last year. Mr. Kenney says the “three or four” operations were in various stages of planning and execution, including one in which fishing boats were ferrying people out to a ship intending to smuggle them into Canada. The operations preceded the seizure of a ship, the Alicia, by the Indonesian navy last month. It was carrying close to 90 Sri Lankan Tamils believed to be headed to Canada or possibly New Zealand.
Prospective immigrants and visitors to Canada now have a new interactive web tool at their fingertips to help them determine if they are eligible to come to Canada. Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today the launch of the Come to Canada Wizard. “We understand that our application processes can be complex, but this new tool is a major service improvement,” said Minister Kenney. “The Wizard will make it easier for potential immigrants and visitors to navigate the application process.”
Age, Language Are Key to Better Outcomes for Immigrants
Many immigration issues transcend economics, but Immigration Minister Jason Kenney’s cross-country consultation is a remarkable opportunity for an overdue national discussion regarding the role of immigration in the Canadian economy.Economists, government analysts and others have been documenting the ongoing decline in immigrant labour market outcomes for at least two decades. In 1980, the percentage of immigrants and the Canadian-born living below the low-income cut-off (sometimes called a poverty line) was almost identical at about 17 per cent. Since then, the rate for immigrants increased to more than 21 per cent (in 2005), while that for the Canadian-born decreased to 13 per cent.
