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.
CTV News – Afghan Refugee in B.C. Going on Hunger Strike to Help Family Back Home
In a desperate attempt to help her family from Afghanistan, B.C. resident Hassina Shahidyar plans to stage a hunger strike in Ottawa. She said she fears for their safety every day and hopes the demonstration will get the government’s attention and expedite their immigration applications. Shahidyar, who lives in Surrey, came to Canada eight months ago alone, leaving her parents and siblings behind in Afghanistan. She said her family is now hiding in Pakistan, trying to avoid the Taliban.
CBC News – This Family Waited Years for a Visa Others Get Within Weeks. Now They Want Answers
After waiting almost two years for her mom’s Canadian visitor visa, one Ottawa woman is asking why her application fell through the cracks and is pleading with Canada’s immigration department to speed up the process. Charlotte Clarke helped her 78-year-old mother Victoria Clarke apply for a visit from Gambia in West Africa in October 2020. Charlotte’s father and Victoria’s husband Malcolm died of COVID-19 in August of that year.
Radio-Canada – Ottawa tarde à délivrer les visas pour la conférence sur le sida à Montréal
Ottawa reconnaît encourir des délais plus longs que d’habitude et dit traiter en priorité les demandes de visas pour la conférence. À un peu plus de deux semaines de la conférence AIDS 2022 à Montréal, quelque 600 congressistes d’Asie, d’Afrique et d’Amérique latine attendent toujours que le gouvernement canadien leur délivre un visa. Prévue du 29 juillet au 2 août, la conférence accueillera environ 8000 participants. Parmi ceux qui sont dans l’incertitude quant à leur venue au pays, un certain nombre provient de l’Afrique.
Global News – Advocacy Group Urges Federal Government to Grant Permanent Status to Undocumented Migrants
Solidarity Across Borders is calling on the federal government to do more to protect temporary foreign nationals and undocumented migrants. The advocacy group wants the Immigration Minister to grant temporary residents and undocumented migrants permanent residency status. “Let these people work normally like everybody else. Paying taxes and have access to health care and everything like everybody else,” Hady Anne, of Solidarity Across Borders, told Global News.
CBC News – Mayoral Candidate Promises to Restore Refugee-Sponsorship Program He Says Rival Quashed
Winnipeg mayoral candidate Glen Murray is promising to revive a refugee-sponsorship program he has accused city council — including rival mayoral candidate Scott Gillingham — of killing in 2016. However, city council records show the city intended to hand the program over to non-profit organizations. Speaking at Central Park on Tuesday, Murray promised to revive the Winnipeg Private Refugee Sponsorship Assurance Program, a $250,000 fund that offered financial guarantees to people who sponsored refugees who came to Winnipeg.
La Presse – Pour ne pas devenir une forteresse climatisée
Le 11 mai dernier, la Chambre des communes a adopté la motion M-44 enjoignant au gouvernement d’élaborer un plan de régularisation du statut des travailleur.euses étranger.ères temporaires. En parallèle, Justin Trudeau a mandaté le ministre de l’Immigration d’explorer l’attribution de la résidence permanente aux personnes sans statut. Le gouvernement fédéral a donc une occasion historique d’accorder la résidence permanente aux 1,7 million de personnes à statut migratoire précaire ou irrégulier vivant au Canada, selon le Migrant Rights Network.
