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.
CBC News – Windsor’s Support Centre for Refugee Claimants Facing Financial Crisis
Matthew House Windsor is dealing with a funding deficit of about $54,000, the biggest its ever faced. Mike Morency, executive director of Matthew House Windsor, which provides support for refugee claimants, said that as the border reopens amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for its services will increase. But with the deficit, it may be forced to begin scaling back operations.
Globe and Mail – Critics Still Worried About Immigration Backlog After Feds Pledge $85-Million
Opposition critics are still skeptical the federal government will be able to quickly plow through the massive backlog in immigration applications after Trudeau’s Liberals promised to put $85-million toward that goal. The pandemic put serious pressure on the immigration system, which was further stressed by the government’s efforts to bring Afghan refugees to Canada after their country fell to the Taliban. The immigration minister has pointed to those two factors as the reasons applications have piled up.
CBC News – B.C. Restaurants Hope More Foreign Workers Can Curb Labour ‘Crisis,’ Industry Association Says
With peak season in full swing, Whistler is among many communities in B.C. that continue to grapple with a pandemic-induced worker shortage that’s showing no signs of climbing back up. Restaurant owners and industry leaders are already looking ahead to the 2022 summer tourism season, hoping that by then provincial and federal governments will have policies in place to allow more foreign workers to enter the country and fill vacant roles.
Radio-Canada – Jagmeet Singh durcit le ton contre la Loi sur la laïcité de l’État
Le chef néo-démocrate Jagmeet Singh affirme qu’il est temps que son parti « se prononce clairement » contre cette « loi discriminatoire » advenant que la cause se rende en Cour suprême. Le chef du NPD, qui arbore le turban sikh, se dit depuis le début évidemment opposé à la loi 21. Mais, jusqu’ici, il affirmait qu’il était du ressort de Québec de légiférer en matière de laïcité. Sauf que le cas d’une enseignante de Chelsea, en Outaouais, retirée de sa salle de classe et réaffectée en raison du hijab qu’elle porte, l’incite maintenant à raffermir sa position.
Toronto Star – Small Businesses Hail Government’s $85-Million Pledge to Clear Visa Backlogs
Small businesses struggling to find workers are hailing a government pledge to pump $85 million to reduce backlogs in the immigration system and welcome people who can help address Canada’s labour shortages. The investment, announced as part of the latest economic update on Canada’s finances by Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, will also be used to speed up the processing of permanent and temporary resident and citizenship applications, even as Ottawa pushes forward to bring in a record high 832,000 immigrants over the next two years.
Globe and Mail – Ontario to Accept 100 Entrepreneurial Immigrants After Each Invests $200,000 in Local Companies
Ontario is planning to accept 100 immigrants in the next two years under a program allowing foreign entrepreneurs to apply for immigration to the province after they invest a minimum of $200,000 in its economy. Labour Minister Monte McNaughton says the government will focus on attracting international entrepreneurs to Ontario communities outside the Greater Toronto Area.
