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.
Globe and Mail – Rainbow Railroad Says Nearly 1,000 LGBTQ Afghans Are Desperate to Get Out of Afghanistan, Neighbouring Countries
Kimahli Powell, the executive director of Rainbow Railroad, headquartered in Toronto, said Afghans trapped inside the Taliban-controlled country are fearful for their lives, and those who have made it to neighbouring countries are not safe either. Mr. Powell said it is encouraging the federal government said it would resettle thousands of vulnerable refugees, including LGBTQ individuals. However, he said the government has not accepted its offer as a referral partner – meaning the organization would recommend vulnerable refugees to the government for resettlement in Canada.
CBC News – Canada’s Lawyers in Kabul Have Been Left Behind, and Are Losing Hope
Saeeq Shajjan’s law firm in Kabul spent the past eight years working as the local legal team for the Canadian Embassy in Afghanistan. But with about two dozen of his employees still stuck in the Taliban-held country, Shajjan said the Canadian government is now doing little to help them. “These are people who did all they could to help the Government of Canada, to help support the mission of Canada in Afghanistan — and it’s time to make sure the Canadian government is returning the favour,” he said.
La Presse – Ottawa refuse de révéler la valeur des contrats accordés à un donateur libéral
Le gouvernement fédéral a loué pour 10 ans, sans appel d’offres, les terrains d’un important contributeur du Parti libéral du Canada, afin de loger les migrants qui traversent la frontière de manière irrégulière par le chemin Roxham ainsi que les fonctionnaires qui les accueillent. Et Ottawa tente maintenant de cacher aux contribuables le montant de la dépense.
Radio-Canada – Loi 21 : Québec invite Trudeau à « s’occuper de ses affaires »
La réaffectation d’une enseignante portant le hijab en Outaouais continue de diviser la classe politique. Alors que Justin Trudeau constate que le débat entourant la Loi sur la laïcité de l’État « n’est plus un enjeu théorique », François Legault soutient que le Québec a pris une décision « démocratique » et accouché d’une loi « raisonnable ». Et quand on adopte une loi, il faut la faire respecter, a déclaré le premier ministre du Québec lundi.
Radio-Canada – Les visites aux détenus de l’immigration maintenant permises à Laval
Les visites en personne sont de nouveau autorisées au Centre de surveillance de l’immigration à Laval, au Québec, à la suite d’un reportage de Radio-Canada. Ce reportage avait révélé que les personnes détenues à Laval pour des raisons liées à l’immigration n’avaient toujours pas droit à des visites de leurs proches en raison de la pandémie. Pourtant, ces visites étaient permises dans les deux autres centres fédéraux, à Toronto et à Surrey, en Colombie-Britannique.
Toronto Star – Pandemic Limits Saskatchewan Students’ Access to Settlement Services
The COVID-19 pandemic has made it more difficult for young newcomers to navigate and integrate into Saskatchewan’s school system, particularly by limiting access to the crucial services of in-school settlement workers, a new report has found. According to the recent report from the Saskatchewan Association of Immigrant Settlement and Integration Agencies, Settlement Workers in School (SWIS) said immigrant students also face bullying and discrimination from peers who have made a false link between Asian newcomers and the virus.
