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 – Providing Newcomers with Culturally Appropriate Food Not Easy, Says Calgary Organization
A Calgary organization that delivers culturally appropriate food hampers to mostly African newcomers is struggling to feed over 600 families on its wait-list — and that number is expected to continue growing. The program at Umoja Community Mosaic, which provides and delivers food twice monthly, was created when COVID-19 hit Canada in March 2020. The idea behind the program started when a single mom, who had a three-day-old baby, was unable to access the food bank because it was closed.
Toronto Star – ‘If We Are Not Canadian, What Are We?’ How a 2009 Law Is Leaving Some Children Stateless
This week, six Canadian families launch a Charter challenge against a rule in Canada’s citizenship act that denies the transmission of citizenship by descent to these foreign-born kids if both their Canadian parents also happened to be born overseas. The previous Conservative government changed the law in 2009 and imposed the so-called “second generation” cut-off against Canadians born abroad after Ottawa’s massive effort to evacuate 15,000 Lebanese Canadians stranded in Beirut.
Radio-Canada – L’espagnol, un héritage et un droit pour les enfants d’immigrants hispaniques au Canada
À Regina et à Montréal, deux instituts espagnols veulent faire reconnaître l’apprentissage de l’espagnol en tant que langue d’origine comme un des héritages culturels les plus précieux que les immigrants hispanophones puissent laisser à leur descendance. La langue d’origine relie les enfants d’immigrants à leurs racines et leur donne la force de défendre leur dualité en tant que Canadiens, estiment les fondateurs et coordinateurs de l’Escuela Salvadoreña de Español et de l’Institut Legados. De plus, elle contribue à la création d’une société plus inclusive.
Globe and Mail – At-Risk Afghans Say the Canadian Government Offered ‘False Hope’ of Escape
In August, the Liberal Party made a campaign pledge to spend $350-million to resettle at least 20,000 Afghan refugees from various vulnerable groups, including media workers, prominent women, LGBTQ people and others whose professions or previous work with Canadians put them at risk of retaliation or persecution from the Taliban. After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s re-election in September, the federal government increased the commitment to 40,000. But that promise has been met with serious delays and logistical issues that have led to questions over whether it can ever be fulfilled.
The Guardian – ‘A Bright New Future’: How Australians Are Helping Canada’s Private Sponsors Give Refugees a Fresh Start
Eight refugees – held by Australia’s offshore immigration regime for more than eight years – have landed in Vancouver and Toronto, sponsored by community groups in Canada and Australia to begin new lives on the other side of the world. The eight flew out of the Papua New Guinea capital Port Moresby on Thursday, joining another former Manus detainee who arrived in Canada a week ago.
Radio-Canada – Le SPVQ veut éduquer ses policiers à la diversité
Visé par des accusations de profilage ethnique à la suite de l’arrestation musclée de deux jeunes Noirs, le Service de police de la Ville de Québec (SPVQ) s’engage à outiller ses agents pour les aider à interagir de façon plus efficace auprès des minorités visibles. Le corps policier s’intéresse notamment aux possibles biais inconscients que des agents pourraient avoir vis-à-vis des représentants de certaines communautés. Il souhaite également améliorer les compétences culturelles chez l’ensemble de ses employés.
