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.
Calgary Herald – Two Calgarians Recognized in Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards
Two Calgarians have been honoured as part of the 2021 Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards for their work in scientific medical discoveries and multicultural artistic celebration. Dr. Pere Santamaria, founder of Parvus Therapeutics, and Lanre Ajayi, founder, artistic and creative director of the Ethnik Festivals , were among the winners announced last week. Hundreds of nominations were received, and the 25 winners were chosen based on a combination of 70,000 online votes and judges’ merit scores.
Le Devoir – Ottawa refuse de plus en plus d’étudiants francophones, surtout venus d’Afrique
Alors que le nombre d’étudiants étrangers anglophones augmente au Québec, les taux de refus pour des pays africains ne cessent de grimper, et certains dossiers « impeccables » sont refusés. Des candidats répondant pourtant aux critères sont ainsi empêchés de poursuivre leurs études ici, déplorent-ils. Leurs avocats en immigration dénoncent ces taux « qui frôlent le 100 % » pour certains pays du Maghreb et de l’Afrique de l’Ouest, deux bassins de locuteurs du français.
CBC News – Advocates for Quebec Immigrants Want Essential Services Left Out of Bill 96
Over 20 academics and people who help newcomers get settled in Quebec are calling on the province to exempt essential public services from Bill 96, its controversial proposed law on language reform. The group says it’s especially worried about a provision in the bill that says after immigrants have been in the province for six months, all government communication with them will be in French.
Le Voyageur – Une année d’immigration presque perdue
Les retombées de la COVID-19 se ressentent encore dans tous les domaines de la société. En immigration, Sudbury a accueilli 40 % moins de résidents permanents en 2020 qu’en 2019 et 26 % moins de résidents temporaires. L’Institut des politiques du Nord (IPN), qui a fait une étude sur l’impact de la pandémie sur l’immigration, en formule des recommandations.
National Post – ‘Shattered Dreams’ and Greed: How an Afghan-Canadian Refugee Swindled Asylum-Seekers Out of $1 Million
Sakia Mojadiddi arrived in Canada 32 years ago dogged by a tragic past. Mojadiddi had the opportunity to start anew in this country. And it seemed as if she had attained something like that dream, launching a non-profit organization to help Afghan refugees stuck in other countries. It was all a ruse. Rather than helping her fellow Afghans, the former refugee swindled close to 50 families out of over $1 million — charging fees to help stranded relatives immigrate to Canada and doing nothing with the money except deposit it in her own bank accounts.
Ottawa Citizen – ‘We Really Don’t Know What’s Going On’: Afghans, Advocates Frustrated by Long Wait for Getting Refugees to Canada
In 2008, former cabinet minister Flora MacDonald lauded the work of Ottawa’s Abdullah Barat. Now, Barat faces a new challenge — getting 14 members of his extended family to Canada from their hiding place in Pakistan. Some were involved in Future Generations and are in danger, he said. The family paid a smuggler to get them across the Pakistan border and they are living in a mosque. The Taliban has been actively searching for refugees, Barat said.
