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.
La Presse – Au-delà des « anges gardiens »
Régulariser le statut des demandeurs d’asile « anges gardiens », c’est bien. Mais il serait tout à l’avantage d’Ottawa et de Québec d’aller beaucoup plus loin en régularisant le statut de toutes les personnes sans papiers au pays durant la pandémie — à quelques exceptions près. Ce n’est pas moi qui le dis, mais Louise Arbour, ancienne représentante spéciale pour les migrations du Secrétaire général des Nations unies. « Ce n’est pas juste une question de bon cœur et d’être une terre d’accueil. Il y a là une coïncidence parfaite de nos valeurs et de nos intérêts. »
CTV News – Quebec Won’t Expand ‘Guardian Angel’ Residency Path for Workers Outside Health Care
Though the Quebec government decided earlier this year to allow certain refugee claimants who served on the COVID-19 front lines to get a special path to residency, it’s now set the limits of that program. A spokesperson for Nadine Girault, the provincial minister for international relations, confirmed Tuesday that the province will limit the so-called “guardian angels” program to certain categories of health-care workers — shutting the door to other essential workers after briefly considering including some of them.
CTV News – Community Digs Deep to Help Sudbury Bakery Started by Syrian Refugee Family
A Syrian refugee who immigrated to Canada with his family and set up a bakery shop in Sudbury is receiving an outpouring of support from the community. A GoFundMe campaign is underway to help the Damascus Bakery survive after two recent crimes and the impacts of the pandemic. The owner said recent vandalism and a theft came at a very bad time, with the business struggling to keep the doors open.
CBC News – Canada Has Turned Back 4,400 Asylum Seekers in 5 Years
Canada has turned away at least 4,400 asylum seekers at the U.S. border since 2016 — including some who were hoping to find refuge here at the height of the global pandemic — according to newly released government figures. Nearly half of those trying to enter Canada over that five-year period made the attempt in the year after U.S. President Donald Trump took office, according to figures released in response to a parliamentary request from NDP MP Jenny Kwan.
Radio-Canada – Indignation en France après le démantèlement violent d’un campement de migrants
Des responsables de l’opposition de gauche mais aussi de syndicats et d’associations d’aide aux migrants ont vivement dénoncé mardi le démantèlement violent par la police, lundi à Paris, d’un campement de migrants, en majorité afghans et en errance, fustigeant une « dérive liberticide ». Plusieurs centaines de migrants et leurs soutiens, qui avaient installé lundi soir des tentes place de la République, à Paris, pour réclamer des places d’hébergement d’urgence, ont été dispersés sans ménagement par les forces de l’ordre.
Toronto Star – They Were Coming to Canada to Care for a Relative After Her Surgery. They Say Discrimination Stopped Them at the Airport
Andrea and Attila Kiss were set to fly out from the Budapest airport last year to visit her sister in Toronto when they were stopped and referred to further screening. After extensive questioning, the Roma Hungarian couple were told by staff at the check-in counter that they could not proceed because Canadian officials had just cancelled their “electronic travel authorization.” The couple asked why it had been cancelled and, unbeknownst to the agent, started recording the conversation, which ended with the agent telling them, “The biggest problem is that the person whom you are travelling to has no status.”
