For more information about the gala, please see: www.ccrweb.ca/eng/about/meetings.htm

http://rciviva.ca/migrations/

If you would like to know about the centre and our moving information, please contact us at 416-360-6036.

 Have a look of these 65 pictures…

(you can click here to view all of them right away)

 Warren W. Wiersbe

The Canadian Experience Class will allow certain temporary foreign workers and certain foreign student graduates with managerial, professional, or technical or trade work experience to apply to become permanent residents, and eventually Canadian citizens. All applicants, depending on their occupational skill level, will be required to demonstrate either basic or moderate language skills. Proposed regulatory changes have been pre-published in the Canada Gazette for a 15-day comment period. Final regulatory changes will be published following this comment period.

“The Canadian Experience Class is one more measure this government is proposing to make our immigration system more attractive and accessible to individuals with diverse skills from around the world, and more responsive to Canada’s labour market needs,” said Minister Finley. “This new proposed avenue for immigration would also go further to spread the benefits of immigration into smaller centres across Canada.”

Temporary foreign workers and foreign students are generally spread out across the country and contribute to the growth of smaller communities as well as metropolitan areas. Individuals applying for permanent residence through this new avenue could apply from within Canada while continuing to work and continuing to contribute to their local communities.

The Canadian Experience Class comes after a number of recent initiatives the government has undertaken to help newcomers succeed and to help make Canada a more attractive destination for skilled individuals from around the world. These initiatives include changes to the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program; the establishment of the Foreign Credentials Referral Office; increased investments in language training and other programs and services aimed at helping newcomers successfully settle and integrate into their new communities; and, most recently, changes to the immigration system that would allow for priority processing of certain skilled applicants and reduced wait times for those wanting to immigrate to Canada.

Through the Canadian Experience Class, newcomers will be more likely to make the most of their abilities while undergoing a more seamless social and economic transition to Canada. And, in turn, their cultural and economic contributions will enrich Canada.

“Choosing newcomers based on knowledge of our labour market and experience within Canadian society would make Canada a more attractive destination for skilled individuals from around the world,” added Minister Finley. “International students and skilled workers would be more likely to choose Canada if they knew their time in Canada and contribution to Canadian society would assist in their eligibility to apply to stay permanently.”

For further information (media only), please contact:

Tim Vail
Press Secretary
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-954-1064

Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650

The Salvation Army Immigrant and Refugee Services has successfully hosted a B.B.Q on 21st of August. We had an wonderful time of fellowship with our students, clients, and volunteers.

From the beginning of our choir class initiated by Major Donna Millar till now led by Col. David Gruer, the choir leaders brought their own musical instruments from their homes to our downtown site regardless the weather. They have faithfully taught gospel songs to our clients coming from diverse cultural backgrounds. Now we will have our own keyboard. We thank God for His wonderful and faithful work in touching people’s hearts to carry on ministries and services to glorify His Kingdom.

We want to express our sincere thanks to Wayne for his generosity and support for our on-going work sharing music to learn English pronunciation and to praise the Lord.

WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? Please sign the attached sample letter or petition asking the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada to postpone their removal and allow them to stay on Humanitarian Grounds

****************************************************************

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE CASE OF MS. MARIA ISABEL GARCIA RIVAS

Ms Garcia Rivas is a single mother fleeing abuse from her ex-husband in Mexico. She has three children, who are also fleeing abuse, and is working with the Workers Action Centre and No One Is Illegal.

Ms Garcia Rivas suffered horrific physical, mental and emotional abuse at the hands of her ex husband both while with him in the United States and while in Mexico. She fled to Canada with her children, where she attempted to do a refugee claim. After being threatened and abused by Immigration Officers, she was allowed to do her claim. However, in November 2006 this claim was denied as the Refugee Board decided she could get police protection in Mexico from her ex-husband. Subsequently, a second risk assessment was denied on the same grounds (her Pre Removal Risk Assessment), this decision is under review by the courts.

Though the Refugee Board often decides women can obtain protection from the police in Mexico when they are abused, other authorities are not in agreement, including the Federal Court of Canada which has begun to question these decisions at the Board. In their 2007 report on Mexico, Human Rights Watch also raised questions, and said Mexican laws do not adequately protect women and girls against domestic violence. Some laws on violence against women run directly counter to international standards, including provisions of Mexican law that define sanctions for some sexual offenses with reference to the “chastity” of the victim and provisions penalizing domestic violence only when the victim has been battered repeatedly.

Ms. Garcia Rivas has been in Canada almost three years now with her children. One of the children suffers from psychological issues, and returned to Mexico to be with her grandparents. However, since that time, the child’s father has taken over her care and her condition has been deteriorated seriously because he has not allowed her to receive medical treatment.. Ms. Garcia Rivas is very worried about the safety of her child in Mexico and her deteriorating health condition and wants to ensure her daughter can return to be with her in Canada. Ms. Garcia Rivas’ two other children are flourishing in Canada. One has recently graduated as a top student from High School, and the youngest is doing very well at school. They see Canada as their home and are fearful of their father should they be returned to Mexico.

Ms Garcia Rivas has this to say about leaving Canada and returning to Mexico:

“If I go to Mexico, there’s no where to go, we can’t go back to Guadalajara because of my ex-husband. I cannot think about returning to Mexico. This is my last chance, please let me and my children stay here and continue to live our lives free from fear.”

HOW TO SUPPORT THIS FAMILY:

1. Please support this family by signing the attached sample letter or petition asking the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada to postpone their removal and allow them to stay on Humanitarian Grounds. Please send completed letters and petitions to:

Workers Action Centre
720 Spadina Ave., Suite 223
Toronto, ON M5S 2T9

2. Please also consider supporting this family by making a donation towards their legal costs. Cheques can be made payable to Workers’ Action Centre and sent to the above address. Please note on the bottom of the cheque that the funds are for the “Garcia Rivas” family. Please note that no tax receipts will be issued.

Your support can make the difference in this family’s lives!

********************************************************************

SAMPLE LETTER

[YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS]

[DATE]

The Honourable Diane Finley
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
Parliament Hill
Room 707, Confederation Bldg House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6

And to:

The Honourable Stockwell Day
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency
Preparedness
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Dear The Honourable Ms Finley and the Honourable
Mr. Day,

RE: GARCIA RIVAS, Maria Isabel and her family

I am writing in support of Ms Garcia Rivas and her children to ask you to use your discretion under section 25 (1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and allow this family to stay in Canada while their Humanitarian Application is considered. We also ask you to look favourably upon their Humanitarian
Application.

This family is fleeing an abusive ex-husband/father in Mexico. Though the Refugee Board has decided that they can be protected by the police there, human rights organizations including the U.S. Department of State and Human Rights Watch have expressed grave concerns about the police’s effectiveness regarding gender
related violence.

As well, the children see Canada as their home and have been performing extremely well at school.

It is extremely important that this family be able to stay safely in Canada. I would ask your assistance in making sure this happens!

Yours truly,

[your name]

PETITION AND SAMPLE LETTER ARE ALSO ATTACHED AS A WORD DOCUMENT

Please send completed letters and petitions to:

Workers Action Centre
720 Spadina Ave., Suite 223
Toronto, ON M5S 2T9

Anne announces the openning of Canada Day celebration.

We love Canada.

So, let’s write it down how do you feel about Canada.

We sing “O Canada” in English and in French!

“I know the answer!”

Other links:

The Painful Journey to Freedom

I came to IRS in 2004 knowing very little about immigrants and refugees, and I have learned so much. I found the staff at IRS to be knowledgeable, compassionate and professional, and I am deeply grateful to each one of them for their dedication, hard work and support.

As the Salvation Army wheels turn, I will leave IRS on June 27th and will take up a new assignment as Director of Women’s Ministries and Corps Officer (pastor) in St. Petersburg, Florida on July 4th. As I leave, I take with me memories that will last a lifetime. I will always remember the faces of many newcomers we have had the privilege to serve. I will remember their stories of courage and survival. My life has been changed for the better by these encounters.

I will remember celebrations—Christmas, Thanksgiving, Mothers’ Day, graduation…and the particular joy of celebrating a positive Immigration & Refugee Board hearing. I will also remember the visits to the Immigration Detention Centre, and the peoples’ plight that pulled at my heart-strings. I am grateful both to God and to The Salvation Army for the opportunity to minister here at IRS.

My departure will be the opportunity for a new Director to enjoy many similar experiences. In early July, IRS will welcome Captain Tracy Goyak as Director. Tracy and her husband Orest have been the pastors at the Salvation Army in Richmond, BC. Tracy comes to IRS with a keen enthusiasm for cross-cultural ministry and is looking forward to this new opportunity.

I wish you all many blessings, and if you are ever in St. Petersburg, look me up!
 

- Holly Patterson

This year, the event theme is: Protecting Refugees: Rebuilding Lives in Safety and Dignity

In 2008, World Refugee Day is not only an occasion to salute the incredible tenacity and strength of the world’s refugees, but also an opportunity to thank all those who protect refugees and provide them with a chance to rebuild their lives in safety and dignity.

To support this theme, UNHCR will make promotional materials available to agencies wishing to celebrate World Refugee Day. These promotional materials are comprised of a 12″ x 18″ poster and a 3.5″ x 5″ postcard, both in French and English. Detailed information on how to order these promotional materials will follow be posted on this site once they become available.

We continue to encourage local agencies to approach their city authorities and request that June 20, 2008 be proclaimed World Refugee Day.

For further information, please contact Gisèle Nyembwe at 613-232-0909 ext. 225 or at nyembwe@unhcr.org

Details of this event in Toronto, ON
Event: World Refugee Day Proclamation, Citizenship Ceremony, Concert, Prominent Speakers, NGO displays and other activities
Date: 20 June 2008
Venue: Metro Hall Square
Organizing Committee: UNHCR, City of Toronto, Amnesty International Canada, Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture, Canadian Red Cross, COSTI Immigrant Services, Christie Refugee Welcome Centre, The Salvation Army
Stage Manager for the event: Dave Stelling
Contact person: Rana Khan
Telephone: (416) 954-1002

Download the World Refugee flyer.pdf.

UNITED IN HOPE: An Evening of Prayer, Reflection and Action for Refugee Rights
On the eve of World Refugee Day, the KAIROS Refugee Working group invites you to join with refugees and allies for an evening of reflection and action for refugee rights. Nourish your hope with music and drama from diverse cultures and refugee experiences. Be inspired to action by guest speaker Lois Wilson, human rights champion, retired senator and former Moderator of the United Church. Join us Thursday June 19 at 7 pm at Trinity St Paul’s United Church (427 Bloor St W). All cultures and faiths welcome. For more information, call Alfredo Barahona at 416-463-5312 X 251 or Tanya Chute Molina at 416-699-4527 X 228.

Please use the attached poster to share this information with friends and colleagues.

Don’t forget to also join UNHCR and Amnesty for World Refugee Day events on June 20 at Metro Hall Square!

Donna and her husband Ron are moving to a new assignment in Kingston, Jamaica. We will miss you Donna! We wish you God’s blessings in your new ministry.

We are grateful to Lt. Colonel David Gruer for his willingness to take over as Choir teacher.

Wednesday May 21, 2008 – As Chinese Salvation Army volunteers continue to offer immediate relief to victims of the recent devastating earthquake, The Salvation Army in Canada has launched a fundraising campaign in the hopes that it can raise $500,000 towards the rebuilding and development efforts in Sichuan Province China.

A Chinese Salvation Army assessment team is on the ground to identify how The Salvation Army can best support the long-term recovery of the affected areas while continuing to distribute rice, biscuits, noodles, clean water and water purification pills as well as medical supplies. The Salvation Army is well placed to contribute to long-term rehabilitation and development efforts as local personnel have experience working within the region.

“Over the past few weeks, the world has seen several terrible tragedies and those who are able must do all that they can to assist,” says Graham Moore, Territorial Secretary for Public Relations and Development. “Canadians have a history of opening their hearts and giving to those that are suffering. We trust that they will continue to be generous as we begin the long-term process of recovery and rebuilding.”

After decades of intermittent work, The Salvation Army returned to China in 1988 in response to an earlier earthquake and in 1993, disaster relief and community development projects began in many parts of mainland China. In 1996, a Salvation Army Project Development Office serving southwestern China opened in Kunming. More recently, project offices were opened in Beijing and Xinghe County, Inner Mongolia. Three primary concerns for The Salvation Army in China remain:

Poverty alleviation and development
Emergency relief and rehabilitation
Child sponsorship

Please support The Salvation Army’s relief effort in China. Financial contributions can be made by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769), by visiting our website www.SalvationArmy.ca, by mailing donations to The Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters, Canada and Bermuda, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto, Ontario M4H 1P4, or dropping off financial donations at the closest Salvation Army unit in your area. Donors should specify their gift to the China Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund.

The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Canada in 1882 and has grown to become the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in the country. The Salvation Army gives hope and support to vulnerable people today and everyday in 400 communities across Canada and 115 countries around the world. The Salvation Army offers practical assistance for children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life, provides shelter for homeless people and rehabilitation for people who have lost control of their lives to an addiction.

When you give to The Salvation Army, you are investing in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community.

News releases, articles and updated information can be found at SalvationArmy.ca
For further information please contact:

Andrew Burditt
Territorial Public Relations Director
The Salvation Army
416-845-8231
andrew_burditt@can.salvationarmy.org
———————————————————————————–
May 20th, 2008 - 
 

FUNDRAISING FOR CHINA 為中國四川地震賑災籌資

We are anxious to do all we can to reach out to the victims of the recent earthquake in China. Our World Missions Department is in regular contact with both International Headquarters and the Hong Kong and Macau Command and are receiving regular updates about the work of The Salvation Army in the disaster zone. Our territory has been an active partner and has funded some development projects in this part of China. We want to reach out and help as much as possible. At this point, the best we can offer is an active fundraising campaign in order to support the work that is already under way, and the long term redevelopment work that will begin shortly. Assessment teams have been to the disaster zone, and plans are being developed based on the greatest needs.
Please continue to pray for the victims of the earthquake in China and also Myanmar.

Salvation Army Relief and Assessment Teams Head to Regions Affected by Earthquake in China

Friday May 16, 2008 – In response to the strongest earthquake to hit China in more than three decades, a Salvation Army Relief and Assessment Team from Hong Kong is in the Sichuan Province to offer immediate relief and evaluate what long-term assistance The Salvation Army can provide.

The relief and assessment team, already working in Cheungdu, brought food such as biscuits and rice as well as clean water supplies to many suffering from this terrible tragedy. At the same time, a comprehensive on-site assessment is ongoing.

Gordon Lewis, of The Salvation Army’s International Emergency Services says, “Our reports suggest the Chinese military are doing as well as they possibly can to rescue survivors and clear the worst-affected sites. The assessment carried out by our colleagues from Hong Kong will give a good idea as to what needs to be done next.”

The Salvation Army in China receives regular funding from the Army in Canada and early indications suggest that resources will be in great demand as relief continues, and re-construction and development begin.

After decades of intermittent work, The Salvation Army returned to China in 1988 in response to an earlier earthquake and in 1993, disaster relief and community development projects began in many parts of mainland China. In 1996, a Salvation Army Project Development Office serving southwestern China opened in Kunming. More recently, project offices were opened in Beijing and Xinghe County, Inner Mongolia. Three primary concerns for The Salvation Army in China remain:

• Poverty alleviation and development
• Emergency relief and rehabilitation
• Child sponsorship
Financial contributions in support of The Salvation Army’s relief effort in China can be made by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769) or by visiting www.SalvationArmy.ca

The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Canada in 1882 and has grown to become the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in the country. The Salvation Army gives hope and support to vulnerable people today and everyday in 400 communities across Canada and 115 countries around the world. The Salvation Army offers practical assistance for children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life, provides shelter for homeless people and rehabilitation for people who have lost control of their lives to an addiction.

When you give to The Salvation Army, you are investing in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community.

News releases, articles and updated information can be found at www.SalvationArmy.ca

For further information please contact:

Andrew Burditt
Territorial Public Relations Director
The Salvation Army
416-845-8231
andrew_burditt@can.salvationarmy.org
www.SalvationArmy.ca
——————————————————————————–
 May 13th, 2008 -

The strongest earthquake to hit China in more than three decades struck in Sichuan Province yesterday (12 May, 2008). The tremor measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale left at least 10,000 dead. A substantial number of houses and schools were collapsed, hundreds of thousands people were injured and many were buried under the rubble. The Salvation Army Hong Kong and Macau Command provided immediate financial support to meet the most urgent needs. An Emergency Relief Team has hurried to the affected areas to help the desperate survivors by providing them with food and relief supplies.
　
The Salvation Army disaster relief workers in mainland China and Hong Kong will leave to Chengdu, Sichuan Province tomorrow (14 May, 2008). It is expected that the emergency relief team will arrive at the affected areas by this Thursday. The Salvation Army will immediately deliver food to the survivors and find out their needs in order to distribute the most urgent relief supplies. The Salvation Army personnel will conduct a comprehensive on-site assessment for further emergency relief efforts to the earthquake victims.
　
The Salvation Army is committed to providing emergency assistance to the survivors until their needs are fulfilled.

救世軍結合社區力量街頭籌款賑濟四川地震災民！
救世軍組織屬下社工赴四川地震災區提供心理輔導！
詳情

English as a Second Language Instructor and Assistant to Program and Volunteer Coordinator

This program is fiancially supported by Service Canada.  

Even if you don’t owe any money, if you are a parent on OW or ODSP, you need to file your tax return before the deadline of April 30, 2008.

Why?

Starting in July 2008, eligible low-income families will receive up to $50 per month per
child through the new Ontario Child Benefit (OCB). In order to be eligible, parents must:
• have a dependent child or children under the age of 18;
• be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada;
• be a resident of Ontario;
• meet the low-income eligibility criteria;
• register their children for the Canada Child Tax Benefit; and,
• file their tax return for the previous year.

If I don’t file my tax return, what will happen?
If you don’t file your tax return, you won’t receive the OCB. And if you don’t receive the
OCB, your monthly income could drop. This is because OW and ODSP rates are being
restructured for parents with dependent children when the OCB starts in July. But if you
are eligible for the OCB, the total money you receive each month will increase.

So what should I do now?
1) Make sure to file your tax return for 2007. You can download an application form
from the Revenue Canada website at www.cra-arc.gc.ca/forms/ or have one sent to
you by calling 1-800-959-8281. And,
2) If you haven’t already done this, you must register your child or children for the
Canada Child Tax Benefit. You can download an application form from www.craarc.
gc.ca/benefits/cctb/ or call 1-800-959-2221.

What if I don’t qualify for the OCB, or I only qualify for part of it?
Talk to your worker as soon as possible. Tell them that you want to make sure that you receive the Transitional Child Benefit (TCB) starting in July. The TCB is intended to help parents who are not eligible or only partially eligible for the Ontario Child Benefit because, for example, they are not permanent residents or citizens, because their incomes are above the financial eligibility cut-off, or for various other reasons.
See www.incomesecurity.org/ resources for fact sheets and backgrounders on the
Ontario Child Benefit and Rate Restructuring.

 20 minutes later….

 We are in Riverdale Park…Fun time begins….

Thank you Major Holly! Thank you Mr. Barry! Thank you Teachers. Thank you all! We are planning to have a second class in the coming weeks! Yeah! We love this game!

At such a time as this, we are calling on fellow Salvationists to join in prayer for the people of Myanmar and China.

While we long to offer more practical support, our family in each of these countries has asked that above all we remember them in prayer.

Pray:

Pray for the ongoing rescue work in the rubble of buildings and structures
Pray for Major James Aaron, the Regional Officer in Myanmar and Major Dieu Quang On in China as they respond and continue to assess the situation
Pray for those communities still isolated from emergency relief and support
Pray for those who have lost children, husbands, wives, parents and loved ones
Pray for the injured that they will receive medical care quickly
Pray for The Salvation Army community in both Myanmar and China as they respond to the needs of those around them despite the losses they have suffered personally
Pray for wisdom with those making critical decisions at this time; Commissioners David and Grace Bringans’ (Singapore, Malaysia and Myanmar) and Lieut.-Colonels Mervyn and Elaine Rowlands’ (Hong Kong and Macau)

“Hope is believing despite the evidence, and watching the evidence change.” Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners

God is faithful and bends His ear to the cries of His children.

Please forward this information to your ministry units and encourage our congregations to pray for Myanmar and China this coming Sunday.

Practical support via our Partners In Mission (Self-Denial) Appeal would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your prayer support.

Blessings,

Donald J. Copple
Lieut.-Colonel
Chief Secretary

BIBLE READING: Exodus 19:1-9

If you were asked ‘what’s been happening in your life recently?’, what would you say? ‘Nothing much; Children have been sick; what painted the house; my husband lost his job.’ What would you say?

Would you ever ‘There have been so many things happening that I can only believe God is working in our lives’. What is the explanation of all that had happened to Israel since before they left Egypt.

Where had they come from? Egypt. Yes, but God looked back past Egypt to Jacob from whom they had descended (v.3). God had taken Jacob, the trickster-the deceiver, and turned him into Israel, a prince with God. Now he was wanting to do the same with Jacob’s family, even though it had now become a nation.

Where were they now? At Sinai. Remember God promised Moses (Exodus 3:12) that when the people of Israel had been delivered from Egypt, they would travel first of all to Sinai. What a thrill it must have been for Moses to stand there and realise that God had kept his word.

How had they come there? They walked. But in verse 4 God says he carried them on eagles’ wings! What does God mean? “I bought you here in a way that is beyond the power of man. No-one else could have done what I have done for you.’

Have you ever looked back and said, ‘I don’t know how I ever came through all that I don’t know where my strength wings. That is just the Lord himself carrying you on eagles’ wings. That is just what he does, even today.

Turn to Isaiah 40:30, 31 and read God’s beautiful promises there. Then look at the last part of verse 4 in our reading. God’s purpose is still the same. He wants to use all the experiences of our lives to do just one thing- to draw us closer to himself. That is what he wants more than anything else.

A THOUGHT:
God is still the waiting father longing for our fellowship.
——————————————————————————————-

Lookup a word or passage in the Bible
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Born in Lahore, Pakistan, Rukhsana Khan and her three siblings grew up in the 1960s in Dundas, Ont. as the only “brown kids” in the school.

“No one knew anything about brown people then. The white kids would say we’re not clean, that’s why we’re brown and dirty. We’d go home and take many showers,” she recalls with a chuckle. “When that didn’t work. We tried to get rid of the brown by putting baby powder on. It still didn’t work.”

When Khan, now a 46-year-old accomplished Toronto author, was asked last year to write a book for Citizenship and Immigration Canada to help immigrant children prepare for a new life here, these memories re-emerged and became part of the 56-page novel, Coming to Canada. The book was officially launched last week by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Canada’s demographics have changed over the years, but hurdles remain for newcomer kids trying to be accepted by their peers.

With a foreword by Governor-General Michaelle Jean, who came to Canada as a 10-year-old from Haiti, the book chronicles the journey of Khadija, 8, and her brother, Hamza, 10, from leaving their beloved grandmother in Lahore to their successful integration in the new homeland.

The siblings experience the discomfort of moving into a small apartment, intimidation by a sea of unfamiliar faces in school, the struggle to speak a new language, the embarrassment of not knowing simple things such as how to use a water fountain and being treated differently.

“We want immigrant kids to know what to expect, where to turn to for help. We want them to know that it could be challenging and people may not always be fair with you,” says Khan, a Malvern resident who has published six children’s books, with another five in the works.

Khan worries about young immigrants. “Many of them start with eagerness and hopes, but become disenfranchised when they realize some of the disparities in life.”

The book also touches on the struggle of Khadija’s and Hamza’s father, a teacher in Pakistan, who drives a cab to support the family while studying to get his Canadian teacher’s certificate.

“Immigrant parents need to be talking to their kids about what’s happening in school. They can help a child feel more comfortable in the adjustment, encourage them to take risk and do new things,” says Peter Dorfman, coordinator of the Ontario Settlement Workers in Schools program.

Coming to Canada, published by Groundwood Books, will be distributed to Ontario public libraries in June and handed to newcomer elementary pupils in the fall.

The printing of 10,000 copies was aided by a $48,000 funding by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

© 2008 Torstar Syndication Services. Displayed by permission. All rights reserved.

DON DRUMMOND-Globe and Mail  Senior vice-president and chief economist at TD Bank Financial Group

May 2, 2008

Most Canadians feel they have not been getting ahead economically. The 2006 census results released yesterday by Statistics Canada show this isn’t their imagination.

Median earnings (the level of earnings that divides the population in half) of Canadians working full-time for a year have barely changed in after-inflation terms from 1980 to 2005. The earnings of those in the top 20 per cent rose 16.4 per cent. But the middle 20 per cent stayed flat, and the bottom 20 per cent had a 20.6-per-cent plunge in earnings.
The lack of overall gain, and, more particularly, the widening of the income distribution, should be a call to arms for Canadian governments and all stakeholders.

Weak overall incomes are a predictable result of Canada’s lacklustre productivity record in recent decades. The overall economic pie simply hasn’t grown much. Further, as in virtually every developed country, corporations have seen an increase in their share. That is reflected in individuals’ incomes through company ownership, capital gains and dividends. But these sources of income are disproportionately received by a fairly small number of the wealthiest.

Further, a good part of the overall growth since 1980 has come from a rising labour force participation rate. For the most part, this has been accounted for by the female partners in families. This is why median family income rose 8.6 per cent since 1980 while individual income didn’t change. The increased job opportunities for women are great.

But the income and output gains reflect greater work effort and don’t likely fully translate into sentiments of increased economic well-being.

The census reveals that the spoils of the weak productivity growth have gone to the best educated. The census reveals that almost all high-income earners have advanced education degrees. The poor tend to have much lower levels of formal education and many confront basic literacy challenges.

As we near the point where immigrants will account for all of Canada’s population growth, their income results are becoming a more important determinant of the Canadian totals. Here the census results are particularly depressing. Even after being in Canada for 20 years, recent immigrants are more than twice as likely as someone born in Canada to
have a low income. Recent immigrants earn only about 60 per cent of what Canadian-born workers are paid.

Immigration is the area that breaks the link from education to earnings. Education attainment of immigrants has been rising, yet a recent male immigrant with a university degree earns 48 per cent of what his Canadian-born counterpart gets.

The census also shows how rapidly changing labour markets can hurt immigrants. A disproportionate number of immigrants have degrees in computer science, but since 2000, earnings and employment have fallen sharply in this area, much more so for immigrants than people born in Canada.

The census results aren’t all bleak. The percentage of low-income seniors has fallen to 14.4 per cent from 29.9 per cent in 1980. Public pensions have helped, but recently, the maturation of private pensions and an uptick in employment earnings have lifted seniors’ incomes.

Due largely to increasing employment earnings, the median income of female lone-parent families has risen 26.4 per cent since 1980. But that group is still the lowest income family configuration.

Canadians should not face another 25 years of stagnant income with the poor falling further behind. Yet there is a grave danger of this.

Productivity growth has been getting even worse lately. Poverty creates vicious circles across generations that are hard to break. Children of low-income families get less education and have low incomes themselves.

Public and private action must be focused on a productivity agenda. Education is a good place to start. All levels must be lifted from basic literacy through to graduate degrees. If we do not soon turn around the deteriorating economic fate of immigrants, the economic prospects of all Canadians will be the worse.

April 27 – May 3, 2008 is National Volunteer Week. We decided to have an event to recognize our volunteers, so on April 29th we invited all our volunteers for a presentation and a lunch.

 The theme of this year’s volunteer recognition week is “compassion to action” and our volunteers are making this their reality.

We were so happy that 12 of our current 18 volunteers arrived for 11:30. As an opener after singing O Canada, as volunteer coordinator I pointed out that were it not for our volunteers here at IRS we wouldn’t have an afternoon program or any conversation partners. I noted that our volunteers give us their time and their talents and their caring. They come week after week, some traveling long distances because they care about our students, about the Salvation Army, about our city and our world. It’s people helping people just because they want to make a personal contribution to society and do something to help others. How great is that?

Captain Lynette Barrett from Divisional Headquarters (DHQ) spoke about her responsibilities within the Army. She is the volunteer coordinator for all of the GTA and east to Ottawa. Her office hears from about 25 new volunteers every day. She spoke of how Salvation Army volunteers work in food banks, shelters, with seniors, in family services, thrift stores, corps. She thanked our volunteers on behalf of The Salvation Army for their contributions.

 Major Holly also expressed her heartfelt thanks to all of     our volunteers, saying that we believe God sends them to us here at IRS whenever we have a need. There always seems to be the right volunteer at the right time and we are so grateful for God’s care.Our students individually introduced the volunteers who have provided teaching or tutoring to them. The volunteers were given a Salvation Army t-shirt and a thank-you card. Then their photo was added to a display of all of our “star” volunteers.

I spoke about how everyone on our staff is always willing to volunteer extra time and energy in all aspects of their jobs “above and beyond the call of duty”. The attitude of our staff make the IRS a great place to work.

After this recognition everyone was invited to enjoy a lovely lunch prepared by staff and volunteers.

It was a happy event and it was an opportunity for everyone to get to know each other a little better. Volunteering helps everyone.

Anne Campbell-Smith
ESL Program and Volunteer Coordinator

Photos by Zhen Li

Related Links: National Volunteer Appreciation Week

ON SUNDAY 27TH April, 2008

A desperate cry from the hearts of Zimbabwe screams across the world. It calls upon all Christians of every denomination in every nation to focus their prayers, in churches, halls, homes or elsewhere, on Sunday 27th April, 2008 on the critical situation in Zimbabwe, a nation in dire distress and teetering on the brink of human disaster.

Let the cry for help touch your heart and mind. Let it move you to do what you can immediately to ensure this DAY OF PRAYER takes place in your country and neighbourhood.

Please pass on this message right now to all the churches and Christian organisations known to you and to the media as well as to everyone anxious to rescue Zimbabwe from violence, the concealing of election results, deceit, oppression and corruption, and to bring about righteousness, joy, peace, compassion, honesty, justice, democracy and freedom from fear and want.

May a continual strong stream of prayer and supplication flow up to the Lord on behalf of all the people on this DAY OF PRAYER, exhorting His divine intervention throughout the nation.

“It is by making the truth publicly known that we recommend ourselves to the honest judgment of mankind in the sight of God.” ( 2 Corinthians 4:2)

SOME ADVICE TO ZIMBABWEANS

“Who so putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.” (Proverbs 29:25)
“Stand fast, and do not let yourselves be caught again in the yoke of
slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)
“Make no mistake, you cannot cheat God.” (Galatians 6:7)
“Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21)

Bob Stumbles. Chancellor, Anglican Diocese of Harare. 19.04.2008.

You can find details at the following webpage:

http://www.iom.int/jahia/page161.html  

Post-Graduation Work Permit Program

• Tell our story 
• Embracing Diversity
• Journeying together in Christ

APRIL 18-20, 2008
JACKSON’S POINT CONFERENCE CENTRE

The Salvation Army Ontario Central-East Division is sponsoring a unique conference experience.
Canada has always been a country of immigrants. Without immigration, we would not enjoy many of the benefits of this prosperous society. In recent years, immigration has created a wonderful multicultural mosaic in our country. With new cultures come new challenges: How can we better relate to newcomers from unfamiliar cultures? What are the challenges they face as they attempt to integrate into Canadian society? How can we effectively build multicultural churches? These and other questions will be addressed in the workshops during the Together Conference. (more…)

Supporting Points:

The Salvation Army provides direct, compassionate hands-on service to 1.5 million people each year in Canada, restoring hope and dignity to those who might otherwise remain invisible in society.

The Salvation Army stands with vulnerable people in 111 countries around the world, offering service in 175 different languages.

As an international Christian church that welcomes everyone, The Salvation Army’s faith motivates its social programs.

All social and community services are equally available without discrimination.

As the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in Canada, The Salvation Army provides unprecedented support to society’s most vulnerable.

Supporting Points:

Social and community service programs focus on nurturing the capacities, skills and strengths of individuals rather than just meeting their needs.

With the public’s generosity, in one year in Canada:

When you give to The Salvation Army, you are giving hope today by investing in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community.
Supporting Points:

On average, 88 cents of every dollar donated to The Salvation Army is used directly in charitable activities – exceeding the Canada Revenue Agency guideline of 80% donation efficiency.

The Salvation Army has the broadest reach of any single direct social service provider in the country with 1,900 officers, 10,000 employees, 50,000 volunteers and over 500 centres of operation in communities across Canada.

The Salvation Army will honour the donor by directing all gifts according to their stated intent.

*This is a child-friendly demonstration.
Food and drinks will be available.
There will be vehicles on-hand for those with reduced mobility.*

Millions across North America have taken to the streets in the last two years demanding Status for All! In Toronto, workers, students, trade unionists, activists and community members have led passionate demonstrations calling for justice and dignity for immigrants and refugees.

The last year has seen unprecedented targeting of refugees in Sanctuary. Asylum seekers have been arrested from schools, workplaces and even hospital beds. Families have been torn apart. Over 12,000 friends, family, and community members have been deported.

On March 14th 2008, the Conservative government introduced a series of amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), buried in Bill c-50, a 136-page “budget implementation bill”. If passed, the Minister will have the discretion to refuse applications even where the applicants meet the elitist and racist criteria for permanent residence, to refuse to even examine humanitarian applications filed from abroad, and to arbitrarily set quotas on the “category” of person that can enter Canada – including quotas based on country of origin.

In the face of this intimidation and fear, our communities have refused to be silenced. Together, we have forced immigration enforcement out of Toronto District schools. Inspired frontline community workers have taken up the struggle for Access Without Fear. We have fought against, and stopped the deportations of allies and friends.

But the fight is not over. There are over 500,000 undocumented people living and working across Canada, over 200,000 in Toronto alone. They are forced to live in daily fear of jailing and deportation, without access to essential services. Bill C-50 would create even more categories of “temporary foreign workers” without full status and without rights. These workers will be exploited as cheap labour, as mere commodities, used and then removed. We will not stand for this.

On May 3rd, as part of the National Days of Action for Status for All, we will take to the streets. We demand an end to detentions and deportations. We demand access without fear to essential services. We demand an end to security certificates and secret trials. We demand a full and inclusive regularization program. We demand justice, dignity and respect!

JOIN US!

The March will be followed by a community fair featuring music, performers, food, children activities and visual art displays.

WAYS TO SUPPORT:
1) Organize a loud contingent to come out on May 3rd.
2) Endorse the May Day of Action by emailing NOII a short statement of support.
3) Financial and in-kind (photocopying, translation) donations.
4) Organize a NOII workshop/presentation at your school, union local, agency, community centre or workplace.
5) Help out with postering and outreach

For more information about how you support the march or get involved:
Email: nooneisillegal@riseup.net
Website: nooneisillegal.org
Phone: 416 604-5765

————————————————————-

No One is Illegal-Toronto is looking for volunteers and allies to help out for the Day of Action on May 3rd.

If you can help out, attend our Volunteer Meeting
Wednesday April 30th - 6:30pm
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE)
252 Bloor Street West (between Bedford and St George, at the St George Subway Station)
The room location will be posted in the lobby

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Endorsed by: AMNI Student Group - University of Toronto * Basics Community Newsletter * Black Action Defence Committee * Bolivarian Circle - Manuelita Saenz * Campaign Anti-Sharia * Canadian Federation of Students * Caribbean Studies Student’s Union at UofT * Carranza Barristers & Solicitors * Central Neighbourhood House * Centre for Feminist Research * Centre for Spanish Speaking People * Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid * Community Social Planning Council of Toronto * CUPE 1281 * CUPE 1777(Social Service Workers) * CUPE 3896 (Social Service Workers) * CUPE 3902 (Educational Workers at UofT) * CUPE 3907 (OISE T.A.s) * CUPE 4308 (Social Service Workers) * CUPE International Solidarity Committee * CUPE Ontario * Education Not Deportation * Educators for Peace and Justice * Elementary Teachers of Toronto Regional Council * Glendon College Student’s Union - York University * Graduate Student Association at Trent University * Grassroots Youth Collaborative * Industrial Accident Victims’ Group of Ontario * International Federation of Iranian Refugees in Canada * Justice for Alwy Campaign * Justice for Mohamed Harkat Campaign * Justicia for Migrant Workers * KAIROS * Law Union of Ontario * Liberation of Women in Iran * New Socialist Group * No One Is Illegal – Brampton * No One Is Illegal – Kingston * No One Is Illegal – Ottawa * No One Is Illegal- Montreal * No One Is Illegal-Vancouver * Ontario Coalition Against Poverty * OPIRG-Toronto * OPIRG-York * OSSTF District 12 – Human Rights Committee * ROAD Network * Ryerson Students Union * Sistering * Department of Sociology and Equity Studies at OISE * Sociology and Equity Studies in Education Student Caucus * Solidarity Across Borders * Somali Youth Association of Toronto * South Asian Women’s Rights Organization * Status Now * Teachers for Palestine * The Bickford Centre * The Socialist Project * The Stop * Toronto Haiti Action Committee * Toronto Adult Student Association * Toronto Climate Change Coalition * Toronto Coalition to Stop the War * Toronto Immigration Legal Committee *UKPC (Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance) * United Black Students at Ryerson * York University Black Students Alliance * York University Muslim Student’s Association

The call that filled a place in the heart

After three years of painful separation and bureaucratic battles, Mia Hussain is reunited with her son

Darah Hansen, Vancouver Sun

The last piece of Mira Hussain’s broken heart slid back into place early on an April morning, moments after she answered the phone.

“Mira, it’s been accepted,” the voice at the other end of the line told her.

It was Janet Dench, executive director of the non-profit Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR). She’d called Hussain at her Vancouver home to personally deliver the stunning news that the 38-year-old refugee from Sri Lanka had, after years of battling the bureaucracy, won the war with Canadian immigration to bring her oldest son, Akino, to Canada.

Dench’s words sent a wave of shock down Hussain’s spine. She’d been waiting five years to hear them, and had shed too many tears to count.

“At last,” she told herself, “I’m going to have my family again.”

Hussain’s desperate struggle to reunite with her son began almost immediately after she fled to Canada in 2003 to escape a violently abusive marriage in her native Sri Lanka.

“Every day I planned to leave this man or he will kill me,” she said of the seven-year relationship.

In the uncertainty of her move to Canada, Hussain left two children behind — Andrew, then three years old, and Akino, then 10.

It took three painful years of separation to be rejoined with Andrew, who arrived in Vancouver in 2006.

But Akino’s case proved to be much more complicated.

The problem stemmed from her initial interviews with immigration when Hussain failed to mention she had an older son.

That omission triggered a controversial section of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act — sec. 117(9)(d) — that blocks any consideration of future sponsorship of the individual, regardless of the family connection.

According to the federal government, the section is there as a security measure, ensuring each person sponsored is thoroughly evaluated.

But critics, including Dench, say the section disproportionately victimizes children, and should be removed from the act.

“It is something that is causing undue grief and hardship for families,” said Dench.

The reasons behind Hussain’s decision to leave Akino’s name off her immigration application had much to do with cultural pressures and prejudice against mixed-race children and single mothers in her native country.

Akino was a product of Hussain’s brief first marriage to a Chinese citizen in Sri Lanka. The marriage ended in annulment after the man abandoned his family before Akino was born. Hussain later married a Sri Lankan who rejected Akino because of his mixed ethnicity and forced Hussain to hand the boy over to her mother to be raised.

But Hussain said she was also confused by and deeply fearful of immigration bureaucracy. When she later consulted a lawyer about refiling an application to include Akino, she was told it was too late because she hadn’t initially mentioned him to immigration.

It wasn’t until 2005, when Hussain met Miriam Jurigova, a legal adviser with the Vancouver non-profit society MOSAIC, that she found out the legal advice she’d received was not correct.

A loophole of sorts currently exists in the act that allows an application blocked under sec. 117(9)(d) to be re-evaluated on humanitarian and compassionate grounds by overseas officials, in this case members of the Canadian embassy in Sri Lanka.

According to Jurigova, MOSAIC handles dozens of requests for compassionate appeals every year from clients in Vancouver whose families have been separated because of sec. 117(9)(d).

The reasons behind each case vary, but, she said, culture and religion play a large part in the problem.

In some cases, for instance, women are made to feel ashamed for having a baby out of wedlock, only to learn the stigma is not as powerful in Canada, said Jurigova.

In other cases, families are separated by war or famine and believe one of their loved ones is dead, only to find out much later the missing person has been found alive.

Each application represents an enormous workload, and a positive outcome is far from guaranteed. Mountains of paperwork must be filled out, DNA tests and security background checks completed, and affidavits and letters of support gathered and signed.

“The bureaucracy is just amazing,” said Jurigova.

The government says roughly 10,000 compassionate applications are approved annually. But Jurigova said many more are never considered because they are too complex or the evidence too weak.

Regardless, Jurigova said she knew from the outset she would do whatever she could to help Hussain.

“Mira is so emotive, I can really see what an incredible, loving mother she is,” she said.

Hussain also received support from the CCR, which cited her case, along with several others pending before immigration, in a recent news release aimed at drawing attention to the human suffering behind sec. 117(9)(d).

In the release, the CCR also raises concerns over Bill C50, which proposes sweeping changes to the immigration act, including removing whatever safety net the compassionate appeal currently offers.

Last Monday, April 7, immigration authorities finally announced a decision: after two years of churning through the system, Akino would finally get his visa. The 16-year-old is scheduled to arrive in Vancouver on Saturday.

Hussain — who is now happily remarried and has added eight-month-old son Aaron to the family — is overjoyed at the prospect of bringing her oldest boy home, at last.

But she remains mindful of how many other families like hers are still waiting for their own happy ending.

“I want to cry,” she said, “for every mother who is crying for her child.”

Help us all in our respective places to seek justice, to cultivate rightousness, and to walk humbly before You. Remove all pride from our hearts. Give us understanding minds so that, regardless of race or nationality, color or station in life, we may realize that we are all of the same flesh and blood, Your common creation.

Restrain the efforts of those who would sow seeds of hatred and ill will among nations. Bless all efforts for peace. Direct the course of this world that Thy Will Be Done and Thy Kingdom Come. Cause quiet and order to prevail everywhere, that the message of Your Gospel may without any obstacle or hinderance be carried to the far corners of the earth; for the sake of Him who died and rose again that we might live forever. Amen.

 (copyright 1980 Concordia Publishing Hourse)

FRANK JORDANS

Associated Press

April 8, 2008 at 11:54 AM EDT

GENEVA — Internet search giant Google Inc. unveiled a new feature
Tuesday for its popular mapping programs that shines a spotlight on the
movement of refugees around the world.

The maps will aid humanitarian operations as well as help inform the
public about the millions who have fled their homes because of violence
or hardship, according to the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for
Refugees, which is working with Google on the project.

“All of the things that we do for refugees in the refugee camps around
the world will become more visible,” U.N. Deputy High Commissioner for
Refugees L. Craig Johnstone said at the launch in Geneva.

Users can download Google Earth software to see satellite images of
refugee hot spots such as Darfur, Iraq and Colombia. Information
provided by the U.N. refugee agency explains where the refugees have
come from and what problems they face.

Although not all parts of the world are displayed at the same high
resolution, the Mountain View, Calif.-based company has made an effort
to allow users to zoom in closely on refugee camps.

In the Djabal refugee camp in eastern Chad, which is home to refugees
from the conflict in neighbouring Darfur, Google Earth users can see
individual tents clustered together amid a sparse landscape, and learn
about the difficulty of providing water to some 15,000 people.

Google says more than 350 million people have already downloaded Google
Earth. The software was launched three years ago and originally intended
for highly realistic video games, but its use by rescuers during
Hurricane Katrina led the company to reach out to governments and
nonprofit organizations.

Google Earth has since teamed up with dozens of nonprofit groups seeking
to raise awareness, recruit volunteers and encourage donations.

Among them are the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the U.N.
Environmental Program and the Jane Goodall Institute.

“Google wants to organize the world’s information and make it
universally accessible and useful,” said Samuel Widmann, the head of
Google Earth Europe.

The company estimates that 80 per cent of the world’s information can be
plotted on a map in some way.

Rebecca Moore, who heads the Google Earth Outreach program for nonprofit
groups, said the company does not control the information published
using the software.

Google is considering offering a stand-alone version of its mapping
software that can be used by aid workers in the field who do not have an
Internet connection on hand, she said.

Google said it will also provide nonprofit groups in several countries
with training and free copies of its $400 professional mapping software,
an offer it plans to roll out across the globe over time.

• 10 reasons to be concerned about proposed amendments to Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) in Bill C-50 (CCR)

Give the teachers and staff in our school a deep insight into Your saving world, and make them effective witnesses for You, convincing teachers of Your Word, and wise counselors to the newcomers. May their testmony and teaching bring peace and comfort to countless hearts. May their example strengthen the students in their determination to place themselves in Your service. Increase the number of our classes and programs, and make them an ever greater power in the building of Your Kingdom!

Help students, teachers, volunteers, and professionals to see all knowledge in relation to You. Grant that they may use their knowledge in developing the resources of the earth according to Your will and for the benefit of all people. Give us all the ture wisdom which finds its joy in You and in the salvation which we have through our Savior and Lord–Jesus Christ. Amen!

 Flyer (click to enlarge)

 Q & A (click to enlarge)

Working with immigrants and refugees over the past four years has taught me so much. I am humbled when I think about all I take for granted about being born a Canadian. And I am in awe of the courage and determination of these men, women and young people who brave so many obstacles, some of them life-threatening, for the chance of a new life in Canada.

I am proud to be a citizen of a Country that welcomes newcomers and works to help them find safety and a healthy lifestyle. Oh, yes, we still have our challenges—it takes far too long to process refugee sponsorship, and to reunite family members. Lack of foreign credential recognition continues to be a serious issues for many immigrants.

Yet, despite the problems and frustrations, what I hear more often than anything from these newcomers is overwhelming thankfulness. The things we take for granted—free speech, safe streets, plenty of food, the opportunity for good education—are seen as by our newcomers as tremendous gifts. They are so grateful just to be here in a free country.

Let me share a couple of examples with you:
Zainab and her husband Abdul came to Canada with their daughter Ghofran to seek protection. To reach Canada, they made the very difficult decision of leaving their 3 other minor-aged children with relatives in Iraq. The whole family was reunited in the Summer of 2007 with much joy and thanks to God for His protection.

At Christmas, the kindergarten students at Nelson Mandela school made blankets for us to give to people who were less fortunate. We immediately thought of Zainab and her family. From this gentle lady resonates an aura of joy and thankfulness—to Canada, for bringing her family back together again, to Immigrant & Refugee Services for their assistance, and to the children of Nelson Mandela School, for their very tangible sign of a warm welcome to her new country.

Also at Christmas, IRS and Corps 614 partnered together to hold a Christmas in Canada dinner. Guest hosts provided turkeys with all the trimmings, table decorations, and warmth of spirit, as over 100 newcomers enjoyed a traditional first Christmas in Canada with their new ‘friends’ . The food and customs might have been unfamiliar, and that jolly fat man in the red suit might have scared a few of the children, but overall, there was once again this atmosphere of gratitude. The newcomer guests truly appreciated the loving effort that went into the evening and new friendships were made that day.

And last, but definitely not least, there is “ Eva”. Eva worked with our Settlement Counselor, Florence Gruer, over a period of several months, as she and her daughter prepared for their Refugee Board hearing. When a favourable decision was rendered in September, 2007, Eva wanted to express her gratitude to everyone who was involved in the process. Here are some excerpts of the letter she wrote to Prime Minister Stephen Harper:

“ I address you through this humble letter to thank you for the favourable decision received by my daughter and myself regarding our request for protection made at the Immigration office of this city in September 2005.