Happy Canada Day

From Wikipedia:

Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada), formerly Dominion Day (French: Le Jour de la Confédération), is Canada's national day, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act (today called the Constitution Act, 1867), which united two British colonies and a province of the British Empire into a single country called Canada. Canada Day observances take place throughout Canada as well as internationally.

I'll be in the Southwest U.S. What are your plans for the holiday?

The road so far

For those of you who follow this blog, you may be wondering where my personal immigration story stands at this point. It's been a long road for sure for my love and I. We applied at the end of 2007 for this latest round attempting to gain my permanent residence in the family class. We are conjugal partners. This was our first hurdle: that CIC would agree we were a legitimate applicant under this classification. It's been a big one. So, after a couple years in the black hole, we finally got an interview this spring in Buffalo - which we think went well. I took 35 pounds of materials proving every aspect of our relationship to be legitimate: pictures, phone records, travel receipts, photos galore, wills, you name it. Now we are back waiting with no end in sight for a decision on our application. We've done everything we can. We think we are close, but it is a journey with nothing but twists and turns: we still can't see the end of the road.

But we believe we will be together. Soon? Who knows. But we believe - we believe.

Filipinos now top Canada immigrants

The Vancouver Sun has a week-long feature on Filipino immigrants in Canada. According to the articles, Filipino immigrants have surpassed the Chinese and Indians in terms of immigration.

Read the series here

Toronto lags in immigrant employment opportunity

In a report generated by the Toronto Board of Trade, a Stats Canada study is summarized noting the following facts about the employment prospects for new immigrants:

• The average hourly wage of an immigrant with the same or better qualifications than their Canadian counterpart is 10% lower.
• As of 2008, immigrants aged 25-54 with college degrees earned 20% less than their Canadian-born counterparts (even though on average they were both younger and more educated)
• Research showed that 40% of new immigrants to Canada are forced to make a downward step in their career paths
• Less than half of internationally trained immigrants were working in their field.
• Three times as many individuals (37%) we unemployed or under-employed than those trained in Canada (11%)
• Relative incomes for newcomers are falling
• Chronic low income occurs at a rate 250% higher than in Canadian-born populations

These are sober figures for anyone seeking to immigrate to Canada to pursue a professional career.

Read the full report: "Lifting All Boats: Promoting Social Cohesion and Economic Inclusion in the Toronto Region" here

A few Toronto videos

I got to missing the city today and thought I'd post a few YouTube views of Toronto for you to enjoy.



This is the Gardnier Expressway, heading eastbound into the city (this is the exit I take going home too...)



Biking King and Younge Streets




And finally, some dowtown sights...

Federal reforms to refugee law up in the air

Norma Greenaway, in a Canwest News Service article published on Thursday, June 03, 2010 reports:

"The federal government's push to speed passage of major refugee reform legislation has bumped up against an unexpected wall of Liberal opposition.

"Three days after Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced he had reached a deal with the Liberal party's immigration critic to get the bill through committee, a mini revolt within the Liberal caucus has left the legislation's future in doubt."

Read the article here.

The trouble with visas

Stephen Harper, Canada's Prime Minister

Canada isn't popular these days with some members of the world community. And that fact has a lot to do with how the Tories are handling their immigration policies. Of course its a constant irritant that travelers from Mexico require a visa now to enter a country they were as free as any North Americans to travel to. Now add to it the row over Canadian immigration officials in India denying visas to an individual who served in India's border security force - based on the official's belief that it was a "notoriously violent” paramilitary unit.

The Canadian immigration and visa processes are notorious themselves - black holes where denials are made with the slightest information and where the burden of proof is never upon those who sit in judgement.

These unaccountable bureaucrats are soiling Canada's reputation. You want immigration reform, Mr. Harper? How about introducing openness and accountability? I seem to recall you were elected based on those principals - but of course, that was before you became Prime Minister.

Canadian holidays - Victoria day

What is Victoria Day? Here's what Wikipedia (paraphrased) has to say:

"Victoria Day (Fête de la Reine) is also known as "May Long Weekend", "May Two-four", "May Long", or "May Run", is a federal holiday celebrated on the last Monday before or on 24 May, in honour of both Queen Victoria's birthday and the current reigning Canadian sovereign's official birthday, and is also considered an informal mark of the beginning of the summer season. It has been observed since before Canada was formed, originally falling on the sovereign's actual birthday, and continues to be celebrated in various fashions across the country on the fixed date of the first Monday on or before 24 May. Royal Salutes, or 21-gun salutes, are fired in each provincial capital and in the national capital at noon on Victoria Day to mark the Sovereign's Birthday. However, since the Quiet Revolution in Quebec, the same day was unofficially known in the province as Fête de Dollard until 2003, when provincial legislation officially named the same date as Victoria Day the National Patriots' Day."

Q: Why so few posts lately?

A: Stanley Cup Playoffs and The Montreal Canadiens!

I'll get back to posts soon - thanks for your patience : )

Minnesota proposes anti-immigration bill targeting...Canada

"Last week, Minnesota Republicans announced they wanted to introduce an anti-immigration bill, similar to that passed by Arizona.

"We have an illegal immigration problem here in Minnesota," the bill's sponsor Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa) explained to Politics in Minnesota. "We've had it for years."

"Finally. Unlike with Arizona, this bill is something I can fully applaud. There are an estimated 100,000 illegal immigrants in Minnesota, at least according to crack Republican estimators. And like Arizona, Minnesota has illegal immigrants pouring into the state because it also shares borders with another country. Unlike Arizona, however, that country is Canada."

Read the entire article here (by the way - it's satire...).