JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER.
1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
WORLD POWERS IN THE LAST DAYS (END OF AGE OF GRACE NOT THE WORLD)
EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18
WORLD TERRORISM
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her,(HAGAR) Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(FATHER OF THE ARAB/MUSLIMS) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he (ISHMAEL-FATHER OF THE ARAB-MUSLIMS) will be a wild (DONKEY-JACKASS) man;(ISLAM IS A FAKE AND DANGEROUS SEX FOR MURDER CULT) his hand will be against every man,(ISLAM HATES EVERYONE) and every man's hand against him;(PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM BEING BEHEADED) and he (ISHMAEL ARAB/MUSLIM) shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.(LITERAL-THE ARABS LIVE WITH THEIR BRETHERN JEWS)
ISAIAH 14:12-14
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,(SATAN) son of the morning!(HEBREW-CRECENT MOON-ISLAM) how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I (SATAN HAS EYE TROUBLES) will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.(AND 1/3RD OF THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN FELL WITH SATAN AND BECAME DEMONS)
JOHN 16:2
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.(ISLAM MURDERS IN THE NAME OF MOON GOD ALLAH OF ISLAM)
STEALTH INVASION-MUSLIM JIHAD THREW MIGRATION TO WESTERN COUNTRIES
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/understanding-the-times/listen/must-we-love-our-neighbors-if-they-are-terrorists-583289.html
EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18
WORLD TERRORISM
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her,(HAGAR) Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(FATHER OF THE ARAB/MUSLIMS) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he (ISHMAEL-FATHER OF THE ARAB-MUSLIMS) will be a wild (DONKEY-JACKASS) man;(ISLAM IS A FAKE AND DANGEROUS SEX FOR MURDER CULT) his hand will be against every man,(ISLAM HATES EVERYONE) and every man's hand against him;(PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM BEING BEHEADED) and he (ISHMAEL ARAB/MUSLIM) shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.(LITERAL-THE ARABS LIVE WITH THEIR BRETHERN JEWS)
ISAIAH 14:12-14
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,(SATAN) son of the morning!(HEBREW-CRECENT MOON-ISLAM) how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I (SATAN HAS EYE TROUBLES) will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.(AND 1/3RD OF THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN FELL WITH SATAN AND BECAME DEMONS)
JOHN 16:2
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.(ISLAM MURDERS IN THE NAME OF MOON GOD ALLAH OF ISLAM)
STEALTH INVASION-MUSLIM JIHAD THREW MIGRATION TO WESTERN COUNTRIES
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/understanding-the-times/listen/must-we-love-our-neighbors-if-they-are-terrorists-583289.html
BREAST CANCER CALENDARS
SICK KIDS CALENDARS
https://sickkidslottery.ca/calendarapr2017/
I SEEN THE CALENDAR BUYING COMMERCIALS ON TV. SO I DECIDED TO PHONE THE BREAST CANCER CALENDAR AND THE SICK KIDS CALENDAR TO SEE HOW MUCH PERCENTAGE OF EACH CALENDAR ACTUALLY GOES TO THE HOSPITALS. SO I PHONED AND THE BREAST CANCER GIVES 75% OF EACH CALENDAR TO THE HOSPITAL. AND THE SICK KIDS GIVE ALL OF CALENDAR MONEY TO THE HOSPITAL. THEY CLAIM. I SAID TO BOTH CALENDARS. HOW DO YOU COVER ALL THE PRIZES IF 75% AND ALL PROCEEDS GO TO THE HOSPITAL. BREAST CANCER NEVER GAVE ME AN ANSWER. AND SICK KIDS SAID. THE SICK KIDS FOUNDATION PAYS OUT ALL THE CASH PRIZES. BUT I SAY. SO SICK KIDS FOUNDATION. GETS DONATIONS TO PAY OUT THE PRIZES ON THE CALENDARS. INSTEAD OF DONATIONS GOING TO THE SICK KIDS HOSPITAL. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE PEOPLE. YOUR DONATIONS PAYS THE PRIZES OUT ON THE CALENDARS. THE SICK KIDS GET VERY LITTLE OF THE DONATIONS YOU GIVE OVIOUSLY. BUT THIS IS NOT THE WORST OF THE CALENDARS CHEAPNESS. I PHONED SICK KIDS TWICE. AND THE BREAST CANCER CALENDAR 3 TIMES. GUESS WHO ANSWERED THE PHONES ALL 5 TIMES. MUSLIMS. NOT ONE CANADIAN OR AMERICAN ANSWERED MY CALLS. ALL MUSLIMS. I NEVER ASKED THE SICK KIDS CALENDAR HOW MANY MUSLIMS ANSWER THEIR PHONES. BUT THE LAST TIME I PHONED THE BREAST CANCER CALENDAR. I ASKED THE MUSLIM THAT ANSWERED. I SAID HOW DOES THIS WORK. DO THESE CALENDAR COMPANIES HIRE ALL MUSLIMS TO ANSWER THEIR PHONES. THIS MUSLIM SAID. NO WE WORK OUT OF A TORONTO OFFICE-WE MUSLIMS. I SAID IS IT JUST MUSLIMS THAT ANSWER THE PHONES AND GET OUR WESTERNERS NAMES AND INFORMATION. HE CLAIMS NO. ALL CULTURES AND RELIGIONS WORK FROM THE TORONTO OFFICE. I TOLD HIM. THEN WHY WHEN I PHONED THE 5 TIMES. ONLY WHAT SOUNDED LIKE PAKISTANY MUSLIMS ANSWERED ALL THE TIME. HE INSISTED ONCE AGAIN. ALL CULTURES WORK THERE. I SAY BULL. ALL THESE CANADIAN COMPANIES. HIRE ONLY MUSLIMS. BECAUSE THEY WORK CHEAP. THEY WORK UNDER THE TABLE. BECAUSE THEY STEAL CANADIANS PHONE JOBS. WHEN THEY SNEAK INTO CANADA ILLEGALLY. AND THE CANADIAN COMPANIES. GET KICK BACKS AND EXTRA MONEY TO HIRE MUSLIMS TO ANSWER THE PHONES. SO THEY HAVE JOBS-THEY STEAL FROM CANADIANS. THAT ARE ON WELFARE. BECAUSE THEY CAN NOT GET PHONE JOBS. THAT THE MUSLIMS STEAL ON US. THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER START BANNING MUSLIMS FROM PHONE JOBS. AND START HIRING CANADIANS THAT AT LEAST CAN SPEAK ENGLISH. AND BESIDES. WITH ALL THESE MUSLIMS GETTING PERSONAL INFORMATION FROM CANADIANS. THEY CAN STEAL ALL OUR INFO. AND GIVE IT TO MUSLIM CRIMINALS. WHO IN TURN. CAN STEAL OUR BANK ACCOUNTS. PERSONAL IDENTITIES. AND GET CREDIT CARDS IN DIFFERENT NAMES. AND SCAM CANADIANS BIGTIME. BY GETTING CANADIANS IN TROUBLE. WHILE MUSLIMS IN CANADA. CAN GIVE MONEY TO THEIR TERRORIST BUDDIES BACK IN THEIR MUSLIM COUNTRIES. TO COME TO CANADA. AND DO TERRORIST ATTACKS ON CANADIANS. THE ALT LEFT LIBERAL MIXED BAG OF NUT JOBS. DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEIR GETTING INTO-BY SUCK HOLING UP TO ISLAM. AND FLOODING OUR COUNTRIES WITH MALE MUSLIMS. AND HIRING THEM TO EVERY PHONE CENTER POSSIBLE. THIS IS JUST ASKING FOR MUSLIMS TO OVER RUN CANADA IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE. THE WESTERN COUNTRIES BETTER SMARTEN UP AND BAN ALL MUSLIM MALES 6 YEARS OLD OR OVER FROM COMING TO OUR COUNTRIES. THE WESTERN COUNTRIES MUST ONLY ALLOW WOMEN AND GIRL MUSLIMS INTO OUR COUNTRIES. EXCEPTIONS ARE ISRAELIS. ANY ISRAELI SHOULD BE ALLOWED IN CANADA. BUT ALL MALES OF ANY OTHER MIGRANTS. SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN CANADA. ONLY WOMEN AND GIRLS.
ITS NO ACCIDENT THAT LONDON AND TORONTO ONTARIO-MONTREAL QUEBEC AND 1 OTHER CANADIAN CITY (MOST LIKELY B.C SOMEWHERE) ARE NOW OFFICIALLY SANCTUARY CITIES. THEY GET MOST OF THE MUSLIMS THAT FLOOD TO CANADA. WHICH MEANS ILLEGALS WILL BE PROTECTED IN THESE CITIES FROM GOING TO JAIL FOR ENTERING THESE CITIES ILLEGALLY. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-402-x/2012000/chap/imm/imm02-eng.htm
Montreal becomes sanctuary city- Sidhartha Banerjee, THE CANADIAN PRESS-TORONTO SUN-Updated: Tuesday, February 21, 2017 07:17 AM EST
Montreal city council passed a motion Monday making it the latest Canadian jurisdiction to declare itself a “sanctuary city” for non-status immigrants.The designation means undocumented refugees will have full access to local services regardless of their situation, with the city following in the footsteps of Toronto, Hamilton and London, Ont.Mayor Denis Coderre told reporters he felt compelled to act because of events south of the border.“One of the reasons I’ve done that is clearly because of what’s happening in the United States and what I’m witnessing in Europe,” Coderre said.In recent weeks, more and more people have flowed illegally across the U.S. border into Canada as President Donald Trump cracks down on illegal immigration and imposes new restrictions on refugees.Canada Border Services Agency says 452 people filed a claim for refugee asylum at Quebec-U.S. land border crossings in January.Given that current context, several Canadian cities have expressed interest in adopting similar motions, including Ottawa, Saskatoon and Regina.Toronto became Canada’s first sanctuary city in 2013.Coderre, a former federal immigration minister, assured the measures will go beyond symbolism and help those who need it the most.Available services would include access to municipal programs and buildings, including libraries and recreation centres, while Coderre said he wants to discuss major issues such as health, housing and education with provincial and federal authorities.“The bottom line is to integrate them,” he said. “And if you don’t have a criminal case (or pose a security risk), we will normalize your situation. You will be able to remain here.”But some migrant rights’ groups called the measure largely symbolic as Montreal joined other North American cities such as San Francisco, Boston, New York and Chicago as designated sanctuary cities.A number of groups told a news conference a few hours before the motion passed that while the gesture would be in good faith, it wouldn’t provide the tangible changes to make Montreal truly a sanctuary city.“He’s coming from a good place, I’m not going to deny that,” said Jaggi Singh, a spokesman for Solidarity Across Borders. “But it doesn’t go far enough.”Singh said the city should at least ensure that Montreal police and transit officials will not collaborate with Canada Border Services Agency and hand over undocumented migrants.Singh said there are countless instances where an arrest on a minor infraction can lead to deportation, while the representative of a sex-workers’ rights group told the news conference that undocumented women working at massage parlours are routinely handed over to immigration officials.“Honestly, in many ways, having a symbolic motion can be worse than having no motion at all,” said Singh.“What it does is creates a false sense of security and false sense of protection and the moment where the police are deporting people, you destroy any sense of trust.”Coderre said after the motion was adopted the city’s public security committee would study the matter of how police and transit officials deal with the migrants.Opposition Leader Valerie Plante of Projet Montreal said how police work with undocumented people will be key.“I think this is a great decision, but we have to be cautious not to create a false sense of security for those vulnerable people,” she said.
Toronto a 'Sanctuary City'-By Shawn Jeffords, Political Bureau Chief-TORONTO SUN-Updated: Tuesday, January 31, 2017 09:15 PM EST
Toronto remains a “Sanctuary City”, open to immigrants and refugees.City council voted Tuesday to reaffirm the city’s status as a place of safe harbour for illegal immigrants.During a mid-day press conference, Mayor John Tory said the symbolic motion was a direct response to the new immigration policies implemented in the United States and the weekend mosque shooting in Quebec City.“Here we are today to denounce all acts of Islamophobia, of discrimination, of fear, and of hatred,” Tory said. “We’re here to re-commit our city as a place of inclusion, and acceptance where people are welcomed and valued and were fundamental rights and humanity are respected and enshrined.”A “Sanctuary City” by definition shelters and does not prosecute illegal immigrants. Toronto became adopted that status in 2014.Councillor Joe Cressy slammed U.S. President Donald Trump during his remarks, saying Toronto should work with other American Sanctuary Cities opposing the new regulations. “What the Trump administration has done cannot go unchallenged,” Cressy said. “No one should be made to feel afraid because of who they are, where they come from and what they believe.”
UPDATE-FEBRUARY 26,2017-01:00PM
DONALD TRUMP IS SMART IN AMERICA. BY GETTING RID OF ALL THE MUSLIM LEFT OVERS FROM THE FAKE FRAUD MUSLIM OBAMAS ADMINISTRATION. AND INSERTING CHRISTIANS AS REPLACEMENTS. BUT OVER HERE IN CANADA. PRETTY BOY-SELFIE EXPERT ALT LEFT LIBERAL MIXED BAG OF EVERY THING PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU. FILLED HIS CABINET WITH MUSLIMS AND SIKHS. AND NOW THE SO CALLED NEW DEMOCRATS MIXED BAG OF EVERY THING IN CANADA WANNA HIRE A SIKH OR A MUSLIM AS THEIR LEADER OF THE PARTY. WITH MUSLIMS AND SIKHS DOMINATING 2 OF THE 3 LIBERAL MIXED BAG OF EVERY THING PARTIES. WE SURE WILL BE SEEING A MUSLIM-SIKH FLOOD OF MIGRANTS TO CANADA TO SHOW HOW INCLUSIVE AND TOLERANT THE LIBERAL-DEMOCRATS ARE WHILE LEADING THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT. WE MIGHT AS WELL JUST SAY NOW. WITH IN 2 YEARS. CANADA WILL BE A 53RD MUSLIM COUNTRY CALLED CANADASTAN. OH CANADIANS JUST KEEP YOUR HEADS IN THE SAND SAY THE MUSLIM SUCK UP LIBERAL-DEMOCRATS. PAY YOUR $2,000 DOLLARS A YEAR IN THE CARBON TAX SCAM ON EVERY THING. BECAUSE ITS FOR THE GOOD OF THE EARTH. THE GOOD OF THE CHILDREN AND GRAND CHILDREN. AND OF COURSE WE CAN FLOOD CANADA WITH MUSLIMS AND SIKHS. AND GIVE THEM FREE HOMES-JOBS AND WHATEVER THEY WANT. JUST BY PAYING YOUR CARBON TAXES TO US TOLERANT-INCLUSIVE ALT LEFT LIBERAL-DEMOCRAT-PROGRESSIVE MIXED BAG OF EVERY THING THATS AGAINST MORALS. IF ITS A SIN-WE ALT LEFT WANT IT LEGALIZED AS LAW AND RIGHTS FOR THE ALT LEFT PEOPLE. OF CANADA AND THE WORLD.
Immigrants could be 30% of population within 20 years-The Canadian Press-TORONTO SUN-Updated: Wednesday, January 25, 2017 08:33 PM EST
OTTAWA - A new Statistics Canada survey says almost half the country’s population could be an immigrant or the child of an immigrant within the next 20 years.It suggests the proportion of immigrants in Canada’s population could reach 30 per cent in 2036 — compared to 20.7 per cent in 2011 — and a further 20 per cent of the population would be the child of an immigrant, up from the 17.5 per cent recorded in 2011.The numbers released Wednesday are a far cry from the country’s first census of the population in 1871 — four years after Confederation — when 16.1 per cent of the 3.7 million people in Canada were born abroad, with Britain, the United States and Germany as the most likely countries of origin.The population projections show immigration will alter the country’s cultural landscape under all scenarios Statistics Canada explored as part of an ongoing project to map out Canada’s future as the nation turns 150 years old.The upward trend in the number of immigrants to Canada would also have an effect on the languages spoken at home.In Quebec, the percentage of people who claim French as their mother tongue is expected to drop to between 69 and 72 per cent in 2036, down from 79 per cent in 2011.Across Canada, the percentage of francophones is also expected to drop to between 17 and 18 per cent from 21.3 per cent in 2011.In Quebec, while the overall number of people who speak French at home — even if it isn’t their mother tongue — is expected to grow, their share as a percentage of the population will fall to about 75 per cent from 81.6 per cent.The share of those who speak English at home in Quebec, on the other hand, will rise three or four points to the 16 or 17 per cent range — due in part to the tendency of new immigrants to favour English over French when choosing a new language.Up to 30 per cent of Canadians in 2036 could have a mother tongue that is neither English nor French, a potential jump of 10 points from 2011.Researchers concluded more than half of the country’s immigrants will be of Asian origin within the next two decades, with a corresponding decline in the number of European immigrants.Visible minority populations would make up a growing percentage of the working age population, defined as people between the ages of 15 and 64, potentially doubling their share to 40 per cent of the age cohort, up from the almost 20 per in 2011.The projections also suggest that by 2036, between 13 and 16 per cent of the population would be people from a non-Christian religion, up from the nine per cent recorded in 2011. Within this group, Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs would see their numbers grow most quickly.
Winnipeg chapter calls on city council to support sanctuary city designation-February 3, 2017 - 6:10pm-THE COUNCIL OF CANADIANS
The Council of Canadians Winnipeg chapter along with Prairies-NWT organizer Brigette DePape attended a #NoBanNoWall protest today.The Canadian Press reports, "Several dozen protesters braved the Winnipeg cold to push city council to declare the city a sanctuary for undocumented migrants. One rally organizer, Hazim Ismail, says Winnipeg should follow in the steps of cities such as Toronto, which declared itself a sanctuary city in 2013. He says the declaration would help ensure programs helping refugee claimants and other are maintained, and provide a safer environment for undocumented migrants. Speakers at the rally say Canada needs to offer more help after moves by the United States to ban refugees from seven predominantly Muslim countries."The CBC adds, "Sanctuary status ensures residents with no documentation status have the same rights to city services as everyone else. The group No One is Illegal–Winnipeg is hosting a 'No Ban, No Wall' march Friday in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's temporary ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries entering the U.S. Last spring, Vancouver city council unanimously approved an Access Without Fear policy that entitles undocumented immigrants to access health care and other municipal services without fear of being deported."The Council of Canadians supports the sanctuary city movement.We celebrated when Toronto moved towards becoming a sanctuary city in February 2013 and when Hamilton became a sanctuary city in February 2014.In September 2016, CNN reported, "Donald Trump vowed in a signature speech on immigration to dismantle so-called sanctuary cities, which he blamed for harboring dangerous immigrants who commit crimes against Americans. The sanctuary movement is said to have grown out of efforts by churches in the 1980s to provide sanctuary to Central Americans fleeing violence at home amid reluctance by the federal government to grant them refugee status."Earlier this week, Forbes reported, "On January 25th, President Trump signed an executive order stating that so-called 'sanctuary cities'--or cities where local government officials choose not to cooperate with federal deportation agents--would lose federal funding. Trump’s executive order says the federal government 'shall ensure that jurisdictions that willfully refuse to comply with 8 U.S.C. 1373 (sanctuary jurisdictions) are not eligible to receive Federal grants'. This 1373 code prevents local officials from withholding someone’s immigration status from federal agents."But that article highlights, "Now San Francisco has struck back, with a lawsuit titled City and County of San Francisco v. Donald J. Trump. The lawsuit was filed by city attorney Dennis Herrera and announced on Twitter late last night by Mayor Ed Lee. It seeks protection from a federal government that the plaintiff claims is violating the 10th amendment. 'In blatant disregard of the law', it reads, 'the President of the United States seeks to coerce local authorities into abandoning what are known as Sanctuary City laws and policies...This strikes at the heart of established principles of federalism'."The Council of Canadians encourages Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman and City Council to support Winnipeg becoming a sanctuary city.We also call on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to reject Trump's ban that prohibits people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States, for the Minister of Immigration to present a plan in the House of Commons on how to address this situation, and for the federal government to immediately rescind the Safe Third Country agreement with the United States.#NoBanNoWall #RefugeesWelcome.
Steeltown sanctuary: Hamilton is among the few ‘sanctuary cities’ in Canada-Donald Trump's crackdown on undocumented immigrants in the U.S. means Hamilton and just a few other Canadian municipalities with “sanctuary city” policies will be beacons of hope for people fleeing their homelands-FEB 24,17-HAMILTON SPECTATOR-Hamilton Spectator By Jon Wells
It was just three years ago, but in some ways it was another world.The vote at Hamilton City Hall came before savage terrorist attacks in France, before Canada accepted refugees from wartorn Syria, and 16 months before reality TV show character Donald Trump declared his candidacy for president.Feb. 12, 2014 was when Hamilton was dubbed a sanctuary city, following a council vote that meant it would be the second Canadian city to declare it would provide to refugees services such as emergency shelters, recreation, public transit, libraries, food banks, and police and fire services without asking questions about their status.“That’s how we started (at the immigrants centre) because of that need 30 years ago, for people asking for protection.”Ines Rios-Director, Immigrants Working Centre-“We want to embrace people who come here to make a new life.”Fred Eisenberger-Hamilton mayor-“We will continue to provide policing services to all members of our community regardless of status.”Hamilton Police Service-It's an open question if the measure — which did not use the phrase "sanctuary city" but rather "Access to Services for Undocumented Individuals" — has carried much weight.[ A helping hand for asylum seekers ]-But for those people in recent weeks who have been making potentially dangerous breaks for freedom at the Canadian border, any city declaring itself a sanctuary represents life-saving refuge in the age of Trump — even if such idealism may ultimately be misplaced.Hamilton Councillor Jason Farr says the sanctuary city policy has not been simply a motherhood statement, and the proof is in how effectively Hamilton has welcomed Syrian refugees (1,491 to date).But Coun. Donna Skelly, who was not on council back then, counters it "has no teeth" because immigration is an issue for senior levels of government."It's a wonderful message to say 'we welcome you' but it has zero clout," she said. "This is an issue the feds and province will need to address, because that's where serious change can be made."The vote in 2014 came after lobbying from a local citizen's group, the Hamilton Sanctuary City Coalition, in light of federal immigration policy that led to deportations of migrant workers living here without legal status.But the issue of undocumented immigrants and refugees has since taken on new dimensions, with the massive displacement of people from civil war in Syria and Iraq: 65 million in 2015 alone, according to the United Nations; by comparison about 60 million were displaced after the Second World War.Add to that equation the rise of Trump-fuelled nationalism and calls for tightening borders in the U.S. and Europe, and there seems potential for new waves of refugees to filter to cities that have declared themselves sanctuaries — like Hamilton and Toronto, and more recently Montreal and London, Ont.In a sense, while the scale may yet prove to be unprecedented, this is nothing new for Hamilton, a diverse border town with a big-hearted tradition.In the late 1970s, local churches took up the cause of accepting and protecting refugees from the Vietnam War, and then again in the 1980s for those who fled the devastation of war in Central America.In the new post-Cold War world of the 1990s, Hamilton took in refugees from war in Kosovo and Bosnia when the former Yugoslavia disintegrated.The late 1980s was when Ines Rios started her work in Hamilton as director of what is now called the Immigrants Working Centre, helping settle refugees from El Salvador and Nicaragua.She says refugees finding their way in a strange city are hesitant to seek basic city services for fear of being asked about their undocumented status. They feel marginalized, she says, and may go into hiding or even turn to crime because of the perceived need to survive.Rios isn't sure how much tangible impact the local sanctuary-city policy has had to date, but suggests the current immigration climate may put it to the test."We started (at the centre) because of that need 30 years ago, for people asking for protection," she said. "We responded well that time, we will respond this time as well."Some who lobbied Hamilton councillors three years ago to declare a sanctuary city believe the designation has accomplished little.Blake McCall, a resident who spoke at council on the issue, says the city has failed to live up to the intent of the policy, suggesting few resources have been allocated toward implementing it, such as training staff on how to deal with refugees, or lobbying senior levels of government to get involved in areas such as health care and education, where the city has no jurisdiction.Cities are a start, McCall suggested, but what he thinks is needed is for Ontario to become "a sanctuary province."On that note, Mayor Fred Eisenberger says he plans to raise the issue of education access for undocumented residents with the school board."We want to embrace people who come here to make a new life," he said, conceding the city can only speak for services provided locally."I'm happy that Hamilton is a sanctuary city, and proud to say it loud and clear."Toronto's city council reaffirmed its status as a sanctuary city last month. But a recent story in the Toronto Star quoted a refugee settlement official calling the designation "a joke," in part because members of the Toronto Police Service have in certain cases passed along information about undocumented refugees to the Canadian Border Services Agency.Hamilton Police Service, for its part, told The Spectator through a spokesperson that officers "subscribe to the letter and spirit of the (sanctuary city) policy" and a resident's status would never be "an impediment to service delivery in any way from a policing perspective … We will continue to provide policing services to all members of our community regardless of status."The notion of a sanctuary city goes back to ancient times, when cities were designated as places of asylum for those accused of accidental manslaughter.The term came into the modern lexicon in North America in the 1970s when Los Angeles passed sanctuary-city legislation. Today there are more than 30 such cities in the U.S.But in recent years the concept has come under fire from immigration hawks in the U.S., the connection between crime and "illegals" the rallying cry for Trump and many of his supporters. (Trump has threatened to withdraw federal funding to sanctuary cities like Chicago.) Trump features prominently on the home page of a Texas-based advocacy group in the U.S. called the Remembrance Project, which supports families "whose loved ones were killed by illegal aliens" and calls this violence an "epidemic across the country."Eisenberger accuses the new president of stoking fear in North America and around the world: "It is irrational fear, but then that is sometimes what fear is."Henry Giroux, who was born in the U.S., teaches cultural studies at McMaster University, and is author of "America at War with Itself," rains rhetorical fire upon Trump for his immigration policies. And he suggests the concept of sanctuary should be radically expanded.Institutions such as schools, universities, churches, synagogues and mosques should take on the role of "democracies in exile," supporting undocumented immigrants and helping teach what democracy is about.He loves Hamilton for its official position on the issue, and says sanctuary is "a metaphor for taking seriously what it means for society to never be 'just' enough … We won't organize around shared fears, but around shared responsibilities."But the apparent popularity of Trumpism in the U.S. and beyond suggests there is extreme polarization on the emotionally-charged, complex issue: the viewpoint of the mayor or Giroux is either enlightened compassion, or blindness to dangerous realities.In the end, the gulf between the two sides perhaps represents fundamentally different perspectives on human nature and civic duty.One such perspective appears on a plaque at one of the most popular tourist attractions in New York City.The poem was penned in 1883, called The New Colossus, by Emma Lazarus.Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand-A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame-Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name-Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand …Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free-The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.Depending on your point of view, the words on the plaque at the Statue of Liberty, which sits 30 kilometres from where Donald John Trump was born, represent a sacred commitment, with all the implications therein.Or they are just words.
Chris Selley: As Trump’s refugees stream into Canada, will our immigration policies hold up? Chris Selley Last Updated: Feb 19 5:14 PM ET-NATIONAL POST
It’s a phenomenon that has splintered the European Union, animated a surge in far-right politics across that continent and put German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s professional future at considerable risk: the uncontrolled flow of asylum-seekers from Middle Eastern and African nations. And for the first time in many years, Canadians are confronting it as well: last week, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reported more than 400 people had illegally crossed the 49th parallel from North Dakota into Manitoba this fiscal year. With six weeks left to go in the year, that’s almost five times as many as crossed three years ago. In January alone, the RCMP reports 452 asylum claims were made at the border in Quebec, more than three times the year before.Canadians do not seem particularly alarmed by this, and for good reason: the numbers are relatively small; the crossers are happy to report themselves to authorities; and the fact is, there’s not a hell of a lot we can do about it. On Thursday, La Presse reported the nearly comical scene of RCMP officers shouting at Omar, a 31-year-old Yemeni, that it was illegal for him to cross the border. Over he went, into handcuffs and the Canadian refugee determination process.“We have virtually no resources at the border,” says Christian Leuprecht, a political science professor at Royal Military College and Queen’s University. “The way (the Mounties) respond is when the Americans tip them off.” And, in any event, he says, “once someone reaches the border it’s too late (to stop them),” even if we wanted to. Anyone who can plant his feet on Canadian soil is entitled to make a claim for asylum.Many have attributed this phenomenon to President Trump’s executive orders suspending refugee claims and barring citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries. It’s important to recognize this isn’t a brand new situation: people have always walked across the border and claimed asylum, and, in fact, numbers have been trending up for two years. After all, the UN Refugee Agency says there are more displaced people today than at any point in history.But the current Trump-related surge is real, and there is little reason to expect it to subside. This is all happening in the dead of winter, as NDP leader Thomas Mulcair told reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday. “As the weather warms up … we’re going to face a situation that we’ve never seen before,” he predicted. And there is reason to worry Canada might not be adequately resourced if that should come to pass.We are talking, after all, about an awful lot of potential border-crossers — perhaps 11 million people are in the U.S. illegally. There are people, like Omar, who claim they always intended to come to Canada. “I spent several years in Saudi Arabia, but you will never get legal status there,” he told La Presse. “It’s impossible to make a living.” (He will have to prove a fear of persecution in Yemen, not just of penury, to gain refugee status.)-There are people who hoped to claim asylum in the United States, but now have doubts. Winnipeg refugee lawyer David Matas says he has several Somali clients in that situation.“There are many Latin Americans in the United States who fear return to their home country,” says Laura Best, an immigration lawyer in Vancouver. “I think it is quite likely that we’ll be seeing more of those as the crackdown on deportations heats up.”And then there are the millions of undocumented workers from Mexico and Central America — economic migrants who are suddenly living in an even more fearful and less certain climate. President Obama deported some 2.5 million illegal immigrants, more than any of his predecessors. But Trump has vowed to deport more than that, and faster, and he clearly relishes the thought.U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) isn’t just rounding up non-violent criminals anymore. Guadalupe GarcĂa de Rayos, mother of two American-born children, pleaded guilty nearly 10 years ago for working under a fake ID — a lowest-level felony. When she dutifully showed up for her twice-annual check-in with ICE last week in Phoenix, she was detained and ordered deported, according to a report in the Washington Post. NPR reported last week about a Denver woman, Jeannette Vizguerra, in a nearly identical situation, who took sanctuary at a Unitarian church rather than risk keeping her own ICE appointment. And according to the New York Times, apparently unfounded rumours swirl about random checkpoints and sweeps of parking lots where undocumented day labourers find work.In such an atmosphere, an all-but-entirely undefended border to the north might seem an enticing prospect, even if only for temporary safe harbour. But Douglas Massey, co-director of Princeton University’s Mexican Migration Project, says he expects little proactive migration among undocumented Latin Americans — and mostly southward.“Nearly two-thirds (of undocumented immigrants) have been in the U.S. for at least a decade and a fifth have been present for 20-plus years,” he says. “A large fraction of these people have U.S.-born citizen children. I expect most … will try to remain in place and avoid deportation.”Still, it wouldn’t take a big chunk of them to constitute a significant burden on the Canadian system — one that still struggles to deal with 40,000 hand-chosen Syrian refugees. “I do not yet know of any individuals considering the possibility of seeking asylum in Canada,” says Denise Gilman, director of the immigration clinic at the University of Texas School of Law in Austin, “but it would not surprise me at all.”
IF WE CANADIANS DO NOT STICK TO CANADIAN VALUES. AND ALLOW MUSLIMS TO FLOOD CANADA. OVIOUSLY CANADIANS HEADS WILL BE CHOPPED OFF BY ISLAM. IN THE NAME OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF COURSE. AND ISLAM WILL CONTROL CANADA. THEN SO MUCH FOR CANADIANS FREEDOMS. ITS YOU CONVERT TO ISLAM OR DIE. NO ANDS IFS OR BUTS.
Former religious freedom ambassador warns conservatives that ‘Canadian values’ talk is full of pitfalls-Marie-Danielle Smith | February 25, 2017 2:15 PM ET-NATIONAL POST
OTTAWA — Canada’s former ambassador for religious freedom is warning conservatives about the pitfalls of “Canadian values” talk.At the Manning Centre conference in Ottawa Saturday, Andrew Bennett said “values” language — like that cropping up in the Conservative Party leadership race — must be debunked.“When people bandy about an expression like ‘Canadian values,’ they will ascribe all kinds of different things to that, things that can be contested,” he said.Elaborating on that idea in an interview, Bennett told the National Post Canadians should focus on universal concepts: rule of law, human rights and freedoms. “When you get into the ‘values’ language, it’s fraught with a lot of pitfalls,” he said, and specific “values” beyond those all Canadians can accept shouldn’t be prescribed.Bennett said his views aren’t political and he hasn’t followed the Conservative leadership race closely, but the “values” debate has permeated the contest.Kellie Leitch’s opponents have largely rejected her rhetoric around immigration interviews, and the idea all immigrants should be tested for “Canadian values,” with some accusing her of sowing division and inciting hatred.Leitch has connected such ideas to protecting Canada against terrorism and, specifically, Islamist terrorists, although she has also repeated that she believes hate speech is wrong.Her message resonates with some in the Conservative base who feel their concerns have been muzzled by a Liberal government that preaches inclusivity.In Bennett’s view, “values” talk confuses, however, and religious freedom should be defended. Bennett was ambassador for religions freedom and ran the Office of Religious Freedom within Global Affairs Canada from 2013 until the Liberal government dismantled it about a year ago. Now, he is a senior fellow with Cardus, a faith-based think tank that does work on religious freedom.He expounded on the virtues of plurality to a room of about 70 conference attendees Saturday morning. The talk followed several sessions Friday that had been devoted specifically to the issue of Islamist extremism, part of a weekend agenda largely focused on populist sentiments that led to Brexit and the rise of Donald Trump.“To champion religious freedom is also to implicitly accept that there are those in our common life who will hold and will promote beliefs, theological and philosophical, moral and ethical, that many of us will vehemently reject,” Bennett said. “And that’s OK. It’s OK to oppose. It’s OK to differ.”But “marginalization of people of faith and the beliefs they possess,” he said, “leads to an impoverishment of our public debate.” And, he told the room during a Q&A session, hate speech provisions in the Canadian criminal code are “essential” in cases where any group incites hatred and violence.Moreover, Bennett told the Post, a major lack of understanding about Islam has underpinned recent debate over an anti-Islamophobia motion in the House of Commons.“I think we should absolutely stand against anti-Islamic bias and anti-Islamic statements. And if the House of Commons wants to pass a motion in that regard, that’s great. That’s a good thing. I think it’s also important to recognize that we need to stand up against any type of anti-religious bias,” Bennett said, noting, for example, that anti-semitism persists in Canada.Conservative MPs, including Leitch and most other leadership candidates — Michael Chong going against the grain to vote in favour — have come out against a Liberal MP’s motion condemning Islamophobia (fear of Muslims and their faith, put literally) and calling for a parliamentary committee study. A Conservative version of the motion that included other faiths was defeated by the government last week.Some rhetoric around opposition to the original motion, M-103, includes fears over some kind of universal imposition of “Sharia law” and encroachment of free speech.“I think there’s a general ignorance about what Sharia law is. In Canada, there are many different religious communities that have religious law,” Bennett said, comparing Sharia to Roman Catholic canon law or Jewish Halakha law.“The presence of Muslim communities in this country is a growing fact so we need to be informed. We need to be well-educated,” Bennett said.“We need to be very careful when we start making all sorts of grand statements, and I think we need to do this in a very measured and reasoned fashion.”Email: mdsmith@postmedia.com | Twitter: mariedanielles.
Ethnic diversity and immigration-CANADIAN STATISTICS 2012
Canada welcomed 252,172 immigrants in 2009, up 2.0% from 2008 and up 6.5% from 2007. This is 33% higher than the 189,951 who arrived in 1999.Over the decade, the composition of immigration shifted. Although overall immigrant numbers grew, refugees decreased both as a share of total immigration (from 13% to 9%) and in number (from 24,397 to 22,846). Meanwhile, family reunifications also decreased as a share of total immigration (from 29% to 26%), but increased in number (from 55,274 to 65,206).By contrast, economic immigration grew markedly since 1999, rising from 109,249 to 153,492 immigrants, an increase of 40%. Economic immigrants represented 6 out of 10 immigrants to Canada in 2009.-Most immigrants still choosing the three biggest provinces-In 2009, 3 out of 4 immigrants settled in Canada's three largest provinces—Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. Despite their high levels of immigration in 2009, 2 of the 3 provinces received lower shares of new arrivals than in previous years. Most notably, the share of arriving immigrants in Ontario fell to 42% in 2009, down from almost 55% in 1999.The number of immigrants to British Columbia also declined since the 1990s. While 19% of incoming immigrants settled in British Columbia in 1999, just over 16% did so in 2009.Immigration to Quebec has been proportionally rising since the late 1990s. In 1999, just over 15% of immigrants settled in Quebec, whereas around 20% did in 2009—the highest proportion since 1991.Overall, the proportion of immigrants settling in the three biggest provinces fell significantly from the 1990s. In 1999, nearly 90% of incoming immigrants chose Ontario, British Columbia or Quebec as their destination, compared with 78% in 2009.Just over half of immigrants to Ontario (51%) were admitted under the economic category in 2009, the lowest among the provinces. Larger proportions of immigrants to British Columbia (62%) and Quebec (70%) were in this category.-Atlantic region attracting more immigrants-As the share of immigrants settling in the three biggest provinces has been declining, more and more have been settling in Canada's other regions. In 2009, 2.6% of immigrants landing in Canada chose to make their home in the Atlantic provinces—a relatively low share, but up significantly from 1.4% in 1999.The annual share of immigrants arriving in Newfoundland and Labrador has remained around 0.2% to 0.4% since 1981. The share choosing Nova Scotia has varied somewhat but stayed close to 1.0%: it was 0.9% in 2009, compared with 0.8% in 1999.Notable increases occurred in both Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick in the 2000s. In 2009, Prince Edward Island received 0.7% of all immigrants arriving in Canada, up from 0.1% in 1999. In 2009, 0.8% of immigrants settled in New Brunswick, compared with 0.3% in 1999.As well, both provinces welcomed a much larger share of economic migrants than the national average of 61%. In Prince Edward Island, 91% of immigrants in 2009 were admitted under the economic category. The corresponding figure for New Brunswick was 78%.-Prairies' share of immigrants nearly doubled-The share of immigrants settling in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta rose from 9% in 1999 to 19% in 2009. Each Prairie province also experienced a significant increase in its share of immigrants. Manitoba received 5.4% of immigrants in 2009 (up from 2.0% in 1999) and Saskatchewan welcomed 2.7% (up from 0.9%), while Alberta was the destination for 10.7% (up from 6.4%).As in the Atlantic provinces, the composition of immigrants who arrived in the Prairie provinces differed somewhat from the national average, particularly in the two easternmost provinces. The proportion of immigrants admitted under the economic category was 80% in Saskatchewan and nearly 81% in Manitoba, considerably higher than the 61% national average.In 2009, 16.4% of all immigrants to Canada went to British Columbia, down from 17.8% in 2008. More than three-fifths of immigrants (62.5%) admitted to British Columbia in 2009 entered as economic immigrants while 30.4% entered using the family class. The percentage of refugees (3.9%) was less than half that of Canada overall.http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-402-x/2012000/chap/imm/imm-eng.htm
Refugee haven 'insulted' by suit over alternative schooling-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-February 24, 2017
LANCASTER, Pa. — The handiwork posted outside a small classroom in the heart of Pennsylvania's Amish country hints at the ambition of the refugees studying at Phoenix Academy.I come from Africa and want to be an economist. I come from Tanzania and want to be a teacher. I come from Cuba and want to be an architect. Their favourite subjects are math, English and science.Yet how to help these 17- to 21-year-old high schoolers pursue the American dream — even as the country debates broader immigration issues — is a question dividing advocates in several federal lawsuits.The Lancaster community, steeped in centuries of religious tolerance, runs an "international school" on its main high school campus to help the waves of new arrivals sponsored by local resettlement agencies learn English and adjust to American schools. But the practice of sending the ones who are over 16 and have no school records to Phoenix, an alternative school in a former YMCA across town, has rattled critics who see it as a diploma mill.The school, with uniforms and metal detectors, stresses attendance and behaviour over homework, but gives students who are years behind in school the chance to make up credits quickly and get degrees. About 20 of the school's 350 students are refugees.Civil rights lawyers are fighting such refugee placements in Lancaster; Buffalo, New York; and elsewhere. They call the international program at Lancaster's mainstream McCaskey High School, established about a decade ago, precisely the type of program refugees need to dive in to U.S. schools."Both the city of Lancaster and the school district deserve credit for being a refugee mecca," said Witold "Vic" Walczak, the legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, who argued the case. "The one huge aberration is their treatment of 17- to 21-year olds."U.S. courts have so far agreed, in temporary orders that let six former Phoenix students — from Sudan, Somalia and other troubled countries — enrol at McCaskey last fall. Four are thriving there, while one got a degree at Phoenix before he could switch and the sixth was told he was too old to attend either school, lawyer Kristina Moon, of the Education Law Center, said Friday. The law centre partnered with the ACLU on the suit.The case could go to trial, although court records show the two sides are talking, and a settlement conference is scheduled for April. The case, filed last summer, is now unfolding as the Trump administration tries to roll up the welcome mat for some refugees and immigrants.Superintendent Damaris Rau calls the case demoralizing. She oversees an impoverished district of 11,300 students, 5 per cent of them refugees and 17 per cent immigrants."We feel we are extending ourselves even beyond the call of duty," Rau said. "We feel truly insulted that the ACLU has gone after us."Rau, a Latina from New York, came to Lancaster 18 months ago, lured by the community spirit. The area has long been home to people fleeing persecution, from the Amish and Mennonites who started arriving in the late 1600s to the Bhutanese, Somalis and Syrians who have come in the past decade.Banners around town welcome newcomers in Spanish, English and Arabic. The district partners with community groups to host a health clinic, refugee welcome centre and adult English classes at a middle school, and sends food "power packs" home on weekends to any family in need.Rau believes the older refugees — who may have no formal education, or be married, or need to work — do better in the smaller Phoenix program, with concentrated, semester-long coursework. They don't have enough time to earn degrees at McCaskey before they age out at 21, she said."It doesn't matter if you're from the Congo or the Bronx," she said. "It's for all students who come to us undercredited that we are trying to help graduate."But the Phoenix students who testified for the ACLU said they didn't know enough English to understand their classes. At McCaskey, students learning English take "sheltered" classes with each other for about a year. Both schools also offer intensive English-language classes.Phoenix student Shukuru Amanya, 18, the aspiring teacher, was born in a refugee camp in Tanzania to parents who had fled Congo. She said she attended school there, in French, through 11th grade. Her husband, 20-year-old Patient Inganya, who also spent his life in the camps, said he nearly finished his degree before they came to the U.S. last fall with their 2-year-old daughter.Neither had any school records, so they were placed at Phoenix with no credits."I'm very grateful that I'm in school now," said Amanya, speaking through a Swahili interpreter looped in by phone. "It's important that I learn the language first. ... Then, after that, I want to take my studies all the way to college."Inganya will have to settle for a GED diploma after aging out of Phoenix this year. He works the second shift after school at a local warehouse, one of the many entry-level jobs — at employers like Urban Outfitters and Hatfield Quality Meats — that draw refugees to the region.More than 600 students have earned degrees at Phoenix since the district hired for-profit Camelot Education to run it, for $4 million a year, in 2011. School officials say many of them move on to community college."A lot of our refugees, they want to go to work," Rau said. "But they won't get anywhere without a high school diploma."Maryclaire Dale, The Associated Press.
Afghan official: IS militants kill 11 in mosque ambush-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-February 25, 2017
KABUL — At least 10 police officers and the wife of a police commander were killed in an ambush by Islamic States group militants in northern Zawzjan province, a provincial official said.Mohammad Reza Ghafori, spokesman for the Zawzjan provincial governor, said Saturday that the police officers were ambushed Friday as they were coming out of a mosque. The wife of the police commander heard about her husband being shot and rushed to the scene, where she was also killed.IS-linked militants have been active in Afghanistan's eastern regions, but have recently begun operating in the north of the country as well.Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry said in a statement that around 38 militants, including 23 IS fighters, were killed in separate operations conducted by Afghan security forces in the eastern and southern regions of the country over the past two days.Eight other militants were wounded and six arrested in the operations, which were conducted in districts across the Nangarhar and Helmand provinces, the statement added.In another report form eastern Laghman province, two students were killed when a mortar struck a school's classroom, a news release from the Education ministry said. The statement added that five other students were wounded inside the classroom in Mihterlam, the province's capital.There were unconfirmed reports the mortar was fired by Afghan security forces and missed its target and hit the school. The report could not immediately be verified by provincial or government officials.In a separate report form northern Faryab province at least one police officer was killed when a remotely controlled bomb went off inside a bazaar, said Karim Yuresh, the spokesman for the provincial police chief.He said that 16 others including 15 innocent civilians and a policeman were wounded in the blast. "The blast took place inside a market where innocent civilians were busy with their daily businesses," said Yuresh. He added that the intended target were the two policemen in the market.No group has claimed responsibility for the Faryab attackn, but Taliban insurgents usually use roadside bombs and suicide attacks to target Afghan security forces as well as government officials across the country.The Associated Press.
I SEEN THE CALENDAR BUYING COMMERCIALS ON TV. SO I DECIDED TO PHONE THE BREAST CANCER CALENDAR AND THE SICK KIDS CALENDAR TO SEE HOW MUCH PERCENTAGE OF EACH CALENDAR ACTUALLY GOES TO THE HOSPITALS. SO I PHONED AND THE BREAST CANCER GIVES 75% OF EACH CALENDAR TO THE HOSPITAL. AND THE SICK KIDS GIVE ALL OF CALENDAR MONEY TO THE HOSPITAL. THEY CLAIM. I SAID TO BOTH CALENDARS. HOW DO YOU COVER ALL THE PRIZES IF 75% AND ALL PROCEEDS GO TO THE HOSPITAL. BREAST CANCER NEVER GAVE ME AN ANSWER. AND SICK KIDS SAID. THE SICK KIDS FOUNDATION PAYS OUT ALL THE CASH PRIZES. BUT I SAY. SO SICK KIDS FOUNDATION. GETS DONATIONS TO PAY OUT THE PRIZES ON THE CALENDARS. INSTEAD OF DONATIONS GOING TO THE SICK KIDS HOSPITAL. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE PEOPLE. YOUR DONATIONS PAYS THE PRIZES OUT ON THE CALENDARS. THE SICK KIDS GET VERY LITTLE OF THE DONATIONS YOU GIVE OVIOUSLY. BUT THIS IS NOT THE WORST OF THE CALENDARS CHEAPNESS. I PHONED SICK KIDS TWICE. AND THE BREAST CANCER CALENDAR 3 TIMES. GUESS WHO ANSWERED THE PHONES ALL 5 TIMES. MUSLIMS. NOT ONE CANADIAN OR AMERICAN ANSWERED MY CALLS. ALL MUSLIMS. I NEVER ASKED THE SICK KIDS CALENDAR HOW MANY MUSLIMS ANSWER THEIR PHONES. BUT THE LAST TIME I PHONED THE BREAST CANCER CALENDAR. I ASKED THE MUSLIM THAT ANSWERED. I SAID HOW DOES THIS WORK. DO THESE CALENDAR COMPANIES HIRE ALL MUSLIMS TO ANSWER THEIR PHONES. THIS MUSLIM SAID. NO WE WORK OUT OF A TORONTO OFFICE-WE MUSLIMS. I SAID IS IT JUST MUSLIMS THAT ANSWER THE PHONES AND GET OUR WESTERNERS NAMES AND INFORMATION. HE CLAIMS NO. ALL CULTURES AND RELIGIONS WORK FROM THE TORONTO OFFICE. I TOLD HIM. THEN WHY WHEN I PHONED THE 5 TIMES. ONLY WHAT SOUNDED LIKE PAKISTANY MUSLIMS ANSWERED ALL THE TIME. HE INSISTED ONCE AGAIN. ALL CULTURES WORK THERE. I SAY BULL. ALL THESE CANADIAN COMPANIES. HIRE ONLY MUSLIMS. BECAUSE THEY WORK CHEAP. THEY WORK UNDER THE TABLE. BECAUSE THEY STEAL CANADIANS PHONE JOBS. WHEN THEY SNEAK INTO CANADA ILLEGALLY. AND THE CANADIAN COMPANIES. GET KICK BACKS AND EXTRA MONEY TO HIRE MUSLIMS TO ANSWER THE PHONES. SO THEY HAVE JOBS-THEY STEAL FROM CANADIANS. THAT ARE ON WELFARE. BECAUSE THEY CAN NOT GET PHONE JOBS. THAT THE MUSLIMS STEAL ON US. THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER START BANNING MUSLIMS FROM PHONE JOBS. AND START HIRING CANADIANS THAT AT LEAST CAN SPEAK ENGLISH. AND BESIDES. WITH ALL THESE MUSLIMS GETTING PERSONAL INFORMATION FROM CANADIANS. THEY CAN STEAL ALL OUR INFO. AND GIVE IT TO MUSLIM CRIMINALS. WHO IN TURN. CAN STEAL OUR BANK ACCOUNTS. PERSONAL IDENTITIES. AND GET CREDIT CARDS IN DIFFERENT NAMES. AND SCAM CANADIANS BIGTIME. BY GETTING CANADIANS IN TROUBLE. WHILE MUSLIMS IN CANADA. CAN GIVE MONEY TO THEIR TERRORIST BUDDIES BACK IN THEIR MUSLIM COUNTRIES. TO COME TO CANADA. AND DO TERRORIST ATTACKS ON CANADIANS. THE ALT LEFT LIBERAL MIXED BAG OF NUT JOBS. DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEIR GETTING INTO-BY SUCK HOLING UP TO ISLAM. AND FLOODING OUR COUNTRIES WITH MALE MUSLIMS. AND HIRING THEM TO EVERY PHONE CENTER POSSIBLE. THIS IS JUST ASKING FOR MUSLIMS TO OVER RUN CANADA IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE. THE WESTERN COUNTRIES BETTER SMARTEN UP AND BAN ALL MUSLIM MALES 6 YEARS OLD OR OVER FROM COMING TO OUR COUNTRIES. THE WESTERN COUNTRIES MUST ONLY ALLOW WOMEN AND GIRL MUSLIMS INTO OUR COUNTRIES. EXCEPTIONS ARE ISRAELIS. ANY ISRAELI SHOULD BE ALLOWED IN CANADA. BUT ALL MALES OF ANY OTHER MIGRANTS. SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN CANADA. ONLY WOMEN AND GIRLS.
ITS NO ACCIDENT THAT LONDON AND TORONTO ONTARIO-MONTREAL QUEBEC AND 1 OTHER CANADIAN CITY (MOST LIKELY B.C SOMEWHERE) ARE NOW OFFICIALLY SANCTUARY CITIES. THEY GET MOST OF THE MUSLIMS THAT FLOOD TO CANADA. WHICH MEANS ILLEGALS WILL BE PROTECTED IN THESE CITIES FROM GOING TO JAIL FOR ENTERING THESE CITIES ILLEGALLY. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-402-x/2012000/chap/imm/imm02-eng.htm
Montreal becomes sanctuary city- Sidhartha Banerjee, THE CANADIAN PRESS-TORONTO SUN-Updated: Tuesday, February 21, 2017 07:17 AM EST
Montreal city council passed a motion Monday making it the latest Canadian jurisdiction to declare itself a “sanctuary city” for non-status immigrants.The designation means undocumented refugees will have full access to local services regardless of their situation, with the city following in the footsteps of Toronto, Hamilton and London, Ont.Mayor Denis Coderre told reporters he felt compelled to act because of events south of the border.“One of the reasons I’ve done that is clearly because of what’s happening in the United States and what I’m witnessing in Europe,” Coderre said.In recent weeks, more and more people have flowed illegally across the U.S. border into Canada as President Donald Trump cracks down on illegal immigration and imposes new restrictions on refugees.Canada Border Services Agency says 452 people filed a claim for refugee asylum at Quebec-U.S. land border crossings in January.Given that current context, several Canadian cities have expressed interest in adopting similar motions, including Ottawa, Saskatoon and Regina.Toronto became Canada’s first sanctuary city in 2013.Coderre, a former federal immigration minister, assured the measures will go beyond symbolism and help those who need it the most.Available services would include access to municipal programs and buildings, including libraries and recreation centres, while Coderre said he wants to discuss major issues such as health, housing and education with provincial and federal authorities.“The bottom line is to integrate them,” he said. “And if you don’t have a criminal case (or pose a security risk), we will normalize your situation. You will be able to remain here.”But some migrant rights’ groups called the measure largely symbolic as Montreal joined other North American cities such as San Francisco, Boston, New York and Chicago as designated sanctuary cities.A number of groups told a news conference a few hours before the motion passed that while the gesture would be in good faith, it wouldn’t provide the tangible changes to make Montreal truly a sanctuary city.“He’s coming from a good place, I’m not going to deny that,” said Jaggi Singh, a spokesman for Solidarity Across Borders. “But it doesn’t go far enough.”Singh said the city should at least ensure that Montreal police and transit officials will not collaborate with Canada Border Services Agency and hand over undocumented migrants.Singh said there are countless instances where an arrest on a minor infraction can lead to deportation, while the representative of a sex-workers’ rights group told the news conference that undocumented women working at massage parlours are routinely handed over to immigration officials.“Honestly, in many ways, having a symbolic motion can be worse than having no motion at all,” said Singh.“What it does is creates a false sense of security and false sense of protection and the moment where the police are deporting people, you destroy any sense of trust.”Coderre said after the motion was adopted the city’s public security committee would study the matter of how police and transit officials deal with the migrants.Opposition Leader Valerie Plante of Projet Montreal said how police work with undocumented people will be key.“I think this is a great decision, but we have to be cautious not to create a false sense of security for those vulnerable people,” she said.
Toronto a 'Sanctuary City'-By Shawn Jeffords, Political Bureau Chief-TORONTO SUN-Updated: Tuesday, January 31, 2017 09:15 PM EST
Toronto remains a “Sanctuary City”, open to immigrants and refugees.City council voted Tuesday to reaffirm the city’s status as a place of safe harbour for illegal immigrants.During a mid-day press conference, Mayor John Tory said the symbolic motion was a direct response to the new immigration policies implemented in the United States and the weekend mosque shooting in Quebec City.“Here we are today to denounce all acts of Islamophobia, of discrimination, of fear, and of hatred,” Tory said. “We’re here to re-commit our city as a place of inclusion, and acceptance where people are welcomed and valued and were fundamental rights and humanity are respected and enshrined.”A “Sanctuary City” by definition shelters and does not prosecute illegal immigrants. Toronto became adopted that status in 2014.Councillor Joe Cressy slammed U.S. President Donald Trump during his remarks, saying Toronto should work with other American Sanctuary Cities opposing the new regulations. “What the Trump administration has done cannot go unchallenged,” Cressy said. “No one should be made to feel afraid because of who they are, where they come from and what they believe.”
UPDATE-FEBRUARY 26,2017-01:00PM
DONALD TRUMP IS SMART IN AMERICA. BY GETTING RID OF ALL THE MUSLIM LEFT OVERS FROM THE FAKE FRAUD MUSLIM OBAMAS ADMINISTRATION. AND INSERTING CHRISTIANS AS REPLACEMENTS. BUT OVER HERE IN CANADA. PRETTY BOY-SELFIE EXPERT ALT LEFT LIBERAL MIXED BAG OF EVERY THING PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU. FILLED HIS CABINET WITH MUSLIMS AND SIKHS. AND NOW THE SO CALLED NEW DEMOCRATS MIXED BAG OF EVERY THING IN CANADA WANNA HIRE A SIKH OR A MUSLIM AS THEIR LEADER OF THE PARTY. WITH MUSLIMS AND SIKHS DOMINATING 2 OF THE 3 LIBERAL MIXED BAG OF EVERY THING PARTIES. WE SURE WILL BE SEEING A MUSLIM-SIKH FLOOD OF MIGRANTS TO CANADA TO SHOW HOW INCLUSIVE AND TOLERANT THE LIBERAL-DEMOCRATS ARE WHILE LEADING THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT. WE MIGHT AS WELL JUST SAY NOW. WITH IN 2 YEARS. CANADA WILL BE A 53RD MUSLIM COUNTRY CALLED CANADASTAN. OH CANADIANS JUST KEEP YOUR HEADS IN THE SAND SAY THE MUSLIM SUCK UP LIBERAL-DEMOCRATS. PAY YOUR $2,000 DOLLARS A YEAR IN THE CARBON TAX SCAM ON EVERY THING. BECAUSE ITS FOR THE GOOD OF THE EARTH. THE GOOD OF THE CHILDREN AND GRAND CHILDREN. AND OF COURSE WE CAN FLOOD CANADA WITH MUSLIMS AND SIKHS. AND GIVE THEM FREE HOMES-JOBS AND WHATEVER THEY WANT. JUST BY PAYING YOUR CARBON TAXES TO US TOLERANT-INCLUSIVE ALT LEFT LIBERAL-DEMOCRAT-PROGRESSIVE MIXED BAG OF EVERY THING THATS AGAINST MORALS. IF ITS A SIN-WE ALT LEFT WANT IT LEGALIZED AS LAW AND RIGHTS FOR THE ALT LEFT PEOPLE. OF CANADA AND THE WORLD.
Immigrants could be 30% of population within 20 years-The Canadian Press-TORONTO SUN-Updated: Wednesday, January 25, 2017 08:33 PM EST
OTTAWA - A new Statistics Canada survey says almost half the country’s population could be an immigrant or the child of an immigrant within the next 20 years.It suggests the proportion of immigrants in Canada’s population could reach 30 per cent in 2036 — compared to 20.7 per cent in 2011 — and a further 20 per cent of the population would be the child of an immigrant, up from the 17.5 per cent recorded in 2011.The numbers released Wednesday are a far cry from the country’s first census of the population in 1871 — four years after Confederation — when 16.1 per cent of the 3.7 million people in Canada were born abroad, with Britain, the United States and Germany as the most likely countries of origin.The population projections show immigration will alter the country’s cultural landscape under all scenarios Statistics Canada explored as part of an ongoing project to map out Canada’s future as the nation turns 150 years old.The upward trend in the number of immigrants to Canada would also have an effect on the languages spoken at home.In Quebec, the percentage of people who claim French as their mother tongue is expected to drop to between 69 and 72 per cent in 2036, down from 79 per cent in 2011.Across Canada, the percentage of francophones is also expected to drop to between 17 and 18 per cent from 21.3 per cent in 2011.In Quebec, while the overall number of people who speak French at home — even if it isn’t their mother tongue — is expected to grow, their share as a percentage of the population will fall to about 75 per cent from 81.6 per cent.The share of those who speak English at home in Quebec, on the other hand, will rise three or four points to the 16 or 17 per cent range — due in part to the tendency of new immigrants to favour English over French when choosing a new language.Up to 30 per cent of Canadians in 2036 could have a mother tongue that is neither English nor French, a potential jump of 10 points from 2011.Researchers concluded more than half of the country’s immigrants will be of Asian origin within the next two decades, with a corresponding decline in the number of European immigrants.Visible minority populations would make up a growing percentage of the working age population, defined as people between the ages of 15 and 64, potentially doubling their share to 40 per cent of the age cohort, up from the almost 20 per in 2011.The projections also suggest that by 2036, between 13 and 16 per cent of the population would be people from a non-Christian religion, up from the nine per cent recorded in 2011. Within this group, Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs would see their numbers grow most quickly.
Winnipeg chapter calls on city council to support sanctuary city designation-February 3, 2017 - 6:10pm-THE COUNCIL OF CANADIANS
The Council of Canadians Winnipeg chapter along with Prairies-NWT organizer Brigette DePape attended a #NoBanNoWall protest today.The Canadian Press reports, "Several dozen protesters braved the Winnipeg cold to push city council to declare the city a sanctuary for undocumented migrants. One rally organizer, Hazim Ismail, says Winnipeg should follow in the steps of cities such as Toronto, which declared itself a sanctuary city in 2013. He says the declaration would help ensure programs helping refugee claimants and other are maintained, and provide a safer environment for undocumented migrants. Speakers at the rally say Canada needs to offer more help after moves by the United States to ban refugees from seven predominantly Muslim countries."The CBC adds, "Sanctuary status ensures residents with no documentation status have the same rights to city services as everyone else. The group No One is Illegal–Winnipeg is hosting a 'No Ban, No Wall' march Friday in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's temporary ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries entering the U.S. Last spring, Vancouver city council unanimously approved an Access Without Fear policy that entitles undocumented immigrants to access health care and other municipal services without fear of being deported."The Council of Canadians supports the sanctuary city movement.We celebrated when Toronto moved towards becoming a sanctuary city in February 2013 and when Hamilton became a sanctuary city in February 2014.In September 2016, CNN reported, "Donald Trump vowed in a signature speech on immigration to dismantle so-called sanctuary cities, which he blamed for harboring dangerous immigrants who commit crimes against Americans. The sanctuary movement is said to have grown out of efforts by churches in the 1980s to provide sanctuary to Central Americans fleeing violence at home amid reluctance by the federal government to grant them refugee status."Earlier this week, Forbes reported, "On January 25th, President Trump signed an executive order stating that so-called 'sanctuary cities'--or cities where local government officials choose not to cooperate with federal deportation agents--would lose federal funding. Trump’s executive order says the federal government 'shall ensure that jurisdictions that willfully refuse to comply with 8 U.S.C. 1373 (sanctuary jurisdictions) are not eligible to receive Federal grants'. This 1373 code prevents local officials from withholding someone’s immigration status from federal agents."But that article highlights, "Now San Francisco has struck back, with a lawsuit titled City and County of San Francisco v. Donald J. Trump. The lawsuit was filed by city attorney Dennis Herrera and announced on Twitter late last night by Mayor Ed Lee. It seeks protection from a federal government that the plaintiff claims is violating the 10th amendment. 'In blatant disregard of the law', it reads, 'the President of the United States seeks to coerce local authorities into abandoning what are known as Sanctuary City laws and policies...This strikes at the heart of established principles of federalism'."The Council of Canadians encourages Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman and City Council to support Winnipeg becoming a sanctuary city.We also call on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to reject Trump's ban that prohibits people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States, for the Minister of Immigration to present a plan in the House of Commons on how to address this situation, and for the federal government to immediately rescind the Safe Third Country agreement with the United States.#NoBanNoWall #RefugeesWelcome.
Steeltown sanctuary: Hamilton is among the few ‘sanctuary cities’ in Canada-Donald Trump's crackdown on undocumented immigrants in the U.S. means Hamilton and just a few other Canadian municipalities with “sanctuary city” policies will be beacons of hope for people fleeing their homelands-FEB 24,17-HAMILTON SPECTATOR-Hamilton Spectator By Jon Wells
It was just three years ago, but in some ways it was another world.The vote at Hamilton City Hall came before savage terrorist attacks in France, before Canada accepted refugees from wartorn Syria, and 16 months before reality TV show character Donald Trump declared his candidacy for president.Feb. 12, 2014 was when Hamilton was dubbed a sanctuary city, following a council vote that meant it would be the second Canadian city to declare it would provide to refugees services such as emergency shelters, recreation, public transit, libraries, food banks, and police and fire services without asking questions about their status.“That’s how we started (at the immigrants centre) because of that need 30 years ago, for people asking for protection.”Ines Rios-Director, Immigrants Working Centre-“We want to embrace people who come here to make a new life.”Fred Eisenberger-Hamilton mayor-“We will continue to provide policing services to all members of our community regardless of status.”Hamilton Police Service-It's an open question if the measure — which did not use the phrase "sanctuary city" but rather "Access to Services for Undocumented Individuals" — has carried much weight.[ A helping hand for asylum seekers ]-But for those people in recent weeks who have been making potentially dangerous breaks for freedom at the Canadian border, any city declaring itself a sanctuary represents life-saving refuge in the age of Trump — even if such idealism may ultimately be misplaced.Hamilton Councillor Jason Farr says the sanctuary city policy has not been simply a motherhood statement, and the proof is in how effectively Hamilton has welcomed Syrian refugees (1,491 to date).But Coun. Donna Skelly, who was not on council back then, counters it "has no teeth" because immigration is an issue for senior levels of government."It's a wonderful message to say 'we welcome you' but it has zero clout," she said. "This is an issue the feds and province will need to address, because that's where serious change can be made."The vote in 2014 came after lobbying from a local citizen's group, the Hamilton Sanctuary City Coalition, in light of federal immigration policy that led to deportations of migrant workers living here without legal status.But the issue of undocumented immigrants and refugees has since taken on new dimensions, with the massive displacement of people from civil war in Syria and Iraq: 65 million in 2015 alone, according to the United Nations; by comparison about 60 million were displaced after the Second World War.Add to that equation the rise of Trump-fuelled nationalism and calls for tightening borders in the U.S. and Europe, and there seems potential for new waves of refugees to filter to cities that have declared themselves sanctuaries — like Hamilton and Toronto, and more recently Montreal and London, Ont.In a sense, while the scale may yet prove to be unprecedented, this is nothing new for Hamilton, a diverse border town with a big-hearted tradition.In the late 1970s, local churches took up the cause of accepting and protecting refugees from the Vietnam War, and then again in the 1980s for those who fled the devastation of war in Central America.In the new post-Cold War world of the 1990s, Hamilton took in refugees from war in Kosovo and Bosnia when the former Yugoslavia disintegrated.The late 1980s was when Ines Rios started her work in Hamilton as director of what is now called the Immigrants Working Centre, helping settle refugees from El Salvador and Nicaragua.She says refugees finding their way in a strange city are hesitant to seek basic city services for fear of being asked about their undocumented status. They feel marginalized, she says, and may go into hiding or even turn to crime because of the perceived need to survive.Rios isn't sure how much tangible impact the local sanctuary-city policy has had to date, but suggests the current immigration climate may put it to the test."We started (at the centre) because of that need 30 years ago, for people asking for protection," she said. "We responded well that time, we will respond this time as well."Some who lobbied Hamilton councillors three years ago to declare a sanctuary city believe the designation has accomplished little.Blake McCall, a resident who spoke at council on the issue, says the city has failed to live up to the intent of the policy, suggesting few resources have been allocated toward implementing it, such as training staff on how to deal with refugees, or lobbying senior levels of government to get involved in areas such as health care and education, where the city has no jurisdiction.Cities are a start, McCall suggested, but what he thinks is needed is for Ontario to become "a sanctuary province."On that note, Mayor Fred Eisenberger says he plans to raise the issue of education access for undocumented residents with the school board."We want to embrace people who come here to make a new life," he said, conceding the city can only speak for services provided locally."I'm happy that Hamilton is a sanctuary city, and proud to say it loud and clear."Toronto's city council reaffirmed its status as a sanctuary city last month. But a recent story in the Toronto Star quoted a refugee settlement official calling the designation "a joke," in part because members of the Toronto Police Service have in certain cases passed along information about undocumented refugees to the Canadian Border Services Agency.Hamilton Police Service, for its part, told The Spectator through a spokesperson that officers "subscribe to the letter and spirit of the (sanctuary city) policy" and a resident's status would never be "an impediment to service delivery in any way from a policing perspective … We will continue to provide policing services to all members of our community regardless of status."The notion of a sanctuary city goes back to ancient times, when cities were designated as places of asylum for those accused of accidental manslaughter.The term came into the modern lexicon in North America in the 1970s when Los Angeles passed sanctuary-city legislation. Today there are more than 30 such cities in the U.S.But in recent years the concept has come under fire from immigration hawks in the U.S., the connection between crime and "illegals" the rallying cry for Trump and many of his supporters. (Trump has threatened to withdraw federal funding to sanctuary cities like Chicago.) Trump features prominently on the home page of a Texas-based advocacy group in the U.S. called the Remembrance Project, which supports families "whose loved ones were killed by illegal aliens" and calls this violence an "epidemic across the country."Eisenberger accuses the new president of stoking fear in North America and around the world: "It is irrational fear, but then that is sometimes what fear is."Henry Giroux, who was born in the U.S., teaches cultural studies at McMaster University, and is author of "America at War with Itself," rains rhetorical fire upon Trump for his immigration policies. And he suggests the concept of sanctuary should be radically expanded.Institutions such as schools, universities, churches, synagogues and mosques should take on the role of "democracies in exile," supporting undocumented immigrants and helping teach what democracy is about.He loves Hamilton for its official position on the issue, and says sanctuary is "a metaphor for taking seriously what it means for society to never be 'just' enough … We won't organize around shared fears, but around shared responsibilities."But the apparent popularity of Trumpism in the U.S. and beyond suggests there is extreme polarization on the emotionally-charged, complex issue: the viewpoint of the mayor or Giroux is either enlightened compassion, or blindness to dangerous realities.In the end, the gulf between the two sides perhaps represents fundamentally different perspectives on human nature and civic duty.One such perspective appears on a plaque at one of the most popular tourist attractions in New York City.The poem was penned in 1883, called The New Colossus, by Emma Lazarus.Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand-A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame-Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name-Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand …Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free-The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.Depending on your point of view, the words on the plaque at the Statue of Liberty, which sits 30 kilometres from where Donald John Trump was born, represent a sacred commitment, with all the implications therein.Or they are just words.
Chris Selley: As Trump’s refugees stream into Canada, will our immigration policies hold up? Chris Selley Last Updated: Feb 19 5:14 PM ET-NATIONAL POST
It’s a phenomenon that has splintered the European Union, animated a surge in far-right politics across that continent and put German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s professional future at considerable risk: the uncontrolled flow of asylum-seekers from Middle Eastern and African nations. And for the first time in many years, Canadians are confronting it as well: last week, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reported more than 400 people had illegally crossed the 49th parallel from North Dakota into Manitoba this fiscal year. With six weeks left to go in the year, that’s almost five times as many as crossed three years ago. In January alone, the RCMP reports 452 asylum claims were made at the border in Quebec, more than three times the year before.Canadians do not seem particularly alarmed by this, and for good reason: the numbers are relatively small; the crossers are happy to report themselves to authorities; and the fact is, there’s not a hell of a lot we can do about it. On Thursday, La Presse reported the nearly comical scene of RCMP officers shouting at Omar, a 31-year-old Yemeni, that it was illegal for him to cross the border. Over he went, into handcuffs and the Canadian refugee determination process.“We have virtually no resources at the border,” says Christian Leuprecht, a political science professor at Royal Military College and Queen’s University. “The way (the Mounties) respond is when the Americans tip them off.” And, in any event, he says, “once someone reaches the border it’s too late (to stop them),” even if we wanted to. Anyone who can plant his feet on Canadian soil is entitled to make a claim for asylum.Many have attributed this phenomenon to President Trump’s executive orders suspending refugee claims and barring citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries. It’s important to recognize this isn’t a brand new situation: people have always walked across the border and claimed asylum, and, in fact, numbers have been trending up for two years. After all, the UN Refugee Agency says there are more displaced people today than at any point in history.But the current Trump-related surge is real, and there is little reason to expect it to subside. This is all happening in the dead of winter, as NDP leader Thomas Mulcair told reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday. “As the weather warms up … we’re going to face a situation that we’ve never seen before,” he predicted. And there is reason to worry Canada might not be adequately resourced if that should come to pass.We are talking, after all, about an awful lot of potential border-crossers — perhaps 11 million people are in the U.S. illegally. There are people, like Omar, who claim they always intended to come to Canada. “I spent several years in Saudi Arabia, but you will never get legal status there,” he told La Presse. “It’s impossible to make a living.” (He will have to prove a fear of persecution in Yemen, not just of penury, to gain refugee status.)-There are people who hoped to claim asylum in the United States, but now have doubts. Winnipeg refugee lawyer David Matas says he has several Somali clients in that situation.“There are many Latin Americans in the United States who fear return to their home country,” says Laura Best, an immigration lawyer in Vancouver. “I think it is quite likely that we’ll be seeing more of those as the crackdown on deportations heats up.”And then there are the millions of undocumented workers from Mexico and Central America — economic migrants who are suddenly living in an even more fearful and less certain climate. President Obama deported some 2.5 million illegal immigrants, more than any of his predecessors. But Trump has vowed to deport more than that, and faster, and he clearly relishes the thought.U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) isn’t just rounding up non-violent criminals anymore. Guadalupe GarcĂa de Rayos, mother of two American-born children, pleaded guilty nearly 10 years ago for working under a fake ID — a lowest-level felony. When she dutifully showed up for her twice-annual check-in with ICE last week in Phoenix, she was detained and ordered deported, according to a report in the Washington Post. NPR reported last week about a Denver woman, Jeannette Vizguerra, in a nearly identical situation, who took sanctuary at a Unitarian church rather than risk keeping her own ICE appointment. And according to the New York Times, apparently unfounded rumours swirl about random checkpoints and sweeps of parking lots where undocumented day labourers find work.In such an atmosphere, an all-but-entirely undefended border to the north might seem an enticing prospect, even if only for temporary safe harbour. But Douglas Massey, co-director of Princeton University’s Mexican Migration Project, says he expects little proactive migration among undocumented Latin Americans — and mostly southward.“Nearly two-thirds (of undocumented immigrants) have been in the U.S. for at least a decade and a fifth have been present for 20-plus years,” he says. “A large fraction of these people have U.S.-born citizen children. I expect most … will try to remain in place and avoid deportation.”Still, it wouldn’t take a big chunk of them to constitute a significant burden on the Canadian system — one that still struggles to deal with 40,000 hand-chosen Syrian refugees. “I do not yet know of any individuals considering the possibility of seeking asylum in Canada,” says Denise Gilman, director of the immigration clinic at the University of Texas School of Law in Austin, “but it would not surprise me at all.”
IF WE CANADIANS DO NOT STICK TO CANADIAN VALUES. AND ALLOW MUSLIMS TO FLOOD CANADA. OVIOUSLY CANADIANS HEADS WILL BE CHOPPED OFF BY ISLAM. IN THE NAME OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF COURSE. AND ISLAM WILL CONTROL CANADA. THEN SO MUCH FOR CANADIANS FREEDOMS. ITS YOU CONVERT TO ISLAM OR DIE. NO ANDS IFS OR BUTS.
Former religious freedom ambassador warns conservatives that ‘Canadian values’ talk is full of pitfalls-Marie-Danielle Smith | February 25, 2017 2:15 PM ET-NATIONAL POST
OTTAWA — Canada’s former ambassador for religious freedom is warning conservatives about the pitfalls of “Canadian values” talk.At the Manning Centre conference in Ottawa Saturday, Andrew Bennett said “values” language — like that cropping up in the Conservative Party leadership race — must be debunked.“When people bandy about an expression like ‘Canadian values,’ they will ascribe all kinds of different things to that, things that can be contested,” he said.Elaborating on that idea in an interview, Bennett told the National Post Canadians should focus on universal concepts: rule of law, human rights and freedoms. “When you get into the ‘values’ language, it’s fraught with a lot of pitfalls,” he said, and specific “values” beyond those all Canadians can accept shouldn’t be prescribed.Bennett said his views aren’t political and he hasn’t followed the Conservative leadership race closely, but the “values” debate has permeated the contest.Kellie Leitch’s opponents have largely rejected her rhetoric around immigration interviews, and the idea all immigrants should be tested for “Canadian values,” with some accusing her of sowing division and inciting hatred.Leitch has connected such ideas to protecting Canada against terrorism and, specifically, Islamist terrorists, although she has also repeated that she believes hate speech is wrong.Her message resonates with some in the Conservative base who feel their concerns have been muzzled by a Liberal government that preaches inclusivity.In Bennett’s view, “values” talk confuses, however, and religious freedom should be defended. Bennett was ambassador for religions freedom and ran the Office of Religious Freedom within Global Affairs Canada from 2013 until the Liberal government dismantled it about a year ago. Now, he is a senior fellow with Cardus, a faith-based think tank that does work on religious freedom.He expounded on the virtues of plurality to a room of about 70 conference attendees Saturday morning. The talk followed several sessions Friday that had been devoted specifically to the issue of Islamist extremism, part of a weekend agenda largely focused on populist sentiments that led to Brexit and the rise of Donald Trump.“To champion religious freedom is also to implicitly accept that there are those in our common life who will hold and will promote beliefs, theological and philosophical, moral and ethical, that many of us will vehemently reject,” Bennett said. “And that’s OK. It’s OK to oppose. It’s OK to differ.”But “marginalization of people of faith and the beliefs they possess,” he said, “leads to an impoverishment of our public debate.” And, he told the room during a Q&A session, hate speech provisions in the Canadian criminal code are “essential” in cases where any group incites hatred and violence.Moreover, Bennett told the Post, a major lack of understanding about Islam has underpinned recent debate over an anti-Islamophobia motion in the House of Commons.“I think we should absolutely stand against anti-Islamic bias and anti-Islamic statements. And if the House of Commons wants to pass a motion in that regard, that’s great. That’s a good thing. I think it’s also important to recognize that we need to stand up against any type of anti-religious bias,” Bennett said, noting, for example, that anti-semitism persists in Canada.Conservative MPs, including Leitch and most other leadership candidates — Michael Chong going against the grain to vote in favour — have come out against a Liberal MP’s motion condemning Islamophobia (fear of Muslims and their faith, put literally) and calling for a parliamentary committee study. A Conservative version of the motion that included other faiths was defeated by the government last week.Some rhetoric around opposition to the original motion, M-103, includes fears over some kind of universal imposition of “Sharia law” and encroachment of free speech.“I think there’s a general ignorance about what Sharia law is. In Canada, there are many different religious communities that have religious law,” Bennett said, comparing Sharia to Roman Catholic canon law or Jewish Halakha law.“The presence of Muslim communities in this country is a growing fact so we need to be informed. We need to be well-educated,” Bennett said.“We need to be very careful when we start making all sorts of grand statements, and I think we need to do this in a very measured and reasoned fashion.”Email: mdsmith@postmedia.com | Twitter: mariedanielles.
Ethnic diversity and immigration-CANADIAN STATISTICS 2012
Canada welcomed 252,172 immigrants in 2009, up 2.0% from 2008 and up 6.5% from 2007. This is 33% higher than the 189,951 who arrived in 1999.Over the decade, the composition of immigration shifted. Although overall immigrant numbers grew, refugees decreased both as a share of total immigration (from 13% to 9%) and in number (from 24,397 to 22,846). Meanwhile, family reunifications also decreased as a share of total immigration (from 29% to 26%), but increased in number (from 55,274 to 65,206).By contrast, economic immigration grew markedly since 1999, rising from 109,249 to 153,492 immigrants, an increase of 40%. Economic immigrants represented 6 out of 10 immigrants to Canada in 2009.-Most immigrants still choosing the three biggest provinces-In 2009, 3 out of 4 immigrants settled in Canada's three largest provinces—Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. Despite their high levels of immigration in 2009, 2 of the 3 provinces received lower shares of new arrivals than in previous years. Most notably, the share of arriving immigrants in Ontario fell to 42% in 2009, down from almost 55% in 1999.The number of immigrants to British Columbia also declined since the 1990s. While 19% of incoming immigrants settled in British Columbia in 1999, just over 16% did so in 2009.Immigration to Quebec has been proportionally rising since the late 1990s. In 1999, just over 15% of immigrants settled in Quebec, whereas around 20% did in 2009—the highest proportion since 1991.Overall, the proportion of immigrants settling in the three biggest provinces fell significantly from the 1990s. In 1999, nearly 90% of incoming immigrants chose Ontario, British Columbia or Quebec as their destination, compared with 78% in 2009.Just over half of immigrants to Ontario (51%) were admitted under the economic category in 2009, the lowest among the provinces. Larger proportions of immigrants to British Columbia (62%) and Quebec (70%) were in this category.-Atlantic region attracting more immigrants-As the share of immigrants settling in the three biggest provinces has been declining, more and more have been settling in Canada's other regions. In 2009, 2.6% of immigrants landing in Canada chose to make their home in the Atlantic provinces—a relatively low share, but up significantly from 1.4% in 1999.The annual share of immigrants arriving in Newfoundland and Labrador has remained around 0.2% to 0.4% since 1981. The share choosing Nova Scotia has varied somewhat but stayed close to 1.0%: it was 0.9% in 2009, compared with 0.8% in 1999.Notable increases occurred in both Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick in the 2000s. In 2009, Prince Edward Island received 0.7% of all immigrants arriving in Canada, up from 0.1% in 1999. In 2009, 0.8% of immigrants settled in New Brunswick, compared with 0.3% in 1999.As well, both provinces welcomed a much larger share of economic migrants than the national average of 61%. In Prince Edward Island, 91% of immigrants in 2009 were admitted under the economic category. The corresponding figure for New Brunswick was 78%.-Prairies' share of immigrants nearly doubled-The share of immigrants settling in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta rose from 9% in 1999 to 19% in 2009. Each Prairie province also experienced a significant increase in its share of immigrants. Manitoba received 5.4% of immigrants in 2009 (up from 2.0% in 1999) and Saskatchewan welcomed 2.7% (up from 0.9%), while Alberta was the destination for 10.7% (up from 6.4%).As in the Atlantic provinces, the composition of immigrants who arrived in the Prairie provinces differed somewhat from the national average, particularly in the two easternmost provinces. The proportion of immigrants admitted under the economic category was 80% in Saskatchewan and nearly 81% in Manitoba, considerably higher than the 61% national average.In 2009, 16.4% of all immigrants to Canada went to British Columbia, down from 17.8% in 2008. More than three-fifths of immigrants (62.5%) admitted to British Columbia in 2009 entered as economic immigrants while 30.4% entered using the family class. The percentage of refugees (3.9%) was less than half that of Canada overall.http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-402-x/2012000/chap/imm/imm-eng.htm
Refugee haven 'insulted' by suit over alternative schooling-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-February 24, 2017
LANCASTER, Pa. — The handiwork posted outside a small classroom in the heart of Pennsylvania's Amish country hints at the ambition of the refugees studying at Phoenix Academy.I come from Africa and want to be an economist. I come from Tanzania and want to be a teacher. I come from Cuba and want to be an architect. Their favourite subjects are math, English and science.Yet how to help these 17- to 21-year-old high schoolers pursue the American dream — even as the country debates broader immigration issues — is a question dividing advocates in several federal lawsuits.The Lancaster community, steeped in centuries of religious tolerance, runs an "international school" on its main high school campus to help the waves of new arrivals sponsored by local resettlement agencies learn English and adjust to American schools. But the practice of sending the ones who are over 16 and have no school records to Phoenix, an alternative school in a former YMCA across town, has rattled critics who see it as a diploma mill.The school, with uniforms and metal detectors, stresses attendance and behaviour over homework, but gives students who are years behind in school the chance to make up credits quickly and get degrees. About 20 of the school's 350 students are refugees.Civil rights lawyers are fighting such refugee placements in Lancaster; Buffalo, New York; and elsewhere. They call the international program at Lancaster's mainstream McCaskey High School, established about a decade ago, precisely the type of program refugees need to dive in to U.S. schools."Both the city of Lancaster and the school district deserve credit for being a refugee mecca," said Witold "Vic" Walczak, the legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, who argued the case. "The one huge aberration is their treatment of 17- to 21-year olds."U.S. courts have so far agreed, in temporary orders that let six former Phoenix students — from Sudan, Somalia and other troubled countries — enrol at McCaskey last fall. Four are thriving there, while one got a degree at Phoenix before he could switch and the sixth was told he was too old to attend either school, lawyer Kristina Moon, of the Education Law Center, said Friday. The law centre partnered with the ACLU on the suit.The case could go to trial, although court records show the two sides are talking, and a settlement conference is scheduled for April. The case, filed last summer, is now unfolding as the Trump administration tries to roll up the welcome mat for some refugees and immigrants.Superintendent Damaris Rau calls the case demoralizing. She oversees an impoverished district of 11,300 students, 5 per cent of them refugees and 17 per cent immigrants."We feel we are extending ourselves even beyond the call of duty," Rau said. "We feel truly insulted that the ACLU has gone after us."Rau, a Latina from New York, came to Lancaster 18 months ago, lured by the community spirit. The area has long been home to people fleeing persecution, from the Amish and Mennonites who started arriving in the late 1600s to the Bhutanese, Somalis and Syrians who have come in the past decade.Banners around town welcome newcomers in Spanish, English and Arabic. The district partners with community groups to host a health clinic, refugee welcome centre and adult English classes at a middle school, and sends food "power packs" home on weekends to any family in need.Rau believes the older refugees — who may have no formal education, or be married, or need to work — do better in the smaller Phoenix program, with concentrated, semester-long coursework. They don't have enough time to earn degrees at McCaskey before they age out at 21, she said."It doesn't matter if you're from the Congo or the Bronx," she said. "It's for all students who come to us undercredited that we are trying to help graduate."But the Phoenix students who testified for the ACLU said they didn't know enough English to understand their classes. At McCaskey, students learning English take "sheltered" classes with each other for about a year. Both schools also offer intensive English-language classes.Phoenix student Shukuru Amanya, 18, the aspiring teacher, was born in a refugee camp in Tanzania to parents who had fled Congo. She said she attended school there, in French, through 11th grade. Her husband, 20-year-old Patient Inganya, who also spent his life in the camps, said he nearly finished his degree before they came to the U.S. last fall with their 2-year-old daughter.Neither had any school records, so they were placed at Phoenix with no credits."I'm very grateful that I'm in school now," said Amanya, speaking through a Swahili interpreter looped in by phone. "It's important that I learn the language first. ... Then, after that, I want to take my studies all the way to college."Inganya will have to settle for a GED diploma after aging out of Phoenix this year. He works the second shift after school at a local warehouse, one of the many entry-level jobs — at employers like Urban Outfitters and Hatfield Quality Meats — that draw refugees to the region.More than 600 students have earned degrees at Phoenix since the district hired for-profit Camelot Education to run it, for $4 million a year, in 2011. School officials say many of them move on to community college."A lot of our refugees, they want to go to work," Rau said. "But they won't get anywhere without a high school diploma."Maryclaire Dale, The Associated Press.
Afghan official: IS militants kill 11 in mosque ambush-[The Canadian Press]-YAHOONEWS-February 25, 2017
KABUL — At least 10 police officers and the wife of a police commander were killed in an ambush by Islamic States group militants in northern Zawzjan province, a provincial official said.Mohammad Reza Ghafori, spokesman for the Zawzjan provincial governor, said Saturday that the police officers were ambushed Friday as they were coming out of a mosque. The wife of the police commander heard about her husband being shot and rushed to the scene, where she was also killed.IS-linked militants have been active in Afghanistan's eastern regions, but have recently begun operating in the north of the country as well.Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry said in a statement that around 38 militants, including 23 IS fighters, were killed in separate operations conducted by Afghan security forces in the eastern and southern regions of the country over the past two days.Eight other militants were wounded and six arrested in the operations, which were conducted in districts across the Nangarhar and Helmand provinces, the statement added.In another report form eastern Laghman province, two students were killed when a mortar struck a school's classroom, a news release from the Education ministry said. The statement added that five other students were wounded inside the classroom in Mihterlam, the province's capital.There were unconfirmed reports the mortar was fired by Afghan security forces and missed its target and hit the school. The report could not immediately be verified by provincial or government officials.In a separate report form northern Faryab province at least one police officer was killed when a remotely controlled bomb went off inside a bazaar, said Karim Yuresh, the spokesman for the provincial police chief.He said that 16 others including 15 innocent civilians and a policeman were wounded in the blast. "The blast took place inside a market where innocent civilians were busy with their daily businesses," said Yuresh. He added that the intended target were the two policemen in the market.No group has claimed responsibility for the Faryab attackn, but Taliban insurgents usually use roadside bombs and suicide attacks to target Afghan security forces as well as government officials across the country.The Associated Press.
