Health bond for immigrants mulled

By: Staff Writer

OTTAWA — Elderly immigrants cost the government approximately $3 billion annually in health care, while those older than 50 who have worked, have never reported earning more than $15,000 a year, figures suggest.

The figures are contained in a memo produced before the government froze the parent and grandparent stream and introduced a 10-year, multiple-entry super-visa that requires visiting relatives to show proof of a year’s worth of health insurance as a stopgap measure while Ottawa deals with a huge backlog in applications.

It suggests the government has concerns about the cost of elderly immigrants.

Released through access to information and prepared for Immigration Minister Jason Kenney in “response to a request for information regarding the cost of health care to senior immigrants and the contribution that parents and grandparents make to household income,” the memo raises questions about whether Canada might be moving toward a two-tier health-care system for newcomers.

It suggests some 2,712 refugees older than 65 cost the government $7.4 million in 2000-2010. Based on data collected between 1980 and 2010, Citizenship and Immigration estimates there were about 275,000 immigrant parents and grandparents over 65 living in Canada in 2010 at a cost of nearly $3 billion a year for health care.

The cost for a newcomer senior who lives to age 85 years was cited at about $160,000.

Joleen Kelly Patterson, last seen in Toronto. Convicted of importing narcotics. (Canada Border Services Agency)

5 men and a woman added to ‘Wanted’ list
By QMI Agency

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) added six more people to its Wanted list on Wednesday, including a woman.

The agency launched a website last July with profiles of 30 individuals suspected or convicted of crimes and believed to be hiding out in Canada illegally, and enlisted the public’s help in finding the fugitives. The CBSA has continued to expand the list since.

To date, the CBSA has located 25 wanted people in Canada, of which it has removed 17 from the country. Five others on the list were found abroad.

Wanted are:

Omid Bayani, last known to be in Vancouver. Wanted for “serious criminality.”

Giorgio Cote, last known to be in Toronto. Wanted for “organized criminality.”

Hector Sebastian Gordon, last known to be in Winnipeg. Convicted of assault, robbery and drug charges.

Joleen Kelly Patterson, last seen in Toronto. Convicted of importing narcotics.

Juan Carlos Pinto Ku, last seen in Toronto. Faces a charge of assault with a weapon.

Giang Thanh Vo, last seen in Toronto. Convicted of armed robbery, assault and possession of a narcotic for the purpose of trafficking.

The Toronto Police Service apprehended Canute Cedric Green on April 15 in the Greater Toronto Area.

News Release
17th removal of “Wanted by the CBSA” individual

Ottawa, Ontario, May 9, 2012 – The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) today announced the removal of Canute Cedric Green, who is featured on the “Wanted by the CBSA” list.

The Toronto Police Service apprehended Canute Cedric Green on April 15 in the Greater Toronto Area. Green is inadmissible to Canada for serious criminality for being convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance, robbery, assault causing bodily harm, carrying a concealed weapon and assaulting a peace officer. He was removed from Canada on May 8.

To date, as a result of the “Wanted by the CBSA” program, Canadians have assisted in locating 25 individuals in Canada, while four individuals were located abroad. Additionally, the CBSA has removed 17 of these individuals from Canada.

Members of the public are reminded that they should not take action to apprehend the individuals listed on the CBSA Web site. Any information on the whereabouts of these wanted individuals should be reported to the CBSA Border Watch Toll-free Line at 1-888-502-9060.

Press release

May 18, 2012, 8:49 a.m. EDT

CBSA Lays Charges in Immigration Fraud Case

HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, May 18, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) — The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced today that it has laid charges against three men involved in an immigration fraud scheme. After a lengthy investigation into the activities of Canada 2000 Immigration and Business Solutions Inc., a licensed immigration consulting business operating in Halifax, Ziad El Shurafa and Mohammed Elhajabed have been jointly charged with eight counts of counselling misrepresentation, under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Awni Sakalla has been charged with two counts of counselling misrepresentation.

Each charge represents a situation where the individuals assisted a family in committing residency fraud-creating the fictitious appearance of a Canadian residence for immigrants with Canadian permanent resident status, for the purpose of maintaining that status and obtaining Canadian citizenship.

Saskatchewan announces changes to Canadian Immigrant Nominee Program

18 May 2012

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Earlier this month the Canadian province of Saskatchewan introduced changes to their Immigrant Nominee Program affecting the family category, student category, and the entrepreneur category.

Saskatchewan’s Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration Minister Rob Norris announced that in an attempt to create more fairness in the Canadian immigration application process, family category nominees will now only be able to submit one application per household until the principal applicant and family have settled in the Canadian province.

Refugee claimant who has previously lived in Chicago and Dubai plays the "honour killing "card in order to remain in Canada

Jordanian mom hiding in Toronto after deportation order

First posted: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 07:14 PM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 07:22 PM EDT

Abeer Hassan Al Rifaee, 32, on the run, but believed to be in Toronto with her sons, claiming she will be subject of “honour killing” if deported to Jordan for converting family from Islam to Christianity. Jordanian community claim leaving Islam one of worst crimes in Jordan and she can be stoned to death.

TORONTO – A Jordanian mom of two now hiding in the Toronto-area claims she will be the victim of an “honour killing” if deported to Amman.

She says that is the punishment that awaits for converting her family from Islam to Christianity.

Abeer Hassan Al Rifaee, 32, has been on the run with Mohamed, 10, and Saleem, 8, since March 29 when a warrant was issued for her arrest by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) for not showing up for removal.

Jordanian community and church leaders in Toronto said converting to Christianity from Islam is one of the worst crimes in that country. As a penalty Al Rifaee can be stoned to death.

“I am very scared for my life and that of my children,” Al Rifaee told the Sun from a Toronto-area hideout. “My kids haven’t been going to school and we are scared to leave the apartment.”

The family seldom venture outside fearing they’ll be scooped and placed on a flight home.

“We are very terrified for our lives,” she said on Wednesday. “The kids like me are terrified of being tortured and forced to re-convert to Islam.”

Al Rifaee, her estranged husband, and their sons, arrived here from Dubai in February 2009 as visitors and filed refugee claims that were turned down in March 2011. Subsequent appeals were also denied.

They had previously lived in Chicago for five years and her sons were born there.

Al Rifaee’s refugee claim was tossed out due to credibility issues and she had returned to Jordan four or five times after alleging she’ll be killed there, a member of the Immigration and Refugee Board ruled.

Would-be immigrants take Ottawa to court over cancelled applications
Published On Wed, 16 May 2012

Stephanie Levitz
The Canadian Press

OTTAWA—Would-be immigrants are taking the federal government to court over its decision to return their applications.

They’re angry about the Conservatives’ move to legislate away a backlog of some 280,000 applications created before 2008.

The government announced the decision in its March budget, saying it’s a necessary part of modernizing the immigration system.

But Toronto lawyer Lorne Waldman said he was immediately flooded with emails by people who were furious about the changes.

They’d followed all the steps they were told to take in order to come to Canada, he said, only to be pushed aside.

Shakeil Boothe was found without vital signs at a Brampton home on May 27 last year and was declared dead a short time later.

Parents face first-degree murder charges in Brampton boy’s death
Published On Thu, 17 May 2012

Shakeil Boothe was found without vital signs at a Brampton home on May 27 last year and was declared dead a short time later.
The Canadian Press

A couple accused in the death of a 10-year-old boy are now facing upgraded charges of first-degree murder.

Police say the boy’s father Garfield Boothe and stepmother Nichelle Boothe-Rowe appeared in a Brampton court Thursday for the start of their preliminary hearing.

Both were formally charged with the upgraded counts.

Shakeil Boothe was found without vital signs at a Brampton home on May 27 last year and was declared dead a short time later.

Garfield Boothe was originally charged with failing to provide the necessities of life but that charge was later upgraded to second-degree murder.

Nichelle Boothe-Rowe was previously facing a manslaughter charge.

Source: 2006 Public Use Microdata File, Statistics Canada.

Pakistani-Canadians: Falling below the poverty line
Murtaza Haider | 1 day ago

Pakistan-born immigrants are the new face of poverty in urban Canada. The Canadian census revealed that 44 per cent of Pakistan-born immigrants fell below the poverty line making them the second most poverty prone group of immigrants in Canada.

While they may project an aura of opulence during their visits back home, their life in Canada, however, is often full of struggle and frustration. Thousands of Pakistani trained engineers, doctors, and PhDs are driving taxis or are working as security guards in large cities. In fact, one in three taxi-drivers in Canada was born in either India or Pakistan. Several others are unemployed thus becoming a burden on Canadian taxpayers.

The latest Census data for income for 2005 revealed that Pakistan-born immigrants reported the second highest incidence for the low-income cut-off, a proxy for poverty line in Canada. In comparison, only 18 per cent of India-born immigrants in Canada reported being a low-income person or belonging to a low-income economic family. Immigrants born in the United Kingdom, Portugal, Italy and Germany reported the lowest incidence of poverty in Canada.

Source: 2006 Public Use Microdata File, Statistics Canada.

Unlike in the Middle East where the Arab governments do not allow assimilation of migrant workers, the Canadian government and the society to a large extent does not create systematic barriers that may limit the immigrants’ ability to succeed and assimilate in Canada. This is not to suggest that immigrants face no barriers at all in Canada. They in fact do. For instance, Pakistan-trained doctors cannot practice medicine without completing further training in Canada. The shorter duration of medical training in Pakistan necessitates the additional certification for doctors. Engineering graduates from Pakistan, however, face no such barrier because the engineering curriculum and the duration of training in Pakistan is similar to that in Canada.

Despite the opportunities (and constraints), Pakistani-Canadians have not prospered as much as immigrants from other countries have. In 2005, wages earned by Pakistan-born immigrants were on average 70 per cent of the wages earned by those born in Canada. In comparison, wages earned by the India-born immigrants were 86 per cent of the wages earned by Canadians. At the same time, immigrants born in America earned 20 per cent more in wages than those born in Canada. Similarly, UK-born immigrants also reported on average higher wages than that of Canadian-born.

Burnaby recognized for circus rec program

By Staff Writer – Burnaby NewsLeader

The City of Burnaby has won a provincial Award of Excellence for its circus program.

The award, from the BC Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA), recognizes the program which was developed as a way to introduce physical activity to children from immigrant and low-income families.

The aim was to create such a program with a non-competitive environment that could also be easily communicated to children with varying levels of English speaking skills. It was designed so children worked through increasingly difficult activities.

The program took place after school in a school gymnasium with the Burnaby school district providing the free space and sponsors were found to allow it to be offered free of charge. Participation was strong with 119 children and 16 volunteers involved.

The Program Excellence Award recognizes creative, successful and innovative programs which may serve as an example of outstanding achievement in public recreation services programming.

“The City of Burnaby identified a need and came up with a novel program that created a safe place for children to learn new skills while being active and social,” said BCRPA chief executive officer Suzanne Allard Strutt. “The program excelled in promoting recreation and physical activity to what can be a hard to reach part of the community.”

Two men accused of organizing the MV Sun Sea's journey to Canada appear in B.C. Provincial Court in Vancouver on Wednesday, May 16, 2012. It was their first appearance on that charge. Lesly Jana Emmanuel is on the left, with Kunarobinson Christhurajah seated beside him. Jane Wolsak

Men charged with helping to organize MV Sun Sea voyage appear in court
SUNNY DHILLON
VANCOUVER— From Thursday’s Globe and Mail
Published Wednesday, May. 16, 2012 9:00PM EDT
Last updated Wednesday, May. 16, 2012 9:09PM EDT

Dressed in red prison-issued clothing, listening intently as a Tamil interpreter translated the proceedings, two men charged with helping organize the MV Sun Sea’s voyage into Canada made a brief appearance in Vancouver Provincial Court.

Kunarobinson Christhurajah and Lesly Jana Emmanuel were each charged this week with one count of organizing entry into Canada contrary to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Both men face penalties of life in prison and/or a $1-million fine.

Mr. Christhurajah and Mr. Emmanuel did not address the court during their first appearance Wednesday. The men stood behind a glass barrier in the prisoner’s box and followed the hearing through the interpreter. They remain in custody and will be back in court June 5 for a bail hearing.

The kirpan, which is a stylized representation of a sword, will be allowed in public areas of Toronto courthouses subject to certain conditions.

The kirpan, the Sikh ceremonial dagger

Sikhs’ ceremonial daggers now allowed in Toronto courthouses

Published On Wed, 16 May 2012

Curtis Rush
Police Reporter

Toronto has become the first city in Canada to develop a formal policy allowing Sikhs to bring their ceremonial daggers into its courthouses.

The kirpan, which is a stylized representation of a sword, will be allowed in public areas of Toronto courthouses subject to certain conditions.

For instance, the court officer must be informed the person is a Khalsa Sikh, which is an initiated Sikh, and that they are carrying a kirpan.