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.

Azkar Khan says many members of the Pakistani community in Regina are upset over changes to a Saskatchewan immigration program. (CBC

New immigration rules slammed
CBC News Posted: May 12, 2012 2:52 PM CST Last Updated: May 12, 2012 3:00 PM CST
Azkar Khan says many members of the Pakistani community in Regina are upset over changes to a Saskatchewan immigration program. (CBC)

Anger and frustration were evident at a meeting Friday night in Regina where members of the local Pakistani community voiced their unhappiness with changes to a Saskatchewan immigration program.

The province announced changes to the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program on May 2.

Among other things, the changes put a limit on how many additional family members may apply to immigrate until the original family has settled.

The people at the Regina meeting said the changes came without warning, catching some families who had already been making plans off guard.

Azkar Khan, who recently moved to Regina, said people at the meeting shared concerns that the changes, announced just over a week ago, will create unfairness.

“If I submit my two applications on 30th of April and my friend who is also eligible has those applications ready, but somehow couldn’t make it to the office, now the rules are changes for him,” Khan said.

(…)
“This is about the community and I can see other people are upset,” Khan added. “They’re crying. Because they made this move. It’s not easy to relocate in Canada.”

A rally was being organized for Monday to protest the changes.
With files from CBC’s Dani Mario

Cassandra Beals, Shanique Pierre and Harleen Rehill, students at Emery Collegiate Institute, pack snacks like bagels, cheese strings, apples and juice to be delivered to classrooms as part of Toronto's breakfast program. CARLOS OSORIO/TORONTO STAR

Breakfast boosts students’ grades and graduation rates, Toronto study finds
Published On Fri, 11 May 2012

Cassandra Beals, Shanique Pierre and Harleen Rehill, students at Emery Collegiate Institute, pack snacks like bagels, cheese strings, apples and juice to be delivered to classrooms as part of Toronto’s breakfast program.
CARLOS OSORIO/TORONTO STAR
Kristin Rushowy
Education Reporter

Eating breakfast boosts behaviour, grades and graduation rates while curbing suspensions and sick days, an extensive Toronto District School Board study has found.

“What we found was quite statistically stunning,” said Catherine Parsonage of the Toronto Foundation for Student Success, a charitable arm of the Toronto public board that worked with the board on the study.

“Children who don’t eat breakfast are twice as likely to be struggling in reading, twice as likely to be struggling in science,” Parsonage said.

Tory MPP Rob Milligan said Wednesday that the East End Madrassah (EEM) should lose its permit to rent from the Toronto District School Board until a York Regional police investigation into a lesson allegedly containing hate language is wrapped up.

Yank Islamic school’s permit: Tory MPP
By Terry Davidson, QMI Agency

Tory MPP Rob Milligan

Jewish group says Islamic school needs to do more
Islamic school probed for teachings about Jews

TORONTO – An Islamic school that has been renting space at a Toronto public school to allegedly teach its students to hate Jews should have its permit revoked until a police investigation is finished, says Ontario’s PC education critic.

Tory MPP Rob Milligan said Wednesday that the East End Madrassah (EEM) should lose its permit to rent from the Toronto District School Board until a York Regional police investigation into a lesson allegedly containing hate language is wrapped up.

The Islamic school rents teaching space on Sundays at David and Mary Thompson collegiate in the city’s east end.

By Jennifer Moreau, Burnaby Now

Burnaby school board chair Larry Hayes has come out against the Fraser Institute’s annual ranking of schools, calling the reports “drivel.”

“Once again, without any apparent concern for comprehensive research, the public of B.C. has been subjected to the drivel of the ranking of schools by the unproductive minds at the Fraser Institute,” Hayes said in his report at the May 8 school board meeting. “The ‘apples to oranges’ comparisons that are produced on an annual basis continue to overly simplify some very complex situations in our education system, and these rankings should continue to be treated as such.”

The Fraser Institute, a right-wing think-tank, ranks B.C.’s public and private schools, mainly based on provincewide test results. Private schools usually dominate the top spots. In Burnaby, schools with high numbers of refugee students, like Byrne Creek Secondary and Edmonds Elementary, tend to fare poorly. This year, Byrne Creek scored the lowest for Burnaby, and Edmonds, which has ranked low in the past, didn’t even make the rankings because there weren’t enough students writing the exams, so the Fraser Institute couldn’t include the school in the report.

What to do about ethnic enclaves in Canada?

By Alex Sangha, May 8, 2012