american family: The country, he said, should see itself as one team, one people, and one American family, according to Toronto Star. His rare call for harmony, however, gave way to the kind of aggressive immigration rhetoric that has thrilled his base but made much of the country uneasy. Trump, using conciliatory language and a solemn tone, began by asking Republicans and Democrats to set aside their differences and summon the unity we need to deliver for the people. As he did in campaign speeches, he called attention to crimes committed by Hispanic gang members summoning an ovation for the parents of girls murdered by members of the MS-13 gang. We love you, thank you. I want you to know that 320 million hearts are right now breaking for you, Trump said in one of the most emotional moments of the night. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

baby boomers: Even the Beatles felt compelled to do a song called Revolution, according to Rabble. Last year, when the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts put on an exhibition of art and artefacts of the late 1960s they called it, simply, Revolution. Advertisers peddled soft drinks and soap by labelling them as symbols of revolution. There were lots of bell-bottoms and psychedelic colours. The appeal of revolution, especially to those who exploited it for profit, was ephemeral and passing, like most pop culture fads. Throngs of baby boomers flocked to the show to indulge in nostalgia, not politics. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

centennial arena: Our relationship is a sign of leadership, he said at the event sponsored by the Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce, according to CBC. It leads also other communities to want to work all together. Dieppe Mayor Yvon LaPierre said ensuring his city, Moncton and Riverview work together is vital to keeping the area growing. LaPierre said Dieppe's focus is on working with urban planners on the downtown and building an intergenerational community complex to replace the aging Centennial Arena. We're missing a great opportunity, specifically with international students that are coming here, LaPierre said. He and his counterparts all said attracting more immigrants to the area is a priority. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

fights deportation: Ravi Ragbir RAH'-vee RAHG'-beer was in the audience Tuesday night as Trump called on Congress to set politics aside and overhaul the nation's immigration system, according to Metro News. Ragbir said afterward that it was difficult to see the reaction from people in the room who totally bought into what he was saying. An immigrant activist who was freed from detention as he fights deportation has attended President Donald Trump's State of the Union address. A judge in New York ordered Ragbir released from detention on Monday. Ragbir was invited to the speech as a guest of U.S. Rep. The activist says immigration officials are engaging in psychological warfare by targeting him and other activists for detention and deportation.U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement refutes that contention. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

funding operations: If you work hard, if you believe in yourself, if you believe in America, then you can dream anything, you can be anything, and together, we can achieve anything, according to Toronto Star. Despite his calls for bipartisanship, Trump spoke with tensions running high on Capitol Hill. To every citizen watching at home tonight, no matter where you have been, or where you come from, this is your time, Trump declared in his State of the Union address. An impasse over immigration prompted a three-day government shutdown earlier this year, and lawmakers appear no closer to resolving the status of the Dreamers young people living in the U.S. illegally ahead of a new Feb. 8 deadline for funding operations. The controversies that have dogged Trump and the ones he has created have overshadowed strong economic gains during his first year in office. The parties have also clashed this week over the plans of Republicans on the House intelligence committee to release a classified memo on the Russia investigation involving Trump's presidential campaign a decision the White House backs but the Justice Department is fighting. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

gang victims: He cast the debate over immigration -- an issue that has long animated his most ardent supporters -- as a battle between heroes and villains, leaning heavily on the personal stories of White House guests in the crowd, according to CTV. He praised a law enforcement agent who arrested more than 100 gang members, and he recognized the families of two alleged gang victims. Trump's address Tuesday night blended self-congratulation and calls for optimism amid a growing economy with ominous warnings about deadly gangs, the scourge of drugs and violent immigrants living in the United States illegally. He also spoke forebodingly of catastrophic dangers from abroad, warning that North Korea would very soon threaten the United States with nuclear-tipped missiles. We are proud that we do more than any other country to help the needy, the struggling and the underprivileged all over the world, Trump said. The United States is a compassionate nation. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

gaza blockade: If passed, the policy would lead the NDP to become the largest Canadian political party advocating for the use of diplomatic and non-violent pressure to end Israel's military occupation of Palestinian lands, according to Rabble. It would position the NDP as one of the few parties demanding a fair treatment of Palestinian refugees' right of return, an end to the Gaza blockade, and the labeling and banning of illegal settlement products. Among those being debated is a resolution put forward by Palestinian solidarity activists and their allies concerned with peace and justice for Palestinians. In adopting this resolution, the NDP would be in step with the Canadian labour movement, following the examples of unions like Unifor, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers and the Quebec union federation CSN Conf d ration des syndicats nationaux together representing hundreds of thousands of workers across the country. Passage of the resolution would represent an important shift within the NDP, one that departs from former NDP leader Thomas Mulcair's steadfast support of Israel and stifling of candidates in support of Palestinian justice. The NDP, as the party of labour justice here and abroad, must follow suit and respond to the call of Palestinian workers and aim to implement policies that seek to end the occupation that systematically violates workers' rights in the region. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration benefits: Federal prosecutors alleged that Peter Hicks, 57, of Worcester, married the women from sub-Saharan African nations between 2003 and 2013 and filed for immigration benefits for four of them, according to Metro News. Some of the women were in the U.S. illegally. A Massachusetts man was charged with accepting money to marry six women to help them evade immigration laws. Authorities also allege that on at least one occasion, he was still married to one woman at the time of his marriage to another. He faces a maximum of five years in prison if convicted. Hicks was released following an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester on Tuesday. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

party members: The field of six candidates includes three veterans with deep cabinet experience, two former big city mayors and a first-time member of the legislature from Metro Vancouver, according to CTV. Mike de Jong, Andrew Wilkinson and Todd Stone were longtime members of Clark's cabinet, joined late her in government by Sam Sullivan, who is also a former Vancouver mayor. An estimated 60,000 party members are eligible to vote online and by phone starting Thursday to replace Christy Clark, who resigned last summer after the New Democrats formed a minority government with the support of the Green party. The field of candidates also includes Michael Lee, a Vancouver lawyer who was elected to the legislature last spring, and Dianne Watts, a former Conservative MP and former mayor of Surrey. In debates, candidates have pointed fingers over the party's fall from power despite heading into the election boasting five consecutive balanced budgets and the strongest economy in Canada. The results of the last May's election, which led to the Liberals eventual downfall in a confidence vote, has figured largely in the contest. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

perseverance: Trump's 80-minute speech surveyed familiar territory for a president drawn to drama, according to The Chronicle Herald. He warned of gangs, nuclear threats, the drug epidemic and unlawful immigrants. What he didn't detail were solutions to the crises ahead. He highlighted guests in the crowd, a group representing a mix of valour and victimhood, which he used to illustrate his calls for patriotism and perseverance. If there is a mountain, we climb it. No people on Earth are so fearless, or daring, or determined as Americans, Trump said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

shelter system: The review asks council to request that the federal government consider the uploading and/or sharing of costs for the provision of shelter-related services to specialized populations for which it is currently responsible, including asylum seekers, refugees, veterans and Indigenous persons, according to CTV. The review also asks council to request that the Ministry of Health and the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network immediately develop a comprehensive and funded plan to provide health services, including mental health and harm reduction supports, throughout the city's shelter system and at respite sites as well. A review of the city's winter respite sites and shelter services will be debated by members of city council today in what will be their first meeting of 2018. The province has already announced plans to provide health services at five new shelters planned for the City of Toronto but has not yet indicated when or if those services will be made available at other facilities. This is a very difficult and complex problem. We will make it clear that this is a problem that we are not going to ignore and that we are committed to solving but that we need the help of the other governments, of shelter advocates and of residents, Mayor John Tory told reporters ahead of Wednesday's meeting. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

phd candidate: In Canada, around one in five people were born outside of the country, according to Metro News. How do these experiences of immigration, and of anti-migrant sentiment, impact upon mental health This question motivates my research as a PhD candidate in the School of Nursing at the University of British Columbia, where my work has focused on mental health from the perspectives of immigrant and refugee young men in Greater Vancouver. And, according to the World Health Organization, the scale of anti-migrant sentiment is equally unprecedented. During my research I interviewed 33 young men aged from 15 to 22 years - from various countries and with different immigration backgrounds - about their everyday experiences in relation to their mental health. Three main narratives emerged, those of Searching for a better life, the pressure of living the immigrant dream and starting again, from way below. My PhD committee and I analysed interview data for narratives that described the experiences of the participants. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

trump ditches: Aiming to keep conservative supporters happy as he looks to November congressional elections, Trump stood by a set of principles opposed by Democrats, including the border wall with Mexico and new restrictions on how many family members that legal immigrants can bring into the United States, according to CBC. Read Trump's state of the union speech, annotated Americans are dreamers, too' Trump ditches the fog horn for state of the union speech Tonight, I call upon all of us to set aside our differences, to seek out common ground, and to summon the unity we need to deliver for the people we were elected to serve, Trump said in his address. Trump, in his first State of the Union speech, gave no ground on the contentious issue of whether to shield young immigrants known as Dreamers from deportation. Trump used the hour-and-20-minute speech, given annually by presidents to Congress, to try to overcome doubts about his presidency at a time when he is battling a probe into his campaign's alleged ties with Russia and suffering low job approval ratings. Albuquerque police officer Ryan Holets and his wife Rebecca acknowledge their introduction by Trump as they stand with first lady Melania Trump during the speech. Trump made no mention of the federal probe into whether his campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 presidential election, a controversy that is dogging his presidency. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

twitter-troll version: The overtly self-pitying, name-calling, mind-wandering, score-settling, Twitter-troll version of the president had, appropriately, been sent to bed early, according to CBC. Last night's form of Trump had a wily deftness. Whoever it was drew out the Donald Trump that Democrats most fear teleprompter disciplined, elevated by the occasion, calm and brimming with crafty populism. For example, he took the story of a 12-year-old boy who started a movement to plant flags at the graves of veterans and turned it into a lesson in civic duty and why we proudly stand for the national anthem. Read Trump's full speech - with our Washington correspondent's annotations Same, too, when he spoke of immigration reform, the most consequential part of his speech. In the guise of that cleverly anodyne language Trump indirectly reminded his fans of the NFL players who took a knee during the anthem to make a point about America's racism and also without actually saying it, that he, their president, had come out hard against one of them, that son of a bitch. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

wage growth: You can read the Star's full, interactive database at this link, according to Toronto Star. Here are the false claims Trump made in his State of the Union 1 After years and years of wage stagnation, we are finally seeing rising wages. In total, Trump has said more than 1,100 false things since his inauguration last Jan. 20, an average of 2.9 per day. Wages have been rising since 2014. But that began changing in 2014. As Politi Fact reported For much of the time between 2012 and 2014, median weekly earnings were lower than they were in 1979 a frustrating disappearance of any wage growth for 35 years. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

party president: The bloodletting continued with the resignation of Progressive Conservative party president and Brown confidante Rick Dykstra over his own sexual misconduct allegations, according to NOW Magazine. The situation went from bad to ridiculous on Monday, January 29 when Doug Ford the pariah in the party who won't go away called a press conference to announce he's putting aside his run for mayor at least for now to take a shot of his own at the PC leadership. As if the demise of leader Patrick Brown, who seemed poised to lead the party to a majority, wasn't bad enough, now the Ontario PCs are self-destructing right before our eyes. Such is the state of the PCs. That would be an understatement. Ford described a party in complete disarray. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

years: During visits to Tokyo, Gillespie would check out retail spaces, asking who designed this, who designed that, according to Vancouver Courier. The answer always seemed to be Wonderwall Inc., a firm run by Masamichi Katayama, which has 25 years of experience around the world, including projects in New York, London, Paris, Sydney, Berlin, Hong Kong and Shanghai.article continues below Trending Stories Road to Mount Seymour re-opened after violent incident Shark found on South Delta beach PHOTOS Another family-run business to close its doors in the West Endrelated Oakridge Centre redevelopers say they're building a mini-city Design plans for Oakridge Centre redevelopment unveiled By chance, in a metropolitan area of 13 million, Wonderwall's office was directly across the street from Gillespie's first project in Tokyo. But it did. Gillespie knocked on the door a six-metre-high one, no less and a relationship was born. Aside from Wonderwall, they include Vancouver's Henriquez Partners Architects, the design lead; Gensler out of Los Angeles for retail architecture; and Adamson Associates Architects out of Toronto, which is acting as executive architect. Gillespie maintains the most interesting retail in the world is happening in Tokyo, and he also wanted to pull together an Oakridge project team from different parts of the globe. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

bangladesh: When they crossed into Bangladesh, they were met with sprawling, squalid camps, dotted with thousands of temporary tents and plagued by disease, according to Toronto Star. Five months after the violence began, Burma and Bangladesh were on the brink of repatriating up to 1,500 Rohingya last week, with plans to return all eligible refugees over two years, under an agreement widely criticized by the United Nations and aid groups, which warn that it could thrust the refugees back into danger in the nation also known as Myanmar. Violence drove them from their homes, and hundreds of their villages were burned or razed. Read more Not safe yet for Rohingya to return to Burma, UN official says Article Continued Below Former U.S. governor quits Rohingya panel, calling it a cheerleading operation' for Burmese leader Skepticism, worry amid preparation for Rohingya repatriation to Burma The deal, which was brokered without the involvement of the international community, does not address issues that Rohingya refugees and aid groups say are key safety, citizenship and sustainable housing. Bangladeshi authorities delayed the planned start of the returns last week, and it remains unclear when they will begin. Without those guarantees, many refugees are unlikely to repatriate voluntarily, experts say, potentially prolonging what UN officials have referred to as the most urgent refugee emergency in the world. react-empty 163 As of today, the necessary safeguards for potential returnees are absent, and there are continued restrictions on access for aid agencies, the media and other independent observers, UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards said in a briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on Jan. 23. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian council: The constant worry about family members left behind, often in vulnerable and perilous conditions, is a major stressor, according to Toronto Star. The Canadian Council for Refugees estimates that it takes an average of 38 months for refugees to bring their partners and children to Canada that's 38 months after formal acceptance as a refugee. Another extremely negative consequence of these delays, which can stretch from months to years, is the extra time it adds to Canada's incredibly slow process of reuniting families. It's easy to imagine the pain this kind of extended separation brings. Wendell Block, Toronto Article Continued Below Do you want to help shapethe Toronto Star's future Join our team of readers who are passionate about journalism and share your views. Our refugee hearing system must provide adequate time and legal mechanisms to come to fair, correct decisions; but it must also be fast enough to allow refugees and their families to come together as quickly as possible. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

carlyn moulton: Sponsor Land follows the day to day lives of a Syrian refugee family brought to Canada in the fall of 2015 by PEC Syria, a private sponsor group in Prince Edward County, according to Rabble. It's a thoughtful, intimate take on the dynamic between newcomers to Canada and their sponsors who commit money, emotional and sweat equity to support resettlement and the family who while grateful, wonder what they have to sacrifice to fit in. They've gone from total strangers to instant family with a sponsorship group headed by Carlyn Moulton and her merry band of well-intentioned do-gooders. Biography With two films on the Oscar shortlist -- Genius Within The Inner Life of Glenn Gould, Promise to The Dead The Exile Journey of Ariel Dorfman, Emmy-nominated Promise to The Dead The Exile Journey of Ariel Dorfman and Gemini-winning Genius Within, Mich le Hozer has been working as a filmmaker and editor in Canada since 1987. In 2015 Michele completed Sugar Coated, her first solo feature length documentary as director, editor, and producer. To date, she has worked on more than 50 documentaries that have received accolades from the world's most prestigious film festivals, including the Sundance Film festival Shake Hands with the Devil The Journey of Romeo Dallaire and IDFA West Wind The Vision of Tom Thompson in Amsterdam. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

chance encounter: It was very cold, Jabr, 22, recalled of that chance encounter two years ago in the middle of winter, according to CBC. The man, who Jabr figures was in his 50s, walked him the whole way to his destination, pointing out places of interest as they went. John's when he randomly asked a man for directions to get downtown, a 20 minute walk away. I told him it was my first day in the city and he was just super friendly. Populist politics At a time in world history marked by a global trend towards slamming doors on immigration in the face of mounting economic insecurity, new polling by The Canadian Press/Ekos Politics suggests St. I think it's one of those things I'll never forget. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

decision: It's extreme, according to Metro News. It's recurring. In this country, in over 230 years, this is not ordinary, Garaufis said during the hearing. It's vicious. The plaintiffs say the decision to end the program was motivated by racial animus against Latinos and is not based on any rational justification. Garaufis is hearing lawsuits seeking to overturn the administration's decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration status: The semitrailer stopped in the checkpoint's primary lane where the driver, a U.S. citizen, was questioned about his immigration status, according to Metro News. His rig was kept for further inspection, and agents found the immigrants inside the trailer. The U.S. Border Patrol said in a statement Monday that the immigrants were discovered Friday at a checkpoint on U.S. 83, about 35 miles 56 kilometres north of Laredo in South Texas. The immigrants are from Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. The Border Patrol says all of them are in good health.U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Nina Pruneda says the driver's identity and other details about the case are being withheld at this time. Thirteen were unaccompanied minors. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

hurricane relief: At risk are up to 80 billion in increases for the Pentagon this year alone, and nearly as much money for domestic programs, according to Metro News. Almost 100 billion worth of overdue assistance for hurricane-slammed Puerto Rico, Texas and Florida is being held up. The deadlock is deflating hopes that lawmakers will reach a breakthrough before another shutdown deadline next week. The knot involves about 1.2 billion in agency operating budgets for the fiscal year that began in October, along with hurricane relief, President Donald Trump's 18 billion-plus border wall, and other odds and ends. It takes both Republicans and Democrats to lift the limits, called spending caps in Capitol-speak. The measure has been hung up for months as lawmakers in both parties struggle first with a deal to increase tight limits on spending that are left over from a failed 2011 budget agreement. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration agreement: But his comments on the Senate floor came four days after Rep, according to The Chronicle Herald. Nancy Pelosi said the immigration plan that President Donald Trump released last week was part of his unmistakable campaign to make America white again. McConnell, R-Ky., didn't specify to what he was referring. McConnell's remarks and a sharp retort by the spokesman for the House minority leader came as bargainers made no apparent progress toward crafting a bipartisan immigration agreement. Democrats have criticized Trump's package for including steps that would limit legal immigration and strengthen federal efforts to find and eject immigrants in the U.S. illegally. They're seeking an accord that would shield from deportation hundreds of thousands of young people in the U.S. illegally after arriving as children, protections that Trump has ended, plus boost border security and possibly impose other restrictions. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

march deadline: Many older members of the group, nicknamed Dreamers, balance college classes and jobs amid a looming March 5 deadline set by Trump to repeal the program unless Congress preserves it, according to CBC. I knew DACA was going to be rescinded, or at least I thought it was, the day he won the election, said Javier Hernandez Kistte, 27, referring to Trump's anti-immigration stance during the 2016 presidential campaign. Meet five of those people covered by the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals DACA program. Kistte arrived in the country with his family from Mexico City when he was eight years old. Supporters of the DACA program say eliminating it would punish people who were too young to know the consequences of their family's decision to move to the U.S. and remove productive people from the economy. Trump plan offers citizenship path to 1.8 million immigrants U.S. Democrats withdraw 25B offer to fund Trump's border wall Trump wants tighter restrictions on immigration that he deems necessary to improve national security and protect the jobs of working class Americans. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.