Canada Immigration 加拿大移民

Parenting workshops help immigrant parents build cultural bridges to children

Thornhill

February 19, 2009 09:00 AM

BY ADAM MC LEAN

It's among the most difficult jobs in the world and it is a vocation that can last you the rest of your days.

Parenting in any generation and for any mother or father can be a daunting task and one that comes with serious risk, reward, happiness or unfortunately at times, sorrow.

It can be particularly daunting for an immigrant parent to build and maintain a healthy relationship with their child.

Coming from a country with a different culture and different values for raising children, parents can find themselves still learning to adapt to the realities of rearing their son or daughter in a suburban, Canadian culture of Richmond Hill. Sometimes their children adapt sooner, and embrace their new culture or even reject their parents' culture.

For those parents struggling or looking for answers to bridge this gap, there is a series of workshops offered at the Richmond Hill Christian Community Church to help remedy and strengthen the parent-child relationship.

The workshops are entitled Stronger Families, Stronger Communities and each workshop is lead by Dr. Ernest Cheng.

Dr. Cheng is a parent who has raised two boys, both now in their 20s; and the doctor hopes to share many of his own experiences and lessons as an immigrant parent raising two Canadian-born children to help others like himself.

"I am just someone who is willing to reflect, be open and honest about parenting. I'm not here to lecture, but in a humble way explain my experiences, my successes and failures as a parent. It is half confession, half instruction.

"I often ask myself, 'what gives me the right to talk about this and lead these workshops'," Dr. Cheng said laughing.

Born in Hong Kong, immigrating to Canada at 18 and then earning his doctorate at the University of Toronto's Institute for Studies in Education, Dr. Cheng, now 59, is also the author of two Chinese-language parenting books; 'A tree planter's dream' and 'A bridge builder's dream',

And it is through his humble experience as a dad, that he plans to lead discussion and instill certain methods that can help an immigrant parent relate to and nurture the development of their Canadian-born child.

"Parenting is such an important life step and most of us don't take a parenting course in college or through our formal education, so usually when one becomes a parent they have had little practice.

"This series of workshops offers a chance for discussion and some education. I can't provide all the answers, but it is a way for parents to come together and relate," Dr. Cheng said.

He talks at great length about the many bridges between parents and their children which need to be built in order to navigate a happy and healthy relationship through what he sees are a host of different relationship foundations.

He will be leading four such workshops over February and March with the first called 'The Giant Chasm' scheduled for Friday, Feb. 20.

The Giant Chasm looks at the natural divide that exists between parents and children in every household and Dr. Cheng illustrates this divide between generations can sometimes be deeper when the parents are immigrants.

"A cultural transition can cause this chasm to range even further," Dr. Cheng said.

"I experienced a very Asian upbringing and though even now I consider myself as Canadian as the next person; there is a heritage and environment within me that is different from the one my two sons have been brought up in. For many immigrant parents these values can clash," he added.

The doctor illustrates four contributers to this divide as: age gap, generation gap, cultural gap (which can not only affect immigrant families, but also any urban family where parents were brought up in a rural setting), and learning curve perspective.

After hearing Dr. Cheng describe the complexities of the learning curve perspective, it is easy to see that such a phenomenon probably exists in any Richmond Hill household.

"With most people our learning curve rises sharply in the our first 20 years, plateaus and then slowly tapers off.

"As a parent, when we look at our kids' learning curves, it is inevitable that as our curve declines and theirs is on the rise, the two will meet and then continue in opposite directions.

For example, if an individual becomes a parent at age 25, the curve crossover point between parent and child will occur when the parent is 40 and their child is 15. Each will learn new skills and absorb information at the same rate.

Beyond that point, phrases like, 'you are starting to loose it, Dad' or 'you are having a senior moment' may start to be uttered by your child.

"It can be customary for kids to lose a little respect for their parents at this point. They figure mom and dad are not 'with it' because they can't work the computer or figure out the DVD player," Dr. Cheng said with a laugh.

"There isn't much a parent can do at this point, but to just love your child unconditionally and see them as a gift. They, in return, will look at you differently and more than anything, being loved is what they need most," he added.

Dr. Cheng will host a second workshop on Feb. 27 entitled 'You, the leader' encouraging parents to come out and discuss what it means to lead the family in a stimulating and psychologically safe home environment.

Each workshop will be offered at the Richmond Hill Christian Community Church in both English and Chinese, and Dr. Cheng hopes parents of any cultural background will take part in the group discussions.

Admitting the majority of the church's congregation where he also teaches Sunday school is Chinese, his message about the workshop's inclusiveness is loud and clear.

"The majority of us are of Chinese birth or heritage, but we are Canadians and our children are Canadians. Richmond Hill is our home and it is where our roots have been put down. We hope that through these workshops we can reach out and make people from Richmond Hill's many ethnic groups feel at home," he added.

Richmond Hill Christian Community Church is located at 9670 Bayview Ave., just south of Weldrick Rd. Admission to the workshops is free.

For more information phone 905-883-3399.

CAF president calls immigration minister "whore of war"

Canada threatens to slash funds from Arab org
The Al Arabiya News Channel (Dubai), February 19, 2009
http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2009/02/19/66755.html

Khaled Mouammar (L) president of CAF faces funding cuts for condemning Jason Kenney (R)

Canada's immigration minister threatened Tuesday to slash funds to the country’s largest Arab organization, despite fears that the cut would affect its ability to provide services to new immigrants, after its president denounced Canadian politicians for backing Israel's assault on Gaza.

Khaled Mouammar, president of the Canadian Arab Federation slammed Canadian politicians at an anti-Gaza war rally in Toronto calling immigration minister Jason Kenney "a professional whore" for supporting Israel's assault on Gaza.

" We should not be rewarding those who express views that are contrary to Canada's best liberal values of tolerance and mutual respect "

Jason Kenney, immigration minister

Jason Kenney said that groups are within legal rights to speak their mind, but cannot expect to get tax payer's money if they say intolerant and hateful things, according to news reports.

"We should not be rewarding those who express views that are contrary to Canada's best liberal values of tolerance and mutual respect," Kenney was quoted in the Ottawa Sun as saying.

The controversy began at the rally where Mouammar gave a speech condemning Canadian politicians for supporting Israel's 22-day offensive on civilians in Gaza and denouncing mainstream Canadian media for "misinforming" Canadians through misleading coverage of the war.

Khaled Mouammar denounced Canadian politicians for their silence on the Israeli war on Gaza

“We have in Canada two types of politicians, those who are professional whores who say Israel has right to defend itself by killing women and children with phosphorus bombs. The second type of politicians are those who lost their tongues. All have been silent as if they lost their tongues except for one politician who condemned Israel’s war crimes,” Mouammar said at the rally.

(see AlArabiya.net’s Video Forum http://evideo.alarabiya.net/ShowClip.aspx?clipid=2009.02.18.13.16.44.666)

Kenney reportedly requested that government officials consider comments made by groups as part of their portfolio for funds application assessments, adding that the comments made by the Arab Federation president will affect its application once the current grant expires in March 2010.

CAF received a $447,297 contribution from Kenney’s department to run a immigrant settlement program in Toronto for two years, teaching new residents language and job search skills, according to reports.

Minister Kenney announces appointments to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

Citizenship and Immigration Canada

www.cic.gc.ca

News Release

Ottawa, February 17, 2009 — The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, today announced 12 full-time appointments to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB).

Sherif Atallah, Roxane Cyr, Mariam Sarwar Pal, Pharès Pierre, Sonia Rodrigue and Jocelyne Senécal were appointed for three-year terms in the Montréal office. Douglas John Cryer, Jacques Fortin, John Gerald Kivlichan and Marie-Claude Andrée Yaacov were appointed for three-year terms in the Toronto office. Larry James Campbell and Douglas Bruce Fortney were appointed for three-year terms in the Vancouver office. These appointments were made in accordance with the IRB’s merit‑based appointment process.

The Minister is committed to delivering on his promise to fill vacancies on the Board with qualified individuals as quickly as possible. With today’s announcement of 12 appointments, and the Minister’s announcement of 13 appointments and three reappointments on January 23, 2009, the Board now stands at close to 90 percent of its full complement. With a lower vacancy rate on the IRB, genuine refugee claims will be processed and finalized faster, while frivolous asylum applications will be dismissed more quickly.

Prior to his appointment to the Board, Mr. Atallah was a Corporate Communications Consultant with David & Goliath Communications Marketing. He also held positions with Diners Club International (Canada), the most recent being Assistant Vice-President, Branding & Marketing Communications. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Communications from McGill University.

Prior to her appointment to the Board, Ms. Cyr was a Tribunal Officer at the IRB. She also held the positions of Hearings Officer with Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Parole Officer with the Correctional Service of Canada. Ms. Cyr has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from the University of Ottawa.

Prior to her appointment to the Board, Ms. Pal worked as a consultant specializing in economic analysis and legal research. She was also a lawyer in private practice, providing assistance to employees of international organizations involved in grievance processes. She has held the positions of Economist with the Asian Development Bank in the Philippines and Senior Social Policy Expert with the African Development Bank. Ms. Pal received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Victoria, her Bachelor of Arts in Economics and her Master of Arts in Economics from McGill University, as well as her Bachelor of Laws from McGill University.

Prior to his appointment to the Board, Mr. Pierre was Director of International Development for Miro Média. Mr. Pierre holds an Honours Bachelor of Mathematics, with a specialization in Secondary Education and a minor in Administration and Political Science, from the Université du Québec à Montréal.

Prior to her appointment to the Board, Ms. Rodrigue was a lawyer in private practice, specializing in immigration and refugee law in Montréal. She was also a lawyer with the law firm William, Aguilar and Associates in Montréal. She holds a Bachelor of Laws from Université Laval. Ms. Rodrigue was called to the Barreau du Québec in 1991.

Prior to her appointment to the Board, Ms. Senécal was a Tribunal Officer at the IRB. She also worked in a number of other positions within the IRB, including those of Research Officer in the documentation centre and Case Officer in the registry. Ms. Senécal did her studies in nursing and social sciences at the Cégep du Vieux Montréal.

Prior to his appointment to the Board, Mr. Cryer was Director of Development for New Connections Ministries, which offers a one-year recovery program for addicts and ex-offenders. He has also held the position of Director of Public Policy with the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. He has extensive experience as a Legislative Assistant and has pastored Christian churches in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Mr. Cryer received his Bachelor of Religious Education from the Alberta Bible College.

Prior to his appointment to the Board, Mr. Fortin was a notary in private practice in Gatineau. He was also a lawyer in private practice in Montréal and in Hull. Mr. Fortin has a Bachelor of Arts, a Licentiate in Laws and a Diploma in Notarial Law from the University of Ottawa. Mr. Fortin was called to the Barreau du Québec in 1969 and to the Chambre des notaires du Québec in 1987.

Prior to his appointment to the Board, Mr. Kivlichan was a Tribunal Officer with the IRB. He also held the positions of Intermediate Accountant with Orenstein and Partners as well as Staff Accountant with Peat Marwick. He received his Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto and his Bachelor of Laws from the University of British Columbia. Mr. Kivlichan was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 1982.

Prior to her appointment to the Board, Ms. Yaacov was Legal Counsel for the Durham Children’s Aid Society. She has also held the position of Legal Counsel for the Children’s Aid Societies of Brant and Toronto. She has been a Program Consultant and Settlement Project Officer with Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Ms. Yaacov received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from York University, her Master of Arts from the University of Toronto and her Bachelor of Laws from the Osgoode Hall Law School.

Prior to his appointment to the Board, Mr. Campbell was Vice Chair and previously Senior Vice Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Tribunal in British Columbia. He has also held the positions of Vice Chair and Member of the Workers’ Compensation Review Board, and Client Services Manager and Case Manager with the Worker’s Compensation Board of British Columbia. Mr. Campbell received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Calgary and his Master of Business Administration in International Business from the Cass Business School of the City University in London, England.

Prior to his appointment to the Board, Mr. Fortney was an independent Management Consultant specializing in the fields of international business development, finance and treasury. He was the Vice-President, Project Financing, of SNC-Lavalin Capital in Montréal. He also held several positions with Export Development Canada, the most recent being Chief Representative for Mexico. Mr. Fortney received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba and his Bachelor in Public Administration as well as his Master of Business Administration from the University of Ottawa.

Created in 1989, the IRB is an independent administrative tribunal that reports to Parliament through the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. The Board has three divisions—the Refugee Protection Division, the Immigration Appeal Division and the Immigration Division. The IRB determines refugee protection claims made in Canada, hears immigration appeals, and conducts admissibility hearings and detention reviews.

For further information (media only), please contact:

Alykhan Velshi
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Alykhan.Velshi@cic.gc.ca

Media Relations Unit
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca

Canadians want illegal immigrants deported: poll

 

A majority of Canadians believe immigrants who are in the country illegally or after their visas expire should be deported, even if they have family ties in the country, a newly released government poll shows. By CanWest News ServiceOctober 20, 2007  

OTTAWA — A majority of Canadians believe immigrants who are in the country illegally or after their visas expire should be deported, even if they have family ties in the country, a newly released government poll shows.

Conducted for Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the national poll revealed that respondents didn’t make a distinction between “undocumented workers” and “workers without the proper work permits,” with nearly two-thirds of Canadians coming down hard on illegal immigrants because they did not follow the rules.

“Half say that they feel the same way about immigrants who have studied in Canada and have the potential to contribute to this country but who are now here illegally because their visas have run out,” said the poll summary. As well, a slight majority said immigrants who did not go through the proper application process should be deported despite the existence of family members already in the country.

Prof. Peter Showler, director of the Refugee Forum at the University of Ottawa, said it is a “very high Canadian value” to oppose queue-jumping by anyone in the country, including immigrants.

“We are a very civil society and we like the idea that people should play by the rules, and we don’t like it when there are rule-breakers and I think that has been a fairly consistent view,” said Showler. However, he added that Canadians are very “schizophrenic” on the issue and once personal details about an immigrant, who is about to be deported, become public through the media, they often become extremely supportive.

He said estimates on the number of illegal immigrants in Canada generally range from 35,000 to 120,000 — a relatively small percentage of the national population when compared to 13 million in the United States.

The federal government is releasing its latest survey as the heated debate over reasonable accommodation of minorities, which started in Quebec, spreads across the country, drawing in issues of multiculturalism and immigration. The Conservative government promised in the throne speech to bring in legislation forcing voters to show their faces when casting ballots.

Residents in Quebec, at 70 per cent, were much more likely to mention “reasonable accommodation” than any other region in Canada, where no more than five per cent cited this response when asked to mention aspects of immigration in the news. The Quebec government is currently holding hearings into reasonable accommodation across the province.

In the poll, Canadians identified both the positive and negative aspects of immigration. The pro-immigration aspects were identified as giving a boost to the workforce by bringing in more labourers and highly skilled people while increasing cultural diversity.

“Negative aspects identified include the perception that there is a lack of integration in that immigrants are imposing their culture instead of adapting to ours, the desire of immigrants to have Canada accommodate them, the impact that immigration has on Canadian culture and the notion that immigrants groups tend to stay together and not mix with the rest of society,” said the poll report.

The survey also found that despite Canadians’ limited understanding of biometrics, three of five support their use once the effectiveness against the fraudulent use of identity documents is explained. “They say that the federal government’s main priority... should be maintaining security rather than protecting privacy,” said the report.

In fact, 80 per cent of the respondents predicted by the year 2010 that every adult will have at least one biometric ID on file somewhere to verify their identity. Overall, just over half of Canadians said that there are about the right number of immigrants coming to Canada while 27 per cent said there were too many.

The poll report, which was completed in May, involved 1,200 telephone interviews with adult Canadians and carries a margin of error of 2.8 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
It was the first time the government had asked questions about deporting illegal immigrants in Canada. The poll cost about $40,000.

Ottawa Citizen

A New Environment for Canada's Immigration Policy

Canada School of Public Service

www.csps-efpc.gc.ca

La version française de ce message suit:

The next Metropolis Armchair Discussion with the Canada School of the Public
Service.

A New Environment for Canada's Immigration Policy

Thursday, February 19, 2009. 1:00 p.m. to 2:15 p.m . (ET)

Dr. Demetrios Papademetriou ~ Expert on international migration

English Presentation

The success of Canada’s immigration policy depends on the continuous monitoring of an ever-changing global environment, a constant focus on immigration outcomes, and a willingness to adapt.

Dr. Demetrios Papademetriou, President of the Migration Policy Institute, will lead a discussion on developments affecting Canadian immigration policy that must be seriously considered if we are to continue to manage immigration successfully. Some of the issues discussed will include: the implications of the global recession; the potential for new forms of Canada-US co-operation on immigration; the expanded array of options now available to the world's migrants, and Canada's competitive position to attract the rate of immigration required for economic growth.

You are invited to attend this Armchair Discussion on-site at 65 Guigues Street (Ottawa) or participate online via live Webcast (video and audio feed offered online).

To register, please visit the School’s Web site: http://www.csps
<http://www.csps-efpc.gc.ca/eve/air/index-eng.asp>
-efpc.gc.ca/eve/air/index-eng.asp

--------------------------------------------------------------

La prochaine Discussion informelle du Projet Metropolis avec L'École de la
fonction publique du Canada.

Un nouveau cadre pour la politique d'immigration du Canada

Jeudi 19 février 2009 13 h à 14 h 15 (HE)

Demetrios Papademetriou Ph.D. ~ Expert en matière de migration internationale

Présentation en anglais

La réussite de la politique d'immigration du Canada repose sur la surveillance continuelle d'un contexte mondial en constante évolution, le souci permanent de résultats en matière d'immigration et la volonté des'adapter.

M. Demetrios Papademetriou, Ph.D., président du Migration Policy Institute, animera une discussion portant sur les changements ayant une incidence sur la politique d'immigration du Canada, lesquels nécessitent une réflexion sérieuse si l'on souhaite toujours gérer l'immigration avec succès. Certains des enjeux qui seront discutés comprendront : les répercussions de la récession mondiale; la possibilité de nouvelles formes de coopération en matière d'immigration entre le Canada et les États-Unis; la multiplication des options qui sont maintenant proposées aux migrants dans le monde entier et la position concurrentielle du Canada afin d'attirer le nombre d'immigrants nécessaires à la croissance économique.

Vous êtes invités à assister à cette Discussion informelle en personne au 65, rue Guigues (Ottawa) ou participer au moyen de la webdiffusion en direct (couverture vidéo et audio offerte en ligne).

Pour vous inscrire, veuillez consulter le site Web de l’École :
http://www.csps-efpc.gc.ca/eve/air/index-fra.asp< /span>

 

Manitoba Worker Recruitment and Protection Regulation Requires Licensed Recruiters be Members of CSIC

Attention News Editors:

TORONTO, Feb. 9 /CNW/ - Today, the province of Manitoba introduced Worker Recruitment and Protection Regulations requiring all foreign worker recruiters to apply for and hold a license. Only members in good standing of the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC), a member of a provincial bar or a member of the Chambres des notaires du Québec are eligible to apply for this license.

CSIC's mandate is to regulate immigration consulting professionals and to protect consumers of immigration consulting services. Its members are all certified immigration consultants who are equipped with the latest information on immigration law, procedures and practices and conduct their business according to a strict, enforceable code of conduct.

To become a Certified Canadian Immigration Consultant one must pass a rigorous application process which requires evidence of good character and the successful completion of competency-based and language testing. For added security and client protection, certified consultants are fully insured for errors and omissions and must adhere to rules of professional conduct. CSIC has a complaints and discipline process to protect consumers of immigration services. "CSIC applauds Manitoba's commitment to better protect foreign workers and we recommend this legislation serve as a model for other jurisdictions," said Ryan.

CSIC is the professional regulatory body for immigration consultants in Canada. Established in 2004 it currently has more than 1400 members. CSIC's mandate is to protect consumers of immigration consulting services. Consequently, it is responsible for ensuing the education, competency testing and the discipline of its members. CSIC also requires its members to carry errors and omissions insurance and to contribute to a compensation fund.

For further information: Nancy Tibbo, (416) 572-2800, Toll Free:
1-866-308-CSIC (2252), ntibbo@csic-scci.ca, http://www.csic-scci.ca

Immigrants' info out in the open

News Canada

 By TOM GODFREY, SUN MEDIA

Last Updated: 25th February 2009, 3:33am

Stunned applicants filling out immigration forms are now being warned their personal information can be shared with the RCMP, national security and intelligence agents, and even foreign cops.

The immigrants, many who arrive here from brutal regimes, are being told that they must sign a consent form or their requests will not be dealt with by federal immigration officials.

One form, which was obtained by Sun Media, said the data can be shared with the Canada Border Services Agency, RCMP, Canadian Security Intelligence Service and foreign police.

TARGET FRIENDS

The information can be used to target friends or family members of those who say negative things about their homelands, said Jamal Kaker, of the Afghan Association of Ontario.

"This will impact a lot of immigrants in many communities," he said yesterday. "This is scary because the information will get back to Afghanistan in no time."

Toronto lawyer Guidy Mamann said it can be deadly for immigrants who give information that may be negative to their governments and are then refused by Canada.

"The rights of these immigrants are being trampled," Mamann said.

"All this was done under the radar without an announcement."

He said foreign police -- some working for the worst regimes -- will be able to find out where their nationals who fled to Canada live and allegations they have leveled against their homelands.

"All this information will now be shared," Mamann said.

"The lives of immigrants and some Canadian citizens will become an open book."

SIGN FORMS

He said Canadian citizens are affected if they sign forms to sponsor a spouse or loved ones.

"It's another nail in the coffin for civil rights in Canada," Mamann said.

"Negative information against governments will now be open for sharing."

Toronto lawyer Mendel Green called the changes troubling.

"This is a serious breach of our privacy laws," he said. "It appears to be an excess of authority. Big Brother wants to watch our visitors."

Federal immigration spokesman Nicolas Fortier said the messages were printed on about 30 different types of forms.

"Information sharing is on a case by case basis," he said in an e-mail.

Canada 'top of the pops' for Brits

Immigration from U.K. surging for first time in more than a decade as recession hits Britain

Feb 25, 2009 04:30 AM

Lesley Ciarula Taylor
IMMIGRATION REPORTER

Neil and Hayley Wallstead can't quite get over their basement.

Part of a surge in British immigration to Canada, the Wallsteads and their daughter packed up and moved to Oakville 18 months ago to be close to a busy city and for a better standard of living.

"Both of us have admired Canada from afar," said Hayley Wallstead, who had a pen pal in Mississauga as a girl. "We always planned to do something different with our lives."

Neil Wallstead explained, "A lot of people in England admire the U.S. Canada is that little bit different. It's the more mature, slightly more sensible brother."

What's different? "Most houses have basements for a start," said Hayley Wallstead. "The houses are so much bigger than we would have been able to afford in England."

For the first time in a decade, the number of British citizens immigrating to Canada is way up, with nearly 8,000 arriving in the first nine months of last year alone.

And they keep coming. More than 12,000 British citizens applied to emigrate to Canada over the same period, according to Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

They're skilled professionals and tradespeople with young families pining for more sunshine and snow, better schools and cleaner cities.

For the Wallsteads, who lived in Ross-on-Wye on the Welsh border, the hardest part was the two-year wait, which meant leaving their eldest, a son, behind in England at university. Both have good jobs, he as an accountant in Burlington, she as a secretary in Oakville.

Londoner Peter Giblett and his family were in the vanguard of the surge, arriving nearly three years ago with a $100,000 down payment on a farmhouse in Grassie, a hamlet near Grimsby, Ont. "Britain is going nowhere, the U.K. is a dying country. It's a negative environment. Canada is much more positive."

In immigration consultants' offices in Britain, the phone calls and emails keep pouring in from people trying to escape scary food prices and unemployment numbers.

Eric Katz works in Mississauga with the British-based Overseas Emigration Visas, fielding queries and advising immigrants once they get here. Most go out west, he said. Oakville and Burlington are the first choices in greater Toronto.

The surge picked up, Katz said, after Hector Goudreau, Alberta's minister of immigration, visited Britain last summer to lure Britons to his province. Food costs in Britain had soared 60 per cent from the start of 2008 and fuel, 22 per cent.

"Canada has the strongest economy of the G-8 countries, it's world-renowned for having the best standard of living," said Liam Clifford, director of GlobalVisas in London, England. "It's top of the pops."

British citizens paying GlobalVisas for help to emigrate "is up more than 50 per cent" over the last quarter, he said. Who are they? "People in their mid 20s to 40s, that age group where they're thinking about their families. I wouldn't say they're desperate, but ... the U.K. is sliding into a depression. This is an alternative to struggling here."

From January to September, 2008, British nationals had filed 12,020 applications for permanent residence in Canada, CIC statistics show. In 2007, the total was even higher, at 24,182.

(Modern emigration from Britain hit an all-time low in 1998, according to Statistics Canada. The heyday of British emigration to Canada in the last 54 years was 1957, when it hit 114,347, on the heels of the Suez Crisis. The other spike was in 1967, with 64,601.)

Visa First, based in Dublin and London, started Migration Nights last year and has seen attendance triple, says marketing manager Edwina Shanahan. Each event, rotating through Sheffield, Surrey, London, Leeds, Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester, lures 200 or more to hear Visa First extol the virtues of Canada and Australia.

The audience has changed dramatically in the past six months, she says, shifting from mainly 18- to 25-year-olds to 25- to 45-year-old skilled professionals and tradespeople with families. What are the draws? "Canadian schools, the cost of living in Britain is higher, a better quality of life and the weather in Britain lacks proper summers, too much rain and not enough snow."

Still, it can be a struggle. Giblett says he's "10 days away" from losing their farmhouse. "I walked into a job when I got here but 15 months ago, I was made redundant." He hadn't found anything since, despite a background in senior IT work, but came away from a job fair on Friday with a fistful of promises.

What does he miss? Cheese and onion potato chips. "They don't taste the same here."

Concern Grows as Canada's Population Ages

CANADIAN IMMIGRATION NEWS

 Monday, 23 February 2009

Government and Business officials are growing increasingly more concerned over an aging skilled labour population at all levels of employment.

Since the early 1980's, there have been forecasts that should have prepared companies for the consequences of poor long term planning, and it seems as though businesses are reaching a critical state.

Current infrastructure relies heavily on a population that is approaching retirement, and will need to act quickly in order to fill the gaps left behind.

Canadian provincial governments have begun to implement new and more diverse provincial immigration programs that target areas that are facing critical labour shortages in the immediate future. The Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP's) tend to favour immigrants who are able to satisfy the immediate needs of each individual province, while offering a potentially expedited immigration process for those looking to eventually settle permanently in Canada.

If you are interested in Visas to Canada, contact Migration Expert for information and advice on which visa is best suited to you. You can also try our visa eligibility assessment to see if you are eligible to apply for a visa to Canada.

Obama arrives in Canada with immigration, economics and environment on the agenda

There was snow on the ground in Ottawa yesterday as Air Force One touched down for Barack Obama's deliberately low key, first trip abroad as president.

President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper walk down the Hall of Honour for a joint news conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa

In a moment replete with symbolism, Mounties in red uniforms gave the salute as Mr Obama was greeted by Canada's Governor General, Haitian born Michaëlle Jean. It was meant to be perfunctory encounter between Canada's acting head of state (in the Queen's absence) and the president, but it turned instead into a lengthy closed door session between the two black political leaders.

Mr Obama is interested in the success of Canada's immigration model and he was learning first hand from a woman whose family fled Haiti as refugees from the regime of Dictator Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier.