ImmigrantChildren.ca Archive

Category: Family reunification

  • 14th National Metropolis conference, Feb 29-March 3, sessions on immigrant children, youth & families

    The 14th National Metropolis conference theme is Future Immigration Policies: Challenges and Opportunities for Canada. It will be held February 29 – March 3, 2012 at the Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto.
    immigrantchildren.ca is delighted to see so many workshops and a dedicated poster session that focus on immigrant and refugee children, youth, and families:

    Thurs March 1, 2012 Workshops

    Family violence towards young newcomer women
    This workshop will explore family violence towards young newcomer women (ages 15-30). Presentations will examine factors that contribute to abuse and violence, barriers and facilitators to seeking help, the experiences of shelter staff in offering appropriate services, and existing government policies and programs related to this type of family violence.
    Organizer
    Lucia Madariaga-Vignudo, Qualtrica Associates
    Tuula Heinonen, University of Manitoba
    Participants
    Priya Sharma, University of Manitoba
    Barriers and Facilitators to Accessing Help: The Experience of Young Newcomer Women Affected by Family Violence in Winnipeg, Manitoba
    Lucia Madariaga-Vignudo, Qualtrica Associates
    Barriers and Facilitators to Accessing Help: The Experience of Young Newcomer Women Affected by Family Violence in Winnipeg, Manitoba
    Janine Fraser, Edmonton Women’s Shelter Ltd.
    Providing Shelter to Young Newcomer Women Fleeing Family Violence: A Service Provider’s Perspective
    Hoori Hamboyan, Justice Canada
    Family violence policy and its impact on ethno-cultural minority communities
    Anna Korteweg, University of Toronto
    Religion, Culture, and the Politicization of Honour-Related Violence: A Critical Analysis of Media and Policy Debates in Germany, the Netherlands, and Canada
    Chair
    Tuula Heinonen, University of Manitoba
    At the margins but longing to belong: Immigrant and refugee youth in Canadian schools Immigrant teenagers experience a steep learning curve as they attempt to learn either English or French, complete high school and integrate into Canadian society. In this workshop we will explore the social and linguistic integration experiences of newcomers at school in Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec as well as policy implications.
    Organizer
    Antoinette Gagné, University of Toronto
    Participants
    Ranya Khan, University of Toronto
    Meeting the needs of war-affected refugees in Manitoba high schools
    Sunny Lau, Bishop’s University
    Developing immigrant learners’ academic expertise through the promotion of identities of competence
    Stephanie Soto Gordon, Toronto District Board of Education
    Growing new roots: Coming together – New immigrant and Canadian teenagers
    Antoinette Gagne, University of Toronto
    Growing new roots: Coming together – New immigrant and Canadian teenagers
    Yamin Qian, University of Toronto
    More than English proficiency: Chinese adolescents’ peer networks and English use in Toronto
    Marilyn Steinbach, Université de Sherbrooke
    Social integration of immigrant adolescents in secondary schools in regional Quebec
    Chair
    Antoinette Gagné, University of Toronto
    Discussant
    Clea Schmidt, University of Manitoba
    Female genital cutting in the Canadian context: Global bodies and immigration The 1990s was a time of much attention to the issue of Female Genital Cutting (FGC) in Canada with the development of legal policies, original research and innovative programming in the community. In this workshop, presenters from different sectors and disciplines will address a renewed interest in all of these areas.
    Organizer
    Paula Migliardi, Sexuality Education Resource Centre
    Participants
    Shereen Denetto, Sexuality Education Resource Centre
    Women, Men and Youth’s Perspectives of Female Genital Cutting and Change In Winnipeg
    Gillian Einstein, University of Toronto
    Pain in Somali – Canadian Women: Neurological Consequences of Female Genital Circumcision
    Perron Liette, Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologist Canada
    Female Genital Cutting / Mutilation: SOGC Working for Change
    Notisha Massaquoi, Women’s Health in Women’s Hands Community Health Centre
    Policy Development in Canada: Past, Present and Future
    Bilkis Visandjée, University of Montréal
    Clinical Imperatives, Research Perspectives: Giving Quality of Care in the Context of Traditional Practices
    Chair
    Paula Migliardi, Sexuality Education Resource Centre
    Immigration and mothering This session will examine the multiple and shifting roles, relationships, constructions and representations of mothers and mothering in the processes of immigration. Various dimensions will be explored from issues of identity (and intersecting identities in terms of race and class), to work in the home, family and community, as well as the negotiation of family arrangements, relationships with the second generation, and roles with respect to transnational and cross-cultural mothering. In so doing, this workshop will consider how mothers contribute to immigration, settlement and integration, as well as the impact such processes have on mothering.
    Organizer
    Alexandra Dobrowolsky, Atlantic Metropolis Centre
    Evangelia Tastsoglou, Saint Mary’s University and Atlantic Metropolis Centre
    Guida C. Man, York University and CERIS-The Ontario Metropolis Centre
    Participants
    Guida C. Man, York University and CERIS-The Ontario Metropolis Centre
    Negotiating Work and Family: Exploring Transnational Migration Practices of Immigrant Women Professionals in Canada
    Mehrunnisa Ali, Ryerson University
    When Mothering Never Ends: The Experiences of Mothering Teenagers and Young Adults in the South Asian Diaspora
    Farishta Murzban Dinshaw, COSTI Family Violence Initiative
    Mothers of Sons: Gender Roles and Cultural Continuity in Immigrant Communities
    Anna Kirova, University of Alberta and Prairie Metropolis Centre
    Involving Newcomer Parents and Children in Negotiating Cultural Identities Through Art-Making
    Chair
    Alexandra Dobrowolsky, Atlantic Metropolis Centre
    Discussant
    Evangelia Tastsoglou, Saint Mary’s University and Atlantic Metropolis Centre
    Improving the lives of immigrant and refugee youth: Collaborative community, research, and policy initiatives The complex needs of our growing population of youth from immigrant and refugee families will be addressed by academic, professional, and community participants. Promising collaborative approaches in youth activism, local partnerships, diversity training, and health improvement among immigrant youth will be highlighted, with an eye toward policy and programming.
    Organizer
    Darren Lund, Prairie Metropolis Centre
    Participants
    Darren Lund, Prairie Metropolis Centre
    Learning from Youth Leaders in Social Justice Activism
    James Baker, Memorial University
    The Making of a “Welcoming Community”: Youth Perspectives on Inclusion, Integration, and Participation
    Marisa Cardeal-Casagrande, McMaster University
    Fostering Leadership and Engagement with the “Youth Futures Program”
    Hassan Vatanparast, University of Saskatchewan
    Improving the Health and Nutrition of Immigrant and Refugee Children
    Mischa Davison, Saskatoon Open Door Society
    “Creating Youth Culture”: Teen Diversity Leadership Training Program
    Chair
    Darren Lund, Prairie Metropolis Centre
    Discussant
    Fariborz Birjandian, Calgary Catholic Immigration Society

    Friday, March 2, 2012 Workshops

    Second generation youth: Educational and employment trajectories among Filipino youth in Canada The Philippines is now Canada’s top source of immigrants and this population has a distinctive set of arrival and settlement experiences. The echoes of these experiences are evident in the educational and employment outcomes of second generation Filipino-Canadian youth. This session explores these outcomes across four cities in Canada.
    Organizer
    Philip Kelly, York University
    Participants
    Philip Kelly, York University
    Geographies of the Second Generation: Filipino-Canadian Class Reproduction in Urban
    Canada
    Maureen Mendoza, University of British Columbia
    Educated Minorities: The Experiences of Filipino Canadian University Students
    Darlyne Bautista, Winnipeg School Division
    Exploring Culture in Our Schools: Policy Discussion and Community Practice
    Veronica Javier, Community Social Worker
    Julia Mais, York University
    Behind the Resume: Influences on the Educational and Employment Trajectories of 1.5 and Second Generation Filipino-Canadians
    Daisydee Bautista, Aksyon Ng Ating Kabataan (ANAK) Inc.
    Exploring Culture in Our Schools: Policy Discussion and Community Practice
    Chair
    Mila Garcia, Community Alliance for Social Justice
    Discussant
    Conely De Leon, York University
    The Concepts of age and generation in the migration context: Implications for policy-research This workshop focuses on the concepts of age and generation in migration contexts and examines the inter-play of age, generation, as well as gender, race and immigrant and family status in the social and economic outcomes of immigrants in Canada. Conceptual and methodological issues will be explored. Research findings related to how age and generational status are key indicators of both the context of migrations and the settlement and integration processes will be shared. Policy and program implications for governments and service providers will also be identified.
    Organizer
    Christina Clark-Kazak, York University
    Laure Lafrance, Citizenship and Immigration Canada
    Participants
    Alexandra Ricard-Guay, McGill University
    Unpacking human trafficking definitions through the lens of age-sensitivity
    Ranu Basu, York University
    Building Community in Suburban Inner-City Schools: Scarborough as Site for Emancipatory Practice
    Yogendra Shakya, Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services
    Challenges and Opportunities in Family Role Changes for Refugee Youth from the Afghani, Karen and Sudanese Communities
    May Farrales, Unversity of British Columbia
    Holding spaces: geographies of Filipino-Canadian students’ educational experiences
    Chair
    Christina Clark-Kazak, York University
    Post-secondary education participation: Access and supports among immigrant youth in Canada This workshop reports, compares, and contrasts findings with respect to post-secondary education participation of immigrant youth with particular attention to access and supports (e.g. structural factors, social supports, special needs, engagement) from two sources — 17 year olds in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and 19 year olds in British Columbia’s Metro Vancouver School Districts (MVSD).
    Organizer
    Paul Anisef, York University
    Vicky Maldonado, McMaster University
    Participants
    Robert Brown, Toronto District School Board
    Gillian Parekh, York University
    Paul Anisef, York University
    Post-secondary Participation of First, Second, and Third Generation Students: The Role of Social and Academic Supports in Secondary School
    Vicky Maldonado and Scott Davies, McMaster University
    Horizontal Stratification and the Maclean’s Rankings: University Participation of Native-born and Immigrant Youth in the Toronto District School Board
    Kristyn Frank, Independent Researcher
    Does Parental and Teacher Engagement Influence the Field of Study Choices of Immigrant and Canadian-born University Students?
    Maria Adamuti-Trache, University of Texas at Arlington
    Robert Sweet, Lakehead University
    High School to PSE Pathways of Metro Vancouver Students: Ethnic Group Differences
    Chair
    Paul Anisef, York University
    Discussant
    Roula Anastasakos, Toronto District School Board
    Limited access to healthcare for uninsured families and children: Ontario and Quebec This workshop focuses on health status and access to care of immigrant, refugee, and migrant children, youth and pregnant women who do not have provincial health care coverage. It will present new research findings, health provider perspectives and health service delivery challenges, and discuss implications for policy and practice.
    Organizer
    Joanna Anneke Rummens, The Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto
    Cécile Rousseau, McGill University and CSSS de la Montagne (Parc Extension)
    Sharon Chakkalackal, The Hospital for Sick Children
    Participants
    Joanna Anneke Rummens, The Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto
    Sharon Chakkalackal, The Hospital for Sick Children
    Access to Health Care for Uninsured Immigrant, Refugee and Migrant Child and Youth in Ontario
    Audrey Laurin-Lamothe, McGill University
    Francesca Meloni, McGill University
    Alexandra Ricard-Guay, McGill University
    Health Status of Uninsured Children & Pregnant Women in Quebec
    Manavi Handa, Assocation of Ontario Midwives
    Karline Wilson-Mitchell, Sages-Femmes Rouge Valley Midwives Scarborough/Durham Region
    On the Ground: Access to Healthcare Issues for Uninsured Women and their Canadian Babies
    Joesiann Nelson, Black Creek Community Health Centre,
    Simone Atungo, Mount Sinai Hospital
    Before and After: Seeking Pathways to Care for Uninsured Moms and Children at Community Health Centres and Hospitals
    Chair
    Deb Kocay, Public Health Agency of Canada
    Discussant
    Wendy Katherine, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care
    Community-based health promotion programs for children and their families: How the Public Health Agency of Canada is improving the health of recent immigrants This workshop will highlight the Public Health Agency of Canada’s community-based programs and their work in the health promotion of recent immigrants and their families. There will be an overview of the programs from a national perspective, along with specific regional issues and the experiences of projects delivering health promotion programming in the community.
    Organizer
    Dana Gaertner, Public Health Agency of Canada/Agence de santé publique du Canada
    Participants
    Jennette Toews, Public Health Agency of Canada – National Office /Agence de santé publique du Canada – Bureau central
    CAPC and recent immigrants: A national health promotion program for children and their families
    Blanca Serrano, Public Health Agency of Canada – Ontario Region /Agence de santé publique du Canada – Région de l’Ontario
    Promoting the health and well-being of children and families in Ontario: Working with new immigrants
    Julie Burdon, The Hincks-Dellcrest Centre
    Innovative solutions that meet the needs of a diverse population at our prenatal and parenting programs
    Marie-Michèle Delisle-Bédard, Maison pour femmes immigrantes
    L’intervention auprès des femmes et de leurs enfants victimes ou exposés à la violence: succès et défis
    Immigrant and refugee visible minority youth in Canada The presence of immigrant and refugee visible minority youth in Canada has enhanced the growth of Canada’s population and labour force. As this is an advantage for the country, it is also important to determine who these youth are, their circumstances, needs, and how they can contribute to Canada’s multicultural society.
    Organizer
    J. Alejandro Hernandez-Ramirez, Simon Fraser University
    Participants
    J. Alejandro Hernandez-Ramirez, Simon Fraser University
    Miu Chung Yan, University of British Columbia
    Tejwant Chana, University of Alberta
    Dorla Harris, MOSAIC
    Farah Prashadcolah, Youth Settlement Worker
    Lianne Lee, Immigrant Sector Council of Calgary
    Heather Robertson, Newcomers Employment and Education Development Services (N.E.E.D.S.) Inc.
    Cristina Guerrero, University of Toronto
    Chair
    J. Alejandro Hernandez-Ramirez, Simon Fraser University
    Engaging immigrant children in Ontario and Quebec schools through the creation of multimodal identity texts How can teachers, researchers and community members collaboratively draw on the cultural and linguistic resources that immigrant children bring to their learning? This workshop examines how students’ expressions of their diverse identities and experiences through multimodal and multilingual creations deepen their engagement and facilitate their integration at school.
    Organizer
    Gail Prasad, University of Toronto
    Marie Paule Lory, Université de Montréal
    Participants
    Marie Paule Lory, Université de Montréal
    Quand le plurilinguisme prend corps dans des ateliers d’expression théâtrale et d’éveil aux langues
    Gail Prasad, University of Toronto
    What Moves Me? Exploring Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Children’s representations of their mobilities through self-portraits and photography
    Saskia Stille, University of Toronto
    Engaging in cultural production at school: Using digital media to create identity texts with emergent bilingual children
    Susan Hind, Toronto District School Board
    Found in Translation: Showcasing home-school-community cultural and linguistic diversity through visual media creation
    Amelia Jimenez, Inner City Angels
    Found in Translation: Showcasing home-school-community cultural and linguistic diversity through visual media creation

    Saturday March 3, 2012 Workshops

    Muslim students in Canadian schools: Meeting students’ academic, social and faith-based needs How can Canadian schools meet the needs of their Muslim students? This session will highlight the findings from a study that included teachers’ voices, experiences and practices related to the schooling of their Muslim students, and discuss how schools and teachers attempt to support religious practices in a secular space.
    Organizer
    Ranya Khan, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
    Participants
    Sararoz Niyozov, University of Toronto
    Ranya Khan, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
    Arif Anwar, University of Toronto
    Nadeem Memon, Razi Group
    Uzma Jamil, McGill Transcultural Research and Intervention Team
    Chair
    Sararoz Niyozov, University of Toronto
    International migration and maternity Maternity may amplify socioeconomic marginalization and the vulnerability of immigrant women. Reproduction is a critical event on the life trajectory and represents an imperative sphere of attention. This roundtable enables decisive exchange between researchers, and government and non-government representatives, regarding socioeconomic, political, and cultural processes perpetuating maternal health care inequities.
    Organizer
    Gina Higginbottom, University of Alberta
    Participants
    Deb Kocay, Public Health Agency of Canada
    Myfanwy Morgan, King’s College London
    Gina Higginbottom, University of Alberta
    Annalita Shireen Bell, University of Alberta
    Lanre Tunji-Ajay, Sickle Cell Awareness Group of Ontario
    Helen Vallianatos, University of Alberta
    Chair
    Gina Higginbottom, University of Alberta
    Discussant
    Deb Kocay, Public Health Agency of Canada
    Immigrant mothers, health outcomes and promising practices to reduce health inequities Health inequities can affect immigrant and refugee mothers, and, as maternal health is a spread-used indicator to assess the state of well-being in most countries, there is a need to explore how immigrant mothers’ health can be affected once in Canada. Speakers at this workshop will showcase recent research on maternal health differences between immigrant and Canadian-born mothers. They will examine several health indicators and determinants of health as well as the maternal experiences, perceptions, knowledge, and practices of both populations. The workshop will also include the preliminary findings from the Migrant Friendly Maternity Care project as well as a community perspective on a number of resources and initiatives being implemented to address the reproductive needs of newcomer women and their families.
    Organizer
    Solange van Kemenade, Public Health Agency of Canada
    Anita Gagnon, McGill University
    Participants
    Marcelo Urquia, Saint Michael’s Hospital
    How immigrant women are doing in terms of maternal and infant health in Canada?
    Dawn Kingston, University of Manitoba
    Comparison of Maternity Experiences of Canadian-Born and Recent and Non-Recent Immigrant Women: Findings From the Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey
    Maureen Heaman, University of Manitoba
    Comparison of Maternity Experiences of Canadian-Born and Recent and Non-Recent Immigrant Women: Findings From the Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey
    Saleha Bismilla, Toronto Public Health
    Giving Birth in a New Land
    Anita Gagnon, McGill University
    Can Migrant Friendly Maternity Care (MFMC) improve perinatal health outcomes?
    Chair
    Solange van Kemenade, Public Health Agency of Canada
    Refugee youth negotiating change This roundtable examines some of the diverse and interconnected challenges and opportunities refugee youth encounter as they negotiate various life transitions in the context of settlement in Canada. Discussion topics include education, settlement/youth services, creativity, mental health, social and cultural integration, gang involvement, sexuality, and employment.
    Organizer
    Alejandro Hernandez, Simon Fraser University
    Jenny Francis, University of British Columbia
    Participants
    Jenny Francis, University of British Columbia
    Paula Migliardi, Sexuality Education Resource Centre
    Susan Frohlick, University of Manitoba
    Marian Rossiter, University of Alberta
    Nora Becker, Saskatchewan Intercultural Association
    Wendy Auger, Immigrant Services Calgary
    Jane Wambui Gichuru, University of Western Ontario
    Zheng Zhang, University of Western Ontario
    Sarah Fletcher, University of Victoria
    Nona Grandea, Citizenship and Immigration Canada
    Chair
    Jenny Francis, University of British Columbia

    Poster Sessions

    Des services communautaires qui bonifient la relation école-famille : le cas d’un organisme montréalais
    Annick Lavoie, Université de Montréal
    Fasal Kanouté, Université de Montréal
    Justine Gosselin Gagné, Université de Montréal
    Enhancing our ability to respond to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) newcomer youth within the settlement sector
    Zack Marshall, Memorial University of Newfoundland
    Tess Vo, Griffin Centre Mental Health Services
    The Role of transnational families in immigrant settlement
    Amrita Hari, York University
    Grandparental caregiving in Chinese-Canadian immigrant families
    Cynthia Sing-Yu Shih, York University
    Yvonne Bohr, York University
    Afghan newcomer youth in Toronto: Exploring leisure and information practices during settlement
    Lisa Quirke, University of Toronto
    Étudiants internationaux et persévérance aux études postsecondaires
    Sarah Mainich, Université de Montréal
    The African Canadian youth leadership project: Encouraging a critical reading of the Canadian urban landscape
    Troy Glover, University of Waterloo
    Debjani Henderson, University of Waterloo
    Visit the Metropolis conference website for more information. To register, visit here.

  • Papers: Stories of undocumented youth

    Papers: Stories of Undocumented Youth tells the story of the approximately 2 million children in the United States who are living “without legal status”, i.e., without “papers”.
    These children arrive on American shores not by choice, but because their parents take them there for what they hope will be a better future. Many arrive as babies and small children and do not realize they are living precariously until they turn 18 and attempt to join the labour force, attend college or university or get a driver’s license – all of which require a social security card, an ID reserved for US citizens. These children, many who know no other country and often, language, are educated in US schools, hold US values and face a perilous future without “papers”.
    My thanks to Graham Street Productions, for sending me a copy of the DVD  to review.
    Papers follows five undocumented youth and tells their stories with the backdrop of the DREAM Act movement. The DREAM Act, a bipartisan initiative developed by Sen. Orin Hatch [R-UT] and Sen. Richard Durbin [D-IL], is a progressive policy response to the issue – with one caveat for the use of the word ‘alien’ in the acronym DREAM – ‘Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act’. The DREAM Act would provide “qualifying undocumented youth” eligibility to enter into a conditional path to full citizenship (for example, requiring youth to complete a college degree or give two years of military service prior to applying for citizenship).
    Graham Street Productions, who worked with El Grupo Juvenil (the “Papers” youth crew) produced this inspiring documentary. It opens with a montage of demonstrations, both for and against immigration. There are some beautiful moments of peaceful marching and some harsh displays of hatred. Immigration – legal and otherwise – is a hotly debated issue in the US as it is here in Canada.
    The documentary includes commentary from civil rights leaders, politicians, academics and researchers.  A unique parallel story links the LGBTQ movement with the immigration rights movement. One of the youth, Jorge, is both gay and undocumented. From the press release:

    They realize that there is extraordinary power in their stories and in telling the truth. The boldness of it inspires us. By coming out as undocumented, they risk arrest, detention, and deportation. By coming out as queer, they risk being ostracized from their families, their churches, their cultures of origin and their communities. But in talking with these courageous young people, it is obvious that they are not going to stop being public about who they are. In some ways the most vulnerable, they are also the most brave. They, more than anyone, know the power of “coming out” and recognize that going public is the way to changes peoples’ hearts and minds.

    It is a moving and compelling documentary that has been received with much acclaim. Watch the trailer here. Follow Papersthemovie on twitter at @papersthemovie. Order a copy of the DVD here.

  • "Coming to Canada: The price that children pay"

    Promised Land is a series of radio programs profiling “escape” stories of families who came to Canada in search of a better life. Produced by Natasha Fatah, the series includes stories of escapes from Argentina, Checkoslovakia, Eritrea, Honduras, Iran, Uganda, USA, and Vietnam.
    In an op-ed on the CBC News website “Coming to Canada: The price that children pay”, Fatah reflects on the issues that immigrant and refugee children face:

    “Some children who escape even to a country as seemingly embracing as Canada, are left deeply disturbed from the experience of having to uproot their lives and by the impact on their families”. (Source: CBC News website).

    CBC Radio One runs the Promised Land series Mondays, 7:30pm, EDT and Fridays, 9:30am, EDT. You can also watch the series or download podcasts of it at the program website. A worthwhile series overall and immigrantchildren.ca is pleased to see children and youth issues highlighted by Fatah today.

  • Conference call: Migration and the global city, Toronto

    It looks like Ryerson University is working to launch a research institute devoted to immigration and settlement issues. Good luck to them. As part of this initiative, they are calling for proposals for a conference entitled “Migration and the Global City”. The conference, a launch to the proposed research centre, tentatively called the Ryerson Institute on Immigration and Settlement (RISS), will be held on the Ryerson campus from October 29-31, 2010.
    A call for papers has been released here. Of particular interest to immigrantchildren.ca, conference themes include; Children and Youth; Citizenship, Migration and Identity; Precarious and Temporary Status; and Settlement Services.
    The conference will feature a range of activities, including day-trips to local immigrant/settlement locations, a film-documentary screening and art-show, and a possible “CIHR-funded pre-conference on immigrant and refugee children and youth” (Source: Ryerson website). Ryerson – do let us know at immigrantchildren.ca how we can support this important inclusion!
    Deadline for abstract submission is June 15, 2010.

  • Metropolis conference: Immigration and diversity. Crossroads of culture, engine of economic development

    The 12th annual Metropolis conference will be held March 18-20, 2010 in Montreal. The theme this year is Immigration and Diversity: Crossroads of Culture, Engine of Economic Development. immigrantchildren.ca is pleased to see so many workshops and roundtables addressing issues related to newcomer families and young children, including:
    Transnational Families: Where race, culture and adoption intersect, by Susan Crawford, lead for the Halton Multicultural Council project “Transracial Parenting Initiative”. From the abstract: “This workshop presents research on transracial and transnational families created through adoption across Canada. Presentations examine cultural enrichment through adoption, gaps in delivering pre- and post-adoption services and the needsof transracial familites; and adult adoptees’ complex experiences and understandings of ethno-racial identity”.
    Conflict and Violence in Immigrant Families, by Madine VanderPlaat, St. Mary’s University. From the abstract: “This workshop will examine issues related to gender, conflict and violence within immigrant families. Participants will discuss the factors that contribute to stressors as well as the challenges and opportunities for culturally competent social responses”.
    Health and Access to it for Migrants after Birth, by Anita Gagnon, Denise Bradshaw, Marlo Turner-Ritchie. From the abstract: “Tri-city (Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal) data on the health and service needs of refugee, asylum-seeking, non-refugee immigrant and Canadian-born women and their infants during pregnancy, at birth and during the first four months after birth will be presented in conjunction with potential policy responses to these date”.
    School, Community and Collaborative Practice: Fostering the Integration of Immigrant and Refguee Youth in the Canadian School Context, by Sophie Yohani, N. Ernest Khalema. From the abstract: “Creating welcoming communities in educational settings is vital for newcomer students who may have a history that hinders adaptation. This workshop brings together academic researchers, non-profit practitioners, a government program officer, and a graduate student who share expertise in community-based collaborative practice to address the adaptation of refugee and immigrant students in the Canadian school context”.
    Taking Care into Consideration: Local and Transnational Implications for Families, Children and Youth, by Alexandra Dobrowolsky and Evangelia Tastsoglou. From the abstract: “Familial networks, local and transnational, are critical to immigrants’ decision-making processes. The accommodation of care concerns (care of children, elderly parents, etc). also becomes a key consideration for migrants, especially for women. This workshop explores the repercussions of familial networks, and the complex negotiation of care concerns vis-a-vis attraction and retention”.
    For more details on the above, see the conference program page.

  • Family immigration

    US based Immigration Policy Center, the research and policy arm of the American Immigration Council, has released a paper today on family immigration. Family Immigration: Repairing Our Broken Immigration System addresses the challenges, gaps and lays out what they see as “the key principles for family immigration within the context of  comprehensive immigration reform”. Some useful information for Canada to also consider. An excerpt from the introduction follows.
    Principles for reform of the family immigration system:

    • Family unification must remain a fundamental pillar of U.S. immigration policy. Proposals that sacrifice family immigration for the sake of employment-based immigration create an unfair and erroneous dichotomy. Family immigrants work and contribute to the U.S. in many ways. Both the family-based and employment-based immigration systems can be fixed without sacrificing one for the other.
    • The current backlog of family-based immigrants must be cleared, and law-abiding families must be reunited in a humane and reasonable timeline. There are several possible options to clear the backlogs and promote family unification, including moving spouses and minor children into the “immediate relatives” category.
    • The spouses and minor children of legalized immigrants must be issued visas at the time of the primary applicant’s legalization. Including spouses and children in the legalization provisions will help to prevent future backlogs.
    • Unused and unclaimed family-based visas must be recaptured, and a mechanism to ensure that future unused visas are not wasted must be created. Congress authorizes a set number of visas to be made available annually. When these visas go unused, the problems with backlogs only worsen. Recapturing visas would not overstep the numerical limits set by Congress, but it would alleviate some of the consequences of visa oversubscription.
    • The numerical caps on family-based immigration must be revisited and brought in line with current realities. The last adjustments to the numerical caps were made in 1990.  These numbers must be reconsidered and brought up to 21st century requirements.
    • USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) must receive the resources necessary to resolve backlogged family immigration cases and ensure that processing backlogs do not reoccur. True reform means eliminating the circumstances that led to the problems in the first place.

  • No right to dream: New research on undocumented migrants, UK

    Commissioned by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the research project “No Right to Dream: Young Undocumented Migrants” will be conducted in three regions (London, North West and the Midlands).

    From the brief: “The research will therefore focus on the voices of young undocumented migrants about which little is known and will explore and develop the key themes around lives and livelihoods including: experiences of employment; social networks; community involvement; links and obligations with friends and family in their country of origin; how being undocumented impacts on their lives and the longer term goals and aspirations of young undocumented migrants”.

    For more information, including PDF briefs in English, Portuguese, Chinese, Kurdish, Turkish, Ukranian, Sbona, Ndeble at the Young Undocumented Migrants website.

  • Canadian Council for Refugees winter working group meetings

    The Canadian Council for Refugees Winter Working Group meetings will be held in Toronto February 26-27/10. On Fri Feb 26/10, 2 working groups will address Overseas Protection and Sponsorship and Immigration and Settlement. On Sat Feb 27/10, the working group will be meeting on Inland Protection. All working group meetings will include discussion of family reunification. See the page for more information.
    Folks who attend the CCR meetings rave about them. Have you ever been?

  • Feds seek input into changes to the live-in caregiver program

    As reported in various media, the federal Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism has introduced changes to the live-in caregiver program (LCP). See for example, The Toronto Star’s “Good package of changes to live-in caregivers” (Dec 22/09). Briefly, changes being proposed include:

    • Four years of work to complete the two-year requirement for application for permanent residence
    • Overtime hours to be calculated in the above
    • One medical exam, at time of application to participate in the LCP
    • Travel costs to be paid by the employee
    • A telephone help-line for caregivers.

    The details on proposed changes can be found in the Canada Gazette and/or the CIC website. Details were published on Dec 19/09. Comments will be accepted up until Jan 18, 2010 and should be directed to:
    Maia Welbourne, Director, Temporary Resident Policy and Program Development Division
    Citizenship and Immigration Canada
    8th floor, Jean Edmonds Tower South
    365 Laurier Avenue W, Ottawa ON K1A 1L1
    Tel: 613.957.0001
    Fax: 613.954.0850
    maia.welbourne@cic.gc.ca
    Selected related items:
    Temporary Foreign Workers and Non-Status Workers – Report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration (May 2009)
    Gender-based barriers to settlement and integration for live-in caregivers: A review of the literature by Denise Spitzer and Sara Torres (Nov 2009)

  • York University (Toronto) annual summer course on refugee and forced migration studies

    This year’s Summer Course on Refugee and Forced Migration Issues by the Centre for Refugee Studies, York University will be held May 8-16/10 at the Keele Campus. Fee is $975 Cdn, if you register before Feb 26/10 (fee goes up to $1100 after that date).
    For more information, visit the conference course website , email summer@yorku.ca and refer back to previous postings at immigrantchildren.ca.