The CBCs Sunday Edition program will broadcast a panel discussion on Canada’s immigration policy, Sunday, June 8 at 9:11am. Panelists include Catherine Dauvergne, Canada Research Chair in Migration Law, justice domain leader and Board member of Metropolis BC.
Category: Federal
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Subcommittee of the standing committee on citizenship and immigration meets June 3rd
The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration has set a meeting for the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure. The meeting (an in camera session) will be held Tuesday, June 3rd.
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FCRO marks first year in operation
When immigrants use their skills and credentials in the Canadian labour force, we all benefit. Because when newcomers succeed, we all succeed.
Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and ImmigrationThe Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO) has now been operating for one year. Federal government news releases herald its success but there is no mention of children/families and how they have benefited (or not) from this program. See the FCRO 2007-2008 progress report.
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Canadian immigration policy conference
The Fraser Institute is holding a conference on Canadian immigration policy June 4-5 in Montreal, QC. Subtitled “Reassessing the economic, demographic and social impact on Canada”, the conference rationale includes the following:
“In recent decades there have been serious shortcoming in the design of immigration programs as well as the need for major review of the assumptions on which current policies are based. These include:… The low average incomes of the recent immigrants combined with the universality of access to social benefits have resulted in a significant fiscal burden on Canadian taxpayers especially because of the large number of immigrants who have entered Canada under the family reunification and refugee programs, and thus did not have to meet the standards required of independent (i.e. skilled immigrants)”.
The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration will host a keynote and evening reception. Also in the program, sessions on: The current state of Canadian immigration policy; Labour market productivity implications of immigration; Immigration and an aging population; Integration of immigrants-issues of national identity, multiculturalism and security; The challenges of reforming immigration policy (with Sir Andrew Green of Migration Watch UK).
A luncheon address includes the official opposition critic for immigration, Catherine Morisette, Action Démocratique du Québec and second opposition critic for immigration, Martin Lemay, Parti Québécois.
No specific sessions devoted to immigrant children or families. -
The New Canadian Child & Youth Study
The latest issue of the Metropolis Bulletin, The Bridge, re-releases an article on the New Canadian Child and Youth Study. The article was originally published in 2005.
The New Canadian Children and Youth Study (NCCYS) is a longitudinal study of 4,000 immigrant and refugee children living in Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver. The objectives of the study are to:Compare the physical health, mental health and functioning of immigrant and refugee children with the majority culture children participating in the National Longitudinal Study of Children and Youth (NLSCY)
Identify and describe psychosocial developmental issues common to all children as well as those specific to immigrant and refugee populations
Investigate the effects of immigration vs. refugee status on children’s health and well-beingCompare mental health risk factors for immigrant and refugee children with NLSCY childrenInvestigate the effects of visible minority status on immigrant and refugee children’s integration, development and mental health
Investigate, cross-sectionally and over time, the effects of the like-ethnic community, and of the receiving society on children’s integration and mental health
Describe the evolution of personal identity (including ethnic community and peer effects)
Examine intrafamilial risk and protective factors for children’s well-being
Examine regional effects on resettlement and adaptation.Researchers in the NCCYS are:
Morton Beiser, University of Toronto and CERIS, The Ontario Metropolis Centre
Linda Ogilvie, University of Alberta
Joanna Anneke, Hospital for Sick Children and CERIS Director
Robert Armstrong, Child and Family Research Institute
Jacqueline Oxman-Martinez, Centre for Applied Family Studies. -
SSHRC Strategic knowledge clusters – 11 new research initiatives
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) announced funding of 2.1 Million for 11 new Strategic Knowledge Clusters last week. Funding continues for the next 7 years.
In announcing the funding, the Minister of Industry, the Honourable Jim Prentice said “Canadian scholars and researchers will continue to produce world-class results so that we, as a country, may use this knowledge to enhance the quality of life of all Canadians“.
Chad Gaffiled, President of SSHRC said “These talented researchers will help advance understanding of complex issues in our society and inform decision makers in government, business and communities across Canada”.
Of the 11 newly funded initiatives, these 3, of interest and relevance to the Early Childhood Working Group and Canadian Coalition for Immigrant Children and Youth:Canadian Forum for Public Research on Heritage, with Luc Noppen, Université du Québec à Montréal
Canadian Refugee Research Network, with Susan McGrath, York University
Strategic Knowledge Cluster on Early Childhood Development, with Michel Bovin, Université Laval.The three are clearly linked and we look forward to the work undertaken and especially to the linkages that must be made among them, if the knowledge clusters are to, as Gaffield says “advance understanding of complex issues” and as the Minister of Industry emphasized “to enhance the quality of life of all“.
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rabble.ca perspective on the proposed change to immigration policy
rabble.ca has posted an editorial on the proposed changes to the federal immigration policy. See the link for a number of other related articles – and – here is a round-up of links from this blog on the proposed changes to the IRPA:
March 13/08 – Economic class favoured over family reunification?
March 15/08 – Amendments to IRPA
March 17/08 – Canadian Council on Refugees on proposed changes to IRPA
March 24/08 – Proposed changes to immigration legislation
April 4/08 – Changes to IRPA
April 8/08 – DM press conference on changes to IRPA
April 16/08 – CIC on proposed changes to IRPA
April 16/08 – CCRs 10 areas of concern about proposed changes to IRPA. -
Demography is destiny: New report by Canadian Centre for Policy Studies
The Canadian Centre for Policy Studies released a report yesterday, authored by James Bissett, titled Demography is Destiny: Towards a Canada-First Immigration Policy. In the report, Bissett, former Director-General of the Canada Immigration Service, outlines what he sees as the problems in the current immigration system and provides recommendations for improving it. He challenges the notion that immigration policy is not (good) population policy and allowing more immigrants into Canada will not solve the aging population ‘problem’ in Canada.
Does the report say anything about children? Yes. Bissett views the forming of ethnic enclaves as problematic for children and contributing to isolating children from (developing) Canadian culture:“Children are being effectively cut-off from broader Canadian society, making the medium and perhaps even the long term prospect of successful integration much less certain. Strategies to encourage integration and assist in the process have not kept up with these changes”.
Some other comments on family reunification. Bissett’s recommendations include a call for a Royal Commission to examine this issue and – as he sees it – problem of integration. Other recommendations generally align with the proposed changes by the federal government. No surprise from the Canadian Centre for Policy Studies.
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11th National Metropolis Conference, Calgary, March 19-22/09
The 11th annual National Metropolis Conference will be held in Calgary, March 19-22, 2009. A Call for Proposals has been issued.
Deadline is October 1, 2008.
See the Prairie Metropolis Centre website for more information.