The reported atrocities across Ukraine have added to the urgency to respond felt by Ukrainian and other concerned communities here in Canada. Since the federal government rolled out the special Temporary Resident pathway- CUAET (Canada Ukrainian Authorization for Emergency Travel) about three weeks ago, over ninety-thousand applications have been received with more than fifty thousand of these applicants applying for the three-year open work permit. Others have applied for student visas. The balance are the children and the elderly.
FCJ Refugee Centre’s RAD Virtual Orientation Sessions provide applicants with a FREE opportunity to prepare for their refugee appeal. Refused refugee claimants have an opportunity to learn about the refugee appeal process before the Refugee Appeal Division (RAD) through sessions facilitated by RAD officers. Read more »
OCASI HAPPENINGS
Hold The Date!
We have exciting news. The OCASI Executive Directors’ Forum is back this year, and will be held in-person in Toronto on October 26-28, 2022. We will bring you more information soon. You can view sessions from the 2020 ED Forum with OCASI on YouTube.
More than 100 people attended the Refugee Rights Day Toronto 2022 commemoration held on April 4. The event featured refugee speakers, artists and Mayor's Proclamation of April as Refugee Rights Awareness Month. Organized by the Toronto Refugee Rights Day Planning Committee in which OCASI is a member.
On March 10, Journeys to Active Citizenship, a project that OCASI is co-developing, hosted a roundtable entitled “Civic Engagement in the Im/Migrant- and Refugee-Serving” sector. Thanks to all who could attend! If you missed it, you can watch a recording of the event here. This was a bilingual event, but simultaneous interpretation is unfortunately not available for the recording.
Table ronde: Chemins vers une citoyenneté active
Le 10 mars, Chemins vers une citoyenneté active, un projet qu’OCASI co-développe, a organisé une table ronde intitulée “Engagement civique dans le secteur de l’établissement” Merci à tou.te.s qui ont pu y assister! Si vous l’avez manqué, vous pouvez regarder l’enregistrement en cliquant ici. Ceci était un événement bilingue, mais l’interprétation simultanée n’est malheureusement pas disponible pour l’enregistrement.
Why Agencies Love OCMS
An OCMS user tells us, "OCMS is a great tool. For case management of our clients, it is extremely helpful. All of the client's information is located on this system... Workers can then see everything that has been done for the client. Furthermore, action plans and follow-ups can be done more easily..."
The SettleNet.org/Réseau-Étab.org team is looking for enthusiastic ambassadors to help us reach and engage more individuals in the sector by promoting the platform, posting on social media, presenting at conferences, creating content, etc. This is a highly flexible opportunity with training, support, and promotional kit provided. Email mbeker@ocasi.org for more details and to apply.
Call on the government of Canada to respect the right to refuge—by putting an end to the Safe Third Country Agreement, which prevents people from claiming asylum at the US-Canada border. Use this form to add your voice and write to Minister Fraser. A campaign by the Canadian Council for Refugees and Amnesty International.
Support LGBTQ Muslims
Download resources from Salaam Canada
It’s Not a Phase: Support for Family Members of LGBTQ Muslims
More Than Just Feeling Alone: Understanding LGBTQ Mental Health
Do Ask, Do Tell? Coming In, Out & Around as LGBTQ Muslims
What Is Islamophobia? Safety and Resistance for LGBTQ Muslims
A Community Discussion Guide (to create your own peer support group)
A class action lawsuit has been filed in the Federal Court of Canada on behalf of Black federal employees. The lawsuit is seeking long-term solutions to permanently address systemic racism and discrimination in the Public Service of Canada. Read about the class action, share information, sign the petition and find out what you can do in support.
Momentum is growing for May 1. It will be an important day to kick off the Ontario election: the larger the turnout, the more likely our issues will shape the June 2 provincial election. Read on for some important organizing opportunities and events in your community.
Participate! National Action Plan on Combatting Hate
The government has launched public consultations for the first ever National Action Plan on Combatting Hate. Complete the online questionnaire by April 30. Read more»
Prenez part au Plan d’action de lutte contre la haine
Le gouvernement a lancé des consultations en vue du tout premier plan d'action national de lutte contre la haine. Vous êtes invité à remplir le questionnaire en ligne d'ici le 30 avril 2022. Lire la suite »
Ukraine Immigration Measures
If you’re a Ukrainian national or a family member of a Ukrainian national and you have valid status as a visitor in Canada or hold a study or work permit, you can extend your stay in Canada for up to 3 years. Your application will be prioritized, and you’ll be exempt from paying some of the fees for your application. Read more »
Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience
For the first time, leading nonprofits in Canada are taking deliberate, collective action to build the digital capacity of the sector. Read more »
CIRA Canadian Shield
Protect your personal devices (and your family!) with a free public DNS made exclusively for users in Canada. This service provides malware, phishing and botnet protection, with DNS privacy, for your devices and home networks. Read more »
Bouclier canadien de CIRA
Protégez vos appareils personnels (et votre famille!) des logiciels malveillants et des tentatives d’hameçonnage grâce à un DNS public entièrement gratuit développé au Canada, hébergé au Canada et réservé exclusivement aux Canaiens. Ce service protéger votre réseaux mobiles et à domicile contre les logiciels malveillants, l’hameçonnage, les réseaux zombis et préserver la confidentialité de votre DNS. Lire la suite »
CALL FOR PROPOSALS
Programme d’appui à la francophonie ontarienne 2022-23
Le Programme d’appui à la francophonie ontarienne soutient la vitalité culturelle et commerciale de la population francophone, en mettant l'accent sur l'amélioration des services de première ligne et la promotion de la langue et de la culture françaises. Présentez votre demande de financement au plus tard mercredi 11 mai 2022 à 17 h HNE. Lire la suite »
Francophone Community Grants Program 2022-23
The Francophone Community Grants Program supports the cultural and commercial vitality of the French-speaking population, with a focus on improving front-line services and promoting the French language and culture. Submit your application by Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. EST Read more»
Shockproofing Communities Grant
Apply for one-time funding from the Government of Canada for projects and collaborations to address gender-based violence in the context of the pandemic and moving towards post-pandemic recovery. Grants are for Women’s organizations and other organizations offering significant gender-based violence supports and services to women, trans, Two Spirit, and non-binary people. Deadline April 21, 2022, at 11:59pm PT Read more»
Renforçons nos communautés
La Fondation canadienne des femmes versera ces fonds aux organismes desservant les femmes et aux organisations qui offrent du soutien et des services aux femmes et aux personnes trans, bispirituelles et non binaires- pour soutenir des projets et des collaborations qui répondent à la violence fondée sur le genre qui découlent de la pandémie. Date limite 21 avril 2022 à 23h59 PT Lire la suite»
REPORTS
Discrimination In Canada
During the pandemic, the relative risk of ethnic or racial discrimination increased most among Asian groups. The study, “Discrimination before and since the start of the pandemic” is based on the General Social Survey conducted by Statistics Canada. Report released on March 17, 2022. View the infographic and report »
Using The Talents of Newcomers To Canada
The skills and experience of new immigrants are often wasted due to regulations and discrimination. More should be done to use their expertise. An article from Policy Options. Read the article»
Mieux utiliser les talents des nouveaux arrivants
Les obstacles réglementaires et la discrimination gaspillent les compétences et l’expérience des immigrants. On doit faire mieux. Lire l’article»
Decent Work Is A Health Issue
Read a new report from the Decent Work and Health Network to learn why improving working conditions is an urgent health issue. As Ontario faces the sixth wave of COVID infection, and restrictions are being lifted, workers in low-wage and precarious employment are still being abandoned without protections. Read the report »
Food Bank Visits and Income
A new report from the University of Calgary found that the number of food bank visits directly rises with increases in rent and falls with increases in minimum wage or disability benefits available to individuals requiring social assistance. Read the report »
Employment and Safety among Racialized Women
A new literature review by Woman Abuse Council of Toronto literature review explores existing research on the relationship between employment and intimate partner violence, with a focus on the experience of racialized survivors. Read more »
Right To Read
Ontario’s public education system is failing students with reading disabilities (such as dyslexia) and many others, by not using evidence-based approaches to teach them to read. This is one of the findings of a public inquiry by the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC). Read the report »
Digital Skills Survey
CanadaHelps surveyed 1,400 diverse charities about their openness, interest, and willingness to adopt new digital tools. The survey also identified barriers that charities face in using digital technologies. Download the report »
