The federal budget 2013 released on Thursday March 21 is a mixed bag for Immigration, Citizenship, Settlement and Integration. The budget includes funding to expedite the Temporary Resident Program ($42m over two years) and the Citizenship program ($44m over two years).
Hundreds of thousands of Toronto residents pay local taxes and use city services, but have no say in who represents them, because they are not yet Canadian citizens. Recently, the City of Toronto's Community Development and Recreation Committee put forward a request to review “the opportunity to have permanent residents in Toronto be given the right to vote in municipal elections.” Join OCASI - Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants and Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office for a panel discussion on the merits of this proposal.
Workplaces are challenged to comply with equity legislation, respond to changing demographics and build inclusive, effective organizations. It can no longer be about ticking the checkboxes, rather it is about making people count and building excellent inclusion practices, policies and workplace cultures.
The Ministry of Labour is consulting with stakeholders and the public on developing the first-ever integrated occupational health and safety strategy for Ontario. The strategy will establish a clear vision, goals and priorities that will guide the work of the ministry and its partners in the years ahead.
As a sector concerned with immigrants' and refugees' settlement and integration, our collective attention has been riveted on the myriad of changes to the Immigration system and to the Refugee determination system, sometimes applauding, but for the most part bemoaning the transformation of Canada away from our traditional priorities of providing refuge to the world?s persecuted and marginalized.