Tue Oct 13, 11:27 PM
VANCOUVER (CBC) - A huge honour has been bestowed on a small B.C. town, which was named Tuesday as one of the most livable communities in the world.
The town of Gibsons, population about 4,000, was named the best place in the world to live, among communities with fewer than 20,000 residents, by the International Awards for Liveable Communities. The award program has the endorsement of the United Nations.
Gibsons is the southernmost town on B.C.'s Sunshine Coast, a 40-minute ferry ride northwest of Vancouver, and was already well-known for more than its sea views and hillside homes.
The town was first thrust into the spotlight on The Beachcombers, an internationally distributed CBC television comedy-drama series that first began filming there almost 40 years ago.
Among the qualities recognized in Tuesday's award announcement was Gibsons' commitment to healthy living and environmental sustainability.
A geothermal plant is in the works, generating heat for hundreds of homes with a minimal carbon footprint. But residents said it's just one of the innovative ideas that won them the award.
"We may be small, but we're really good," town councillor Lee Ann Johnson told CBC News. "I think it really speaks to the community, because we have a very committed and involved community at all levels."
When Craig Perry docked his boat in Gibsons, it was supposed to be a brief stopover on a sailing trip to Russia.
"We tied up for I guess a week, and a week turned into a month, and a month turned into a year, and we never did get any further," said Perry.
That was 15 years ago. Perry now runs a floating fish-shop, hooked by Gibsons' charm.
"I think it's wonderful, I'm really proud of the town, and it's a really beautiful place to live," said resident Joanie Carter.
The community does have its challenges, and closely fought local elections in 2008 reflected the split between those who want to encourage development and those who want to slow it down.
Builders are fighting to turn the lush mountainside into luxury condos for retirees from Vancouver. The harbour is also being re-developed and environmental activists worry that could spell the end to what make Gibsons so special.
"People here aren't opposed to development, they just want intelligent development, and not necessarily on the waterfront of rare and endangered ecosystems," said resident Gerry Smith.
Smith said he hopes the international recognition for Gibsons special ecosystems will serve as incentive for the town to continue going green.
Source: CBC.CA
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/cbc/091013/canada/canada_britishcolumbia_bc_gibsons_liveable_award
Canada near top in quality of life (... at least you don't live in USA)
By Olivia Ward.
Source: theStart.com
The UN's verdict is in: Canadians have the fourth-best quality of life in the world, behind top-rated Norway, Australia and Iceland.
And Canada again surpasses the wealthier United States, which has slid from 12th to 13th place between 2006 and 2007, the last year for which international data was tabulated. Canada's position is unchanged since 2006.
The figures are tallied by the United Nations Development Program's annual Human Development Index, which analyzes the statistics of 182 countries.
"It shows that development can be measured not just through output or economic growth," said David Morrison, executive secretary of the UN's Capital Development Fund. "Because of Canada's well-developed social systems it traditionally scores at the top of the table."
The results come at a time when the U.S. is in a bitter debate over a new medical-care system, and critics warn against Canadian-style "socialism." The UNDP's annual index weighs individual purchasing power alongside educational achievements and life expectancy.
At the bottom of the quality of life scale is destitute Niger. Only a cut above is Afghanistan, in spite of billions of dollars of development money that has been earmarked for the war-torn country. It was rated for the first time this year, after decades of conflict that made it impossible to collect vital data.
Most of the country ratings have varied little over the past few years, although the worldwide economic downturn may alter them more dramatically when 2008 results appear next year. "One or two points difference doesn't signify very much," said Morrison.
The most notable advance for 2007 was made by China, which leapt seven points on the scale to 92nd place. It was followed by Colombia and Peru, which gained five points each to 77th and 78th places. The biggest reversal was Jamaica, which plunged by eight points, while Tonga dropped by five.
The vast discrepancies in the well-being of people in the upper- and lower-scoring countries that were highlighted by the report linked up with the theme chosen by the UNDP this year. It focused on migration, and the millions of people who leave poor countries in search of safer or better lives, and create a better quality of life for themselves and their families back home.
"Most migrants, internal and international, reap gains in the form of higher incomes, better access to education and health and improved prospects for their children," the report concluded.
Although the benefits of migration are a "hot button issue" at a time of recession, said Morrison, fears that migrants will steal jobs in their host countries, or lower wages by offering cheap labour, are exaggerated.
HOW THE WORLD RANKS
The annual United Nations human development index compiled by the UN Development Program ranks 182 countries based on such criteria as life expectancy, literacy, school enrolment and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita.
1. Norway
2. Australia
3. Iceland (likely to drop in next survey since 2007 data was analyzed prior to global economic crisis)
4. Canada (has one of the most open immigration policies around)
5. Ireland
6. Netherlands
7. Sweden
8. France
9. Switzerland
10. Japan (longest life expectancy at 82.7 years on average)
11. Luxembourg
12. Finland
13. United States
14. Austria
15. Spain
16. Denmark
17. Belgium
18. Italy
19. Liechtenstein (highest GDP per capita at $85,383)
20. New Zealand
21. United Kingdom
BIGGEST IMPROVEMENT
92. China (moves up seven places from last year, rise credited to improvements in education as well as income levels and life expectancy.)
THE BOTTOM THREE
180. Sierra Leone
181. Afghanistan (life expectancy of 43.6 years, only Asian country in the bottom 10)
182. Niger
Source: theStart.com
The UN's verdict is in: Canadians have the fourth-best quality of life in the world, behind top-rated Norway, Australia and Iceland.
And Canada again surpasses the wealthier United States, which has slid from 12th to 13th place between 2006 and 2007, the last year for which international data was tabulated. Canada's position is unchanged since 2006.
The figures are tallied by the United Nations Development Program's annual Human Development Index, which analyzes the statistics of 182 countries.
"It shows that development can be measured not just through output or economic growth," said David Morrison, executive secretary of the UN's Capital Development Fund. "Because of Canada's well-developed social systems it traditionally scores at the top of the table."
The results come at a time when the U.S. is in a bitter debate over a new medical-care system, and critics warn against Canadian-style "socialism." The UNDP's annual index weighs individual purchasing power alongside educational achievements and life expectancy.
At the bottom of the quality of life scale is destitute Niger. Only a cut above is Afghanistan, in spite of billions of dollars of development money that has been earmarked for the war-torn country. It was rated for the first time this year, after decades of conflict that made it impossible to collect vital data.
Most of the country ratings have varied little over the past few years, although the worldwide economic downturn may alter them more dramatically when 2008 results appear next year. "One or two points difference doesn't signify very much," said Morrison.
The most notable advance for 2007 was made by China, which leapt seven points on the scale to 92nd place. It was followed by Colombia and Peru, which gained five points each to 77th and 78th places. The biggest reversal was Jamaica, which plunged by eight points, while Tonga dropped by five.
The vast discrepancies in the well-being of people in the upper- and lower-scoring countries that were highlighted by the report linked up with the theme chosen by the UNDP this year. It focused on migration, and the millions of people who leave poor countries in search of safer or better lives, and create a better quality of life for themselves and their families back home.
"Most migrants, internal and international, reap gains in the form of higher incomes, better access to education and health and improved prospects for their children," the report concluded.
Although the benefits of migration are a "hot button issue" at a time of recession, said Morrison, fears that migrants will steal jobs in their host countries, or lower wages by offering cheap labour, are exaggerated.
HOW THE WORLD RANKS
The annual United Nations human development index compiled by the UN Development Program ranks 182 countries based on such criteria as life expectancy, literacy, school enrolment and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita.
1. Norway
2. Australia
3. Iceland (likely to drop in next survey since 2007 data was analyzed prior to global economic crisis)
4. Canada (has one of the most open immigration policies around)
5. Ireland
6. Netherlands
7. Sweden
8. France
9. Switzerland
10. Japan (longest life expectancy at 82.7 years on average)
11. Luxembourg
12. Finland
13. United States
14. Austria
15. Spain
16. Denmark
17. Belgium
18. Italy
19. Liechtenstein (highest GDP per capita at $85,383)
20. New Zealand
21. United Kingdom
BIGGEST IMPROVEMENT
92. China (moves up seven places from last year, rise credited to improvements in education as well as income levels and life expectancy.)
THE BOTTOM THREE
180. Sierra Leone
181. Afghanistan (life expectancy of 43.6 years, only Asian country in the bottom 10)
182. Niger
Population On The Rise
Source: Discovermoosejaw.com
More and more people are calling Saskatchewan home, that's according to new figures from Stats Canada. Just over 1,030,000 people live in the province.
So where Saskatchewan's newest residents coming from? 100 years ago, the bulk of immigrants coming to Saskatchewan were from Eastern Europe - Russians, Germans, and Ukrainians.
Like before, immigration is once again on the rise, but countries of origin are different. Today, most are coming from countries like China, Japan, and the Phillipines. Its no fluke. Doug Elliot with Sask Trends Monitor says the spike in immigration is the result of a change in government strategy, "Unlike the inter-provincial migration which is sort of up to people whether they choose to move here or not, the immigration one is more driven by government policy."
So expect to hear more accents in the coming years. Elliott says Saskatchewan is on track to have about 7,000 more immigrants just this year.
Saskatchewan Investment Minister Rob Norris hopes more foreign business people and their families will move to the province. Norris says the government has streamlined rules for the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program in an effort to entice them.
He says the changes should result in more investment and jobs. Norris says the program is focused on large scale businesses willing to invest $10 million.
More and more people are calling Saskatchewan home, that's according to new figures from Stats Canada. Just over 1,030,000 people live in the province.
So where Saskatchewan's newest residents coming from? 100 years ago, the bulk of immigrants coming to Saskatchewan were from Eastern Europe - Russians, Germans, and Ukrainians.
Like before, immigration is once again on the rise, but countries of origin are different. Today, most are coming from countries like China, Japan, and the Phillipines. Its no fluke. Doug Elliot with Sask Trends Monitor says the spike in immigration is the result of a change in government strategy, "Unlike the inter-provincial migration which is sort of up to people whether they choose to move here or not, the immigration one is more driven by government policy."
So expect to hear more accents in the coming years. Elliott says Saskatchewan is on track to have about 7,000 more immigrants just this year.
Saskatchewan Investment Minister Rob Norris hopes more foreign business people and their families will move to the province. Norris says the government has streamlined rules for the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program in an effort to entice them.
He says the changes should result in more investment and jobs. Norris says the program is focused on large scale businesses willing to invest $10 million.
The H-1B “Brain Drain”-- It’s NOT the Economy, Stupid
Invited Blog:
Bloggings On The H-1B Visa
by Anthony F. Siliato and Scott R. Malyk
Editor's note: Here are the latest entries from Anthony F. Siliato and Scott R. Malyk's blog.
September 25, 2009
Further to one of our more recent posts, it isn’t just the economy driving the “brain drain” associated with the ever-increasing numbers of talented workers opting to leave the U.S. Rather, the unrealistic immigrant visa quotas for employment-based green cards are also to blame as a formidable obstacle contributing to this recent trend.
The much-anticipated October visa bulletin issued by the Department of State did little to give new hope to the long line of skilled workers waiting for available immigrant visa numbers. Indeed, with quotas backlogged more than 7 years in the skilled worker category, countless thousands of talented H-1B workers are not only captive to their existing employers (with the hope that they will remain employed by their employer by the time they are permitted to file the final step of the green card process and achieve employment portability, if they wish), but are also constrained from seeking or accepting any significant promotions for fear of having to restart the green card process all over again.
A maximum of 140,000 green cards are issued to employment-based visa holders each year, and that quota is then divided into categories for classes of workers and set a percentage for each country. As such, because there are presently higher volumes of skilled workers from immigrating from India and China, those individuals are required to wait even longer than foreign nationals from other countries. This rigid system is not based on skill, merit or industry need, but simply because we have an antiquated, per country quota.
It should come as no surprise then that potential and existing U.S. H-1B workers are pursuing other options abroad—which not only avail such workers of more rapid career advancement, but an opportunity to obtain permanent residence in a far more efficient manner than the U.S. process currently offers. One need not look farther than just north of our border for an accelerated system of obtaining permanent residence for skilled workers. For example, the Province of Alberta Canada has a program which allows U.S. H-1B workers to gain permanent residency in Canada under a fast track (12 month) program. The program does NOT require the H-1B holder to have a job, employer or sponsor. The H-1B worker can apply independently. Alberta’s fast track program only requires that the applicant be working and have a minimum of one year of work experience in the United States pursuant to one of the temporary skilled worker visa categories (H-1B, H1-B1, H-1C, E-3) and that the applicant’s occupation be included in the “Regional Operations Under Pressure List” For Alberta.
So, while “It’s The Economy, Stupid” has been (and continues to be) a popular refrain since the Clinton administration, perhaps we need to ask why the United States continues to perpetuate a closed-minded, isolationist approach to immigration quotas that achieves nothing but drive out some of our hardest working, most talented foreign national workers – many of whom might otherwise help the U.S. return to a healthy and vibrant global economy.
Post Authored By: Anthony F. Siliato, Esq. and Scott R. Malyk, Esq. of Meyner and Landis LLP
Bloggings On The H-1B Visa
by Anthony F. Siliato and Scott R. Malyk
Editor's note: Here are the latest entries from Anthony F. Siliato and Scott R. Malyk's blog.
September 25, 2009
Further to one of our more recent posts, it isn’t just the economy driving the “brain drain” associated with the ever-increasing numbers of talented workers opting to leave the U.S. Rather, the unrealistic immigrant visa quotas for employment-based green cards are also to blame as a formidable obstacle contributing to this recent trend.
The much-anticipated October visa bulletin issued by the Department of State did little to give new hope to the long line of skilled workers waiting for available immigrant visa numbers. Indeed, with quotas backlogged more than 7 years in the skilled worker category, countless thousands of talented H-1B workers are not only captive to their existing employers (with the hope that they will remain employed by their employer by the time they are permitted to file the final step of the green card process and achieve employment portability, if they wish), but are also constrained from seeking or accepting any significant promotions for fear of having to restart the green card process all over again.
A maximum of 140,000 green cards are issued to employment-based visa holders each year, and that quota is then divided into categories for classes of workers and set a percentage for each country. As such, because there are presently higher volumes of skilled workers from immigrating from India and China, those individuals are required to wait even longer than foreign nationals from other countries. This rigid system is not based on skill, merit or industry need, but simply because we have an antiquated, per country quota.
It should come as no surprise then that potential and existing U.S. H-1B workers are pursuing other options abroad—which not only avail such workers of more rapid career advancement, but an opportunity to obtain permanent residence in a far more efficient manner than the U.S. process currently offers. One need not look farther than just north of our border for an accelerated system of obtaining permanent residence for skilled workers. For example, the Province of Alberta Canada has a program which allows U.S. H-1B workers to gain permanent residency in Canada under a fast track (12 month) program. The program does NOT require the H-1B holder to have a job, employer or sponsor. The H-1B worker can apply independently. Alberta’s fast track program only requires that the applicant be working and have a minimum of one year of work experience in the United States pursuant to one of the temporary skilled worker visa categories (H-1B, H1-B1, H-1C, E-3) and that the applicant’s occupation be included in the “Regional Operations Under Pressure List” For Alberta.
So, while “It’s The Economy, Stupid” has been (and continues to be) a popular refrain since the Clinton administration, perhaps we need to ask why the United States continues to perpetuate a closed-minded, isolationist approach to immigration quotas that achieves nothing but drive out some of our hardest working, most talented foreign national workers – many of whom might otherwise help the U.S. return to a healthy and vibrant global economy.
Post Authored By: Anthony F. Siliato, Esq. and Scott R. Malyk, Esq. of Meyner and Landis LLP
Canadian universities focus sights on international students
By Joanne Laucius and Mike Barber, Ottawa Citizen and Canwest News Service
OTTAWA — Across Canada, universities are under pressure to grow, but with stagnating or dwindling numbers of high school graduates at home, schools are increasingly looking overseas.
The selling point is Canada's cost competitiveness compared to similar institutions in the United States, Britain and Australia.
For instance, in Ottawa one out of every 10 Carleton University undergraduates settling into the new school year is from outside of Canada. For graduate students, the ratio is closer to one in five.
And, if the university meets its strategic target, within five years, 13 per cent of all undergraduates will be international students.
Mourad Soliman, 19, who was accepted at universities in Kuwait and Egypt, decided on Carleton after he met a recruiter at a universities fair in Kuwait.
Now in his second year of communications engineering, Soliman considers his decision a good investment.
"When you see a chance like this, you seize the chance right away," he said. "It might be a bit expensive, but it will provide a better life."
In 2008, 95,414 foreign students were enrolled in Canadian universities, nearly double the amount from a decade before, according to statistics from Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Of those students, the bulk settled in Canada's major urban centres — one in five in both Toronto and Vancouver, about 12 per cent in Montreal, and another three per cent in each of Ottawa, Edmonton, and Calgary.
Between 1992 and 2007, the number of degrees, diplomas and certificates awarded to Canadian students increased 186 per cent, according to Statistics Canada.
In that same period, the number granted to international students increased by 343 per cent, the agency said.
China is the largest exporter of students, but Hong Kong, India, Vietnam and Malaysia are also considered strong markets, as are countries in the Middle East.
Pari Johnston, director of international relations with the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, said foreign students are attracted to studying here for a number of reasons.
"Our tuition fees are certainly very competitive if not lower than those in the United Kingdom and the United States," she said. "In general, it's a secure, safe environment, across cities and rural communities, to study in."
In some case, universities are even establishing campuses overseas.
According to a recent report from the London-based Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, there are now 162 international branch campuses around the world, a 43-per-cent increase in three years.
The United Arab Emirates alone is host to 40 branch campuses.
Carleton has offered MBAs in Tehran and Shanghai for a decade. Just a few weeks ago, the University of Waterloo opened a campus in Dubai to 22 engineering students.
The University of Ottawa is negotiating a similar agreement with a university in Egypt. Meanwhile, it is also building links to high schools and post-secondary institutions in China, Africa and the Middle East.
But increasingly, international students argue they are being used as cash cows to fund Canada's universities.
While fee increases for domestic students are regulated, international fees are not.
At Carleton, international students bring in $15,000 to $17,000 a year in tuition, more than twice what their domestic counterparts pay.
"Lots of people have parents who are working their tails off to pay," said Kimalee Phillip, president of Carleton's Graduate Students' Association and a native of Grenada. Phillip said she is carrying about $45,000 in debt.
Mark Langer, president of the 15,000-member Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations, has concerns about foreign students and how offshore campuses are funded.
"Where is startup money coming from? Is it coming out of operating costs in the hopes that they will be very profitable? These are speculative ventures," said Langer, a film professor at Carleton University. "This isn't a public service. This is an investment. It has to produce cash results for the university."
OTTAWA — Across Canada, universities are under pressure to grow, but with stagnating or dwindling numbers of high school graduates at home, schools are increasingly looking overseas.
The selling point is Canada's cost competitiveness compared to similar institutions in the United States, Britain and Australia.
For instance, in Ottawa one out of every 10 Carleton University undergraduates settling into the new school year is from outside of Canada. For graduate students, the ratio is closer to one in five.
And, if the university meets its strategic target, within five years, 13 per cent of all undergraduates will be international students.
Mourad Soliman, 19, who was accepted at universities in Kuwait and Egypt, decided on Carleton after he met a recruiter at a universities fair in Kuwait.
Now in his second year of communications engineering, Soliman considers his decision a good investment.
"When you see a chance like this, you seize the chance right away," he said. "It might be a bit expensive, but it will provide a better life."
In 2008, 95,414 foreign students were enrolled in Canadian universities, nearly double the amount from a decade before, according to statistics from Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Of those students, the bulk settled in Canada's major urban centres — one in five in both Toronto and Vancouver, about 12 per cent in Montreal, and another three per cent in each of Ottawa, Edmonton, and Calgary.
Between 1992 and 2007, the number of degrees, diplomas and certificates awarded to Canadian students increased 186 per cent, according to Statistics Canada.
In that same period, the number granted to international students increased by 343 per cent, the agency said.
China is the largest exporter of students, but Hong Kong, India, Vietnam and Malaysia are also considered strong markets, as are countries in the Middle East.
Pari Johnston, director of international relations with the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, said foreign students are attracted to studying here for a number of reasons.
"Our tuition fees are certainly very competitive if not lower than those in the United Kingdom and the United States," she said. "In general, it's a secure, safe environment, across cities and rural communities, to study in."
In some case, universities are even establishing campuses overseas.
According to a recent report from the London-based Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, there are now 162 international branch campuses around the world, a 43-per-cent increase in three years.
The United Arab Emirates alone is host to 40 branch campuses.
Carleton has offered MBAs in Tehran and Shanghai for a decade. Just a few weeks ago, the University of Waterloo opened a campus in Dubai to 22 engineering students.
The University of Ottawa is negotiating a similar agreement with a university in Egypt. Meanwhile, it is also building links to high schools and post-secondary institutions in China, Africa and the Middle East.
But increasingly, international students argue they are being used as cash cows to fund Canada's universities.
While fee increases for domestic students are regulated, international fees are not.
At Carleton, international students bring in $15,000 to $17,000 a year in tuition, more than twice what their domestic counterparts pay.
"Lots of people have parents who are working their tails off to pay," said Kimalee Phillip, president of Carleton's Graduate Students' Association and a native of Grenada. Phillip said she is carrying about $45,000 in debt.
Mark Langer, president of the 15,000-member Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations, has concerns about foreign students and how offshore campuses are funded.
"Where is startup money coming from? Is it coming out of operating costs in the hopes that they will be very profitable? These are speculative ventures," said Langer, a film professor at Carleton University. "This isn't a public service. This is an investment. It has to produce cash results for the university."
The Governments of Canada and Ontario Partner with the Regional Municipality of Niagara to Help Newcomers
THOROLD, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sept. 23, 2009) - Immigrants in the Regional Municipality of Niagara will have improved access to services to help them successfully integrate into their communities as a result of a new Local Immigration Partnership initiative.The announcement was made by Rick Dykstra, Parliamentary Secretary to Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney, Niagara Falls MPP Kim Craitor and Niagara Regional Chairman Peter Partington.Niagara Region will receive $146,397 in federal funding for the initiative, which includes the establishment of a local partnership council. This council will develop a settlement strategy to identify delivery models, initiatives and projects tailored to assist newcomers. It will be comprised of municipal representatives, employers, school boards and settlement and social service agencies. The Niagara Region has welcomed approximately 11,000 newcomers over the past 10 years."This initiative will enhance the community's ability to help newcomers integrate," said Parliamentary Secretary Dykstra. "Improving access to services that make the integration process easier will benefit not only newcomers, but communities across Ontario."The funding is being provided through the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement, a partnership between Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration. Almost $3 million will be allocated to municipalities and service provider organizations across Ontario to establish the partnerships."Newcomers are important to Ontario's economic and social prosperity," said local MPP Kim Craitor. "Helping newcomers succeed in the Niagara community is a good investment for all Ontarians.""As more immigrants choose to make Niagara their home, our partnership with Citizenship and Immigration Canada in meeting the needs of newcomers has never been more valuable," said Chairman Partington. "The significant investment of federal funding through the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement will provide new and improved opportunities for new Niagarans, further strengthening the fabric of our communities."Settlement services are an essential part of the Government of Canada's immigration program. Since 2006, the Government of Canada has substantially increased funding to support settlement programs and services. An additional $1.4 billion is being invested over a five-year period in all provinces and territories outside Quebec, which has responsibility for settlement services through the Canada-Quebec Accord. Increasing the uptake of immigrant settlement programs was identified as a government priority in the 2008 Speech from the Throne.Citizenship and Immigration Canada funds a number of programs that help newcomers settle, adapt and integrate into Canadian society. These programs are delivered in partnership with provinces, territories, service-providing organizations and other stakeholders.For more information, please visit Citizenship and Immigration Canada's website at www.cic.gc.ca or the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration's website at www.citizenship.gov.on.ca
Improving Job Opportunities For Skilled Immigrants in Ontario, Canada
Source: Government of Ontario, Canada
Published Monday, 24 August, 2009 - 16:01
Published Monday, 24 August, 2009 - 16:01
Internationally trained newcomers to Ontario will have greater opportunities to work in their fields as a result of expanded bridge training programs at York University.
- Since 2003, bridge training programs have helped more than 30,000 newcomers get jobs and get licensed in their field.
- About 70 per cent of Ontario's adult newcomers have post-secondary education or training.
The province is investing $5.2 million towards the university's new bridge training programs for information technologists and business professionals, in addition to an existing nursing program.
Bridge training programs help newcomers trained overseas get the local training they need to find a job in their field and contribute to Ontario's economy. The programs provide a variety of transitional supports such as international skills assessment, technical training, local work experience, occupation specific language training and mentorships.
Support for these programs is part of the government's plan to strengthen the economy by investing in the skills and knowledge of Ontarians.
N.S. lures young adult immigrants
Nova Scotia hopes to bring more young workers to the province with a new immigration plan.
On Tuesday, the provincial government announced a new stream for non-dependent adult children of immigrants already in the province under the nominee program.
The main goal is to meet Nova Scotia's labour needs, Immigration Minister Ramona Jennex said.
"Nova Scotia is facing an aging and declining population and increased immigration is one way to help ensure our economy grows and our communities thrive," Jennex said in a release.
According to provincial population projections, the 65-plus age group is set to nearly double by 2031 and grow by about 114,000 people. Over this same period, the 20-64 age group is projected to shrink by about 101,000.
The new program, which targets newcomers mostly in their 20s and 30s, has been in development for several months.
Office of Immigration officials aren't sure how many people will apply, but the department has heard from least 55 immigrants interested in getting their non-dependent children to Canada.
To qualify, applicants must be named on their parent's application form for permanent residence.
They must be at least 22 years old, able to become financially independent, intend to stay in the province, and speak basic English or French. They also need a degree, diploma or certificate, and have at least one year of post-secondary schooling.
The province issued 309 nominee certificates last year, down from 405 in 2007 and 400 in 2006.
Source: cbc.news
New report puts world population at 7 billion by 2011
By Ethian Gavish
By 2011, the world’s population should reach 7 billion, according to a new report put forth by the Population Reference Bureau’s 2009 World Population Data Sheet.
The report states that 97% of global growth over the next 40 years will occur in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.
“The great bulk of today's 1.2 billion youth - nearly 90% - are in developing countries,” said Carl Haub, a co-author of the report, to CNN.
Immigration of the rural youth into more developed places will probably continue into 2011.
“During the next few decades, these young people will most likely continue the current trend of moving from rural areas to cities in search of education and training opportunities, gainful employment and adequate health care,” Haub told CNN.
The U.S. and Canada will account for most of the growth in the developed world - half coming from immigration alone - the report states.
The report also says that high fertility rates combined with a young population base is the fuel behind most of the growth in the developing world. In Africa, women give birth to six or seven children on average, compared with about two children in the U.S. and 1.5 in Canada.
By 2050, the report shows that Canadian population will be up from 31 million to 42 million, while Uganda will increase a staggering 34 million to 96 million.
“Even with declining fertility rates in many countries, world population is still growing at a rapid rate,” Bill Butz, president of the bureau, told CNN. “The increase from 6 billion to 7 billion is likely to take 12 years, as did the increase from 5 billion to 6 billion. Both events are unprecedented in world history.”
The report forecasts that India will lead the world in population by 2050, increasing to 1.7 billion. Such a boost in population will overtake ranking leader China, where the population is predicated to reach 1.4 billion.
According to the report, the No. 3 slot in 2050 will go to the U.S., with a projected population of 439 million.
Canada to move to 5th place in economic performance in 2010: Conference Board
By Krystle Chow, Ottawa Business Journal Staff
Canada's keeping its "B" grade on international economic performance this year and the next, but it's also expected to climb in the rankings, although it's partly because other countries have been harder-hit, according to the Conference Board of Canada.
Canada's keeping its "B" grade on international economic performance this year and the next, but it's also expected to climb in the rankings, although it's partly because other countries have been harder-hit, according to the Conference Board of Canada.
The Conference Board's "How Canada Performs" forecast for 2010 said the country is expected in 2010 to move to fifth place out of the 17 countries ranked, just missing an "A" grade and jumping six spots from 2008.
Six "C" grades among the eight measures pulled down Canada's ranking in the last Conference Board report, although the country had scored highly on inflation and gross domestic product growth.
However, in 2010 Canada is expected to improve its relative ranking on GDP growth, unemployment, job growth, and both inward- and outward-flowing foreign direct investment performance, due mostly to the country's resilience in the face of harsh economic troubles worldwide.
"Canada is expected to weather the global recession better than most of its peers, which is a credit to its stable financial sector and a relatively healthier economic position upon entering the downturn," said Glen Hodgson, the board's chief economist and senior vice-president, in a statement. Still, he warned: "But achieving a higher rank because other countries are falling farther is not the basis for sustainable prosperity. Some of Canada's fundamentals, such as labour productivity, remain weaker than those of the global leaders."
The United Kingdom is expected to see one of the most severe drops in overall economic performance between 2008 and 2010, as the financial crisis has hurt the U.K. credit markets and housing prices, leading to weaker consumer spending and business investment, the report said.
However, the top and bottom rankings won't change, with Norway staying put as the strongest performer due in part to its large petroleum industry, while Ireland will continue to rank last.
The Emerald Isle fell from first to 17th place in 2008 amid a 2.7-per-cent contraction in economic output and a drastic deterioration in its domestic property market and construction sector. As well, its per-capita income, which was the third-highest in 2008, is forecasted to fall to 7th in 2010.
Available Options to Come to Canada under Category of Skilled Worker
Saskatchewan offers many skilled worker immigration categories that suite people with different occupations and education background, generally speaking, Saskatchewan is one of the few provinces who offers immigration programs to both high and low skilled workers. Let's take a moment to take you through the options that's available in this province:
Option One: skilled workers, professionals or managers who have a full-time, permanent job offer from a Saskatchewan employer.
You may qualify to apply under this Category if:
You live outside of Canada or you have proof of legal status in Canada, you are not a refugee claimant and you have one of the following:
An offer of permanent, full-time employment in Saskatchewan either in an occupation or trade in the NOC level “A” or “B”, or in a designated trade in Saskatchewan (Skilled Workers/Professionals Sub-Category);
An offer of permanent, full-time employment in Saskatchewan in a management position in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) Matrix level “0” (Critical Occupations Sub-Category); or
Have worked in Saskatchewan for at least six months on a temporary work permit either in an occupation or trade that is in the National Occupational Classification Matrix level “A” or “B”, or in a designated trade in Saskatchewan (Existing Work Permit Sub-Category).
Option Two: Physicians
Under this category, Saskatchewan can nominate individuals whose educational and professional certifications qualify them for employment in Saskatchewan as a physician. The applicant must be currently working on Temporary Work Permit for a Saskatchewan health occupation employer and be supported by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan (CoPSS), Saskatchewan Health and the appropriate regional health authority.
Option Three: Nurses
Under this category, Saskatchewan can nominate nurses as Licensed Practical Nurses, Psychiatric Nurses or Registered Nurses, whose educational and professional certifications qualify them for employment in Saskatchewan. The applicant must be currently working on Temporary Work Permit for a Saskatchewan health occupation employer and be supported by the appropriate licensing body, Saskatchewan Health and the appropriate regional health authority.
Option Four: Other Health Professions Category
Under this category, Saskatchewan can nominate other health professionals currently working in health occupations that fall into the National Occupational Classification Matrix level "A" or "B" or requires at least one (1) academic year of post secondary education or 1 year of job specific training and is supported by the appropriate licensing body (if applicable), Saskatchewan Health, the appropriate regional health authority or other employer.
Many health occupations require a license or other credential in order to practice in Saskatchewan. There are twenty-three health regulatory authorities in Saskatchewan that license and certify health occupations. If you are not currently employed in Saskatchewan in a health occupation, you should contact the appropriate regulatory authority, to ascertain what further studies, examinations and/or certifications are needed in order to qualify to work in Saskatchewan. Here is a list of regulatory authorities in Saskatchewan.
Option Five: long-haul truck drivers
This program is to attract long-haul truck drivers to Saskatchewan trucking firms.
Under the Long-Haul Truck Driver Project, Saskatchewan trucking firms may be authorized to bring in foreign workers initially under SC’s Temporary Foreign Worker policy for occupations requiring high school diploma or specific on the job training, and subsequently retain them as permanent employees through the SINP. Long haul truck drivers can begin working in Saskatchewan for approved trucking firms on a foreign work permit and, if offered permanent employment by their employer after a minimum of six months employment, may apply to the SINP for permanent resident status.
Option Six: International Students
Graduated foreign students working for a Saskatchewan employer can apply for nomination and permanent landed status when:
The applicant has graduated from a program of at least one academic year of full-time study in Saskatchewan and has received a certificate, diploma, or degree from a recognized Saskatchewan post secondary educational institution;
The applicant has worked for a Saskatchewan employer for a minimum of six (6) months under a Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) post graduation work permit; and
The applicant has a current permanent full-time job offer from their employer.
Source from Visa Serminar International
Option One: skilled workers, professionals or managers who have a full-time, permanent job offer from a Saskatchewan employer.
You may qualify to apply under this Category if:
You live outside of Canada or you have proof of legal status in Canada, you are not a refugee claimant and you have one of the following:
An offer of permanent, full-time employment in Saskatchewan either in an occupation or trade in the NOC level “A” or “B”, or in a designated trade in Saskatchewan (Skilled Workers/Professionals Sub-Category);
An offer of permanent, full-time employment in Saskatchewan in a management position in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) Matrix level “0” (Critical Occupations Sub-Category); or
Have worked in Saskatchewan for at least six months on a temporary work permit either in an occupation or trade that is in the National Occupational Classification Matrix level “A” or “B”, or in a designated trade in Saskatchewan (Existing Work Permit Sub-Category).
Option Two: Physicians
Under this category, Saskatchewan can nominate individuals whose educational and professional certifications qualify them for employment in Saskatchewan as a physician. The applicant must be currently working on Temporary Work Permit for a Saskatchewan health occupation employer and be supported by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan (CoPSS), Saskatchewan Health and the appropriate regional health authority.
Option Three: Nurses
Under this category, Saskatchewan can nominate nurses as Licensed Practical Nurses, Psychiatric Nurses or Registered Nurses, whose educational and professional certifications qualify them for employment in Saskatchewan. The applicant must be currently working on Temporary Work Permit for a Saskatchewan health occupation employer and be supported by the appropriate licensing body, Saskatchewan Health and the appropriate regional health authority.
Option Four: Other Health Professions Category
Under this category, Saskatchewan can nominate other health professionals currently working in health occupations that fall into the National Occupational Classification Matrix level "A" or "B" or requires at least one (1) academic year of post secondary education or 1 year of job specific training and is supported by the appropriate licensing body (if applicable), Saskatchewan Health, the appropriate regional health authority or other employer.
Many health occupations require a license or other credential in order to practice in Saskatchewan. There are twenty-three health regulatory authorities in Saskatchewan that license and certify health occupations. If you are not currently employed in Saskatchewan in a health occupation, you should contact the appropriate regulatory authority, to ascertain what further studies, examinations and/or certifications are needed in order to qualify to work in Saskatchewan. Here is a list of regulatory authorities in Saskatchewan.
Option Five: long-haul truck drivers
This program is to attract long-haul truck drivers to Saskatchewan trucking firms.
Under the Long-Haul Truck Driver Project, Saskatchewan trucking firms may be authorized to bring in foreign workers initially under SC’s Temporary Foreign Worker policy for occupations requiring high school diploma or specific on the job training, and subsequently retain them as permanent employees through the SINP. Long haul truck drivers can begin working in Saskatchewan for approved trucking firms on a foreign work permit and, if offered permanent employment by their employer after a minimum of six months employment, may apply to the SINP for permanent resident status.
Option Six: International Students
Graduated foreign students working for a Saskatchewan employer can apply for nomination and permanent landed status when:
The applicant has graduated from a program of at least one academic year of full-time study in Saskatchewan and has received a certificate, diploma, or degree from a recognized Saskatchewan post secondary educational institution;
The applicant has worked for a Saskatchewan employer for a minimum of six (6) months under a Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) post graduation work permit; and
The applicant has a current permanent full-time job offer from their employer.
Source from Visa Serminar International
Canadian immigration launches Transit Without Visa Program
By Mark Johnstone.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) have announced that they are to roll out the Transit Without Visa (TWOV) Program nationwide.
The TWOV programme allows citizens of particular counties, who have valid US visas, to also move to Canada without having a Canadian visa.Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) have announced that they are to roll out the Transit Without Visa (TWOV) Program nationwide.
The programme applies to people from Indonesia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand and China, although China is included on a trial basis for a year from 30 July 2009. Anyone from China hoping to transit Canada via the China Transit Trial scheme must have left for Canada from Shanghai, Taipei, Manila, Hong Kong, Guangzhou or Beijing.
People are only able to transit Canada under the scheme if they have a valid US visa, are booked onto an onward flight leaving Canada immediately and have passports proving citizenship of one of the participating countries. They must also have arrived in Canada on either China Airlines, Cathay Pacific or Philippine Airlines. Travellers transiting under the scheme are prevented from applying for temporary residency in Canada.
Although the scheme is being rolled out, Vancouver airport is currently the only one eligible to accept TWOV flights and passengers.
Source: Global Visas
Faster route to Canadian immigration offered by Quebec by Mark Johnstone
The province of Quebec has launched its own version of the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) route for people hoping to move to Canada permanently. The accelerated programme is for use by skilled permanent residency applicants who are working in Canada or have been studying in Canada for some time.
The new scheme, called the Quebec Experience Class (PEQ), was announced by Quebec Immigration Minister, Yolande James. She says that attracting skilled foreigners who have come to work in Canada and foreign students who are studying in Canada to settle in Quebec is essential for the region’s economic future.
Under the scheme, foreign students can apply for a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) if they have completed a level B1 French course at a educational institution in Quebec, have studied in Quebec for two years and have completed a diploma or a degree at a recognised educational institution in the province.
People working in Quebec on temporary work permits will be able to gain a CSQ if they are employed legally in Quebec at the time of applying, have worked for 12 months in Quebec in a managerial, skilled or professional capacity and have completed a B1 level French course or can pass a French proficiency test.
Applying for permanent residency under the PEQ is simpler and quicker than doing so under the Canadian Experience Class, which was introduced earlier this year. The PEQ is to be launched before October 2009.
Source: Globalvisas.com
Canada rejects refugees, lifts bans
By Chantal Flores.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has announced that refugees from five countries with high levels of conflict will be refused a Canadian visa if they have already entered the United States before attempting to enter Canada.
The five countries include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe, Haiti, Afghanistan and Iraq. Immigration Minister Jason Kenny says that refugees will be refused entry to the country because they should seek protection in the country they arrive in first.
Approximately 5,000 people will be affected by this every year according to government estimates.
A lifting of the deportation ban for refugees from Burundi, Liberia and Rwanda was also announced and is effective immediately.
Since 1994 a ban has been in place on deporting refugees from these counties, but an internal review reported “improved conditions” in all three countries. Amnesty International, however, is still reporting abuses that are happening in Burundi and Liberia.
Up to 2,100 refugees that already moved to Canada could be affected by this sudden change.
This follows the new visa requirements imposed on Mexican and Czech citizens, which sparked outrage that originated from a visa battle. Reaction from the new affected countries is still unreported.
Source: canadianimmigrant.ca
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4umISJ9CjeECanada: Best advanced economy in the World.
The Canadian banking system, considered the world's healthiest according to The World Economic Forum, was recently announced to have come out of the economic recession. Canada hasn't had a single bailout, bank failure or need for government to interfere with its financial system.
">While US banks are leveraged at an average of 26 to 1, Canadian banks only borrow 18 to 1. Unlike much of the rest of the world, Canada has stuck to the tried-and-true rules of banking, borrowing, and risk. It has remained conservative and sensible, and hasn't been tricked into thinking it could beat the markets.
Furthermore, housing is remarkably robust in Canada and instead of having a budget deficit the Canadian economy has run a surplus for the past dozen years and now has cash that can pull it out of any economic drags it may be facing.
Thanks to immigration, Canada is drawing skilled and educated manpower, mainly from Asia. Microsoft even set up a Vancouver research centre specifically to attract "highly skilled people affected by immigration issues in the U.S."
Furthermore, while the Canadian healthcare system comprises only 9.7 percent of the GDP it still outperforms the US system by all measures. As a result, the life expectancy in Canada is 81 compared to the 78 years in the US.
For years car manufacturers have been moving jobs to Canada to avoid the high healthcare costs in the US. Now Ontario is the largest carmaker in North America, even out-producing Michigan.
Source: Migrationexpert.com
Canada’s best and worst run cities
This survey, the first of its kind in Canada, provides citizens in 31 cities across the country with comparative data on how well—or poorly—their city is run, measured by the cost and quality of the public services it delivers. (Why 31? We took the 30 largest cities in Canada, added whatever provincial capitals were not on the list, then subtracted a few cities from the Greater Toronto Area for better regional balance. Somehow that left 31.)
Though the overall results—Burnaby, Saskatoon and Surrey, B.C. lead the pack; Charlottetown, Kingston, Ont., and Fredericton trail—will be of particular interest, they are less important than the process this is intended to kick off. We aim not merely to start some good barroom arguments, but to help voters to hold their representatives to better account, and indeed to help city governments themselves. For without some sort of yardstick to measure their performance, either against other cities or against their own past record, how can they hope to know whether they are succeeding?
To compile the survey, Maclean’s commissioned the Halifax-based Atlantic Institute for Market Studies, expanding on the institute’s earlier work measuring the performance of municipalities in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Unlike other studies, this does not try to measure quality of life, or which city is the “best place to live.” Rather, it focuses on the contribution of local governments to this end.
This survey looks at a city’s efficiency—the cost of producing results—and the effectiveness of its services, including how well each city does when it comes to things like maintaining roads and parks, picking up garbage and putting out fires.
North Bay: Canada’s new immigrant destination.
By Chantal Flores. Source: Canadian immigrant.ca
A case study by Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) has recognized North Bay, Ontario’s successes in terms of immigrant attraction and retention.
A case study by Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) has recognized North Bay, Ontario’s successes in terms of immigrant attraction and retention.
The community project included three cities: North Bay, Brockville and Chatham-Kent. The results will contribute to new government policy aimed at encouraging immigrants to settle in communities other than major cities such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.
North Bay’s mayor, Vic Fedeli, stated that the city's focus on immigrant attraction and retention originated after realizing that the city was homogenous.
“It was just a natural feeling that we needed to expand our horizons. When we did our business and retention program we realized there were huge gaps in our labour pool and we knew that immigration was one way to bring people here,” he states.
The first step before developing the project was to work with the area newcomers. Marla Tremblay of the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development formed the North Bay Newcomer Network (NNN). In April 2006, an immigration symposium was held with more than 80 participants. One of the main outcomes of the symposium was the need to establish an immigrant settlement agency for both attraction and retention.
FedNor, a federal regional development organization in Ontario, provided funding in December of 2006 to hire a researcher and give NNN a better understanding of newcomers’ needs.
After listening to Citizenship and Immigration Canada note how settlement agencies are funded, NNN members chose a non-profit media organization, Young People’s Press, to apply for settlement funding. Their work resulted in the opening of the North Bay and District Multicultural Centre in February 2008.
With the progress that has happened in three years, Fideli still sees immigration as a priority. “We’ve got a lot of sweat equity into our immigration strategy and it would be a huge step backward to let it fall from being a priority,” he says.
Statistics Canada points out that by 2011, all net growth in the Canadian labour force will be through immigration, and by 2026 all growth in population will be through immigration.
Why to be proud of Canada?
Invited article:By Mel Tobias
In the past, Canadians don’t generally think of their own country among the world’s great vacation spots. That’s all changed now with the economic downturn. A global poll listed Canada first as the most appealing vacation destinations in the world, ahead of Italy and Australia. More and more Canadians are staying home instead of going after the sunny Caribbean, exotic Asian cities and Europe’s historic capital. The world sees Canada for its unspoiled nature, vibrant cities, fascinating history and friendly people. Here are other Canadians attractions, having talked enough about Vancouver, Toronto and Quebec.
Newfoundland has St. John’s, North America’s oldest city. It has heritage sites and outdoor adventures. The National Park was designated by UNESCO as a world heritage site. Hiking trails are an integral part of the Newfoundland travel experience.
Nova Scotia has Cabot Trail and Cape Breton Island. There are all kinds of festivals like the Halifax International Busker Festival and the Luneburg Folk Harbor Festival and the Pictou Lobster Festival.
Prince Edward Island is a wonderful island for adventure and culture. The Charlottetown Festival is a three-month festival of musical theater, comedy and artistic performances by top Canadian performers. Then, there is the 2009 Canada Games with 18 events and one can watch future Olympians. No Canadian province has a monopoly on great golf. Prince Edward Island is the country’s top golfing holiday destination.
New Brunswick has colorful Fredericton, the provincial capital that has been designated as one of Canada’s cultural capitals. There are several outstanding galleries and it is a must to visit the historic St. Andrews By-The-Sea.
Then, there’s the festival oriented Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba, enchanting Saskatchewan with its rolling terrain and Calgary with its world famous Calgary Stampede, an event that can compete with the cowboys of Texas.
For a finale, there is Nuvavut (in the north). It is home to the meeting point of glaciers and sea ice. The Northwest Territories is the best place to watch the Aurora Borealis, something that must be seen in a lifetime, just like the pyramids of Egypt. Visualize breathtaking ghostly colors dance in the night sky. The entire province is really the perfect viewing post for this experience that will bring to mind episodes of The X-Files.
We celebrated Canada Day last July Ist. It was Canada’s 142nd birthday and there are a lot of things to be proud. Here’s a collection of data from different publications that will make every Canadian proud of Canada.
We can be proud that Canada is renowned and respected peacekeepers around the world and that we are known to be polite and that we have more fresh water than anyone else. And that we are only 33.7 million of us which means we have space to move around.
Other things to be proud about is the fact that Canada ranks No. 2 among the top industrialized countries in the world and we are ahead of Britain, France and Germany.
Canadians have a higher household incomes than the Australians and the British and a higher level of home ownership than the Americans.
On the subject of immigration, maybe we are letting too many people into the country. Canada granted more new citizenships per capita than any other nation. Canada’s wealth, education system, diverse and tolerant society are primary lures to immigrants.
When it comes to life expectancy, Canada is now estimated to be 81.23 years, eighth in the world and when it comes to quality of life, the number of years lived free from disease, Canada tied with France.
The health issue could be due to the fact that Canada was named the second-fittest and second-most relaxed country in the world (behind the Netherlands and Spain). And despite having the third-largest number of McDonald’s franchises per capita in the world, Canadians are relatively careful about what they put in their bodies. This is specially true in British Columbia, specially in Vancouver.
In the past, Canadians don’t generally think of their own country among the world’s great vacation spots. That’s all changed now with the economic downturn. A global poll listed Canada first as the most appealing vacation destinations in the world, ahead of Italy and Australia. More and more Canadians are staying home instead of going after the sunny Caribbean, exotic Asian cities and Europe’s historic capital. The world sees Canada for its unspoiled nature, vibrant cities, fascinating history and friendly people. Here are other Canadians attractions, having talked enough about Vancouver, Toronto and Quebec.
Newfoundland has St. John’s, North America’s oldest city. It has heritage sites and outdoor adventures. The National Park was designated by UNESCO as a world heritage site. Hiking trails are an integral part of the Newfoundland travel experience.
Nova Scotia has Cabot Trail and Cape Breton Island. There are all kinds of festivals like the Halifax International Busker Festival and the Luneburg Folk Harbor Festival and the Pictou Lobster Festival.
Prince Edward Island is a wonderful island for adventure and culture. The Charlottetown Festival is a three-month festival of musical theater, comedy and artistic performances by top Canadian performers. Then, there is the 2009 Canada Games with 18 events and one can watch future Olympians. No Canadian province has a monopoly on great golf. Prince Edward Island is the country’s top golfing holiday destination.
New Brunswick has colorful Fredericton, the provincial capital that has been designated as one of Canada’s cultural capitals. There are several outstanding galleries and it is a must to visit the historic St. Andrews By-The-Sea.
Then, there’s the festival oriented Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba, enchanting Saskatchewan with its rolling terrain and Calgary with its world famous Calgary Stampede, an event that can compete with the cowboys of Texas.
For a finale, there is Nuvavut (in the north). It is home to the meeting point of glaciers and sea ice. The Northwest Territories is the best place to watch the Aurora Borealis, something that must be seen in a lifetime, just like the pyramids of Egypt. Visualize breathtaking ghostly colors dance in the night sky. The entire province is really the perfect viewing post for this experience that will bring to mind episodes of The X-Files.
We celebrated Canada Day last July Ist. It was Canada’s 142nd birthday and there are a lot of things to be proud. Here’s a collection of data from different publications that will make every Canadian proud of Canada.
We can be proud that Canada is renowned and respected peacekeepers around the world and that we are known to be polite and that we have more fresh water than anyone else. And that we are only 33.7 million of us which means we have space to move around.
Other things to be proud about is the fact that Canada ranks No. 2 among the top industrialized countries in the world and we are ahead of Britain, France and Germany.
Canadians have a higher household incomes than the Australians and the British and a higher level of home ownership than the Americans.
On the subject of immigration, maybe we are letting too many people into the country. Canada granted more new citizenships per capita than any other nation. Canada’s wealth, education system, diverse and tolerant society are primary lures to immigrants.
When it comes to life expectancy, Canada is now estimated to be 81.23 years, eighth in the world and when it comes to quality of life, the number of years lived free from disease, Canada tied with France.
The health issue could be due to the fact that Canada was named the second-fittest and second-most relaxed country in the world (behind the Netherlands and Spain). And despite having the third-largest number of McDonald’s franchises per capita in the world, Canadians are relatively careful about what they put in their bodies. This is specially true in British Columbia, specially in Vancouver.
Healthcare In Canada
Healthcare In Canada by Dave Lympany
Healthcare in Canada is a vital subject for anyone moving to or residing in Canada. The Federal Government does provide some funding from the taxpayer for the health system, however, each Province is individually responsible for its own Healthcare system.
There is a basic free system (Alberta, BC and Ontario charge the residents a healthcare tax or premium to pay for this!) that every legal resident and citizen of Canada is entitled to which includes access to a family doctor and most hospital treatment (definitely emergency care). This is governed by the Canada Health Act (1984) which lays down the basic entitlements of free coverage. Prescription drugs and supplies are provided in the hospitals in most cases as long as you remain an in patient.
The costs start to mount up for prescription drugs and medical supplies when you are not in hospital. Drugs are bought from the pharmacy at the standard cost which for specialist drugs can run into hundreds of dollars for one course of treatment. Other medical services will probably not be covered such as Physiotherapy, chiropractic treatment and massage therapy. Custom made medical supplies such as knee braces or orthotics can cost over a thousand dollars to purchase in some instances.
The amount of coverage and standard of Healthcare in Canada is described in detail on the main Government site but does vary between Provinces however.
Each Province also has its own regulations for the practitioner�s qualifications and even nurses will have to recertify if they move between Provinces. This does cause confusion to new migrants to Canada as most foreign qualifications just may not be enough and will most likely result in some level of retraining. Dental treatment is normally NOT included in the healthcare system and you will have to pay for treatment.
Many Canadian employers offer fairly comprehensive benefits packages that include coverage for Prescription drugs and other services such as physiotherapy and chiropractic treatment though this is most often only up to 80% of the cost. As each Province has different rules for qualifying times to gain access for the free service ensure you thoroughly research your Province of choice via the links above.
If your employment doesn't come with coverage or you wish to improve it you will need to take out a private policy
If you require short term coverage for when you first arrive in Canada, make sure you have a proper policy (travel insurance may not be sufficient) and CHECK you are covered.
Healthcare in Canada is a vital subject for anyone moving to or residing in Canada. The Federal Government does provide some funding from the taxpayer for the health system, however, each Province is individually responsible for its own Healthcare system.
There is a basic free system (Alberta, BC and Ontario charge the residents a healthcare tax or premium to pay for this!) that every legal resident and citizen of Canada is entitled to which includes access to a family doctor and most hospital treatment (definitely emergency care). This is governed by the Canada Health Act (1984) which lays down the basic entitlements of free coverage. Prescription drugs and supplies are provided in the hospitals in most cases as long as you remain an in patient.
The costs start to mount up for prescription drugs and medical supplies when you are not in hospital. Drugs are bought from the pharmacy at the standard cost which for specialist drugs can run into hundreds of dollars for one course of treatment. Other medical services will probably not be covered such as Physiotherapy, chiropractic treatment and massage therapy. Custom made medical supplies such as knee braces or orthotics can cost over a thousand dollars to purchase in some instances.
The amount of coverage and standard of Healthcare in Canada is described in detail on the main Government site but does vary between Provinces however.
Each Province also has its own regulations for the practitioner�s qualifications and even nurses will have to recertify if they move between Provinces. This does cause confusion to new migrants to Canada as most foreign qualifications just may not be enough and will most likely result in some level of retraining. Dental treatment is normally NOT included in the healthcare system and you will have to pay for treatment.
Many Canadian employers offer fairly comprehensive benefits packages that include coverage for Prescription drugs and other services such as physiotherapy and chiropractic treatment though this is most often only up to 80% of the cost. As each Province has different rules for qualifying times to gain access for the free service ensure you thoroughly research your Province of choice via the links above.
If your employment doesn't come with coverage or you wish to improve it you will need to take out a private policy
If you require short term coverage for when you first arrive in Canada, make sure you have a proper policy (travel insurance may not be sufficient) and CHECK you are covered.
Polish immigrants are leaving USA
Iga Babinska
There are thousands of Polish websites that describe the process of moving to the U.S. They include:
“How to get a job in the US?”
“Ways to get your American visa”
“What does one need to have to apply for an American visa?”
These websites have been and still are extremely popular among Polish people. Most Polish citizens want to experience living a better life, an American life.
Some Polish immigrants escape to Canada…
However, many of Polish immigrants, who succeeded in coming here, are leaving. Years of dreaming about America and then months of applying for a legalized stay don’t matter when the economic crisis hits.
Such is the story of Anna Kowalska*, 32, a Polish immigrant who lived in the U.S. for over eight years, during which she got married and had children. Last May however, Kowalska moved to Canada to seek a better and economically safer life.
“We realized that it’s going to get worse; that it’ll be hard to keep a job, especially in the construction business, where my husband worked. It was my husband’s job that really constituted our ‘be or not to be’,” said Kowalska.
Upon receiving a welcoming letter from the Canadian government three years after submitting an application, Kowalska was determined to take the opportunity and move there.
The decision of leaving the U.S. was not an easy one though.
“We were saying goodbye to our many friends; we were leaving behind jobs we liked. I think our kids understood that they wouldn’t go back to their ‘old’ schools. Our apartment stopped being ours,” Kowalska said.
…Others return to Poland
There are many more Polish immigrants who, out of fear of the crisis, moved to different countries, such as Canada and Poland. However, there are no available statistics to show their exact number.
Monika Kaminski, 35, a branch manager for one of Chicago’s tax companies, popular in the Polish community, met dozens of people who decided to leave.
„Last year, some people decided to leave for Canada; others said that in a year or two they’d be going back to Poland. They are all not here this year,” Kaminski said.
One of Kaminski’s clients, a Polish immigrant working at a shipping company, told her about the number of people who decided to move back to Poland. Most of them returned to their home country last year, during the time when the price of American dollar dropped significantly.
„He [the shipping company worker] sent containers with people’s belongings to Poland. There were thousands of people who decided to move back there. Most of them were here illegally. During a week, this customer said he would send over 50 containers to Poland,” Kaminski said.
*Name of the immigrant has been changed to protect her identity.
Source: http://museumoftime.blogspot.com/
There are thousands of Polish websites that describe the process of moving to the U.S. They include:
“How to get a job in the US?”
“Ways to get your American visa”
“What does one need to have to apply for an American visa?”
These websites have been and still are extremely popular among Polish people. Most Polish citizens want to experience living a better life, an American life.
Some Polish immigrants escape to Canada…
However, many of Polish immigrants, who succeeded in coming here, are leaving. Years of dreaming about America and then months of applying for a legalized stay don’t matter when the economic crisis hits.
Such is the story of Anna Kowalska*, 32, a Polish immigrant who lived in the U.S. for over eight years, during which she got married and had children. Last May however, Kowalska moved to Canada to seek a better and economically safer life.
“We realized that it’s going to get worse; that it’ll be hard to keep a job, especially in the construction business, where my husband worked. It was my husband’s job that really constituted our ‘be or not to be’,” said Kowalska.
Upon receiving a welcoming letter from the Canadian government three years after submitting an application, Kowalska was determined to take the opportunity and move there.
The decision of leaving the U.S. was not an easy one though.
“We were saying goodbye to our many friends; we were leaving behind jobs we liked. I think our kids understood that they wouldn’t go back to their ‘old’ schools. Our apartment stopped being ours,” Kowalska said.
…Others return to Poland
There are many more Polish immigrants who, out of fear of the crisis, moved to different countries, such as Canada and Poland. However, there are no available statistics to show their exact number.
Monika Kaminski, 35, a branch manager for one of Chicago’s tax companies, popular in the Polish community, met dozens of people who decided to leave.
„Last year, some people decided to leave for Canada; others said that in a year or two they’d be going back to Poland. They are all not here this year,” Kaminski said.
One of Kaminski’s clients, a Polish immigrant working at a shipping company, told her about the number of people who decided to move back to Poland. Most of them returned to their home country last year, during the time when the price of American dollar dropped significantly.
„He [the shipping company worker] sent containers with people’s belongings to Poland. There were thousands of people who decided to move back there. Most of them were here illegally. During a week, this customer said he would send over 50 containers to Poland,” Kaminski said.
*Name of the immigrant has been changed to protect her identity.
Source: http://museumoftime.blogspot.com/
Immigration into Sask. communities increasing
REGINA — What a difference three years can make to the diversity of a province.
Rural Saskatchewan used to have difficulty attracting and retaining immigrants but small communities around the province are now becoming increasingly cosmopolitan.
The Rural and Small Town Canada Analysis Bulletin released by Statistics Canada on Monday provides a snapshot of Canada's rural and small town areas in 2006 — a time when immigrants accounted for 5.3 per cent of the nation's population. In Saskatchewan, immigrants accounted for 2.6 per cent of the total population — 0.3 per cent were new immigrants.
Between 2001 and 2006, 15,000 people left Saskatchewan — the highest net migration in the country, said Roland Beshiri, co-author of the Statistics Canada report.
"The migration of people in general looked very bad at that time for Saskatchewan," he said. "It sounds as though things are much better now."
That's the case in Whitewood — a community of 1,000 people who are benefiting by the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region's January trip to the Philippines, which resulted in 72 registered nurses hired for hard-to-recruit positions.
Thirty nurses — expected to arrive in late August — will be working in rural hospitals, health centres and long-term care facilities in Whitewood, Balcarres, Broadview, Grenfell, Imperial, Indian Head, Lestock, Montmarte, Moosomin, Raymore, Fort Qu'Appelle and Wolseley.
Mayor Malcolm Green said Whitewood will put out the welcome mat for two Filipino registered nurses when they arrive.
"Our goal is to make sure they're very comfortable so they want to stay here," Green said. "These positions aren't getting treated any different than if a nurse wanted to come here from any province in Canada. The incentive is exactly the same."
The nurses will join several other Filipino women who are working in the area as a senior's companion and as nannys.
"Like anybody who moves to your community, they add value and become part of the community," Green said.
Rob Norris, the minister responsible for immigration in the province, said in his government's first year, more than 1,400 newcomers settled in communities outside of Regina and Saskatoon. He expects that will increase with the launch of a new immigration strategy.
"We will be bringing in 10,000 newcomers from around the world over the next 18 months," Norris said.
His goal is to create more diverse, dynamic and cosmopolitan communities right across the province.
"The good news today is that newcomers are settling in more than 160 communities in Saskatchewan — 30 per cent are locating outside of Regina and Saskatoon and while there is still a significant focus on Regina and Saskatoon, we are seeing a greater geographic distribution and that's very healthy," he said.
A significant number of newcomers to the province are welders, truck drivers, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers, registered nurses and carpenters.
Manitoba's population jumps by a record 14,007
Source: CBC News
Manitoba experienced record population growth in the last 12 months, growing by 14,007, according to Statistics Canada.
Since the current record-keeping system began in 1971, Manitoba's population has never increased so much in a 12-month period. The previous record year was 1983-84 when the population grew by 13,615.
Andrew Swan, training and trade minister, said Wednesday that international immigrants are behind the population boost. Manitoba welcomed more than 12,000 immigrants between April 2008 and April 2009, another modern-day record.
"All Manitobans should be very pleased that more people are choosing this province as a great place to live and work," Swan said. "We are all looking forward to further strong population growth in the coming years."
The population growth is a direct result of Manitoba's provincial nominee program, which helps facilitate immigration to Manitoba for skilled and eager workers, he said.
"In the first year following the launch of the provincial nominee program in 1998, only 11.2 per cent of immigrants were provincial nominees," he said. "Now, they constitute more than 70 per cent of all the immigrants coming to Manitoba."
According to Statistics Canada data released Tuesday, Manitoba's population stood at 1,217,200 people as of April 1.
The fortune in our future
Yuen Pau Woo and Wang Huiyao
Special to Globe and Mail Update, Monday, Jun. 22, 2009 05:58PM EDT
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi's visit to Canada this week is a sign that recent Canadian overtures, including trips to China by Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon and Trade Minister Stockwell Day, are bearing fruit.
It is too early to declare that the period of “cool politics, warm economics” is over. But it is not too early to think about what a new phase of Canada-China relations should look like. Most analysts agree that Prime Minister Stephen Harper needs to visit Beijing, and he has said he will. What then?
It would be tempting to rewind bilateral relations to 2005, when President Hu Jintao and prime minister Paul Martin announced a “strategic partnership.” Some even advocate a return to the heady days of the Team Canada missions of the 1990s. The current context for Canada-China relations, however, is vastly different from four years ago, let alone the previous decade.
First, the U.S.-China relationship has become the primary lens through which many global issues are addressed. From the reform of the Bretton Woods institutions to the conclusion of the Doha round, from the denuclearization of North Korea to a new global deal on climate change, solutions will have to be found in both Washington and Beijing. In the absence of a formal G2, new and old multilateral channels will continue to be important, especially the G20, which has solid Canadian pedigree.
Second, China has gone global. In both hard power and soft power, China's global presence will become more apparent, even as, ironically, its export products - especially of the cheaper mass-produced variety - become less dominant. China's global footprint will increasingly be defined not so much by the ubiquitous “Made in China” label, but by the more amorphous notion of “Made by China.”
Third, two-way people movements between China and Canada will become more important than simply one-way inflows to Canada. There is already a robust return flow of recent Chinese immigrants to Canada, many of whom are taking influential positions in their native country. Talent from many countries is starting to flock to China for professional and economic advancement.
Fourth, China's response to the current downturn will likely result in a profound restructuring of global demand, with China - and Asia more broadly - reducing its reliance on exports as a source of growth, and turning increasingly to domestic spending on infrastructure, social welfare, health and private consumption.
Some of these changes, such as a more assertive Chinese foreign policy and competition from Beijing for the attention of U.S. policy-makers, will be uncomfortable for many Canadians and challenging for Ottawa. But other features of China's globalization present Canadians with exciting new opportunities.
Chinese outward investment is set to increase in the years ahead. According to a recent Asia Pacific Foundation survey of more than 1,100 Chinese enterprises, Canada was perceived as the second-most open market for Chinese investment, behind the United States and ahead of Australia. Contrary to popular commentary here, Chinese enterprises do not believe that the Canadian government or public will react negatively to Chinese investment. Ottawa should put the attraction of Chinese investment at the top of a bilateral economic agenda, and address any residual concern about discrimination against Chinese enterprises, including state-owned companies.
Facilitating two-way people movements should also be given top priority. Aside from immigration, tourism and education flows, special attention should be placed on the growing number of “binationals” who have extensive personal and professional attachments to both Canada and China. Research by the Centre for China & Globalization suggests that the return flow of overseas talent will be a major factor in China's development in the years ahead, and that many of these returnees will re-enter China as citizens of other countries, including Canada. To take just one example, the head of Zhongguanchun, China's equivalent to Silicon Valley, has strong ties to Canada.
It is in the interest of both China and Canada to embrace this highly mobile talent pool by acknowledging their attachments to both countries. Recognizing that the quest for global talent has implications for citizenship policy, Beijing is looking at creative new ways to attract the world's best to China, including less stringent visa requirements and dual citizenship for former nationals who have immigrated to selected destinations. In this respect, Canada is one of China's most important partner countries, not only because of the number of Chinese nationals who have settled in Canada, but because of the substantial flow of returnees who carry Canadian passports.
A comprehensive human-capital agreement could clarify a number of thorny citizenship, extradition and rights issues, while advancing two-way people flows through scholarships, student and faculty exchanges, and mobility of temporary labour. Such an agreement would unlock the hidden potential of Canada-China people linkages and pave the way for deeper economic and political relations. On the eve of the 40th anniversary of bilateral relations, the need for new thinking along these lines is greater than ever.
Canada's need for foreign talent remains strong
CATHRYN ATKINSON
Special to The Globe and Mail, Friday, Jun. 19, 2009 03:47AM EDT
Experienced chartered accountants from abroad are still in great demand in Canada even though the current economic crisis is causing layoffs in other sectors.
And, luckily, the federal government has mostly been listening to concerns about the shortage, business immigration lawyer Jonathan Leebosh says.
Mr. Leebosh, a senior manager in Egan LLP, an immigration law practice allied with Ernst & Young, offers accountancy firms assistance in moving staff and personnel to Canada.
"It's a very interesting time," he says. "Historically, there has been a shortage [of CAs] over the last 10 years. There's always been demand for accountants that Canada itself hasn't been able to meet."
Accountancy is one of 38 occupations listed as being needed in this country for the foreseeable future by Immigration Canada. Mr. Leebosh says Immigration Canada is being more focused in terms of what type of immigrants are allowed into the country.
"To me, the story to tell is that accountants are still in demand in Canada, maybe not to the same degree as a couple of years ago, but they are recognized as an occupation in demand."
Mr. Leebosh's firm works with human resources departments of chartered accountancy firms, including Ernst & Young, and helps them shape their hiring strategies.
His biggest difficulty, he adds, is the slowness of the immigration system, with permanent residency taking up to 12 months to complete. And then there is Canada's notorious difficulty in providing short-term work permits to fill immediate employment gaps.
"Apart from all the procedural issues, what is happening now is that the government is taking steps they feel are necessary to ensure that Canadians are offered jobs before foreign workers," he says.
But qualified Canadians are in short supply.
"Our clients identify their accountancy needs and once they're identified, they're probably in desperate need for them, and they can't really wait 12 months," Mr. Leebosh says.
"Typically we are trying to get work permits for people in the interim. It would be wrong to say that the short-term work permits aren't there, but they are certainly very challenging to obtain."
Fiona Macfarlane says 25 per cent of Ernst & Young's work force in Canada are skilled immigrants. Originally from South Africa, she emigrated in 1987. After a struggle to find work, Ms. Macfarlane is the firm's Americas chief operating officer, tax, a $3-billion practice.
"At a recent tax event we had all the people from the practice in Canada come together, and we welcomed the audience in their native language. We had to stop at about 15 languages. We were running out of time. It was amazing and very moving," she says.
"You think about where the clients are coming from ... they may not be headquartered in North America any more. They may be headquartered in China or Dubai. So to have that kind of skill set and context within your own practice can be very powerful."
Ms. Macfarlane says Ernst & Young put a lot of effort and resources into programs.
"We depend on immigrants for our economic growth. We try to level the playing fields. We have Succeeding-in-Canada training, we have cross-cultural training," she says. "Once you understand there are differences and understand your own biases, it's much easier for you to figure out what the other person is saying and help them be successful."
Tim Forristal, the vice-president of education at the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, says Canadian employers want to be able to hire foreign CAs with confidence. "Canada is looking for lots of people right now, especially those with an international financial reporting background," Mr. Forristal says. "Establishing best practice [in setting qualification levels in foreign CAs] is a huge part of our mission."
The CICA has approved 13 foreign designated accounting bodies, whose members need only to pass local tax and law exams in the province or territory in which they intend to practise. They are: Ordre des Experts Comptables (France), the Japanese Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, Institut des Réviseurs d'Enterprises de Belgique, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, Instituto Mexicano des Contadores Publicos, Nederland Instituut van Register Accountants, New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants, and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy in the U.S.
Four foreign designated accounting bodies have been determined not to be equivalent: The Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants, the Philippines Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants of the United Kingdom.
And a further four are under review: the Institutes of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Zimbabwe.
Foreign CAs from other jurisdictions are not automatically eligible for exemptions from any education or examination requirement of the Canadian CA program. They can ask for assessments to see if any exemptions apply. If not, then they must complete all requirements.
Special to The Globe and Mail, Friday, Jun. 19, 2009 03:47AM EDT
Experienced chartered accountants from abroad are still in great demand in Canada even though the current economic crisis is causing layoffs in other sectors.
And, luckily, the federal government has mostly been listening to concerns about the shortage, business immigration lawyer Jonathan Leebosh says.
Mr. Leebosh, a senior manager in Egan LLP, an immigration law practice allied with Ernst & Young, offers accountancy firms assistance in moving staff and personnel to Canada.
"It's a very interesting time," he says. "Historically, there has been a shortage [of CAs] over the last 10 years. There's always been demand for accountants that Canada itself hasn't been able to meet."
Accountancy is one of 38 occupations listed as being needed in this country for the foreseeable future by Immigration Canada. Mr. Leebosh says Immigration Canada is being more focused in terms of what type of immigrants are allowed into the country.
"To me, the story to tell is that accountants are still in demand in Canada, maybe not to the same degree as a couple of years ago, but they are recognized as an occupation in demand."
Mr. Leebosh's firm works with human resources departments of chartered accountancy firms, including Ernst & Young, and helps them shape their hiring strategies.
His biggest difficulty, he adds, is the slowness of the immigration system, with permanent residency taking up to 12 months to complete. And then there is Canada's notorious difficulty in providing short-term work permits to fill immediate employment gaps.
"Apart from all the procedural issues, what is happening now is that the government is taking steps they feel are necessary to ensure that Canadians are offered jobs before foreign workers," he says.
But qualified Canadians are in short supply.
"Our clients identify their accountancy needs and once they're identified, they're probably in desperate need for them, and they can't really wait 12 months," Mr. Leebosh says.
"Typically we are trying to get work permits for people in the interim. It would be wrong to say that the short-term work permits aren't there, but they are certainly very challenging to obtain."
Fiona Macfarlane says 25 per cent of Ernst & Young's work force in Canada are skilled immigrants. Originally from South Africa, she emigrated in 1987. After a struggle to find work, Ms. Macfarlane is the firm's Americas chief operating officer, tax, a $3-billion practice.
"At a recent tax event we had all the people from the practice in Canada come together, and we welcomed the audience in their native language. We had to stop at about 15 languages. We were running out of time. It was amazing and very moving," she says.
"You think about where the clients are coming from ... they may not be headquartered in North America any more. They may be headquartered in China or Dubai. So to have that kind of skill set and context within your own practice can be very powerful."
Ms. Macfarlane says Ernst & Young put a lot of effort and resources into programs.
"We depend on immigrants for our economic growth. We try to level the playing fields. We have Succeeding-in-Canada training, we have cross-cultural training," she says. "Once you understand there are differences and understand your own biases, it's much easier for you to figure out what the other person is saying and help them be successful."
Tim Forristal, the vice-president of education at the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, says Canadian employers want to be able to hire foreign CAs with confidence. "Canada is looking for lots of people right now, especially those with an international financial reporting background," Mr. Forristal says. "Establishing best practice [in setting qualification levels in foreign CAs] is a huge part of our mission."
The CICA has approved 13 foreign designated accounting bodies, whose members need only to pass local tax and law exams in the province or territory in which they intend to practise. They are: Ordre des Experts Comptables (France), the Japanese Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, Institut des Réviseurs d'Enterprises de Belgique, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, Instituto Mexicano des Contadores Publicos, Nederland Instituut van Register Accountants, New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants, and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy in the U.S.
Four foreign designated accounting bodies have been determined not to be equivalent: The Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants, the Philippines Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants of the United Kingdom.
And a further four are under review: the Institutes of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Zimbabwe.
Foreign CAs from other jurisdictions are not automatically eligible for exemptions from any education or examination requirement of the Canadian CA program. They can ask for assessments to see if any exemptions apply. If not, then they must complete all requirements.
The Government of Canada Introduces New Resource for Employers Interested in Hiring Internationally Trained Workers
Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- 06/16/09 -- A new resource to help guide employers through the hiring process for internationally trained workers was announced today by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.
"The Government of Canada is committed to improving the labour market integration of internationally trained workers - this is essential to building a strong Canada: socially, culturally and economically," said Minister Kenney. "Employers are key partners in helping internationally trained workers find jobs in their areas of training, and this resource makes it easier for employers to assess their qualifications."
The Employer's Roadmap will help employers meet their labour needs and will allow skilled newcomers to put their knowledge and training to work in Canada more quickly.
"This is a practical resource that employers in any sector will find useful in helping to meet their staffing needs and improve their competitiveness in a rapidly changing economy," said Andrew Cardozo, Executive Director, The Alliance of Sector Councils (TASC). "The Employer's Roadmap is exactly what is needed to make the process of hiring and retaining internationally trained workers a lot more efficient."
The Employer's Roadmap addresses questions many employers have about hiring internationally trained workers, such as how to recruit, assess and select them. It also includes suggestions on how to integrate and retain these workers once they become new employees. Information is also provided on the range of national and regional resources available across the country to support employers.
The Employer's Roadmap is the result of a partnership between the Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO), part of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and TASC. It is one of several measures that the Government of Canada is taking to help newcomers successfully integrate into the Canadian labour market as quickly as possible.
In addition, Canada's Economic Action Plan includes an investment of $50 million over two years to support the development of a common approach to foreign credential recognition.
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- 06/16/09 -- A new resource to help guide employers through the hiring process for internationally trained workers was announced today by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.
"The Government of Canada is committed to improving the labour market integration of internationally trained workers - this is essential to building a strong Canada: socially, culturally and economically," said Minister Kenney. "Employers are key partners in helping internationally trained workers find jobs in their areas of training, and this resource makes it easier for employers to assess their qualifications."
The Employer's Roadmap will help employers meet their labour needs and will allow skilled newcomers to put their knowledge and training to work in Canada more quickly.
"This is a practical resource that employers in any sector will find useful in helping to meet their staffing needs and improve their competitiveness in a rapidly changing economy," said Andrew Cardozo, Executive Director, The Alliance of Sector Councils (TASC). "The Employer's Roadmap is exactly what is needed to make the process of hiring and retaining internationally trained workers a lot more efficient."
The Employer's Roadmap addresses questions many employers have about hiring internationally trained workers, such as how to recruit, assess and select them. It also includes suggestions on how to integrate and retain these workers once they become new employees. Information is also provided on the range of national and regional resources available across the country to support employers.
The Employer's Roadmap is the result of a partnership between the Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO), part of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and TASC. It is one of several measures that the Government of Canada is taking to help newcomers successfully integrate into the Canadian labour market as quickly as possible.
In addition, Canada's Economic Action Plan includes an investment of $50 million over two years to support the development of a common approach to foreign credential recognition.
How Canada Does Banking
By Ian Austen
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is among many Canadians these days who are boasting about the strength of the country’s banking system.
During the credit crisis, no Canadian banks failed, and none required government capital infusions. And last week when Canada’s major banks issued their quarterly statements, all but one were profitable. Even that exception, a second-quarter loss of 50 million Canadian dollars (on 6.8 billion Canadian dollars in revenue) at the Royal Bank of Canada, was largely related to a write-down in the value of its American operations.
Mr. Harper, a Conservative who generally favors limiting government influence in markets, credits Canada’s regulatory system for the banks’ good fortune and suggests that it should be a model for the world.
He’s not alone. Julie Dickson, the superintendent of financial institutions, has gone from being an obscure bureaucrat to something of a minor celebrity. A recent cover story in The Report on Business Magazine, which is published by The Globe and Mail newspaper, said she was “integral to the policy that is being credited with keeping the nation afloat during a financial storm that saw banks just about everywhere else in the world pushed to the brink because they had taken on too much leverage and excessive risk.”
Canada’s regulatory system, of course, is not perfect. And Mr. Harper’s enthusiasm aside, the health of its banking industry may have more to do with its structure than its watchdog.
Ms. Dickson’s office is known to be risk-averse. When the market for Canadian structured debt products collapsed because the banks, apparently at the suggestion of the regulator, declined to support it, Ms. Dickson rejected criticism from investors.
“Our primary job is to protect the interests of depositors,” she said at a news conference.
Her office also requires Canadian banks to maintain relatively large capital holdings. Brenda Lum, the managing director for Canadian financial institutions at DBRS, a debt rating agency in Toronto, said that Canadian banks have an average Tier 1 capital level of 10.8 percent.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation calculated the similar number for all American banks at 10.74 percent as of March 31. But unlike banks in Canada, some large American banks fall far from that figure. Wells Fargo, for example, was at 8.3 percent on that date, and Bank of America stood at 4.5 percent, although it has since raised more than $26 billion in capital to improve that ratio.
Helping Ms. Dickson with her job were other government policies that ensured that subprime mortgages accounted for only a tiny portion of Canada’s housing market. And because Canadian tax rules never allowed mortgage interest deductibility, home purchases in Canada are not effectively subsidized by the government.
But looming above all of those factors is the scope and market power of Canadian banks within their home market. While many foreign banks have subsidiaries in Canada, Ms. Lum estimates that Canadian banks hold 80 to 85 percent of their home market. Most of that business, in turn, is concentrated in the five largest banks.
The big five are also one-stop shopping banks offering everything from retail services (a particularly profitable line of work) to investment banking through networks of branches and offices spanning the country. On top of that, government rules prohibit anyone or any company from owning more than 20 percent of a Canadian bank, effectively making it impossible for foreign competitors to enter the market through an acquisition.
All that makes for what Ms. Lum described as “an orderly market.”
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is among many Canadians these days who are boasting about the strength of the country’s banking system.
During the credit crisis, no Canadian banks failed, and none required government capital infusions. And last week when Canada’s major banks issued their quarterly statements, all but one were profitable. Even that exception, a second-quarter loss of 50 million Canadian dollars (on 6.8 billion Canadian dollars in revenue) at the Royal Bank of Canada, was largely related to a write-down in the value of its American operations.
Mr. Harper, a Conservative who generally favors limiting government influence in markets, credits Canada’s regulatory system for the banks’ good fortune and suggests that it should be a model for the world.
He’s not alone. Julie Dickson, the superintendent of financial institutions, has gone from being an obscure bureaucrat to something of a minor celebrity. A recent cover story in The Report on Business Magazine, which is published by The Globe and Mail newspaper, said she was “integral to the policy that is being credited with keeping the nation afloat during a financial storm that saw banks just about everywhere else in the world pushed to the brink because they had taken on too much leverage and excessive risk.”
Canada’s regulatory system, of course, is not perfect. And Mr. Harper’s enthusiasm aside, the health of its banking industry may have more to do with its structure than its watchdog.
Ms. Dickson’s office is known to be risk-averse. When the market for Canadian structured debt products collapsed because the banks, apparently at the suggestion of the regulator, declined to support it, Ms. Dickson rejected criticism from investors.
“Our primary job is to protect the interests of depositors,” she said at a news conference.
Her office also requires Canadian banks to maintain relatively large capital holdings. Brenda Lum, the managing director for Canadian financial institutions at DBRS, a debt rating agency in Toronto, said that Canadian banks have an average Tier 1 capital level of 10.8 percent.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation calculated the similar number for all American banks at 10.74 percent as of March 31. But unlike banks in Canada, some large American banks fall far from that figure. Wells Fargo, for example, was at 8.3 percent on that date, and Bank of America stood at 4.5 percent, although it has since raised more than $26 billion in capital to improve that ratio.
Helping Ms. Dickson with her job were other government policies that ensured that subprime mortgages accounted for only a tiny portion of Canada’s housing market. And because Canadian tax rules never allowed mortgage interest deductibility, home purchases in Canada are not effectively subsidized by the government.
But looming above all of those factors is the scope and market power of Canadian banks within their home market. While many foreign banks have subsidiaries in Canada, Ms. Lum estimates that Canadian banks hold 80 to 85 percent of their home market. Most of that business, in turn, is concentrated in the five largest banks.
The big five are also one-stop shopping banks offering everything from retail services (a particularly profitable line of work) to investment banking through networks of branches and offices spanning the country. On top of that, government rules prohibit anyone or any company from owning more than 20 percent of a Canadian bank, effectively making it impossible for foreign competitors to enter the market through an acquisition.
All that makes for what Ms. Lum described as “an orderly market.”
Arriving In Canada With The Permanent Residence
by invited blog: Correr es mi destino. Author:Zhu
So, you received the great news: “decision made”, you have just obtained the permanent residence in Canada! What’s next now?
Before you arrive
If your permanent resident application is approved, you will be asked to submit your passport to the Canadian visa office where you applied in order to receive your permanent resident visa.
You will get two important documents:
* The confirmation of permanent residence (with identification information, photograph…)
* An entry visa
The confirmation of permanent residence has an expiry date by which you must arrive in Canada. This doesn’t mean you have to settle in Canada by that date, but it does mean you must travel to Canada and become a landed immigrant before the confirmation of permanent residence expiry date. After that, you may come back to your home country and prepare your actual arrival if you wish.
You must have your Confirmation of Permanent Residence and your visa with you when you arrive in Canada.
When landing in Canada
When you arrive in Canada with the permanent residence, you become a landed immigrant. This is a very important step.
Whether your arrive by air or by land, you will first meet an officer from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
The officer will ask to see:
* Your passport
* Your valid permanent resident visa
* Your confirmation of permanent residence
* If you immigrate through a category that requires you to prove that you have sufficient funds to support yourself (for example, the skilled worker category), the officer will need to see the supporting documents, such as a recent bank statement.
There are a few routines questions to establish your identity and to make sure you gave correct informations that match your application, but this usually only take a few minutes.Make sure you have all your documents with you and everything will be fine!
Be aware that you will be asked to declare items you bring in Canada. Take a moment to check out what you can and can not bring in Canada, and what you must declare. You may want to check “How to I bring my belongs with me?” as well.
After that, the officer will authorize you to enter Canada as a permanent resident. He will also confirm your Canadian mailing address. Your permanent resident card will be mailed to you at this address.
The permanent resident card
A permanent resident card is a small wallet-sized card and a very valuable document, which allows you to prove your status in Canada or when traveling in and out of the country.
Permanent residents cards are not issued on the spot when you arrive in Canada. They are mailed to your Canadian address within a few weeks. If you do not have a Canadian address at the time when you land in Canada, you must supply one to CIC within 180 days (plenty of time!). There is not fee for the permanent resident card applied for at the time of the landing process. It usually takes about 30 days to receive the permanent card after you land in Canada, but it varies (you can check the current processing time here).
The permanent residence card is normally issued for 5 years. It can be renewed if you wish to remain a permanent resident, or you may not need it anymore if you apply for Canadian citizenship after three years of residency!
…And then what?
After landing in Canada, some people decide to go back to their home country for a little while to finalize their move and settle their affairs. Some have houses to sell, some have to finish their work etc. This is perfectly acceptable. Once you become a landed immigrant, your are free to travel in and out of Canada!
However, if you leave Canada before you receive your permanent resident card, you may need to apply for a single-use permanent resident travel document to return to Canada. If you hold a passport from a country that does not need a visitor visa to come to Canada (such the an American or a U.E passport), you should be able to enter Canada without your permanent resident card. See the list of countries which require visa to visit Canada or read the article I need to leave Canada but I do not have my PR card yet for more informations.
Be aware that to keep your status as a permanent resident in Canada, you must meet the residency requirement. This means that you must live in Canada for at least two years within a five-year period. If you don’t, your will lose your permanent residence status (and yes, it does happen a lot).
If you stay in Canada right away after becoming a landed immigrant, you can start applying for Canadian IDs (such as your SIN card), looking for a job, a place to live etc.
About being a permanent residence
As a permanent resident in Canada, you have both rights and responsibilities.You can:
* Live, work or study anywhere in Canada
* Receive most social benefits that Canadian citizens receive, such as health coverage
* Be protected under Canadian law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Your responsibilities include paying taxes and respecting Canadian laws.
Note that as permanent resident, you can not vote or hold certain jobs that have a high security clearance.
You may lose your permanent status if you don’t meet the residency requirements or if you are convicted of a serious crime.
After three years in Canada as a permanent resident, you may choose to apply for Canadian citizenship if you meet the requirements.
So, you received the great news: “decision made”, you have just obtained the permanent residence in Canada! What’s next now?
Before you arrive
If your permanent resident application is approved, you will be asked to submit your passport to the Canadian visa office where you applied in order to receive your permanent resident visa.
You will get two important documents:
* The confirmation of permanent residence (with identification information, photograph…)
* An entry visa
The confirmation of permanent residence has an expiry date by which you must arrive in Canada. This doesn’t mean you have to settle in Canada by that date, but it does mean you must travel to Canada and become a landed immigrant before the confirmation of permanent residence expiry date. After that, you may come back to your home country and prepare your actual arrival if you wish.
You must have your Confirmation of Permanent Residence and your visa with you when you arrive in Canada.
When landing in Canada
When you arrive in Canada with the permanent residence, you become a landed immigrant. This is a very important step.
Whether your arrive by air or by land, you will first meet an officer from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
The officer will ask to see:
* Your passport
* Your valid permanent resident visa
* Your confirmation of permanent residence
* If you immigrate through a category that requires you to prove that you have sufficient funds to support yourself (for example, the skilled worker category), the officer will need to see the supporting documents, such as a recent bank statement.
There are a few routines questions to establish your identity and to make sure you gave correct informations that match your application, but this usually only take a few minutes.Make sure you have all your documents with you and everything will be fine!
Be aware that you will be asked to declare items you bring in Canada. Take a moment to check out what you can and can not bring in Canada, and what you must declare. You may want to check “How to I bring my belongs with me?” as well.
After that, the officer will authorize you to enter Canada as a permanent resident. He will also confirm your Canadian mailing address. Your permanent resident card will be mailed to you at this address.
The permanent resident card
A permanent resident card is a small wallet-sized card and a very valuable document, which allows you to prove your status in Canada or when traveling in and out of the country.
Permanent residents cards are not issued on the spot when you arrive in Canada. They are mailed to your Canadian address within a few weeks. If you do not have a Canadian address at the time when you land in Canada, you must supply one to CIC within 180 days (plenty of time!). There is not fee for the permanent resident card applied for at the time of the landing process. It usually takes about 30 days to receive the permanent card after you land in Canada, but it varies (you can check the current processing time here).
The permanent residence card is normally issued for 5 years. It can be renewed if you wish to remain a permanent resident, or you may not need it anymore if you apply for Canadian citizenship after three years of residency!
…And then what?
After landing in Canada, some people decide to go back to their home country for a little while to finalize their move and settle their affairs. Some have houses to sell, some have to finish their work etc. This is perfectly acceptable. Once you become a landed immigrant, your are free to travel in and out of Canada!
However, if you leave Canada before you receive your permanent resident card, you may need to apply for a single-use permanent resident travel document to return to Canada. If you hold a passport from a country that does not need a visitor visa to come to Canada (such the an American or a U.E passport), you should be able to enter Canada without your permanent resident card. See the list of countries which require visa to visit Canada or read the article I need to leave Canada but I do not have my PR card yet for more informations.
Be aware that to keep your status as a permanent resident in Canada, you must meet the residency requirement. This means that you must live in Canada for at least two years within a five-year period. If you don’t, your will lose your permanent residence status (and yes, it does happen a lot).
If you stay in Canada right away after becoming a landed immigrant, you can start applying for Canadian IDs (such as your SIN card), looking for a job, a place to live etc.
About being a permanent residence
As a permanent resident in Canada, you have both rights and responsibilities.You can:
* Live, work or study anywhere in Canada
* Receive most social benefits that Canadian citizens receive, such as health coverage
* Be protected under Canadian law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Your responsibilities include paying taxes and respecting Canadian laws.
Note that as permanent resident, you can not vote or hold certain jobs that have a high security clearance.
You may lose your permanent status if you don’t meet the residency requirements or if you are convicted of a serious crime.
After three years in Canada as a permanent resident, you may choose to apply for Canadian citizenship if you meet the requirements.
Institute of Wellbeing issues first report, creates index on quality of life
Jun. 10, 2009 Get Medbroadcast Health News via RSS Feed
Provided by: The Canadian Press
Written by: Anne-Marie Tobin, THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO - A new index is being created to measure the well-being of Canadians, which will go beyond what we learn about ourselves from economic indicators like the GDP.
The new Canadian Index of Wellbeing will measure eight areas of life, including health, education, state of the arts and standard of living, says Roy Romanow, chair of the non-partisan and independent institute that will produce the index.
In addition, it will tally figures on participation in the democratic process, quality of environment, the way Canadians use their time and the vitality of communities - including volunteer activities.
Romanow, a former premier of Saskatchewan and commissioner on the future of health care in Canada, described the project as "absolutely necessary."
"Right now in Canada, the one measuring stick, if I can use that phrase, that we have - that dominates everything - is the GDP, gross domestic product, sometimes called the gross national product," he said in an interview prior to the launch Wednesday.
It has become a surrogate for telling Canadians whether they're better or worse off, Romanow said, but in reality all it does is measure goods and services produced. But not all things that are produced are good for our lives, communities or health, he added.
"We'd like to have a complementary mechanism of measuring those things which the GDP does not, namely the quality of life."
The data being crunched will come from Statistics Canada, the CIBC employment quality index and a variety of other sources, he said.
On Wednesday, the newly launched Institute of Wellbeing, which is affiliated with the University of Waterloo, issued its first report dealing with three of the eight areas of life that will eventually be covered by the index.
Andrew Sharpe, executive director of the Centre for the Study of Living Standards in Ottawa, is the co-author of the living standards component, which looked at data from 1981 to 2008.
"Average incomes did fairly well in Canada, but what happened was much of the gains went to the top 25 per cent of the households, so median incomes - that's the middle family - actually only increased by around two per cent, over that whole period," he said. "That's very small."
The report said average real net worth in 2007 was up 73.3 per cent on a per capita basis and 51.7 per cent on a household basis from 1981.
As well, Sharpe said there's been a historic decline in the poverty rate - it was 9.2 per cent in 2007, down from 16 per cent around 1996. There were marked declines in child poverty and poverty among seniors, he noted.
"But the problem is, we're going to lose that. All this progress we've made through public policy and economic growth, we're going to unwind much of that with the next years to come because of this recession," he said.
The health portion of the report said Canadians' life expectancy rates are among the best in the world - a Canadian born in 2005 could expect to live to 80.4 years, up from 74.9 years in 1979.
But the health picture isn't all rosy, according to Romanow.
"If you plumb further down into that figure, you'll see some very disturbing aspects about life expectancies - for example, in the three territories - or life expectancies with aboriginal and native organizations," he said.
A child born in Nunavut in 2004 could expect to live only 70.4 years, the report said.
"These are circumstances where their health outcomes are worse, I suspect, because their incomes are also worse," Romanow surmised.
In terms of community vitality, the report said 61 per cent of Canadians were members of non-profit, voluntary organizations in 2003 compared with 51 per cent in the late 1990s.
And the number of people reporting six or more close friends dropped from 40 per cent to 30 per cent between 1996 and 2003.
Romanow said three more components that will comprise the index will be reported in the fall, and the other two will likely come in 2010.
As the eight domains are reported, researchers will concurrently be working at developing what they hope will be a single indicator, similar to the GDP, he said.
The composite figure "will be able to tell us as Canadians ... where improvements need to be made or where changes in policies should be implemented, or whether we just simply need a new initiative."
The idea originated about a decade ago when the Atkinson Charitable Foundation in Toronto was concerned about identifying scientific data that could tell us as a society whether Canadians are doing better or worse, Romanow said.
He came on board after filing his health-care report in 2002.
The advisory board is identified as the Institute of Wellbeing, and it's guided by experts who have been working on data for years, Romanow said.
There is a "virtual relationship" with the University of Waterloo, to give it an academic home.
"It's a citizens' group, not owned by any government. We're non-partisan - all we want to do is get the facts out there so that Canadians know and governments and communities respond accordingly."
Provided by: The Canadian Press
Written by: Anne-Marie Tobin, THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO - A new index is being created to measure the well-being of Canadians, which will go beyond what we learn about ourselves from economic indicators like the GDP.
The new Canadian Index of Wellbeing will measure eight areas of life, including health, education, state of the arts and standard of living, says Roy Romanow, chair of the non-partisan and independent institute that will produce the index.
In addition, it will tally figures on participation in the democratic process, quality of environment, the way Canadians use their time and the vitality of communities - including volunteer activities.
Romanow, a former premier of Saskatchewan and commissioner on the future of health care in Canada, described the project as "absolutely necessary."
"Right now in Canada, the one measuring stick, if I can use that phrase, that we have - that dominates everything - is the GDP, gross domestic product, sometimes called the gross national product," he said in an interview prior to the launch Wednesday.
It has become a surrogate for telling Canadians whether they're better or worse off, Romanow said, but in reality all it does is measure goods and services produced. But not all things that are produced are good for our lives, communities or health, he added.
"We'd like to have a complementary mechanism of measuring those things which the GDP does not, namely the quality of life."
The data being crunched will come from Statistics Canada, the CIBC employment quality index and a variety of other sources, he said.
On Wednesday, the newly launched Institute of Wellbeing, which is affiliated with the University of Waterloo, issued its first report dealing with three of the eight areas of life that will eventually be covered by the index.
Andrew Sharpe, executive director of the Centre for the Study of Living Standards in Ottawa, is the co-author of the living standards component, which looked at data from 1981 to 2008.
"Average incomes did fairly well in Canada, but what happened was much of the gains went to the top 25 per cent of the households, so median incomes - that's the middle family - actually only increased by around two per cent, over that whole period," he said. "That's very small."
The report said average real net worth in 2007 was up 73.3 per cent on a per capita basis and 51.7 per cent on a household basis from 1981.
As well, Sharpe said there's been a historic decline in the poverty rate - it was 9.2 per cent in 2007, down from 16 per cent around 1996. There were marked declines in child poverty and poverty among seniors, he noted.
"But the problem is, we're going to lose that. All this progress we've made through public policy and economic growth, we're going to unwind much of that with the next years to come because of this recession," he said.
The health portion of the report said Canadians' life expectancy rates are among the best in the world - a Canadian born in 2005 could expect to live to 80.4 years, up from 74.9 years in 1979.
But the health picture isn't all rosy, according to Romanow.
"If you plumb further down into that figure, you'll see some very disturbing aspects about life expectancies - for example, in the three territories - or life expectancies with aboriginal and native organizations," he said.
A child born in Nunavut in 2004 could expect to live only 70.4 years, the report said.
"These are circumstances where their health outcomes are worse, I suspect, because their incomes are also worse," Romanow surmised.
In terms of community vitality, the report said 61 per cent of Canadians were members of non-profit, voluntary organizations in 2003 compared with 51 per cent in the late 1990s.
And the number of people reporting six or more close friends dropped from 40 per cent to 30 per cent between 1996 and 2003.
Romanow said three more components that will comprise the index will be reported in the fall, and the other two will likely come in 2010.
As the eight domains are reported, researchers will concurrently be working at developing what they hope will be a single indicator, similar to the GDP, he said.
The composite figure "will be able to tell us as Canadians ... where improvements need to be made or where changes in policies should be implemented, or whether we just simply need a new initiative."
The idea originated about a decade ago when the Atkinson Charitable Foundation in Toronto was concerned about identifying scientific data that could tell us as a society whether Canadians are doing better or worse, Romanow said.
He came on board after filing his health-care report in 2002.
The advisory board is identified as the Institute of Wellbeing, and it's guided by experts who have been working on data for years, Romanow said.
There is a "virtual relationship" with the University of Waterloo, to give it an academic home.
"It's a citizens' group, not owned by any government. We're non-partisan - all we want to do is get the facts out there so that Canadians know and governments and communities respond accordingly."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Check our online courses now
Click Here now!!!!