Canada holds on to second place as world’s top country brand

Canada has held on to the number-two spot as the world’s most respected country brand for the second year in row. The ranking comes from the fifth annual Country Brand Index (CBI) by FutureBrand of New York, NY.

“In a challenging year for the global economy, we’re especially pleased with the recognition that Canada’s tourism brand is holding firm in an intensely competitive international tourism marketplace,” said Greg Klassen, CTC senior vice president, Marketing Strategy. “Our travel marketing focuses on enticing travellers with extra-ordinary experiences against a backdrop of vibrant cities and spectacular natural settings. The strategy has market strength and is paying off. We’ve come a long way from an image of moose and mountains.”

After launching the new tourism brand-”Canada. Keep Exploring”-five years ago, Canada leapfrogged from twelfth place in 2006 to sixth place in 2007, and jumped again to achieve the second-ranked spot for the first time in 2008. This year, the United States received a bounce and has earned the coveted spot as the world’s top country brand for the first time, changing places with Australia, which slipped from the premier ranking to number three. Amidst this jostling, Canada’s tourism brand stands strong, resilient and competitive.

Said Klassen, “A country like the United States has a much bigger global footprint than Canada. As we are less well known, our tourism personality, or brand, has to carry more weight to succeed in getting travellers to choose us. This ranking is one way of validating that we’re on the right track.”

In the 28 different categories that the influential CBI uses to determine the Best Country Brand, Canada also ranked among the top five countries in ten of the categories, and ranked first in the categories of: Country You Would Most Like to Live In; Families; Resort and Lodging Options; Political Freedom; Safety.

Other countries making the Top Ten of the global 2009 CBI study include New Zealand, France, and Italy. CBI also identified the United Arab Emirates (UAE), China and Vietnam, respectively, as the top three “rising stars”-those likely to become even more competitive within the next five years.

CBI is a comprehensive study of around 3,000 international business and leisure travellers from nine countries-the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Australia, Japan, Brazil, UAE, Germany and Russia. The CTC has marketing programs in seven of them.

CBI examines how countries are branded and ranked, and identifies emerging global trends in the world’s fastest-growing economic sector-travel and tourism, which accounted for US$944 billion in international tourism receipts in 2008. This year’s index includes rankings and trends, themes in nation building and marketing issues, as well as in-depth analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the Top 10 country brands.

“This acknowledgement of our competitive edge is particularly satisfying as we head into the 2010 Winter Games,” added Klassen. “While the world is captivated, the CTC is executing a well-thought-out strategy to promote Canada’s tourism brand in its global markets. We’ve crafted the script and produced the movie that will inspire travellers to explore Canada because of the 2010 Winter Games-and long after the Olympic flame is extinguished.”

Stealing talent from Uncle Sam

Canada takes aim at skilled immigrants squeezed out by the U.S.

by Charlie Gillis and Colin Campbell on Tuesday, November 10,
Source: Mclean.ca

America’s best friend and oldest trading partner—that’s Canada. Happy member of the world’s largest free trading zone? Sure. But when it comes to the global competition for talent, well, friendship only goes so far. When immigration managers at Canada’s consulate in Los Angeles were asked last year to provide a snapshot of the immigration situation in their region, their tone sounded downright predatory. “Significant numbers of high quality economic class immigrants are being gleaned from this territory,” they wrote in a report obtained by Maclean’s. Most of the workers have been educated at U.S. universities, the document went on, obtaining degrees in valued fields like biomedical research or software engineering. With such talent in short supply in Canada, the pencil pushers in L.A. boasted, “this office regularly engages in promotion and recruitment efforts to exploit this talent.”

Exploiting? Canada? It would seem so—and at Uncle Sam’s expense. As a political war over immigrant workers rages south of the border, Canada has left a key under its mat for those who have been squeezed out and accused in some quarters of stealing high-paid work from native-born Americans. Each year, a wave of foreign-born employees in the U.S. exhausts the sixth and final year of work visas known as H-1Bs—documents created for companies who can’t find homegrown talent to fill certain jobs. But politicians in Congress have for years fought for a cap on the number of new H-1Bs (it now stands at 85,000), which has left thousands of educated, skilled workers out in the cold.

It is these workers Ottawa has been targeting, and its efforts appear to be paying off. During the period from 1998 to 2008, the number of skilled workers coming into the country from the United States more than doubled, from 1,969 to 4,085.

The trend has raised fears among business and political leaders south of the border, who see skilled immigrants as key drivers of economic growth. “The smartest people want to come here and that’s a huge advantage to us,” Microsoft founder Bill Gates told a congressional committee last month. “In a sense, we’re turning them away.” New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been calling for an increase in the number of visas, citing Canada, among other countries, as a destination for talent. He points to a study by the National Foundation for American Policy, which found that every time an American technology company requested an H-1B visa position, it added five additional jobs.

In some cases the restrictions have prompted companies to vote with their feet. Microsoft last year opened a 70,000-sq.-foot “development centre” in the Vancouver suburb of Richmond to house 300 workers hailing from more than 40 different countries. Many have “immigration challenges” preventing them from working in the U.S., explains Dennis Pilarinos, a former H-1B visa holder who returned to his native Vancouver to manage the facility. Now, at the sprawling complex, they work on everything from the XBox to Microsoft Office software. The rules have also been a boon for Canadian firms, says Tom Jenkins, executive chairman of Waterloo, Ont.-based Open Text. “It’s left Canada at a competitive advantage for attracting talent.”

Critics wonder whether offices like Microsoft’s represent a long-term gain for Canada. For some U.S. companies, the goal is to create a temporary home for employees before shifting them stateside as soon as possible; others are taking advantage of NAFTA provisions allowing people holding Canadian work permits to do business in both countries. In a practice known as “parking,” employers will place workers in Canadian branch offices, yet have them spend most of their time doing business south of the border.

But Canada’s innate appeal to immigrants often wins out in the end, says Peter Rekai, a Toronto immigration lawyer who has counselled former H-1B holders. “A lot of these workers end up liking things better here, and stay,” he says. “They find that it’s a better climate for them in Vancouver or Toronto—there are bigger [ethnic] communities, it’s more multicultural than where they were in the States.” Nor should Canadians underestimate the sheer demand for skills in certain parts of the country. Alberta, working in conjunction with Immigration Canada, has been running a special program targeting H-1B holders, offering permanent residency to workers with as little as one year’s experience in the U.S. In the past 18 months, it has received thousands of applications and accepted 393 workers—like Carlos Barrios, a civil engineer who jumped at the chance to move his family to Calgary from Houston. Barrios, who is originally from Venezuela, had spent seven years trying to get a green card in the U.S. before “Canada came in and offered me a chance to be a permament resident in less than six months. We love it here.”

That demand could work even more heavily in Canada’s favour as the U.S. economy languishes. This year was the first in several in which all of the H-1B spots made available in the U.S. weren’t filled on the first day (after six months, about 18,000 remain available). In other words, a shortage of work in the U.S., not a shortage of visas, may be driving these U.S. castaways north. Either way, Canada increasingly looks like a net brain-gainer after years of watching its best talent disappear south. The longer Uncle Sam takes to get his house in order, the better it is for us.

Scotiabank inks China banking partnership

* Allows immigrants to open Scotia account in China

* Gives Scotia an early shot at new customers

TORONTO , Nov 6 (Reuters) - Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS.TO) said on Friday it reached a partnership deal with China Everbright Bank [EVRBK.UL] that will allow people moving to Canada to open a Scotiabank account while still in China.

Canada's No. 3 bank said the deal gives Chinese immigrants and students planning to move to Canada the ability to open a Scotiabank account at any of the 119 participating Everbright branches in 33 cities across China.

"We are proud to partner with CEB and to be able to leverage their strong presence in China to reach out and meet the banking needs of people before they embark on their journey to Canada," Scotiabank's director of Asian markets, Gina Li, said in a statement.

Immigrants have become an appealing target for Canada's big banks as they seek to expand their safe and reliable retail banking operations. Immigrants are Canada's fastest-growing population group, and China is considered a key market for Canadian financial service companies.

Once clients open an account in China and move to Canada, they must visit a Scotiabank branch to activate the account, Scotiabank said.

Toronto-based Scotiabank is considered the most international of Canada's big five banks, with operations in much of Latin America, the Caribbean and parts of Asia.

China Everbright Bank, headquartered in Beijing, is one of the largest in China. (Reporting by Andrea Hopkins; editing by Peter Galloway)

Measuring up under the index of prosperity

HOW DOES one measure prosperity?

That question may have been answered by the Legatum Institute, a research and advisory group centred in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with a Centre for Development and Entrepreneurship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The Legatum Institute has constructed the Prosperity Index, which measures global health and well-being by rating 104 nations that account for 90 per cent of the world’s population.

The index scores nations on nine different measures based on 79 different indicators. The goal behind it is to motivate policy-makers, academics and the media to learn more about what constitutes real prosperity.

Canada and the United States placed in the top 10 of the 104 countries rated by the index. Canada placed seventh, the United States 10th.

The top three nations were Finland, Switzerland and Sweden.

The bottom three nations were Yemen, Sudan and Zimbabwe.

The index highlights the importance of several factors in creating prosperity. One critical factor is the presence of a vibrant and productive entrepreneurial base that feeds innovation.

The index revealed the soundest economies are linked to environments that are friendly and supportive to entrepreneurs, and provide support for commercialization of new ideas.

The most highly correlated of all of the scales measured were economic fundamentals and entrepreneurship and innovation.

The entrepreneurship and innovation scale measured the ease with which new ideas led to commercial innovation in business, focusing on new startups, technological advancements and capacity.

The actual number of small businesses in each nation was not part of the measure. The index focused on the dynamic impact that such businesses had on innovative outcomes.

The index demonstrated that economic growth is encouraged by democratic institutions that are open, transparent and accountable.

It also measured personal freedom, in part, by focusing on whether individuals were free to start businesses and whether the nation was sufficiently secure for businesses to grow and prosper.

Canada ranked fourth out of 104 nations for entrepreneurship and innovation, while the United States ranked first. Canada ranked sixth for economic fundamentals, compared with the U.S. ranking of 14th.

Canada ranked sixth in terms of democratic institutions, compared with the U.S. ranking of second, while ranking 16th for education compared with a U.S. ranking of seventh.

The reason for Canada’s lower educational ranking was not clear, but it could be linked to student-teacher ratio, funding and years of secondary and post-secondary schooling.

The health of Canada’s people ranked 22nd. The U.S. failed to place in the top 25. The health measure included such items as infant mortality, health problems, number of health professionals, health satisfaction and issues relating to overall health and availability of health care.

Canada ranked ninth in terms of safety and security, while the United States ranked 19th. This measure included such aspects as how safe citizens felt, the levels of political terror and violence, rates for various crimes and the likelihood of people being displaced or becoming refugees.

Governance, a measure that captured such issues as regulation, political participation, effectiveness of government, confidence in the military, corruption and law, resulted in a ranking of ninth for Canada, compared to 16th for the United States.

Canada scored very high in personal freedoms, ranking third, compared to the U.S. ranking of eighth. Personal freedoms measured such things as freedom of choice, religion, movement, and ethnic tolerance.

Social capital focused on the overall influence on life satisfaction of such factors as relationships, helping others, charity, organizational memberships and trust. Canada scored ninth in social capital, while the U.S. ranked seventh.

While there is always room for improvement, Canada held its own in the third annual Prosperity Index, demonstrating that prosperity is linked to many aspects of governance and community.

A key strength was Canada’s rating for entrepreneurship and innovation, a measure that captures the extent to which entrepreneurship is favoured and embraced.

The index also showed that entrepreneurs play a vital role in growing a nation that is worth living in, and that is something to celebrate. The Prosperity Index can be viewed at www.prosperity.com.

BC's Top Employers

Background
Now entering its sixth year, BC's Top Employers is an annual competition organized by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers. This special designation recognizes the British Columbia employers that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work.

Selection Process
Employers are evaluated by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers using the same eight criteria as the national competition: (1) Physical Workplace; (2) Work Atmosphere & Social; (3) Health, Financial & Family Benefits; (4) Vacation & Time Off; (5) Employee Communications; (6) Performance Management; (7) Training & Skills Development; and (8) Community Involvement. Employers are compared to other organizations in their field to determine which offers the most progressive and forward-thinking programs.

2010 WINNERS:

(in alphabetical order)

6S Marketing Inc.
airG Inc.
BC Housing Management Commission
BC Hydro
BC Public Service
British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch
British Columbia Lottery Corporation
British Columbia Public School Employers' Assoc.
British Columbia Safety Authority
British Columbia's Children's Hospital Foundation
Cactus Restaurants Ltd.
Certified General Accountants Association of Canada
Clearly Contacts Ltd.
Club Intrawest
Coast Mountain Bus Company Ltd.
Davis LLP
Dayton & Knight Ltd.
Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada
EDS Advanced Solutions Inc.
FinancialCAD Corporation
Fraser Health Authority
Goldcorp Inc.
Golder Associates Ltd.
Great Little Box Company Ltd.
GrowthWorks Capital Limited
Harbour Air Ltd.
HSBC Bank Canada
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Ledcor Industries Inc.
Mountain Equipment Co-op
Next Level Games Inc.
Nicola Valley Institute of Technology
Nintendo of Canada Ltd.
Parklane Homes Ltd.
Progressive Solutions Inc.
Providence Health Care
Provincial Health Services Authority
Rescan Environmental Services Ltd.
Royal British Columbia Museum Corp.
Schneider Electric PMC Victoria
Sierra Systems Group Inc.
Simon Fraser University
Sophos Inc.
Surrey, City of
Telus Corporation
University of British Columbia
University of Victoria
Vancity Group
Vancouver Coastal Health Authority
Vancouver International Airport Authority
Vancouver Island Health Authority
Vancouver, City of
Vision Critical Communications Inc.
Whistler, Resort Municipality of
Wickaninnish Inn, The

Newcomers to Canada benefit from the Library Settlement Partnership at Ottawa Public Library

November 02, 2009

BY Ottawa Public Library

Ottawa Public Library (OPL) staff, along with partners from Citizenship and Immigration Canada and various settlement agencies, celebrated the Library Settlement Partnerships (LSP) program, a service now available at the OPL that will help newcomers to Ottawa more successfully settle and integrate into their new home. Made possible through a three-way partnership between Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the settlement sector and public libraries, the Library Settlement Partnerships program provide information referral, and other services for newcomers in ten branches of the Ottawa Public Library. The program has been rolled out in 11 communities in Ontario and is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

“Our government is helping make settlement services more accessible to immigrants,” said Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney. “Through this program, newcomers living in the area can access information on housing, transportation and employment opportunities in their neighbourhood library. Improving their access to settlement services will not only ease their transition to life in Canada, but also strengthen the community as a whole.”

“We are enormously proud to be able to provide newcomers with a program that will make their move to a new country a little bit easier. By offering the LSP program in our branches, newcomers to Ottawa can make a smoother transition to their new home,” said Barbara Clubb, city librarian. “The library already offers many services to newcomers of all ages. These range from story times in Mandarin to preparing for the citizenship test in Arabic. The Library Settlement Partnerships program makes a wonderful complement to the already existing services.”

The celebration of the Library Settlement Partnerships program, held at the Main Branch, coincided with the official unveiling of the branch’s recently renovated Newcomer Services space. The space provides the newcomer information officer a dedicated area in which to meet with clients and develop programs to help newcomers settle into the community. The funding to construct the Newcomer Services space was provided by the Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association (FOPLA).

LSP partners include Citizenship & Immigration Canada, the Ottawa Public Library, the Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization, the Lebanese and Arab Social Services Agency, the Somali Centre for Family Services, the Ottawa Chinese Community Services Centre and Conseil Économique & Social d'Ottawa-Carleton.

For more information about the many services offered to newcomers at OPL, please visit the OPL website at www.BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca or call Info Service at 613-580-2940.

Longer lines and surprises in the plan for 2010

Source: Metro
author: Guidy Mamann

In Parliament on Friday, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney tabled his immigration plan for 2010.

Although the overall target will remain the same as in 2009 — 240,000-265,000 new immigrants — there will definitely be some big winners and losers in the year to come.

The big winners in the immigration game this year are the provinces, Quebec in particular, which will be handed the right to pick an even greater percentage of Canada’s immigrants than they have in the past.

In 2008, we accepted 43,360 skilled workers who came to Canada accompanied by 60,376 spouses and children. This overall total will drop to about 101,000 from 103,700 in 2010, with a greater percentage being reserved for those destined for Quebec. What is truly surprising about this number is that immigration experts expected the skilled worker program would be reduced so that the immigration department can allow for increased numbers in the Canadian Experience Class, which was introduced in September, 2008. The immigration department allowed for 5,000-7,500 immigrants to be landed in this category in 2009. However, it is only planning to admit 2,670-2,856 in this category in 2010. Most expected that the CEC would expand and the skilled worker program would contract. Inexplicably, the opposite is being planned.

Our once-proud business immigration program will continue to take a beating in 2010. In 2008, Canada received 447 entrepreneurs (who promised to start a business here), 164 “self-employed” individuals (farmers, and those contributing to artistic or cultural life in Canada) and 2,831 investors (who gave our government an interest-free loan of $400,000 for five years). Including their dependants, this group of 12,400 in 2008 will drop further to 10,800-11,620 individuals, a 6.5-13 per cent reduction.

So much for attracting foreign capital to stimulate our sagging economy.

Nannies should be smiling as their numbers could increase by nearly nine per cent in 2010. In 2008, 6,157 nannies were landed here with 4,300 dependants in tow. While this number is welcome given the fact that we have an aging society and more in-home care is needed, this number is hard to reconcile with a mere 3,442 business immigrants landed in 2008.

In 2008, Canada landed 21,860 refugees and is planning to land anywhere from 19,600-26,000 in 2010. I am betting that the actual number will be closer to the lower number than the higher, leading to a drop rather than a gain.

Also, it looks like humanitarian applications will be harder to get approved. Such applications are usually made by those who are here for a long time without status and are ultimately allowed to stay. In 2008, we accepted 10,627 in this category. This number will definitely drop to anywhere from 7,000-9,000 i.e. a huge drop in compassion of about 15-34 per cent.

Finally, I have some advice for those Canadians who might be falling in love with someone overseas. You will need more patience in 2010 because the line for sponsoring spouses (and any children) will be getting even longer. In 2008, we sponsored 47,451 spouses and children. In 2010, the immigration department has only budgeted for 42,000-45,000. With our growing population, it is hard to understand why the department would think Canadians would need to sponsor fewer spouses and children next year. In fact, the 42,000 figure hasn’t been seen in Canada since before 2003. Typically the department will stick to their numbers regardless of our needs. As usual, we will just have to patient.

That is the plan for 2010.

Saskatchewan PNP Update: Province introduces new procedural guidelines for faster processing

Earlier this month, the province of Saskatchewan introduced new procedural guidelines for the Entrepreneur category of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) that will speed up the processing of applications under this program. In recent years, Saskatchewan has been an attractive destination for immigrants to Canada because of the many employment and investment opportunities it offers.

According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business ranking of top business-friendly cities, Saskatchewan is home to the most business-friendly cities in Canada. The province is currently experiencing a business boom and its highest population growth since 1952. As the economy grows, the creation of jobs and investment opportunities are increasing.

For this reason, the province has amended its immigration strategy to welcome a greater number of qualified immigrants.

“This new process will make Saskatchewan more competitive in Canada. It will bring talented managers and entrepreneurs to the province, it will spread opportunities for investment to more communities and create jobs,” said Saskatchewan’s Minister Responsible for Immigration Rob Norris.

Under the new process, nominations for the SINP Entrepreneur category are expected to be finalized within six months from the date of application.

In addition, three new streams have been added to this category:

* The Large Scale Investor Stream, for applicants who wish to invest $10-million or more in Saskatchewan;
* The Science and Technology Stream, for applicants who have an innovative idea or plan to partner with an existing Saskatchewan science and technology body; and
* The Young Farmers Stream, for applicants under the age of 40 who have farming experience.

Norris also announced plans to add two new streams to the SINP Entrepreneur category in the future: one for entrepreneurs to partner with First Nations and Métis businesses or communities, and one that will facilitate business succession in the province.

Source: Canada Immigration News

Quebec Immigration Update: Changes to the Quebec Skilled Worker Program will allow the province to welcome more immigrants

The new selection system for Quebec Skilled Workers may make it easier for some applicants to qualify.

The most significant change reduces the overall selection pass mark from 59 to 55 for a single applicant, and from 68 to 63 for a couple.

The breakdown of points awarded for education has been amended to recognize more types of diplomas than under the previous system. Undergraduate diplomas attesting to 1 or 2 years of university education and more vocational and technical diplomas are now considered.

In addition, the “Areas of Training” criterion, which awards bonus points to applicants with certain educational or training backgrounds, has been changed to reflect the current needs of Quebec’s economy and labour market. Applicants with certain educational backgrounds will not only benefit from more points, but will also qualify for priority processing.

The breakdown of points awarded for an applicant’s age has also been adjusted, so that it declines less rapidly after the age of 35 than under the previous system.

The more favourable weighting of the education and age criteria could make it easier for some applicants, who did not qualify under the previous system, to become eligible to immigrate to Canada under the Quebec Skilled Worker category.

Successful applicants obtain a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ), and must then submit their application to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (a Canadian visa office) for medical and security checks and the issuance of a Canadian immigration (permanent resident) visa.

This new selection system is in effect as of October 14 2009. Applications that were received by Quebec immigration offices before that date will be assessed under whichever system is more favourable to the applicant, while those received on or after October 14 will be assessed under the new system.

Source: Canada Immigration News

Government of Canada Tables 2010 Immigration Plan

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Oct. 30, 2009) - Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, tabled Citizenship and Immigration Canada's 2009 Annual Report today in Parliament.

"While other countries have cut back immigration levels as a short-term response to the global economic downturn, our government is actually maintaining its immigration levels to meet the country's medium- to long-term economic needs," said Minister Kenney.

"Canada plans to welcome between 240,000 and 265,000 new permanent residents in 2010, the same number of immigrants as in recent years. In 2010, Canada will again welcome more new permanent residents than the average annual intake during the 1990s," said Minister Kenney. "The focus of the 2010 plan is on economic immigration to support Canada's economy during and beyond the current economic recovery."

In particular, the admission ranges for immigrants nominated by the provinces and territories have been increased. Provinces and territories are in the best position to understand how Canada's immigration intake can be aligned to their labour market needs. Second, by increasing the admission ranges in the Provincial Nominee Program, the Government of Canada is helping to ensure that the benefits of immigration are distributed across this country. Canada and the provinces will work together to manage growth in the provincial nominee program. Increasing the total number of immigrants processed under the economic category will also allow CIC to continue reducing the backlog of federal skilled worker applicants as part of the Action Plan for Faster Immigration.

Although the Action Plan has been in place for less than a year, early indications are that it is paying off. "People applying now under the federal skilled worker program can expect to receive a decision within six to twelve months, compared to up to six years under the old system," said Minister Kenney. "We've also brought the backlog of federal skilled worker applicants down from over 630,000 to 425,000-a reduction of more than 30%."

The backlog consists of people who applied before February 27, 2008, the date the Action Plan took effect. Since then, almost 240,000 people have applied to the new federal skilled worker program under the Action Plan. But even with those additional applicants, the total number of people currently awaiting a decision on their application is still 12% lower than when the Action Plan took effect.

"Before we changed the system, we had to process every application received. Since many more people applied every year than could be accepted, a backlog was created," said Minister Kenney. "Now that we are processing only those applications that meet specified criteria, our Government is making significant progress in reducing the backlog."

Improving the federal skilled worker program is part of the Government of Canada's overall commitment to modernizing the immigration system to maximize its contribution to our overall economic growth.

"The Government of Canada will continue to work with provinces, territories and stakeholders to make sure immigration meets the needs of communities, employers and families now and in the future," concluded the Minister.

Boat migrants may have paid $45,000 each

CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Mon. Oct. 19 2009 10:54 PM ET

Would-be migrants who were found aboard a vessel headed for British Columbia may have each paid $45,000 for the trip.

The men, believed to be Tamils from Sri Lanka, remain in custody as Immigration Canada determines their identity. The ship, called the Ocean Lady, was seized by RCMP last Friday.

Another vessel carrying Sir Lankans was caught off the coast of Australia last week, and the passengers said they had paid smugglers $15,000 to board the ship. One man told a reporter about the Ocean Lady, and said he had wanted to board that vessel instead, but it was too expensive at $45,000 per person.

RCMP say they're looking into the report.

"Yes, we're aware of that information and the speculation this could be related," said Sgt. Duncan Pound, of the RCMP Border Integrity Program.

Seventy-six men were found aboard the Ocean Lady.

Pound said security partners tipped off Canadian authorities on Friday, alerting them to a vessel "that was demonstrating some behaviour that was probably inconsistent with the usual maritime practices and that raised it onto our screen for concerns."

"We worked then closely with the Canadian Forces and the Canadian Navy, and they provided assets to assist us with gathering further intelligence on the vessel," Pound told CTV's Canada AM during an interview from Vancouver on Monday.

In particular, when the ship failed to notify Canadian officials about its content and intended arrival time, authorities became concerned.

"It should be a planned event, as opposed to approaching unannounced," Pound said.

It is not clear why they came to Canada and the RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency remain tight-lipped about what, if anything, is known about their situation.

Pound said that translators are providing assistance, though "there is some English from some of the individuals on board."

Canadian Tamil Congress spokesperson David Poopalapillai said RCMP footage of the ship shows men wearing a style of clothing that suggests they are Tamils.

The men will have to be formally identified, photographed, fingerprinted and then under Canadian law, they will have their detention reviewed within the next two days, immigration lawyer Guidy Mamann said.

"It's going to be determined whether or not some or any of them should be released, and on what terms and conditions," Mamann said during a phone interview from Toronto.

"And then if they decide that they are going to make refugee claims -- and all the indications are that they will -- they will have to put down their story within 28 days and have that submitted to the Immigration and Refugee Board who will then schedule a hearing for them."

Pound said the RCMP will investigate to see if any criminal charges are relevant.

"The RCMP's perspective, as the lead investigative agency for criminal code offences or the federal statute offences, we'll be looking at any time a vessel approaches and arrives in Canada, where we're not sure of who the individuals are or what the cargo would have been on the vessel," Pound said.

"Part of our job will be to drill down on those details and find out if there are any offences that would apply under Canadian law."

Countrywide Pride Being Showcased This Week In Canada

Source: Government of Canada Posted on: 19th October 2009

This week, in citizenship ceremonies across the country, Canada will welcome hundreds of new Canadian citizens, and hundreds of Canadians will reaffirm their commitment to our country during Citizenship Week 2009.

“Canadian citizenship is highly valued. Citizenship Week 2009 is an opportunity for all Canadians to celebrate our citizenship,” said Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney. “It is a time to reflect on what it means to be a Canadian and to be grateful for the rights and freedoms that we enjoy. We should also take this opportunity to acknowledge our responsibilities to our country and to our communities large and small.”

“The theme of Citizenship Week 2009 is Our Citizenship. We want all Canadians to recognize that, no matter where you came from, when you become a Canadian citizen, Canadian history becomes your history and Canadian values become your values.”

Canada has one of the highest naturalization rates in the world, with 85 percent of immigrants becoming citizens. Last year alone, over 176,000 newcomers became citizens of Canada.

World's best town: Gibsons, B.C.

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

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.