Members of the Chinese, Italian, South Asian, Jewish, Ukrainian and other communities joined Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney to celebrate the success of the Community Historical Recognition Program. “Canada is committed to recognizing and educating Canadians about the experiences of those pioneers who overcame such heavy burdens,” said the minister. “Their experiences mark an unfortunate period in our nation’s history. We must ensure that they are never forgotten.” The Community Historical Recognition Program was established in 2008 to acknowledge and to educate all Canadians about how certain ethno-cultural communities were affected by wartime...

At a special reception recently, with their family and friends in attendance, Ajax-Pickering MP Chris Alexander presented 23 distinguished local community volunteers and leaders with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.“All of the recipients have made major contributions to Ajax-Pickering and to Canada and their service to their communities cannot be overstated,” he said.“It is an honour for me to present this prestigious award, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal, to such worthy recipients who have had a tremendous impact on our community.”The Diamond Jubilee Medal was created in honour of the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne. The medal...

An outstanding member of Mississauga’s South Asian community was recognized with a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal by Bob Delaney, Member of Provincial Parliament, Mississauga-Streetsville.Naveed Chaudhry has served newcomers at the Peel Multicultural Council (PMC) since the 1980s, rising to become Executive Director of the Meadowvale-based agency.PMC delivers a full range of programs aimed at helping newcomers to Canada settle and integrate. Through PMC’s growth and development, Pakistan-born Naveed has steered the agency through board and staff development, and maintained strong relations with newcomer communities and funding agencies.PMC is seen as a leader in settlement services,...

Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney completed a six-day visit to India, recently.“This official visit to India was a great opportunity to promote Canada internationally,” said Kenney. “Our two Commonwealth democracies share a deep and growing bond.”Kenney attended the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) in Cochin, Kerala, a large gathering of India’s overseas diaspora at which he spoke on Canada’s model of pluralism, and the success of the more than one million Canadians of Indian origin. He was joined by Member of Parliament Joe Daniel and Senator Asha Seth.In Cochin, Kenney met with Vayalar Ravi, India’s Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, who he...

Among those new Canadians who reported providing daily care for their parents in Desjardins Financial Security’s (dfs) survey, 71 per cent admitted to feeling a related financial impact, compared to 61 per cent of all respondents who provided daily support.The survey also found that 20 per cent of those respondents who were born outside Canada were more likely to be members of the “Sandwich Generation” – adults who provide personal and financial support to their parents and children simultaneously – compared to seven per cent of all respondents.“These results are showing us that immigrants are feeling particularly overwhelmed because they’re balancing more than the average...