Welcome to Canada

Emerging trends in Canadian immigration - Media monitoring

2012-01-15T16:33:00.000-05:00

What's up and what's down at the beginning of 2012 @ Welcome to Canada?
One answer is in the emerging trends in immigration in Canada. This weeks media and news headlines give a clue:

Five trends in Canadian immigration, vancouversun.com ... Ethnic enclaves expanding; Canadians will heighten debate over the “limits of tolerance;” More economic anxieties will boil to the surface; Temporary foreign workers will be spotlighted; Inter-ethnic relationships will grow

CICA Granted Federal Funding to Help Immigrant Accountants Become CAs http://nexuscanada.blogspot.com - extract from CAmagazine.com

Immigrants struggle to land quality jobs in Canadian cities http://nexuscanada.blogspot.com ... original article at http://www.canada.com

Why Chinese-only signs aren't good for Canada vancouversun.com

Time right to look at immigrants, their legacies, http://www.ugnayan.com/ca -- original here: Winnipeg Free Press
‎

Immigration fraudsters exploiting new rules vancouversun.com

The new Office of Religious Freedom - Straight Goods -- Protecting religious minorities should start at home, not abroad... Geeta, Koran and Kirpan are realities of life in Canada that shouldn't be ignored in policy

Gatineau's list of Dos and Dont's for newcomers - Media monitoring

2011-12-15T15:17:00.074-05:00

First, what is the issue?
A list of "essential values" prescribed to immigrants (intending or already) moved to Gatineau is raising eyebrows for some of its suggestions. The city Gatineau’s guidebook lists 16 tips including not to give bribes, commit honour killings or cook smelly foods.

Here are some media reviews on the above subject:

Siddiqui: Immigrants should boycott Gatineau Toronto Star ... The “statement of values” ought to be amended, added to and addressed to all Canadians, not just new immigrants...

What's your reaction to Gatineau's list of Dos and Dont's for newcomers? CTV National News

Guidelines for Gatineau immigrants raises eyebrows CTV Ottawa

New Canadians arriving in Gatineau - guidelines www.canadavisa.com

Gatineau’s values guide for immigrants stirs controversy Globe and Mail ... The guide is already drawing comparisons to the controversial code of conduct adopted by the Quebec village of Hérouxville during the heat of the province’s reasonable accommodation debate in 2007. Unlike Hérouxville, however, which banned stonings even though it only had a single immigrant family, Gatineau is home to about 250,000 and has seen a surge in international immigration in recent years...

If you decide to move to Gatineau you may not be able to cook food http://www.cornwallseawaynews.com ...East Indians use a variety of spices in their curries and this may not be acceptable. However, Russians and people from other East European countries love cabbage and this smell may also not be acceptable. Personally, cigarette smell is not acceptable to me...
‎

English-sounding names hold edge for job seekers in survey

2011-11-18T18:54:00.000-05:00

Emily Jackson, Oct 14 2011, Toronto Star

Looking for a job? If your name is Panav Singh, expect fewer callbacks than Matthew Wilson, even if your resumés are exactly the same.
Employers in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal “significantly discriminate” against applicants with Chinese and Indian names compared to those with English names, researchers have found.
On average, resumés with English-sounding names received 35 per cent more callbacks, according to a study supported by Metropolis B.C., a federally funded immigration and diversity research centre.
Researchers sent out thousands of resumés listing identical experience to online job application sites, changing only the names of the applicants, and measured the response rate from employers.
Recruiters in Toronto and Montreal were 45 per cent more likely to call Alison Johnson over Min Liu, while Vancouverites were 20 per cent more likely to respond to those with English-sounding names.Continue reading

Get Canadian Work Experience with a Practice Firm

2011-11-12T17:46:00.000-05:00

Posted @ Toronto Public Library

Extract:

Need Canadian experience? Need recent experience? Consider applying for a practical hands-on "job" with a practice firm. You don't get paid but the employment success rate for graduates is excellent.

A Practice Firm does all the business activities of a real business but does not actually get money for its products or services. The practice firms only do business with other practice firms in Canada and in Europe. Each firm is set up using a particular business sponsor as its model. The business operates like a real business but the product and money transactions are not real. Participants have specific roles in the business, such as accountant and they contribute to the success of their practice firm, just like in the real world.

Toronto / GTA Practice Firms:

10 myths about immigration -- Canadiana

2011-10-15T13:14:00.012-04:00

Read this at TheSpec (Hamilton) 15 Oct, 2011
By Danielle Wong, Profiles by Vidya Kauri

See also:
Statistics Canada, Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, Hamilton’s Vital Signs

On the same shelf:

Tolerance a Canadian Myth or Fact

Canadian Experience: Myth or Reality Poll

Canadian Resume is Unique: Is this uniqueness hype or hope?

Myths & Realities of the Immigration System | no one is illegal - toronto

Five Myths About IMMIGRANTS

Eight Common Myths about Migrating to Canada

True or False - Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Myths About Immigration Lawyers And Warnings About Consultants

PR card myths: what you should know | Canadian Immigrant

The Two Immigration Myths | Correr Es Mi Destino

Myths and Realities About Non-Status Canadians

Five Immigration Myths Exposed

The nine schools in Canada that place in the top 200: THE World University Rankings 2010-2011

2011-10-09T14:49:00.000-04:00

Source: Thomson Reuters and Times Higher Education, THE World University Rankings 2010-2011

World Rank Institution Overall score

12	17	University of Toronto	Canada	82.0
13	30	University of British Columbia	Canada	73.8
14	35	McGill University	Canada	71.7
15	93	McMaster University	Canada	57.6
16	127	University of Alberta	Canada	54.3
17	130	University of Victoria	Canada	53.4
18	138	University of Montreal	Canada	52.4
19	193	Dalhousie University	Canada	46.8
20	199	Simon Fraser University	Canada	46.2

On the same shelf:

University of Toronto ranked in the top 20 best universities in the world

Some Advice for Americans Living in Canada -- The Taxman cometh

2011-09-21T11:04:00.000-04:00

Toronto Star, September 21, 2011

"The U.S. government has always required citizens living abroad to file U.S. tax returns each year. continue reading @ MONEYVILLE | SAVING:

Roseman: 1M Americans here face tax clampdown

Margaret Atwood fights library cuts, crashes petition server

2011-07-23T17:42:00.004-04:00

Post update: Doug, now, knows Atwood, Toronto Star, Sep 20 2011 'He knows what I look like now!!!'

Doug Ford and Margaret Atwood meet at party for former arts adviser

David Rider Urban Affairs Bureau Chief, Toronto Star Fri Jul 22 2011
Literary icon Margaret Atwood has joined the fight against a consultant’s proposed cuts to Toronto’s library system, marshalling her 225,200 Twitter followers and crashing a server hosting a petition.

At 4:15 p.m. Thursday, Atwood retweeted this from @sonalogy: “Toronto’s libraries are under threat of privatization. Tell city council to keep them public now.”

That drove a flurry of users to the petition and, shortly after 6 p.m., crashed the server of the Toronto Public Library Workers Union, CUPE 4948, which was hosting it.

... Atwood has kept up the pressure Friday, tweeting several times from @margaretatwood, including “Here is direct link to the @torontolibrary petition http://t.co/hPNMV8P to stop closure & privatization. Thanks to all, pass it around.”
Continue reading the story

7 good websites to help find a summer job

2011-07-02T12:12:00.000-04:00

By Krystal Yee @ Toronto Star's moneyville.ca
Extract:

On the same shelf:

Seven tips to help land your first post-university job

Top Ways to Find a Job

Who is hiring now in Toronto

Accuracy in your resume is a must - And a Golden Rule Too

2011-05-10T20:26:00.000-04:00

12 Deadly Sins That Kill Your Job Search
by Diane Coffey and originally appeared on PongoResume.com
Extract:

Sin #6. Lying is very high risk, both during the selection process and after you get hired. Many people have been fired for lying on their resumes, even after years of high job performance. Positive spin is good; lying is bad.

On the same shelf:

NDP apologizes for embellishing new MP's resumé, [The NDP apologized Tuesday to Ruth Ellen Brosseau... ] CBCNews.ca: Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Accuracy In Your Resume: The Golden Rule

Seven tips to help land your first post-university job

2011-05-03T13:07:00.001-04:00

May 01, 2011, Toronto Star, By Krystal Yee

Have a killer resume and cover letter
Clean up your digital footprint
Target your job hunt
Network, network, network
Be interview-ready at all times
Follow up
Get your foot in the door continue reading

The bottomline: What if you don't reach the door? See the following stories:

Ten Must-Do Job-Search Tips for Spring 2011 Grads
Tips for overcoming an experience-gap
New Graduate Unemployment in Japan, China and Canada
1 Year Graduate from Environmental Science and Geography... Jobless
Graduate and Jobless - Angela Dai's Blog
Youth unemployment hits 30-year high: study
The Transition to Work for Canadian University Graduates: Time to First Job, 1982-1990, Queen's University and Statistics Canada
Young and jobless: The recession's toll - The Globe and Mail
Thread: Degreed And Jobless, College Graduate Turns To Stripping
Jobless? No, I'm 'funemployed' – - Macleans OnCampus
Adventures in Canadian Post-Secondary Education: Jobless grad
My New Life as a Jobless College Graduate | lovelyish

Top Ways to Find a Job

2011-04-17T16:45:00.000-04:00

Extract:

Tell everyone you know that you are looking for work.
Write a good résumé.
Look for work every day.
Use the resources available to you.
Look at community bulletin boards.
Visit job fairs.
Register with headhunting/personnel agencies.
Knock on every door.
Stay motivated.continue reading @ Regional Municipality of York
See also, Employment Placement with Incentives program: Paid Employment

Tolerance a Canadian Myth or Fact

2011-04-12T14:11:00.000-04:00

Two current news stories give you two shades of opinions, and we value your opinions, right?

Tolerance a Canadian myth — DAVE DALE’s Soapboxing [highlight: Our tolerance for weather is also a reflection of not being able to tolerate people.]
Canadians are the most tolerant people in the developed world: report‎ [highlight: At 84 per cent on average, Canadians report the highest community tolerance of minority groups—ethnic minorities, migrants, and gays and lesbians—in the OECD, where the average is 61 per cent.”]

So, what do you feel, reading the above?

The Worst Resume Mistake EVER! @ Monster.ca

2011-03-29T16:31:00.000-04:00

Extract:

Tip 1. Don’t Rely Entirely on Spell Check When Proofreading
Tip 2. Customize Your Wording To The Job You’re Applying For
Tip 3. Send It In The Proper Format
Continue reading the full article: The Worst Resume Mistake EVER, by By Mark Swartz, Monster Senior Contributing Writer

Who is hiring now in Toronto

2011-03-27T15:13:00.003-04:00

There is a long list of potential companies that are hiring.

Craigslist's Jobs list is frequently updated. Click here for the current posting

See also craigslist SCAM ALERT

RCMP probing 'mystery shopper' scam posing as $150-an-hour job
Two new scams currently being used by con artists in Ontario

‎

City of Toronto: Apply for a job
Education Canada Network
Rogers
Home Depot: www.homedepot.monstermediaworks.ca/
www.walmart.ca/Careers
Zellers / HBC: www.hbc.com/hbc/careers/default.asp
Rona: www.career.rona.ca/stores/job-offers.aspx
Brick: Careers
BadBoy: Careers
Leons: View All Jobs: Scarborough, Mississauga, Danforth
Futureshop: Click here to see our current openings.
Best Buy

See on the same shelf:

It’s a paradox: high unemployment with serious labour shortages

It’s a paradox: high unemployment with serious labour shortages

2011-03-15T22:01:00.006-04:00

Doug Saunders | Globe and Mail, Feb. 19, 2011

The above news headline offers a moment for reflection for all concerned about the real picture of Canadian job market. Is there then, a job saturation? If yes, does the labor market spell the sectors? If not, how does one justify the following:

"Looming shortage of ICT workers: study"

'Unqualified' interpreters working in courts‎

CTV Toronto - New jobs created, but unemployment edges up

Nursing Shortage. What is it? How severe is it? How will it impact ...‎:

Hoping for a fulltime teaching job? Think again
Oversupply of education graduates fueling teaching job shortage in Ontario

Canadian surgeons face flat-lining job market‎

Who will heal the nursing crisis?‎

Changing standards for training schools have created a flood of dental hygienists

In another sense the paradox is multidimensional, there is resume flood, there is an endless preaching about trimming the resume, customizing, etc., etc., as in the following instances,

as depicted in this news story @ IT Business Edge: Companies Must Find Solution to Resume Overload.

there is a constant effort to trim the resume, as in these two news stories: LinkedIn’s top buzzwords list can help job hunters By Rafael Ruffolo, 14 Dec 2010 in ComputerWorld Canada; and
10 Tips for Integrating Social Media and LinkedIn in to Your Job Search in 2011, in Windmills Marketing.

More on the same shelf:

When the Marketing Reach of Social Media Backfires

Ottawa tech firm joins RIM in tablet computer war

Alberta a 'job-creation machine' while rest of country lags behind‎

New Canadians may help Ottawa labour crunch‎

Same old won't help young Canadians‎

Staff shortage forces overtime‎

For job-hunting PhDs, the degree was the easy part, [read as: finding a job is the v.v.v. difficult part]

A Job Search Evening @ Mississauga Central Library

2011-02-28T11:13:00.000-05:00

My book discussion, A Job Search Evening, @ Mississauga Central Library, 301 Burnhamthorpe Road West, March 2, 2011, 7 - 8 p.m. See the event details, here.

See the book details, here: Job Search The Canadian Way: What Works, What Doesn't

PS. The book can now be ordered via COUTTS, S&B Books Ltd., and Amazon's Createspace.
Or Download Ebook.

Follow Event @ Facebook @ Twitter.

Internet metering in Canada: Media Monitoring

2011-02-06T18:58:00.001-05:00

Latest update: Usage Billing For Internet is Over
CRTC chairman Konrad von Finckenstein said the introduction of the usage-based billing for smaller ISPs customer will be delayed by the regulator for 60 days. The file will also be reviewed.

Best story, so far:

Geist: The real reason we pay so much for Internet, Toronto Star, Published On Sun Feb 06 2011:

Extract (see the image on right):

While addressing the CRTC decision is a good start, Canadians will be disappointed — some even surprised — to learn that Internet “metering” is already almost uniformly in place. The “caps” are the existing and common provider limits on usage, above which you are billed extra. They are unlikely to disappear anytime soon, what ever the CRTC decides after its review.

More images of Internet Usage Meters @ Google

Why not a metered Internet? The Globe and Mail

Seeing red over metered Internet, National Post

Stop The Meter On Your Internet Use, By Spectre

Fired up? Start a twitter petition, Vancouver Observer

Bell Canada: doing the Netflix hoki poki, p2pnet

CRTC reversal may not improve internet service, February 3, 2011 By Peja Bulatovic, CBC News

How the Real-Time Web Changes Job Search

2011-01-22T11:14:00.002-05:00

The Internet as One Giant Job Board. A Quintessential Careers Annual Report 2010, by Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
Extract:
Here are the major trends we've observed about Internet job-hunting in the past year

The real-time Web is changing job search

Especially in the current economy, hiring decision-makers are increasingly deploying low-cost methods for finding candidates

Use of social-media, the fastest-growing recruiting method, is expanding overall (not just for job search), and niche social-media venues are emerging, the same way niche job boards emerged.

Job boards are increasingly integrating social-media functions, and hybrid job-board/social-media venues are emerging.

The job-board realm is simultaneously contracting and expanding.

Whether or not job boards die, some of their most ubiquitous products will probably die.

Face-to-face job-search techniques are more important than ever.

Final thoughts: At a time when the entire Internet can be thought of as one giant job board, no single online tool is the ultimate key to job-search success.
... Continue reading

On the same shelf:
Just released: Job Search The Canadian Way
Buy our book:
Download Ebook @ $10 CDN
Buy softcover in print @ Createspace.com

An Introduction to Recruiting with Web 2.0 Technologies and Survey Results
Why Facebook Could Be Hurting Your Job Hunt Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-could-be-hurting-your-job-hunt-2011-2#ixzz1Mjyu8El8

Online Homework help for Ontario School Students

2011-01-21T22:59:00.002-05:00

Watch the video:
Free tutoring with certified teachers from the comfort of your own home! Watch how you can get help with your homework.

Homework Help is available online five days a week: Sunday to Thursday, from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. EST.
Students will receive a login through their school which can then be used to access Homework Help at www.Ontario.ca/HomeworkHelp.
Homework Help expanded from 16 to 31 school boards this year. That means across Ontario, about 236,000 English-language students will have access to Homework Help this year.

On the same shelf:

Revving up online while lowering costs (Ontario government websites), South Asian Focus, January 19 2011

Canadians Love the Internet, Eh?

2010-12-30T11:59:00.000-05:00

Posted on Dec 29th, 2010 by Brodie Beta @ http://thenextweb.com
Extract [source: Globe and Mail, Toronto]:

According to The Canadian Press, comScore, the marketing intelligence service says Canadians are leading the way in hours spent online.
Canucks are spending an average of 2,500 minutes online per month which translates to over 41 hours, that’s an entire full-time work week spent surfing. And that’s apparently more than any other country in the world. Based on this data, it seems that Canadians are rapidly adopting the digital lifestyle and seem to be wildly passionate about online video, social media and Wikipedia. continue reading

Canadians spend more time online than any others, The Globe & Mail
Michael Oliveira, Toronto — The Canadian Press, Published Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2010

Ontario’s newcomers brace for cuts and layoffs

2010-12-25T18:46:00.002-05:00

Nicholas Keung: Immigration Reporter, Toronto Star

Extract:

Ten Toronto agencies are slated to lose their funding from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) starting April 1, with as many as 35 others on the cutting block.

Across Canada, the Conservative government will cut funding to immigrant service agencies by $53 million in 2011, $43 million from Ontario alone — a move that has outraged community groups, the province and the federal Liberals, which have many seats in Toronto. Continue reading Toronto Star

On the same shelf:

Liberals protest cuts to immigrant aid, Toronto Sun

Settlement agencies lose federal funds, Canadianimmigrant.ca
GTA agencies losing federal funding are:

Northwood Neighbourhood Services
Elspeth Heyward Centre for Women
Tropicana Community Services
Davenport-Perth Neighbourhood Centre
Community Action Resource Centre
South Asian Women's Centre
Eritrean Canadian Community Centre of Toronto
Ethiopian Association in the Greater Toronto Area and Surrounding Regions
Afghan Association of Ontario (AAO)
Bloor Information and Life Centre

CIC redirecting aid to newcomers in Hamilton, South Asian Focus - January 19 2011

Ottawa immigrant agencies hit by federal cuts, CBC News

Funding cuts threaten immigrant agencies‎ - Globe and Mail

Cuts will mean end to Ethiopian Association's support of new immigrants, InsideToronto.com

Federal cuts to immigrant services won't impact BC, says minister
Globe and Mail

So you think you know everything about Canada, eh?

2010-12-05T23:15:00.000-05:00

Dec 4 2010, Toronto Star

Extract:
On a rain-soaked morning this week, the Toronto Star conducted this admittedly unscientific experiment asking six Canadian-born to take the citizenship test. Three men and three women had 20 multiple-choice questions — samples from Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s website — and 15 minutes. To pass, they needed 15 right answers.

The exercise yielded surprising results: three flunked, one squeaked by and two passed with flying colours...

Click here to test your knowledge of Canada

Continue reading

On the same shelf:

True Torontonians invited to test their knowledge of city

Gardiner Expressway in a vented, glass-covered tube

2010-11-15T22:45:00.001-05:00

Mediamonitoring:

Another idea to revitalize the Gardiner Expressway

Is this giant tube just a pipe dream?
Donovan Vincent
Staff Reporter, Toronto Star, Nov 14 2010

"An architect has proposed covering the Gardiner Expressway in a vented, glass-covered tube. He says it would reduce car noise, keep snow and rain off the roadway and improve asthetics, with tree-lined pedestrian areas underneath. Do you like this idea?" Have Your Say

Last year, Les Klein's Green Ribbon plan (pictured above) to turn the expressway into an elevated park was cause for much discussion -- both positive and critical -- but another plan from around the same time has flown a bit under the radar. In an October 2009 article in The Bulletin, Michael Comstock, president of the Toronto Association of BIAs, wrote about architect Peter Michno's proposal to enclose the Gardiner in a glass dome. Without many renderings readily available online, however, it never garnered the attention that Klein's idea enjoyed. continue reading, Derek Flack / November 15, 2010, blogto.com

On the same shelf:

'Superstreets' trade left-turns for better traffic flow, safety, CTV.ca News Staff, Jan. 16 2011
[interesting Canadian comments with Canadian parallels]

Public Health Agency of Canada, Travel Health Notice: The Hajj 1431 / 2010

2010-10-30T17:44:00.001-04:00

Extract:
"The Hajj is the largest annual gathering in the world. Over two million people from nearly every country attend this spiritual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The Hajj season takes place this year between November 14 and 18, 2010.

Due to the large number of people at this gathering there may be an increased risk for certain infectious diseases such as meningococcal disease, tuberculosis, influenza (including H1N1 flu), and gastrointestinal infections. Travellers may also face a greater risk of heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and physical injuries.

Travellers should visit a travel health clinic at least six weeks before travel to get vaccines required for entry in Saudi Arabia (see Recommendations below), and assess any other travel health needs before departing."

Recommendations and more details here: Travel Health Notice

See on the same shelf:

The Hajj and Umrah at a Glance - [step by step] source: www.islamicbulletin.org

Step by Step Guide for Hajj and Umrah, Prepared by: Mohammed Baianonie, Imam of the Islamic Center of Raleigh, NC

Bringing back lessons of haj -- Partners in Humanity, Muslim-Western

Hajj Steps - [visual map] by Baggia Travel, Toronto

Basic Hajj Map, by Shayistha Abdulla

The business of Hajj and Umrah (Muslim Pilgrimage)

The Immigrant Success Awards

2010-10-16T23:56:00.000-04:00

Deadline for nominations is Wednesday, December 1, 2010. Award nomination forms are linked at the end of each award description.

Award descriptions and criteria:
•CBC Toronto Vision Award for Immigrant Inclusion
•Toronto Star Award for Excellence in Workplace Integration
•RBC Immigrant Advantage Award
•Canadian HR Reporter Individual Achievement Award

Read more about the The Immigrant Success Awards @ www.isawards.ca ~~ Collaborative Programs for Immigrant Employment, Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC)

India as-is from a Canadian Perspective

2010-10-15T15:07:00.000-04:00

Note: India is a land of rich history, popular culture, as well a land of paradoxes. In this context, Canada needing India more than India needing Canada makes news, and read below the article by Haroon Siddiqui.

But, it is too early, in terms of the trend to say if this, new trend of shifting centre of gravity is a premenant shift or a temporary move. If it is a permenant move, the only pray and hope is it should'nt be akin to reengineering the concept of love-marriage in India whose pride lies, in arranged-marriages. See also: Arranged Marriage, Teton Gravity Research Forums If not, Think “outside the box”!

Whatever is true of India is also not true, By Haroon Siddiqui, Toronto Star
Extract:
"Arriving in Canada in 1967, I was swept up by the Centennial, especially Expo, but was soon distressed to discover that there was no yogurt, only something called sour cream, a blob that bloated your tummy. There were few fresh green vegetables and no mangoes. No basmati rice. No coriander, cloves or cardamom. Nor saffron, which few had heard of and said it could be procured, perhaps, around Easter for the seasonal bread.
Informed of this state of affairs, mom in India said: “In that case, son, you had better come back home.”
I am glad I stayed."
At the time, Canadians thought of India as the land of starving people and emaciated holy cows. Now the two countries can't get enough of each other, Canada needing India more than India needing Canada. Which is why the Star is exploring India in every section of the paper today. continue reading

On the same shelf:

Not Required Indians: India's NRI (Non-resident Indians) are now also getting to be known as Not Requried Indians. Read the latter here: NRIs treated as Not Required Indians! - The Times of India. And, here: Not Required Indians, littleindia.com

KPMG - Nine Tips for Successful PE Investments in India — A Canadian Perspective

PricewaterhouseCoopers Canada. Shifting Centre of Gravity - Mergers & Acquisitions in India—A Canadian perspective [PDF format]

GE has its finger on the Indian pulse, at last, Forbes India Magazine of 18 December, 2009

India: A Glimpse of Multifaith Composite Culture

Canadian Libraries and Digitization - Thought for the day

2010-10-05T14:41:00.000-04:00

While Canadian libraries' digitization is expected to be high by any measure of digitocracy*** (esp., in terms of capturing, storing, and sharing information), the following is an eye-opener: "less than 1 per cent of Canada’s archives or library content is digitized" Internet's evolution raises stakes for Canada's culture and competitiveness, Chris Carter, Toronto Star, Oct 5 2010

Extract from the same page: "When Canadians talk about the future of information, media and culture, Tom Jenkins also wants them to think about the tools used to share, store and consume that information."

Bottom line (from the same source, about Tom Jenkins' book: Managing Content in the Cloud - Enterprise Content Management 2.0):
"So why then is his book available in paper form? To reach those leaders who are rooted in the “old way” of engaging information yet who still make the decisions that will profoundly shape how Canada responds to a future they will barely recognize."

---------
***This idea of a measure of digitocracy is based on the plans and progress initiated in Canada, in 1997: Preparing Canada for a digital world: Final report of the Information Highway Advisory Council

Seven words to describe Toronto: Terrific Ornament Reserved On Northern Treasured Orion

2010-09-28T11:41:00.000-04:00

You can describe this city in One Word, as well.
One Word that Toronto is become synonymous with is: Growing. Someone said: diverse.
Two Words, now in fashion: Toronto eh!!! (aka MultiCultural hotspots or Multifaith sacredspaces). Someone said: Frontier Town

And, you can add on, as-you-like-it!!!

And, here comes today's newsmaker: 'Seven words to describe Toronto: Terrific Ornament Reserved On Northern Treasured Orion' from Toronto Star

TVO's 2010 Big Ideas Best Lecturer Competition

2010-08-27T00:20:00.000-04:00

TVO's 2010 Big Ideas Best Lecturer Competition, sponsored by TD Insurance Meloche Monnex, celebrates the most engaging and intellectually stimulating lecturers in Ontario.

Rupinder Brar: 2010 Best Lecturer:
University of Ontario Institute of Technology Professor Rupinder Brar and what winning the competition means to him.

Continue reading the BEST LECTURER The Professors Page

What the World Thinks of Canada and Canadians

2010-06-25T23:40:00.000-04:00

Historica-Dominion Institute's Survey:

Part I: Global Attitudes on International Affairs, Economy and Business

Part II: Global Attitudes on Immigration and Diversity

Part III: Global Attitudes on the Environment, the Land and the Canadian Character

"The online survey of over 18,000 people in 24 countries, conducted by Ipsos Reid, shows that, even in the wake of the Copenhagen Conference, the world thinks more highly of Canada’s commitment to the environment than Canadians do. Asked if Canada is environmentally responsible in relation to other industrialized countries, eight in ten (81%) global respondents agreed, while 68% of Canadians agree – making them among the least likely to believe this."

Other key findings include:

• Canada’s reputation for caring for the environment is higher among global respondents (84%) than among Canadians (77%) themselves;
• Nine in ten (90%) global respondents agree that Canada has some of the most beautiful scenery in the world and 88% say they would like to visit Canada;
• Eight in ten (80%) global respondents say that Canadians are someone they would welcome into their home for a meal. Only 79% of Canadians say they same thing about their countrymen;
• Seven in ten (71%) global respondents think people who live in Canada are “cool”, including 92% of respondents in France;
• About half (53%) of the world’s citizens describe Canadians as “sexy”. Canadians are even more (64%) likely to think themselves sexy. Interestingly, the sex appeal of Canadians is highest in India (71%) and Saudi Arabia (70%).

Canadian libraries in 2010 -- Predictions and Forecasts made in 1980

2010-06-20T23:51:00.002-04:00

The year 2010 is here and it brings a great opportunity to analyze the predictions made in 1980 in a book, Canadian libraries in 2010, by Prof. Sam D Neill (University of Western Ontario, Canada). In my humble opinion a national study is due now.

I hope the Canadian library schools, and our professional associations will read this book again, and review specific strategies or policies envisaged in 1980, i.e., a pre-Internet era--to visualize where we really stand today.

Such a review will hopefully lead to a significant step in restating of what we do and how we do in moving forward with a clear mission and vision--towards whatever is beyond the age of Google, Web 2.0 and the semantic Web!!! This will be one way to tell the librarians of 2040 (another generation) why we do and when we do.

Extract [from the first few lines of the book: 'Canadian libraries in 2010']:
"The graduates of library schools in 1980 will be approaching retirement in 2010. Whatever is possible for libraries in those thirty years will fall largely on them to accept and implement. Those librarians now nearing retirement will not likely make any changes. They will make ajustment to new technology but not to the purpose of their institutions. Their successors to top management will make most of the changes indicated in this review between 1990 and 2000, and these will be consolidated, refined, and widely accepted in a spurt of enthusiasm between 2000 and 2010."

Canadian libraries in 2010, by Prof. S. D. Neill [(Samuel D. Neill, 1928-), Vancouver : Parabola, 1980. 144 p. ISBN: 092075810X] View: Library of Congress Catalog format View this record in: MARCXML | MODS | Dublin Core. More Books by this Author @ (Open Library) see also, AllBookstores.com

Professor Samuel D. NEILL is one of the founding faculty members of the School of Library and Information Science at the University of Western Ontario, Canada. His name is familiar to many for the award, 'Samuel D. Neill Scholarship for academic achievement for graduate work in library and information science.'

Content: Predictions, The Context & Evidence, The Canadian Studies, Guide to Major Topics.
Notes: "The topics chosen in the first section were taken from the Annual Review by Sheila Gibbs in the first issue of the Journal of the Canadian Library Science Society ..." p. 6.

What does a reviewer say:

This book IS far from being a forecast for the future of Canadian libraries. It only offers a few predictions very few references to Canadian publications, and even less emphasis on the Canadian scene. Its assertions about the year 2010 take the form of 12 essays of varying length and focus. The second part of the book counter balances the first Neill offers positive solutions to the problems foreseen in the first. The last part of the book conveys "the matrix of ideas and facts out of which predictions had grown." Neill lists his readings quotes, and then gives his own comments. Neill's idiosyncratic approach to the subject matter results in a text that is both exasperating and intriguing.

Recommendation—This text is more miscellany than a cogent manuscript. It is not to be
read as a whole but to be taken in parts.
Reviewer—Samuel Rothstem, Library Quarterly, Oct 1981, p. 445-46

Neill's another work (Dilemmas in the Study of Information. Exploring the Boundaries of Information Science) is cited in 'Information Technology in Librarianship: New Critical Approaches' by Gloria J. Leckie
"Neill's foremost service to subsequent work revolving around information has been to delineate aporias (conflicts that cannot seem to be resolved) explicitly and, implicitly, to suggest a dialectic: “Information is a social construct and communication is a social event... (p. 135)"

On the same shelf, The Canadian Encyclopedia:

“Canada, Libraries in” “, E.L. Morton, Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science 4 (1970), p. 71-157; ”

“Canada, Libraries in, 1970-1979” “, B.L. Anderson, ELECT 36 (1983), p. 94-155; A. Drolet, the Canadian Libraries 1604-1960 (1960); L.S. Garry and C. Garry, to dir., Canadian Libraries in Their Changing Environment (1977);

P. McNally, Readings in Canadian Library History (1986 and 1996)

____________________
A thought for libraries of tomorrow....:

"Colleges with lucrative online arms will get their nonprofit statuses revoked! All library functions will be outsourced! Campuses will be replaced by temporary versions in rented spaces that are built and disassembled at the beginning of each term! Scholarship will become more efficacious than ever before -- or will stagnate entirely!

Welcome to the future -- or, rather, to a series of many of possible “futures” posited in a new study released this month by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)..." ontinue reading: The Librarian's Crystal Ball @ Inside Higher Ed, June 23, 2010.

Canada’s Citizenship Award

2010-06-14T02:29:00.002-04:00

Formally known as the Citation for Citizenship, Canada’s Citizenship Award honours those who have made outstanding contributions to our communities by promoting the rights and responsibilities of citizenship or by helping newcomers integrate into Canadian society.

The deadline for submissions and all supporting documents is September 3, 2010. continue reading

Canadians divided on whether there is a common national culture

2010-06-05T12:03:00.000-04:00

By Randy Boswell, Canwest News Service June 1, 2010
Extract:

Canadians are almost evenly split on whether residents of the country share a "common culture," according to a new national survey exploring perceptions of social cohesion in Canada.

But respondents' doubts about our national sense of togetherness don't translate into a strong belief that Canada's distinctiveness is being destroyed by America's cultural juggernaut.

Barely one-third of the 1,500 people polled for the Montreal-based Association for Canadian Studies expressed the view that Canada and the U.S. now share a common culture. Read more

More on This Story:

Living in ethnic enclaves leaves immigrants with a weaker sense of belonging: Study, By Shannon Proudfoot, Canwest News Service June 1, 2010

On the same shelf:

PS. Info courtesy: Naeem Nick Noorani

Scholarships In Canada Help Academic Dreams By Revelationz

2010-05-16T17:49:00.002-04:00

This is an extract from StarReviews.com posted 3/2/2010

Many years ago, most young people did not go to college. Choosing instead to go directly from high school into the world of work. But as technology has improved throughout the years, the need for more skilled and highly educated workers has become paramount in the work place. College is no longer just a good idea. It can now mean a world of difference in obtaining the career of your choice as well as what you can expect to earn when it comes to your salary.
In this current economy, getting a good job is no small task. And if you have one, holding on to it is just as if not more important. Therefore, it is more imperative than ever to make sure that you have the skills and knowledge to keep you competitive in the work place.For those who live in Canada, or for those who wish to study abroad, achieving the funds necessary to go to college is no easier than it is in the United States.

That being said, whether you wish to attend school in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba or any of the major Canadian provinces, there are multiple excellent scholarship programs that are available to students if they know where to look for them.

One option to consider are scholarships and awards for international students available through some of the highest rated and well regarded Canadian colleges and Universities. They offer direct scholarships based on demonstrated financial need and desired field of study.

The amount and type of scholarship award varies from one institution to another and it should also be noted that obtaining a scholarship is very competitive so it is important to remain determined in order to achieve your goal. In your application, be honest about why you feel you are deserving of the scholarship. Don't be shy about sharing your hopes and dreams and how obtaining the scholarship will assist you in obtaining your future goals. The more personal the application, the more likely you are to grab the attention of those who are responsible for reviewing the applicants and approving the scholarships.
Another option is to go through the Canadian government directly for assistance. Much like the US Department of Education, the Canadian government offers grants to those who are able to show a financial need for assistance in order to attend the college of their choice.

Depending upon the school chosen and the course work required, many times the grant money awarded will be enough to pay for the entire cost of the education. However, should there be a balance due, the tuition may also be supplemented by student loans that are also made available by the Canadian Department of Education. Information on both of these programs can be found on their official websites, such as http://studentloans.ednet.ns.ca and http://www.nwtsfa.gov.nt.ca.

Remember, education is more than just a way to gain useful information. It is truly one of the most important investments that you can make toward your future. Good luck!

This article was written by writers at StarReviews. Visit StarReviews for more information on scholarships canada (http://www.starreviews.com//blog/revelationz/2010_03/scholarships_in_canada_help_academic_dreams.aspx)

See on the same shelf:
Study In Canada

Choosing a school, college or university -- Government of Canada, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Immigration Branch [Note: Provincial governments do not necessarily regulate private schools. Make sure that the private school you apply to meets provincial education requirements]
Scholarships in Canada
Top Universities in Canada
Tour Canada
Travel to Canada
Fast Facts about Canada
Colleges & Universities in Canada
Online Colleges & Universities in Canada
Business Schools in Canada

Audio version of citizenship guide now available ‎

2010-04-18T16:48:00.000-04:00

Ottawa, April 7, 2010 — Citizenship and Immigration Canada, www.cic.gc.ca

Starting today, the popular new citizenship study guide, Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship is available as an audio download. The announcement was made by Senator Marjory LeBreton at the Canadian War Museum on behalf of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.
“We want newcomers to successfully integrate into Canadian society and become full and equal citizens,” said Senator LeBreton. “This study guide is a necessity for anyone seeking Canadian citizenship and it must be accessible to everyone. Now you can listen to it in your car, on your commute, while you exercise – anywhere you choose.”
Because not all citizenship applicants have the same literacy or learning ability, this audio guide has been produced to assist those who are still strengthening their proficiency in French or English. It is the first step in developing more resources to accompany the guide. continue reading

Why are students penalized for attending part-time?

2010-04-11T03:54:00.000-04:00

I found this as an interesting post, by Laura, and that has received many thought provoking comments:

Canada has something called the "Lifelong Learning Plan," which allows you to use money from RRSPs for tuition without tax penalties. Only full-time students are eligible.

I recently learned that the Friends of the Mississauga Library System make an annual award to four Mississauga residents who are enrolled in library programs. I could sure use that! I emailed for more information: only full-time students are eligible.

Continue reading, 'Why are students penalized for attending part-time?' @ her blog: We Move to Canada

PS. Interestingly, I found some thing that does exists but goes unnoticed; let me know if these help you in any ways:

Assistance for Part-Time Students -- Part-Time Canada Student Loan

StudentAid BC - Programs for Part-time Students

Google for more

Toronto Public Library has Quiet study rooms, a meeting room, auditoriums and theatre facilities

2010-03-22T23:11:00.002-04:00

PS. I hope this is being read & considered by the Marketing managers @ TPL, in order to advertise the quite, most-wanted corners.

You want to meet, and the only place you thought you can do this is a coffee shop. Right. But libraries are getting into this role of offering you a place where you can meet (if not simply eat). In doing so, TPL (Toronto Public Library) is following the best practices (see below: a glimpse of whatz up @ British Library, London).

Toronto Public Library, has newer facilities, a few in the news and more to come; but the bottomline is you need to Ask if you don't find on their site. Some of these are free (less publicized and you need to ask), others are for FEE. And much more for those in-need of a small space, see the following description:

Gladstone library's Bloor bliss-out
Gladstone Library makes you think you deserve elegant public spaces
By Ashley Botting

At the Bloor/Gladstone branch, there are quiet study rooms, a meeting room, group study areas and reading lounges for adults, children and teens. There are two restored fireplaces, a pulsing teen zone with a large flat-screen TV, a new learning centre, CD listening stations, 44 computers for public use and the enclosed outdoor reading garden I mentioned earlier.

Siddiqui: Our home and native - and adopted - land

2010-03-14T20:41:00.000-04:00

By Haroon Siddiqui Editorial Page, Toronto Star Mar 14 2010

Extract:
"If you don't like non-whites, Statistics Canada has given you more reason to grumble. But if you are among the overwhelming majority of Canadians who have adjusted well to our demographic diversity, indeed see it as a defining feature of our nation, take a bow.

Statistics Canada's population projections to 2031, released Tuesday, showcase what is perhaps the most ambitious and successful experiment in heterogeneity in human history. The population of visible minorities is expected to rise from one in every five Canadians to to one in three – potentially 14.4 million. The largest group, as now, would be South Asians.

The Toronto CMA (census metropolitan area, Oshawa to Burlington) would be nearly two-thirds non-white – 5.6 million. Among them, South Asians would have tripled to 2.1 million. Chinese would be 1.1 million. Vancouver also would be almost two-thirds non-white. But, in a flip of Toronto, the largest group there, as now, would be the Chinese, followed by South Asians." continue reading

It's Time To Vote Now: Canada's Top 25 Immigrants!

2010-02-27T19:48:00.000-05:00

A nationwide survey in three stages:
inviting nominations from across Canada for a list of people's favourite and most respected Canadian immigrants;
identifying 75 of them who received the highest number of votes from Canadians;
selecting those who were voted there from as Canada's Top 25 Immigrants!

It's now at the third stage, VOTE NOW. Click here to view / vote / details
See on the same shelf:

The painful truth about age discrimination in tech

2010-02-25T11:00:00.001-05:00

By: Lisa Schmeiser, 18 Feb 2010, IT World Canada: InfoWorld
There are bold programmers, but no old programmers -- the reasons for this reality aren't simple. A closer look suggests that it's the nature of IT itself to push its elderly workers out.

There's a commercial airing on ESPN right now that features two hiring managers discussing the two job candidates sitting in the lobby. We see the backs of these candidates' heads; one is dark brown and lustrous, the other brittle and gray. The managers debate -- should they go with the experienced candidate? ("He won't have energy!" frets one manager) -- or the fresh young thing? And then -- surprise! -- the two candidates are the same person before and after a hair-dye job.

It's a nasty and effective commercial, and one that deftly plays on a pervasive fear of job hunters: Will my age be held against me? And in IT -- where the popular narrative favors kids launching companies in their dorm room or bringing down a corporate network as a way to blow off steam after finals -- that fear of age discrimination is especially pervasive. continue reading

On the same shelf:

Five Pervasive Myths About Older Software Developers | Lessons of Failure

Toronto woman awarded $25,000 after boss used racial epithets

2010-02-22T22:31:00.000-05:00

Linda Nguyen, Canwest News Service, February 17, 2010

TORONTO - A Toronto woman who was repeatedly called "Paki" and other racial slurs at work has been awarded $25,000 by the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal.

The ruling, handed out earlier this month, orders Cheryl Khan's former employer, Lynn Tompkins, the owner of Lynx Trucking Transportation in northwest Toronto, to pay the fine, in addition to $6,500 in lost wages. He has also been ordered to create an anti-harassment policy at his company and attend sensitivity training.

"It was horrible," said 36-year-old Khan on Wednesday. "I knew that if I stood back and let this gentleman walk all over me and not do anything about it, it makes it seem like it's OK." continue reading

On the same shelf:

Racist taunts cost boss $25,000, Moira Welsh, Staff Reporter, Toronto Star

The words were shocking and so unfamiliar that Cheryl Khan's friends could not believe her boss used them.

"Paki," he called her, according to Khan's testimony before the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal. "Half-nigger babies," he said of her two little boys. "That's what you get for sleeping with a nigger."

Immigrants still lagging in jobs mart, Peel Region Unveils Labour Market Survey Findings

2010-02-12T00:07:00.005-05:00

ML Brampton Guardian, South Asian Focus » Thu, 11-Feb

Staff Report
Immigrants are still lagging their Canadian-born counterparts in the jobs market.
That’s the short answer of a Peel-centric report on how immigrants are faring in finding employment.

The report, The Peel Immigration Labour Market Survey, has just been released to Regional Council.

Peel is considered to house one of the highest concentrations of South Asians in the GTA. The survey is the first study ever conducted that provides local data on the labour market in Peel.

“This study is one of three key immigration initiatives led by the Region’s Human Services department in Peel,” said Janet Menard, Commissioner of Human Services. “The study findings reveal there is a significant gap in skill utilization, income and credential recognition of immigrants in the workplace. continue reading

See also:

Peel Region Unveils Labour Market Survey Findings - First Peel-specific report shows immigrants lagging behind in accessing the job market

In the sample of 1,425 immigrants and Canadian-born Peel residents surveyed:
Of the immigrant respondents who have international work experience, only about one-third were successful in obtaining their desired employment.
Lack of Canadian work experience was reported as the barrier faced most often for immigrants and correspondingly, lack of work experience was reported most often by Canadian-born individuals.
Networking was a serious barrier for both immigrants and Canadian-born individuals but more significant for immigrants.
One in four immigrants accessed some government-funded employment services, and just under one-third obtained more education and credentials in Canada.
Both immigrants and Canadian-born individuals report underutilization of their skills in their current job. Recent immigrant respondents are less likely to utilize their skills at work, but skill utilization improves with length of time in Canada, and through full recognition of credentials by employers.
Funded by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, the study was done in collaboration with Ryerson’s Diversity Institute in Management and Technology. The final report was prepared by PinPoint Research. The complete report of survey findings will be available to the public to download on Feb. 22, 2010 at www.peelregion.ca/labourmarketsurvey.

'Ghost' consultants pose problem to Canadian immigration

2010-02-11T21:17:00.001-05:00

South Asian Observer Digital version, 11 Feb 2010 09:30 hrs EST

Extract: "The depth of the problem can be gauged from the following advertisement that appeared in a Chandigarh newspaper recently:

“JOB VACANCY IN CANADIAN HOTEL CANADA: Ominicity Hotel Director wish to advertise through this medium that the Following Job Vacancy in our Hotel. We need both men and females workers to fill in different categories of job openings. Currently, if your interested in working with us you can contact us back E-mail Address: ottawahotelss_canada@yahoo.ca Our Hotel Director shall connect you with our Canadian immigration director during your visa processing, SIGN BY DIRECTOR MRS RESOLING ANNA.”

But inquiries revealed that there was no hotel by this name in Ottawa. continue reading: 'Ghost' consultants pose problem to Canadian immigration. [Copyright Indo Asian News, Click here]

See also:

Suckers Wanted: OMNICITY HOTEL OTTAWA CANADA (Impostors)
Move to fight immigration fraud, By NICHOLAS KEUNG Special to South Asian Focus, Feb 11, 2010

Factors in success or failure of foreign-trained librarians in Canada

2010-01-09T22:16:00.024-05:00

The thesis, here, is about what are major factors for the success or for the failure of foreign-trained librarians in Canada? As far as this writer could dig, there is no single study to answer this question about what-works and what-doesn't in moving between and beyond barriers. Hence, this may be considered as a call for a national study.

As with all Canadian immigrants, the story of arrival, survival and revival is very much same for the profession of librarians. Interestingly, there are immigrant stories, first about a few non-professionals getting opportunities to work in libraries (as semi-professionals), and second about foreign-trained-librarians not even getting an interview (let alone get an opportunity for part-time, temporary, voluntary, full-time work). There are no documentary evidences about this occurrence; a sad side of this age-of-information, right-to-information, and right-to-work--so clearly enshrined in the Charter and the legislation.

An important recap: A common requirement for all foreign-trained professionals is: (a) education (local equivalent), (b) training (locally compatible), (c) skills (hard, soft and transferable matching Canadian colors) and the LAST (d) Canadian Experience!!! So is true for Librarians, too.

What is uncommon for librarians is the fact that most come from countries where: (a) language or culture raises a barrier in integration / adaptability; or (b) where the education and training offered back-home is not accredited (national accreditation or national standardization to monitor quality and standards of library schools). South Asian librarians face problem with accreditation (not language or culture as major barrier in finding a professional job). And, a few South Asians, don't get jobs inspite of ALA accredited (master, doctoral and post-doc) degrees. Some may say this is a type of dehumanization, not just deprofessionalization and derecognition of practitioners.

The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC), says: Information on requirements to practise:

The occupation of librarian is not regulated. Therefore, employment is subject to demand, and qualification requirements are set by individual employers. However, a master's degree in library science or its equivalent from an institution accredited by the American Library Association (ALA) is usually required for employment. source

Costly Omissions: Employment barriers for skilled/experienced librarians, in particular, by Manjit Singh, Reference Librarian, Brantford PL; and Dr. Ganga B. Dakshinamurti, Librarian, Albert D. Cohen Management Library:
Foreign-trained librarians face many barriers when seeking employment in Canada with resultant cost to individuals and organizations. A state-of-the-art review of employment barriers illustrated by case studies for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that will be analyzed so all concerned can maximize benefits.

Case Study. By Manjit Singh, Librarian, Brantford Public Library, Brantford, ON
Case Study. By Muhammad Afzal, Librarian
These case studies present interesting observations by two foreign trained librarians
>>>>>>>>An Appeal to All Stakeholders:
"Along with Tara Zarrin and Manjit Singh, I appeal to all stakeholders, including library associations and library schools in Canada:
PLEASE take necessary actions to implement meaningful solutions to correct this costly omission of not utilizing fully our foreign-trained librarians, so that ALL Canadians can be gainfully employed for the betterment of Canada!"
-Professor Ganga Dakshinamurti

Need for a study, factors to be studied may include: (a) role of Canadian institutions / government in accepting / recognizing these librarians (see a sample by Keren Dali and Juris Dilevkoa, 2009); (b) role of foreign-trained librarians in adapting to the Canadian mosaic (see the case studies, above); and (c) identify those who lost their battle (survival of the fittest) and were forced to: i) return to school (within the profession); or ii) re-train themselves out-side-the-box and re-invent the wheel; or iii) couldn't return home (see below: Why we cannot go home?), rather stayed in the land of opportunities accepted odd_jobs in order to make the ends meet (viz., finally work as store worker in grocery stores, visa card sales reps @ call centers, security guards, parking attendant, etc.) i.e, who could-not a find job even 'outside-the-box' (see the book, above, by G. Kim Dority, 2006). One may consider a fourth factor, as well: those who struggled and then left the country (for reasons of (i)lack of opportunities, (ii)repeated failures in finding an accommodation in the job market, (iii)lack of stamina to continue the tryst with destiny, (iv)greener pastures abroad, and so on..).

PS. If you are interested in this project, lets talk. Your comments and support will be highly appreciated.

See on the same shelf

Librarian jobs in Canada? Does university name matter?
Are there lots of librarian jobs in Canada? Does what university I graduate from really matter when I apply for jobs?
CLA Session Notes - "Systemic Barriers to Library Use: Libraries Engage the Socially Excluded"
"The evaluation of international credentials and the hiring of internationally trained librarians in Canadian academic and public libraries, Keren Dali and Juris Dilevkoa, The International Information & Library Review Volume 41, Issue 3, September 2009, Pages 146-162
"This study examines the way in which libraries in Canada approach the issue of the evaluation of international credentials (ICs) held by internationally trained librarians (ITLs) and the eventual short-listing and hiring of such individuals. In the United States and Canada, librarianship, a non-regulated profession, is to a large degree governed by the American Library Association (ALA), but the ALA's statements regarding ICs and ITLs are often ambiguous. It is therefore frequently left to individual libraries to decide how best to deal with ICs and ITLs"
Smoothing the Transition: Retraining Centers in Canada for Immigrant Librarians from Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union, by Keren Dali a; Juris Dilevko, Slavic & East European Information Resources, Volume 8, Issue 1 July 2007 , pages 77 - 102
Silviu's Diary: An immigrant librarian in Canada.
Immigrant Librarians in Britain
"Evolving Jamaican migrant identities: contrasts between Britain, Canada and the USA," Paul Thompson a; Elaine Bauer, Community, Work & Family, Volume 6, Issue 1 April 2003 , pages 89 - 102
Migrant Settlement Literature Review
How to kill a young librarian's love of librarianship (AKA. A Dispute Resolution Guide)
Career Path of an "International Librarian"
"Employment of Foreign Trained Librarians in the US and Canada: An Enquiry on Behalf of the LED Committee on Equivalencies and Reciprocity, in American Library Association Office for Library Education," (1970) [cited in Encyclopedia of library and information science, 1965. v. 57, p. 262]
Surrey Public Library INFORMATION FOR FOREIGN-TRAINED LIBRARIANS AND LIBRARY TECHNICIANS
Will tomorrow's libraries become more like museums of today -- A question for the coming decade
Emerson's Conceptual Librarian, Professor of Books -- Library Education Revisited
Unable to get jobs, immigrant couple sue Ottawa [Selladurai Premakumaran and Nesamalar Premakumaran (Appellants)] and the response @ Federal Courts Reports

Why we cannot go home?

Educated immigrants stuck in survival jobs By Travis Lupick

Success Stories: Matilda of Sierra Leone

'Vote by feet'

A land of promise or a land of dismay?

Not Canada Net: Tragedy of Canada for Immigrants

Why don't Americans care? Gutsy win, but media barely mentioned it

2010-01-08T14:17:00.000-05:00

By JOE WARMINGTON | Columnists | Toronto Sun | 7th January 2010
"Really?"
-- a Natick, Mass., town clerk on learning U.S. overtime hero John Carlson is a native son.
Why don't they care?

The Boston Globe went with a picture of a murder suspect as its front-page picture.

The New York Post had a picture of socialite Casey Johnson, who died tragically. Its sports section's front was an image of football receiver Ochocinco with the headline Sex in the Cincy.

It seems, for Americans, this gutsy, overtime win against Canada in Canada by its junior hockey team won't be going down as a miracle on ice.

In fact, it was almost a miracle to find any mention of it at all. continue reading

Building Bridges between Authors, Academics, and Judges

2010-01-06T00:06:00.018-05:00

I found in today's Globe and Mail: You can't judge a book by its scholar? by Thomas Hodd

The opening lines: "Why aren't Canada's top literary prizes employing actual literary critics on their juries?"

The bottomline: "Who knows, allowing Canadian literature scholars to participate in award juries might also help bridge the chasm between the literary community and the educators who make the curriculum decisions that keep Canada's literary tradition alive. And that would certainly be a good thing for writers and publishers, as well as for our students."

Wonder, why literary awards are not synchronized with academics, literary critics, judges, etc., all talking with each other?

Canada, though not as prolific (and historically comparable) as America and Britain, yet has some good leads even in the foreign market, reading from the travelogue of Michael Bryson and his aggregated post @ Underground Book Club:

Doing a quick survey of an Oxford bookstore, I found titles prominently displayed by Margaret Atwood, Guy Vanderhague, Jane Urquart, Austin Clarke, Rohinston Mistry, and Yann Martel. Actress Neve Campbell graced the cover of the Sunday Times Culture magazine.

A Times feature on actress Isabella Rossellini highlighted her recent role in an avant-garde film by Winnipeg’s Guy Maddin.

And going by the marketplace, a sample of Amazon's recent anthologies, show Canadian literature is no way short of any other literary contribution of the world:

Amazon.com Widgets

On the same shelf:

Judging the judges: the PM's Literary Award - On Line Opinion

Book Award Tragic: Speed Reading Judges for $110000 Australia-Asia

Writing award sparks literary controversy Title fight: Judges of a ...

IF YOU'RE A JUDGE IN A LITERARY AWARD, AND YOU KNOW ONE OF THE AUTHORS INTIMATELY, WHAT DO YOU DO? [source]

Chris Hurst: Why You Shouldn't Volunteer to Judge a Literary Award

They Call It the Orange Award Because Books Get Evaluated Like Last Week's Fruit

Governor General's Awards - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Full-body scanners coming to Canadian airports -- the story in images

2010-01-05T20:15:00.005-05:00

Edmonton International Airport to install body scanners
See more news, images @ Google:

On the same shelf:

Siddiqui: Failed air security is but one of several fiascos Toronto Star, Sun Jan 03 2010

Underwear joke ends German family's vacation Toronto Star

Privacy issues to slow U.K. scanning change Toronto Star

Body scanners in airports by March Toronto Star

Airport body scanners have critics, including Pope - chicagotribune.com

Bye 2009: Retiring words: What overused words would you like to ban?

2009-12-31T16:15:00.001-05:00

Vote @ CBC.ca: Poll: Which words do you hate the most?

By POV, CBC.ca
"The Word Banishment Committee of Lake Superior State University has a message for the technically savvy this year -- put down your app and chillax on the tweets, people.

App, tweet and chillax are just three of the 15 words the committee has nominated for retirement from the English language in a list released Thursday." continue reading

Chillax, the '09 banned words list has arrived, BY ROBIN ERB
FREE PRESS EDUCATION WRITER
"Drawing nominations from English enthusiasts and those just plain tired of overused expressions, Lake Superior State University's Word Banishment Committee has issued its list of words and phrases it deems time to be "unfriended."

Among them: "teachable moment," "czar," "shovel-ready" and combinations of words such as "sexting," "bromance" and "chillaxin.' "

"Someone will say something and then everybody picks up on it, and it snowballs," said Joellen Eschenburg of Clinton Township, a retired government worker who said she went online earlier this year to nominate the phrase "come to the table."" continue reading

On the same shelf:

Word 'czars' give thumbs down to trendy phrases

Tweets, sexting "unfriended" in U.S. banned word list

What is Your One Main Failure of the Year 2009 - Are You Ready for the Year 2010?

Twitter bans 370 words as passwords

Tip of the Year @ How to Find a Job 65% Faster

2009-12-25T13:30:00.007-05:00

How to use Guerrilla job hunting tactics to find work 65% faster?, by newcomers immigrant canada

Tip 3. Give employers another reason to hire you
A 30-60-90 day plan is a way of proving you can do the work -- before you’re even on the payroll -- by describing how you would learn the job, build rapport with employees/customers, and contribute to the bottom line. continue reading other tips

Bottom Line: Show your plan, i.e., real work plan. See more details here: Show Your Business Plan in your resume, or during the interview--what you will do.

Canadian Expatriates Blogs

2009-12-25T13:08:00.001-05:00

Note: This is part of my series of Blog Reviews. More reviews are @ Reviews From My Desktop

About Canadian Expatriates Blog: A collection of articles and observations written by Canadian Expatriates from around the globe.

About the Contributors:

Anna
Bethanie
Canuck Abroad
Dean P
Edward
Expat
mare ad mare
Nicole

CTV News Announces the Top 10 Canadian News Stories of 2009

2009-12-22T23:02:00.001-05:00

The complete list of CTV's Top 10 Canadian News Stories for 2009 as revealed on CANADA AM this morning is:

1. The Recession (Jan. 1)
2. H1N1 / The Swine Flu (Dec. 31)
3. The Afghan Mission (Dec. 30)
4. Newfoundland Chopper Crash (Dec. 29)
5. Car Industry Collapse (Dec. 28)
6. Tori Stafford (Dec. 27)
7. Jim Balsillie's bid for the Phoenix Coyotes (Dec. 26)
8. Earl Jones Ponzi Scheme (Dec. 25)
9. The Olympic Torch Run (Dec. 24)
10. Canadians in Space (Dec. 23)

To see the complete announcement, go to http://www.ctvmedia.ca

Evangelicals in Canada Fight to Preserve Hiring Policy

2009-12-17T20:53:00.000-05:00

By Ethan Cole|Christian Post Reporter
The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada began on Tuesday defending in court the rights of religious organizations to hire people based on their religious beliefs.

In the landmark religious freedom case Heintz v. Christian Horizons, the Superior Court of Ontario will consider whether to uphold an earlier ruling that a faith-based organization involved in social work cannot require an employee to share its same religious beliefs and service commitment. continue reading

Charities must prove purpose, lawyer says
Discrimination case; Rights exemption for sharing faith, not doing good
by Charles Lewis, National Post, December 17, 2009

Newcomers get training in biotechnology

2009-12-01T17:56:00.000-05:00

"Ontario is helping eighty skilled newcomers get training in biotechnology that will help them get jobs in their field.
The province is supporting the new Pathways to Employment in Biotechnology bridge training program, based in Mississauga, and offered jointly by the University of Toronto and Astra Zeneca. It is one of 16 projects that will help close to 5,000 newcomers get the training and supports they need to work in their field."
Continue reading: Ontario Helps Newcomers Get "Job Ready"

Public safety, Online scams, Media monitoring

2009-11-08T22:14:00.001-05:00

Roseman: Online scams abound

Craigslist is a popular website, where you can sell your stuff without paying for listings.

But some buyers are more interested in scamming you than in scoring a great deal.

Alan Munro posted an ad on Craigslist to sell a windsurfer board. He got a quick response from a man who wanted to buy it sight unseen and would send a cheque for the full amount. Continue to read: Toronto Star. Similar stories of online scams, using Kijiji, Craigslist: here
See also: Online car buyers warned of scams
By KERRY DIOTTE, LEGISLATURE BUREAU CHIEF
The Edmonton Sun

Public safety alert, Fraudulent moving companies

The Toronto Police Service would like to make the public aware of some moving companies defrauding customers. It is reported that: – these moving companies post advertisements in local papers, free news papers, and online, – they have been targeting the South Asian communities throughout the GTA. continue reading: Voice of Toronto see also: Similar stories @ Google

Fans of Toronto Public Library 's post on Deskilled staff: Is that like deveined shrimp?

2009-10-20T16:22:00.022-04:00

Strike Averted: CUPE library workers reach a tentative agreement with the Toronto Public Library Board ~~ (November 4, 2009)

Extract. Info courtesy: Connie Crosby

20 October 2009 — Joe Clark
Quote: "I walked out of Danse Danse Évolution and saw a couple of guys handing out flyers. Efficient library outreach! I thought. Nope. UNION!
I must say, the library union isn’t doing a very good job of scare mongering.
Unions are great sometimes and lousy other times, and neither of those things some other times. That’s my opinion. It’s probably your opinion. Only right-wing assholes think unions are never a good idea, and not even union stalwarts think they always are. (Be honest.)
I talked to the guy who handed me this leaflet. When I told him I write this blog, he took a quarter-step back and started treating me like I was radioactive. “Yes,” he said warily. “I have heard about it.” Well, good – you shoulda.
The leaflet makes the claim that the TPL Board “wants to… stay open to midnight with no professional librarians and many more part-time staff [and] get rid of reference desks.” I have asked around and concluded this is wilful exaggeration, reiterated in a union blog post." Unquote.

TPL Union news update:

The Library Board's Vision / Toronto Public Library Workers Union's Vision
STRIKE VOTE: Toronto Public Library at a Crossroads PR-USA.net (press release) Oct 12, 2009‎
Library staff votes to strike, but talks continue, Globe and Mail - Jennifer Lewington - ‎Oct 10, 2009‎
2,400 library workers vote to walk out Toronto Sun - Oct 10
Library workers give union strike mandate, October 09, 2009, John Spears, Toronto Star

True Torontonians invited to test their knowledge of city

2009-10-02T13:17:00.001-04:00

Source: National Post , October 01, 2009

1 Toronto has an island. What's the name of Toronto's island?
2 How many families does Mel Lastman have? (Hint: He was a Bad Boy).
3 When was the last time Toronto won the Stanley Cup? (Hint: No, it wasn't before the dawn of time)
4 Who is the Stanley Cup named after? a) Mayor Stanley bb) Another guy named Stanley c) A guy named Cup
5 What country do most Torontonians originally come from? a) China b) Ital
c) Montreal
6 What is the name of the big lake just south of Lake Shore Boulevard? a)What lake? b) South Lake c) Asking me that question is lakeist
7 Other Canadians admire Toronto for: a) Its sophistication b) Good governmen
c) Successful sports franchises d) Its inexplicably high regard for itself despite having none of the above
8 The Red Rocket refers to: a) A streetca
b) Maurice Richard with a sunburn c) The Toronto Star launched into space
9 A streetcar is
a) A Ford on Yonge Street b) That big vehicle parked outside Tim's every mornin
c) A slow-moving anachronism used as a justification for permanently tearing up St. Clair Ave.
10 The traditional dividing line of Toronto is
a) Yonge Street b) The Don Valle
c) David Miller (pictured)Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/toronto/story.html?id=2052614#ixzz0Snemy6JH

Michael Ignatieff Delivers Greetings for Eid

2009-09-21T22:23:00.003-04:00

Michael Ignatieff delivers greetings for Eid on behalf of the Liberal Party and the Official Opposition.

Info courtesy: Abdul Hai Patel

A tale of two countries' libraries - Canada vs USA

2009-09-21T00:23:00.006-04:00

In recession-wracked U.S. cities they are being targeted for closure. Not so here

Sep 20, 2009 Toronto Star

Lynda Hurst
Feature Writer

EXTRACT: "What Canadians won't be seeing in the years ahead is outsourcing, which is happening in several U.S. states, most famously in Jackson County, Ore.
In 2007, it re-opened the doors to 15 public libraries after a lack of funds had forced them shut, the largest library closure in U.S. history. In the interim, the county outsourced them to a company called Library Systems & Services which now privately manages more than 50 across the U.S.
The American Library Association opposes creeping privatization, calling libraries "not a simple commodity but an essential public good that should be directly accountable to the public they serve."
"That trend," says a thankful Pyper, "is invisible up here." One thing librarians know for sure: The future is going to be expensive, but ensuring that people are literate – in all forms and formats – will pay big dividends, economic and otherwise, down the line."

Driver wouldn't give him the time of day - in English

2009-09-14T02:52:00.008-04:00

Police called, riders kicked off bus when immigrant passenger persists, By JASON MAGDER, THE GAZETTE September 5, 2009
Bus driver made us a laughing stock
Montreal bus driver celebrates 40 years of official bilingualism by throwing English-speaking passenger off her bus, By debaron@illinois.edu @ The Web of Language
Montreal bus driver refuses to speak English, calls police

Info courtesy: yesat100@yahoo.com

Healthcare debate in Canada: Media monitoring

2009-08-20T11:20:00.008-04:00

David Frum: Why Americans love their health care system
August 20, 2009, by National Post Editor, 14 Comments

Extract: A child has a fall from a slide. There's blood in his urine. The parents race him to the emergency room. Two hours later, the boy's having a CAT scan. (An American is twice as likely to use a CT machine in any given year as a Canadian, four times as likely as a Briton, and seven times as likely as a Dane.) A car driven by an illegal immigrant smashes into a tree. The driver and his family are horribly injured. They are raced to the nearest emergency room and treated, no questions asked, no bill presented.

Why I'd rather be sick here than in U.S. Bob Hepburn Toronto Star: Aug 20, 2009; Comments on this story (38)

Extract: Why is our system superior?
First, it's universal. Second, I visited doctors twice in the last week and never had to haul out my credit card or chequebook before I could see them. Third, the quality of care I got in the last week was unparalleled. Fourth, many of our medical outcomes top those in the U.S....

Dignity of labor (Oops: Labour): Australian PM once worked as toilet cleaner

2009-08-02T23:21:00.005-04:00

"Recalling his worst job experience, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he cleaned toilets and scrubbed floors on his way to country's top political job." source

"I believe in the dignity of labor, whether with head or hand; that the world owes no man a living but that it owes every man an opportunity to make a living." Rockefeller, John D.

see also: K Rudd's cruddy job - cleaning loos

Happy to be here in Canada

2009-07-21T10:16:00.003-04:00

By ABUBAKAR KASIM, GUEST COLUMNIST, Toronto Sun
Extract: "I made the right decision to make Canada my home.
Despite its unstable winter season and shortened sunny summer period, in spite of the challenges in trying to adjust to the new environment, and regardless of the imperfectness of its justice system, I still firmly believe I have come to the right place and at the right time. " continue reading

Library Services for Newcomers to Canada: Embracing Cultural Diversity

2009-07-12T00:34:00.006-04:00

by Kendra Bender (MLIS student, School of Library &
Information Studies, University of Alberta, CANADA), Information for Social Change Issue 26: Winter 2007- 2008.
Excerpt from the Canadian Library Association 2007 Students Article Contest
Press Release states: "The second runner-up is Kendra Bender for "Library Services for Newcomers to Canada: Embracing Cultural Diversity". Kendra is a student in the MLIS program at the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alberta. Comments on this entry were that it incorporates both personal experience and a professional research approach, it was well-written, timely and focuses on Canada. Kendra will also receive a cash prize courtesy of the Wosk Family and a choice of CLA publications." Read full press release.
Extract:
"...To help public libraries improve collections and services for Russian immigrants in Toronto, Dali (2004) conducted a study of the reading habits of this population. Unfortunately, the majority of respondents sampled in her survey were not satisfied with the collection of Russian-language books in their public libraries. However, the public library was characterized as a “place to spend time”, where English language materials about the history and customs of their new country could be accessed for free.[23] Accessing materials for free was a theme that reoccurred in Dali’s research. Improved income did not seem to reduce the respondents’ inclination to use the public library for acquiring desired Russian-language titles (if available), precisely because they were offered at no cost." continue reading
See also on the same shelf:
Diversity Resources - Accommodation, Tolerance and Coexistence
Religious Education of the Young - Multifaith Resource Series no.1
Save the Time of the Godly: Information Mediators Role in Promoting Spiritual & Religious Accommodation

Discrimination common in Toronto rental market: study

2009-07-11T00:08:00.000-04:00

Watch the Video

Extract:

July 7, 2009 Comments64 Recommend26
CBC News
"Volunteers posing as prospective tenants found discriminatory approaches by landlords in about a quarter of the cases, the study says. (CBC)
A new study into rental housing says race, gender and marital status are all factors when it comes to finding accommodation in Canada's largest city.
According to Toronto's Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation, about a quarter of black, South Asian, single parents and households on social assistance face discrimination in the city's rental market.
John Fraser, director of CERA, said in an interview with CBC that "if you're a single mother with a Caribbean accent, or someone with a South Asian accent … or someone receiving social assistance, you basically have a one in four chance of facing discrimination when you first inquire about renting an apartment." continue reading

Wanted: Plumbers. Must not be foreign

2009-07-10T22:35:00.002-04:00

Red tape bars immigrants who could end skills shortage
Apr 29, 2009, Toronto Star
Comments on this story (46) Nicholas Keung IMMIGRATION REPORTER
Getting foreign credentials and work experience certified in Canada isn't just a headache for brain-surgeon cabbies. A new study says immigrants in skilled trades, such as electricians and plumbers, also hit a brick wall when it comes to getting licensed and accessing jobs.
The findings are alarming, says the Citizenship and Immigration Canada-funded report to be released today, because more than half of Ontario's skilled tradespeople will retire in the next five years and four of every 10 businesses that depend on skilled trades are expected to face labour shortages. continue reading

Award ceremony recognizes top Canadian immigrants

2009-05-31T21:43:00.003-04:00

Updated: Tue May. 26 2009, ctvbc.ca

The first annual Top 25 Canadian Immigrants award ceremony was held Monday in Vancouver, recognizing some of the most noteworthy new Canadians.
The awards are the brainchild of Nick Noorani, publisher of Canadian Immigrant Magazine.
"We've got people from Africa, Brazil, Romania, all across the world," Noorani said. "And we didn't choose them - Canada did."
Nominations opened in November 2008, and the magazine received about 350 candidates. A panel of judges then shortlisted 75 of the nominees, and the online public voted for the winners.
More than 10,000 Canadians participated in the vote. more at: http://www.canadianimmigrant.ca/top25

Not All Struggles Are Equal ~~ Learning to Live with Racism

2009-03-20T09:50:00.010-04:00

Quotable quote: “I feel positive about living in Canada because you have to be very, very smart. You have to think above society. It’s very tough, but if you like something, you can achieve it. You make your mind up. There is a great
deal of good opportunity in Canada if you are smart, sensible. I mean, some people make such fools of themselves. It’s too bad because the opportunity is in Canada – schooling, education, good jobs.” (P. 48), in Chapter Three: 'After Immigration: Identity and Culture Shock' by Francis Henry: The Caribbean Diaspora in Toronto,University of Toronto Press (1994).

What the Book News' reviewer says about this book: "This ethnographic study examines the immigration process, culture shock, racism, religion, coping mechanisms and many other aspects of life for Toronto's Caribbean immigrants, and is strengthened by case studies and interviews." Read more from this book World Literature in English, 1998

Becoming Canadian: Combating immigration fraud

2009-03-14T16:12:00.004-04:00

"Minister Kenney launches video warning potential immigrants about the dangers of unscrupulous immigration consultants ~~ Ottawa, March 10, 2009 — Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney today addressed the issue of immigration fraud before the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration and launched a video warning against the dangers of unscrupulous immigration representatives offering immigration services..." continue reading

Extract from the Video transcript: "Canada is the destination of choice for a quarter of a million people each year seeking a new home. They’re attracted by the prize of Canadian citizenship; a strong democracy and a stable government. Our immigration system is fair – by law — to each and every newcomer.
Unfortunately, some newcomers are victims of scams – duped by immigration fraud artists. Irma Luque, Ricardo Miranda and their son Christian left Chile a dozen years ago for a new life in Canada. They now live in Toronto as permanent residents, but achieving that status was very hard. They put their faith in a Canadian Consultant who offered them work and visas. This consultant charged the family five thousand dollars U.S, and kept them waiting for years – yet he delivered no results...."
Continue reading the transcript for “Becoming Canadian: Combating immigration fraud” Watch the video length: 2:30 minutes / or click here

All's well in the kingdom of Canada

2009-03-08T13:02:00.003-04:00

Haroon Siddiqui @ Toronto Star, Mar 08, 2009

"In the five years since it was established by some students at the University of Toronto, Israeli Apartheid Week has spread to 40 cities around the world, according to its organizers."

Bottomline: "I found the officials at all three universities to be reasonable, even-handed and calm in the face of provocation and pressure.

Contrary to all the claims and counter-claims, at times repeated by gullible media, all is reasonably well in the kingdom of Canada."

Kenney dubbed: Minister for curry in a hurry....

2009-02-21T23:07:00.007-05:00

Ontario Tories urged to court new Canadians
MARIA BABBAGE
The Canadian Press
February 21, 2009: globeandmail.com
NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. — Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said he's been dubbed “minister for curry in a hurry” by some of his colleagues because he's spent so much time courting new Canadians, a move that he urged his Ontario cousins to follow.
In a speech Saturday to Ontario Progressive Conservatives, Mr. Kenney said he got the moniker after spending so many weekends meeting the “remarkable diversity” of new Canadians in the Toronto area.
“I've been nicknamed by some of my colleagues as the minister for curry in a hurry,” he said, drawing laughs from the crowd assembled in Niagara Falls, Ont., for a weekend convention. continue reading [see also: Kenney urges Ont. Tories to court immigrants]

OLA CONFERENCE OPENS IN TORONTO - Super Conference 2009 Poll

2009-01-29T11:03:00.006-05:00

A poll at the Ontario Library Association site has interesting results (as of 29 January, 2009):

Are you attending Super Conference 2009?
Yes, I usually do 48.7%
Yes, for the first time 20.9%
Not sure yet 6.2%
No, although I wish I could 17.6%
No, not interested 6.6%
January 28 – January 31, 2009, Metro Toronto Convention Centre

The 'Czech way' and The 'Canuck way' --Grading, education and miscellany

2009-01-16T14:56:00.010-05:00

Letter Home from a Czech University,
Colder, barer, and in some ways better than U of Toronto.
By Yasmeen Qureshi
"...We were growing frustrated by what we called the Czech way. We missed our course outlines, fancy textbooks and PowerPoint presentations. But although I still found parts of it frustrating, I also realized that in Canada, while we have access to great research facilities, brilliant professors, computers, and a plethora of opportunities, we're missing more important things that they've got down.

To start with, the Czech professors were more unconventional, spontaneous, and personal. One of our Czech professors spent the majority of our class time showing us films then facilitating discussions, because he thought it would help us get a sense of what it was like to live under Soviet rule. There was no state of the art film projector, and the films were subtitled, but that wasn't important. Our prof didn't care if he covered all of the course material. He was concerned with trying to get us to understand Czech culture, and its latent fear of outsiders.

Here at U of T, my profs mostly present impersonal formulaic lectures, supplemented by course readings. They rarely take the time to stop and discuss, because the classes are too large, and they are always concerned about getting through all the course material. And although we have tutorials to supplement the lectures, they tend to simply focus on interpreting the readings. There never seems to be time to discuss the importance of the issues, or critically analyze their root cause." continue reading

Top 25 Political Blogs in Canada: Google vs Technorati

2009-01-12T00:03:00.002-05:00

According to Werner Patels, (begin quote) this ranking is 100% objective, based on something as simple as a Google search of "Canada + Political blogs." (end quote).

Google version
Warren Kinsella
Michael Geist
Stephen Taylor
James Laxer
The Hook
Digital Copyright Canada
Currents
DemocraticSPACE
Elizabeth May's Blog
Rabble
Blue Blogging Soapbox
A Creative Revolution
SoCon or Bust
Hill Queeries
Werner Patels
Scott's DiaTribes
Ezra Levant
StageLeft
Vijay Sappani
Blog THIS!
Frankly Speaking
The Dominion
Abandoned Stuff (Saskboy)
The Court
Winds of Change

Technorati version
The Oil Drum
Maclean's
The Shotgun
Buckdog
Abandoned Stuff (Saskboy)
The Reaction
Jordon Cooper
Kamangir
We Move To Canada
Marginalized Action Dinosaur
Steve Janke
The Agenda (TVO)
Eaves
Jerad Gallinger
A Sibilant Intake of Breath
The Politic
Werner Patels
April Reign
bastard.logic
Persephone's Box
Public Eye Online
Currents
Far and Wide
(A)mazed and (Be)mused
No-Libs

NB. Info courtesy: L-girl @ we move to canada

Study exposes tolerance of racism ~~ Toronto Star

2009-01-10T12:12:00.008-05:00

York U. study finds that while most condemn bigotry, majority fail to respond to anti-black acts Jan 09, 2009 04:30 AM
Comments on this story (78) Joseph Hall Staff Reporter
"When it comes to repudiation of racism, words speak louder than actions, according to a York University study that suggests people are far more tolerant of bigotry than they might express.
While people would clearly condemn racism in advance, the majority of non-black people would sit mute and indifferent as blatant acts of anti-black racism occurred before them, according to the Toronto research, published today in the journal Science." Continue reading @ Toronto Star /Science Obama or no Obama, racism is here to stay

see also:

More Jobs For Librarians Than Ever Before: How True?

2009-01-02T09:21:00.019-05:00

First, The Canadian News:

Library Manager: More Jobs For Librarians Than Ever Before,
IN THE NEWS -- “If you want a job right now and you’ve got an undergraduate degree, go to library school and get your masters of library science,” says Jason Bird, manager of library technical services for the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board in Canada.

Second, The American News:

The 30 Best Careers for 2009
U.S. News's annual list of 30 Best Careers gets updated for a rapidly changing economy. -- They haveranked librarianship as one of the 30 best careers for 2009.
More Librarian Jobs Than Ever Before”?…12.31.08
"I’m skeptical about the following from LibGig titled “Library Manager: More Jobs for Librarians Than Ever Before, but it may be perceived as true at least since library school enrollment appears to be up in general. Of course, it may be only in “the Great White North”"
job search, n. see: endless frustration:The false “librarian shortage” has been discussed, at length, in many forums. What surprises me is how little this dichotomy between theory–a vast pool of aging librarians retiring as we speak–and reality–very few jobs open to the new librarian with little experience–is being addressed in practice....
+ a reader's comment: " large part of this problem is that library schools do not make library experience a mandatory part of the curriculum"
why there is no librarian jobs

Bottom-line: Is it time to think inside the box or think outside the box. What is your response to this picture, with the background that you may have or by browsing the book displayed, above?

Immigrants in Canada stuck in low-paying jobs -- Stats Can Reports

2009-01-01T12:42:00.009-05:00

News @ The Times of India, 24 Dec 2008
"Professionals and degree-holders seeking immigration to Canada, beware! The number of degree-holder immigrants, including doctors and engineers, stuck in jobs with low education requirements, such as clerks, truck and cab drivers and salespeople, has risen steadily since the last recession of early 1990s, says a new study by Statistics Canada.

Employment problems for new immigrants will only get worse as Canada enters recession, experts warn." Continue reading
NB. Info courtesy: Ahtasham Rizvi
See also:

Happy Holidays: The Rap

2008-12-20T14:14:00.003-05:00

Note: this is not a Candian rap, it is American; but Remy has added a Multifaith and Multicultural inclusiveness, that's the True Color of Canada.

Australian definition of a Canadian (author: anonymous)

2008-12-16T12:27:00.013-05:00

Adapted from a version* (written about an American) just as another literay piece in the Canadian media and this as a comment @ CBC's Website. [*"This appears to be a slightly modified version of a chain letter originally about America. That one was written by Peter Ferrera in the National Review, although the chain letter claimed that it was written by an Australian dentist." source]

Just read @ Don't Get Me Started / See also a comment at this blog
Note: The artist who picked up the American version has shown True Colors of Canada as well: "A Canadian may also be a Cree, MÃ©tis, Mohawk, Blackfoot, Sioux, or one of the many other tribes known as native Canadians." Much more adapted....
>>>bad typist: choose became chooses.

PS. if you didn't know, note that Santa has a Canadian postal address: In Canada, Santa's postal code is H0H 0H0.

Zellers Alphabet Commercial " Z to A" REVERSE

2008-12-10T00:04:00.000-05:00

Canadian Experience: Myth or Reality Poll

2008-12-05T09:18:00.000-05:00

This blog asked bloggers to vote. The results are:

Myth: Yes (18 %) / No (0 %)
Reality: Yes (43 %) / No (0 %)
Don't know (43 %)

On the same shelf:

Will the Canadian Experience Class program help ease the construction industry skills shortage? weekly poll

Employment Equity - Myths and Realities

The Canadian Model of Diversity in a Comparative Perspective

What does being Canadian mean to you? - Yahoo! Answers

No Canadian experience - no job : fact or myth? : a qualitative ...

CIBC & RBC say: Welcome to Canada

2008-12-01T00:04:00.000-05:00

New rules to fast-track skilled immigrants

2008-11-30T00:04:00.003-05:00

The revised list (eligible skilled workers' category) is now reduced (for e.g, removed from this category are: 0631 Restaurant and Food Service Managers / 3131 Pharmacists ):

be a skilled worker who has had one year of continuous full-time or equivalent part-time paid work experience in at least one of the following eligible occupations within the last ten years:

0631 Restaurant and Food Service Managers (Cap reached)
0811 Primary Production Managers (Except Agriculture)
1122 Professional Occupations in Business Services to Management (Cap reached)
1233 Insurance Adjusters and Claims Examiners
2121 Biologists and Related Scientists
2151 Architects
3111 Specialist Physicians
3112 General Practitioners and Family Physicians
3113 Dentists
3131 Pharmacists (Cap reached)
3142 Physiotherapists
3152 Registered Nurses (Cap reached)
3215 Medical Radiation Technologists
3222 Dental Hygienists & Dental Therapists
3233 Licensed Practical Nurses
4151 Psychologists
4152 Social Workers
6241 Chefs
6242 Cooks
7215 Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades
7216 Contractors and Supervisors, Mechanic Trades
7241 Electricians (Except Industrial & Power System)
7242 Industrial Electricians
7251 Plumbers
7265 Welders & Related Machine Operators
7312 Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics
7371 Crane Operators
7372 Drillers & Blasters - Surface Mining, Quarrying & Construction
8222 Supervisors, Oil and Gas Drilling and Service

Dentists eligible for immigration to Canada under the Federal Skilled Worker program

38 job categories listed in bid to clear backlog; critics say the move offers'no solutions'
Nov 29, 2008 04:30 AM Toronto Star

If you're planning to move to Canada, you'll have to check the list first.
Thirty-eight in-demand occupations were unveiled by the Harper government yesterday, setting out a new selection criteria for skilled immigrants, allowing those with relevant skills to be fast-tracked into the country.
The occupations include jobs in the field of health, skilled trades and the finance sector. Details of the long-awaited "ministerial instructions" were posted on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website (http://www.cic.gc.ca/), and come into effect immediately. continue reading @ Toronto Star

See also:

Fast-Track Occupations List

Not all opportunities are equal -- Canadian job market is no exception

2008-11-28T21:25:00.006-05:00

Quotable quote: They came to Canada in 2002, but sadly, writes Rashid, "in terms of
finding jobs, up until now I have noticed that no place except McDonald's welcomed us." more extracts in The Story That Brought Me Here

NB. Before you read, there is a punchline now in 2008: The Canadian Experience Class
And the fine print says: "...when an employer tells you you have no Canadian experience, there is at least one thing you can say, “No, I don’t, but my training is considered to be equal to…. [PDF] No Canadian Experience?”

Those who are living in this land of opportunities, must remember the bottomline: immigrants are not just born, nor they are kids (only adults immigrate, kids are sponsored).
Positive outlook: To be an immigrant doesn’t mean that you have to limit your life and keep away from “ordinary” activities that most of the settled people do. This sounds a two way approach in helping new immigrants, and new immigrants making use of all opportunities to get settled as early as possible.
See also:

Employment Equity - Myths and Realities

Related post: Not all transitions are equal -- Canadian educational scenario is no exception
On the same shelf:

All Qualifications Are Not Equal @ Many Immigrants to Canada Are Falling Behind

A little bit of Oz in the icy land of the Canuck, eh

2008-11-26T21:36:00.005-05:00

I’m 30-something Australian “sheila” and have made my home in a small town (its claim to fame is that it's the “Smallest City in Canada”) in British Columbia, Canada.
I came here 3 years ago to be with the love of my life, and no, I aint gonna get all soppy and tell you how wonderful he is, although…. he is.
When I came here, I thought I would have a problem with the language since Canada is bi lingual, and I only speak one language…..and apparently, that’s Australian….not English as I used to think.
Now, my Canadian bloke understands me very well, in spite of the accent, although there have been times when he has that blank look on his face, and I just know that he didn’t understand a bloody thing I just said….(or maybe…. that’s just a bloke thing?)

continue reading A Sheila in Canada

See also:

PODcast: How To Speak Australian - A Guide For Yanks and Canucks
Translation Of Australian Outback Words to Other Languages

Canadian Resume is Unique: Is this uniqueness hype or hope?

2008-11-20T00:02:00.032-05:00

What do you do if you wish to apply for a job in Canada?

For Tips, Sample Resume, Canadian format (aka Canadian style resume, Canadian acceptable standard), Helpful Advice & Related Services contact me

Canadian oldies are shocked if they hadn't applied for a job in the last ten years or so--they learn that writing a resume is a rocket science. New Canadians learn very soon that they have to be educated: all-about-the-RESUME writing, wording, phrasing and polishing their own expressions.

You may say, need a job, go submit a job application (aka resume, CV, Bio, profile, portfolio, etc.).
But, how different is this Canadian application form, from the rest of the world, and different from the American mosaic?

Recap: Canadian job market looks for a resume's format (word), size (3 pages only, including cover letter), language (Canadian English), style (bulleted, indented, textual), content (objective, education and professional background, skills--soft and hard, etc., etc.), and much more...*

And what are the experiences of the Canadians in this regard? Read the following opinions / statements and leave a comment, so that others know what you think on this subject:

"Your value proposition, Graham explains in her book, is made up of three components: your employer's buying motivators (the reasons an employer will want to hire someone), your supporting qualifications (credentials that validate your claim to resolve the employer's buying motivator) and the added value (special talents and contributions) you bring.
Until very recently, the value proposition was one of the greatest differences between Canadian resumes and American resumes" "Canadian resumes are becoming much more like marketing brochures. People are starting to distinguish themselves from other job seekers and are steering away from the templates you find online or in many books. They're using colour, charts, graphs, pictures, interesting bullets and lines." [Canadian resume book a first of its kind] ...Written by and for Canadians, this book will enable you to: ... Comply with Canadian legislative requirements*** related to résumé writing [Best Canadian Résumés, by Sharon Graham]
"The format for the Canadian Resume is similar to the Chronological CV with the length generally being 2 sides of A4. Your name and contact details would be at the top centre followed by your career history and work experience in reverse chronological order with the most recent job detailed first." Note: "There are some differences within Canada itself with regard to job search. In English-speaking Canada you have to actively market yourself but in the French part of Canada it is more formal." [Canadian resume]
"Most International Résumés contain private and personal information that goes against Anti-Discrimination laws in both Canada and the United States. If any of the following are included in an existing Résumé, it may be overlooked by the hiring Manager or Human Resource Specialist, losing the opportunity to be selected for an interview." [How to live in Canada]
"We send immigrants to workshops on writing Canadian resumes, Canadian interviewing and Canadian workplace communications, and still we watch as they spend months looking for work. Some simply give up." [Mercado de trabalho para imigrantes no Canadá, Najia Alavi]
"Our CVs in Venezuela are VERY different to Canadian resumes, we have to have a picture in the CV, our marital status, our age, and every little thing you can think up that Canadian resumes don't have and don't want." [Canadian resume @ A new life in Canada]
"German resumes feature some additional information that would be "unwanted" in Canadian resumes. for example, it is expected that the German resume includes a photo of the applicant, his/her date of birth, his/her place of birth, ..." [interesting differences]
"One of the most important tools that will help you find a job in Canada is your resume. The way you prepare this relevant document may be a CRUCIAL factor when you look for a job in Canada." [Three Crucial Elements to Prepare a Resume]
"Turning your Canadian-style resume into a CV should not be a much-dreaded ordeal."[Turning a Resume into a CV]
"employer likes the cover letter they'll move on to the resume, if not both will go to the recycle bin. ..." [Research: Employers, Salaries, Relocation]

Its a myth that there's one standard prescribed Canadian format for a resume which will guarantee success. No such thing that I know of. Making a good resume is a continual process of refinement and you'll just know when you have one that works for you.[Canadian Desi: Canadian style CV]

Despite all-of-the-above stated requirements, in reality you may or may not get a job. PERIOD. On this very significant step of applying (with a unique Canadian resume i.e, "A resume fit by the Canadian requirements, complied meticulously by every applicant"), there are no figures to show actual the return-on-investment for an individuals' time, money, energies and other resources.**

Q. All this marathon is hype (with the drafting, compiling, focused, and loaded with Situation, Action, Result Synergies) or hope for a change?
A. No idea. Even if there is an answer, who will bell the cat, and when?
See also:

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*Most job seekers are reminded the formula in searching (and the time they must be willing to allocate): full time search for a full time job, part time search for a part time job, and a casual approach to this may result in a casual job.

**Did the resume got a job, or a job came because of the Network? Interestingly, there is another factor to find an opportunity. Ironically, resume --job search engines, job workshops, coop, soft-skills, hard-skills, and if you have paid $250 for a beautifully crafted three pager, etc.--are not the be-all and end-all. The other factor, i.e., NETWORK, is common here: "it's not what you know, but who you know that counts..." Source. Read a testimony on this best practice.

Dealing with Discrimination During Your Job Hunt

2008-11-17T00:07:00.000-05:00

"In an ideal workplace, staff would be hired based on work ethic, education and experience. Unfortunately, some employers may still be behind the times." By Jennifer McFee, @ Toronto sun

For new immigrants to Canada, employment experts offer five key pieces of advice on how to handle the sensitive situation of prejudice during a job hunt.
1. Assess the situation.
2. Eliminate objections.
3. Address the issue.
4. Develop a support system.
5. Keep positive.
Continue reading

See also Amazon's related titles:

Ethnics and immigrants vs. New Canadians (Change please!)

2008-11-15T13:44:00.008-05:00

Books on politics list, by Andrew Steele

Amazon.com Widgets

Andrew Steele, November 14, 2008 @ globeandmail.com

"This may seem a bit petty, but I dislike when people use “immigrant” and “ethnic” interchangeably.
Tom Flanagan, an academic I admire enough to put his book on game theory on my 10 books on politics list, is the latest to do this in print.
I agree with Flanagan's central tenet here: The Liberals are in deep trouble if they continue to take new Canadians for granted.
However, Flanagan does what I have seen a lot of conservatives who are courting new Canadians do: He labels them “immigrants” or “ethnics” and does it as if the terms are interchangeable.
No term is perfect. “Immigrant” includes only those who have themselves immigrated. “Ethnic” I have never really been comfortable employing because it implies a third-generation Chinese-Canadian engineering student at U of T and a first-generation Sikh-Canadian construction worker in Burnaby have some great bond because their ancestors aren't from Britain or France (or First Nations.)
I prefer to use “new Canadian” to mean those who are new to the country and perhaps their children, and then individual ethnicity groups (Chinese-Canadian, Indo-Canadian, etc.) to denote existing sets of voters with a shared and particular cultural community. " continue reading

Canada's 'country brand' No. 2

2008-11-12T00:08:00.001-05:00

James Cowan, National Post, November 11, 2008
Canada now has the second best "country brand" in the world, according to a study that suggests only Australia has done a better job of shaping its image as a travel destination. continue reading

See also:

When a nation becomes a commodity: The Country Brand Index 2008
by Anna Brones Nov 11th 2008,
The 2008 study conducted by Future Brand, a global brand consulting firm, used rankings from 30 different categories to come up with the final index. Among the categories were History, Standard of Living, Friendly Locals and Environmentalism. It's like a beauty pageant for countries, with the most well-rounded coming out on top. Here are the top ten:
Australia
Canada
USA
Italy
Switzerland
France
New Zealand
United Kingdom
Japan
Sweden continue reading
Country as Brand: Unveiling the Country ...

Zellers "Everything from A to Z" alphabet commercial

2008-11-11T00:01:00.001-05:00

Not all transitions are equal -- Canadian educational scenario is no exception

2008-11-09T21:58:00.010-05:00

The relationship between a) inequality of educational opportunities and b) inequality of educational outcomes is a dictum (or punchline) true for both the Canadian educated and those educated abroad.

Some of the profressions require Canadian certification (see Regulated occupation). For example, if an engineer qualified in a foreign country comes to Canada, he has to complete his professional competency test in Canada.
But, there are many jobs --skilled and professional -- that donot have a certification and local assessment (see Non-regulated occupation, Skill Types, Skill Levels, plus much more). Such professionals must be tested and hired in other ways.

Interesting quote on how to find a solution for the Canadian new comers:

"...Controversially, it would make sense to assign newcomers to a particular geographic area, e.g. if you want in to our country, you must have "x" type of skills and can only live in a certain city or town. You must live there for at least five years and use your skills there, or else "no soup for you" (e.g. no landed status, no access to government benefits). Sounds rather harsh. And useless unless our government expedites the recognition of pre-existing credentials, and provides more supported "Canadian experience" programs so that employers will hire these newcomers..." Mark Swartz @ Any Canadians out there? - Secrets of the Job Hunt Network.

Please join our poll (poll is right up in this blog--right column, top side) on Canadian experience: Myth or reality. The poll is open now and your opinion is highly appreciated.

See also:

Statistics Canada. The Dynamics of Overqualification: Canada’s Underemployed University Graduate
More than one-half (52%) of recent immigrants with a university degree worked in a job requiring only high school education at some point during the six-year period. This was almost twice the proportion of 28% among their Canadian-born counterparts. April, 2006.
Alberta Federation of Labour. Background Information on Temporary Foreign Workers
[pdf] Like Sons and Daughters of Hong Kong: The Return of the Young Generation, Janet Salaff, Professor Emerita, Department of Sociology, University of Toronto, Honorary Research Fellow CAS, HKU, (corresponding author, contactsalaff@chass.utoronto.ca) [There is global competition for skilled labor, and as a result, transnational migrants have become important resources. The term “transnational” refers to people’s connections between different global locations, as manifested in their personal moves and flows of in- formation in which they are involved. In this sense, transnationalism is a concrete embod-iment of globalism. Our qualitative research studies 24 transnational young adults, who migrated with their families from Hong Kong to Toronto (1985-1996, at ages 8-19). Ten years after the Handover, many children of immigrant families who obtained overseas citizenship and education and are now facing the choice of where to work and live. This paper analyses the factors that contribute to the residency decisions being made by the children of those who left. Our analysis incorporates: (1) Macro-level processes: the citizenship rights of this younger generation in two countries and how labour markets re- cognize their training, credentials, and experience; (2) Meso-level processes: the family, social networks, and organizations that create transnational contacts; (3) Micro-level pro- cesses: personal definitions of the situation that include their notion of home and identity.
We find that while some of the younger generation chose between Hong Kong and Canada, many are transnational in their intentions, not choosing to permanently return to Hong Kong nor to permanently remain in Canada. We find that their social networks greatly influence their settlement decisions. Having roots in Hong Kong they are able to fit easily into society, but their return should not be taken for granted. They need to be motivated to return, their complex needs should be addressed.]

Related post: Not all opportunities are equal -- Canadian job market is no exception

Speaking Canadian - Talking Canadian Eh to Zed

2008-11-06T00:02:00.000-05:00

How to Speak Canadian ~~ How to Speak American

2008-11-04T00:01:00.000-05:00

How to Speak Canadian

Guess Who is a True Canadian: With Malice Towards None

2008-11-03T00:01:00.011-05:00

You know you are Canadian when...

You have Canadian Tire money in your kitchen drawers; You use a red pen on your non-Canadian textbooks and fill in the missing 'u's from labor, honor, and color. . Much more @ WOW Stories Wish Only Well

All-0f-the-above + You may be a little too Canadian if...

You automatically read 'Z' as 'Zed' and don't give a damn that it doesn't rhyme with "now I know my abcs"; "Eh?" is a very important part of your vocabulary and more polite than, "Huh?" More by Istvan

You Know You are Canadian When…: This little video brings back childhood memories.

Canada: The land of opportunity and hope

2008-11-02T00:18:00.003-04:00

Welcome. Bonjour.

Canada as we all know is a great land of opportunity and hope. It is bestowed with economic prosperity, educational institutions that produce highly skilled professionals, a quality of life based on excellent health care, and a country that is endowed with a vast land, clean air and fresh water, all synchronized for a safe and secure environment. Canada has a democratic civil society, a society in which universal human rights and individual political representation are guaranteed. It is hoped that as a new comer, you will carve your own future and bring forth the heritage of your own to Canada, where you will be proud to refer to as home and soon say O' Canada!

This Blog is a humble attempt by one who wants to pay back for all that Canada gave to an immigrant. This blog, then, aims to help the new comers find suitable sources of information, sources that help make their ends meet--easily, effectively and efficiently.

Your suggestions are most welcome to improve the content, context and communication. Mail your comments to the blogmaster.

Q. Why do we need another blog, when there are so many sites doing this?

A. This blog will supplement and compliment information posted on our Website--described below. While the Website has a slant towards South Asians, in this blog, we will focus on all immigrants (irrespective of their country).

Our Website collects all relevant information to facilitate an easy way for the new landed immigrants to find what they need most: http://dear.to/toronto.

Title of our Website:
A Pathfinder for Immigrants to Canada (esp., Toronto).

Description:
Website for desi, by desi and with desi relevance. It is a guide for all immigrants in Toronto, esp. South Asians. In the first section are links to find jobs (survival jobs, professional job hunt services), employment and career resources and resource centres (HRDC, ERC, TPL, etc.), job workshop and co-op opportunities, credential evaluation, and much more.

In another section are the Websites that connect desi society and with links to community centres. The last section-A MUST READ BEFORE LANDING-includes alerts about what works, and what does not work for new immigrants--be aware of scams, frauds, etc. In addition are desi news resources, such as, Employment News, Immigrant Newsline and E-DesiNews.com.

URL:
http://akbanis.freeservers.com/guide.htm shortcut: http://dear.to/toronto

This Web site is indexed in:
: Canadian Desi Links - Canada Immigration

Toronto and Vancouver bound: the location choice of new Canadian

Amazon.com's Listmania: "Canadian (local) Experience a MUST"
Described in: Immigrant Newsline

Those who come to Canada as immigrants, bring new luck, most of the time. Thanks to the free and open door policy of Canada.

Welcome to Canada

Emerging trends in Canadian immigration - Media monitoring

Gatineau's list of Dos and Dont's for newcomers - Media monitoring

English-sounding names hold edge for job seekers in survey

Get Canadian Work Experience with a Practice Firm

10 myths about immigration -- Canadiana

The nine schools in Canada that place in the top 200: THE World University Rankings 2010-2011

Some Advice for Americans Living in Canada -- The Taxman cometh

Margaret Atwood fights library cuts, crashes petition server

7 good websites to help find a summer job

Accuracy in your resume is a must - And a Golden Rule Too

Seven tips to help land your first post-university job

Top 5 questions HR professionals ask about resumes of internationally qualified professionals

Top Ways to Find a Job

Tolerance a Canadian Myth or Fact

The Worst Resume Mistake EVER! @ Monster.ca

Who is hiring now in Toronto

It’s a paradox: high unemployment with serious labour shortages

A Job Search Evening @ Mississauga Central Library

Internet metering in Canada: Media Monitoring

How the Real-Time Web Changes Job Search

Online Homework help for Ontario School Students

Canadians Love the Internet, Eh?

Ontario’s newcomers brace for cuts and layoffs

So you think you know everything about Canada, eh?

Gardiner Expressway in a vented, glass-covered tube

Public Health Agency of Canada, Travel Health Notice: The Hajj 1431 / 2010

The Immigrant Success Awards

India as-is from a Canadian Perspective

Canadian Libraries and Digitization - Thought for the day

Seven words to describe Toronto: Terrific Ornament Reserved On Northern Treasured Orion

TVO's 2010 Big Ideas Best Lecturer Competition

What the World Thinks of Canada and Canadians

Canadian libraries in 2010 -- Predictions and Forecasts made in 1980

Canada’s Citizenship Award

Canadians divided on whether there is a common national culture

Scholarships In Canada Help Academic Dreams By Revelationz

Audio version of citizenship guide now available ‎

Why are students penalized for attending part-time?

Toronto Public Library has Quiet study rooms, a meeting room, auditoriums and theatre facilities

Siddiqui: Our home and native - and adopted - land

It's Time To Vote Now: Canada's Top 25 Immigrants!

The painful truth about age discrimination in tech

Toronto woman awarded $25,000 after boss used racial epithets

Immigrants still lagging in jobs mart, Peel Region Unveils Labour Market Survey Findings

'Ghost' consultants pose problem to Canadian immigration

Factors in success or failure of foreign-trained librarians in Canada

Why don't Americans care? Gutsy win, but media barely mentioned it

Building Bridges between Authors, Academics, and Judges

Full-body scanners coming to Canadian airports -- the story in images

Bye 2009: Retiring words: What overused words would you like to ban?

Tip of the Year @ How to Find a Job 65% Faster

Canadian Expatriates Blogs

CTV News Announces the Top 10 Canadian News Stories of 2009

Evangelicals in Canada Fight to Preserve Hiring Policy

Newcomers get training in biotechnology

Public safety, Online scams, Media monitoring

Fans of Toronto Public Library 's post on Deskilled staff: Is that like deveined shrimp?

True Torontonians invited to test their knowledge of city

Michael Ignatieff Delivers Greetings for Eid

A tale of two countries' libraries - Canada vs USA

Driver wouldn't give him the time of day - in English

Police called, riders kicked off bus when immigrant passenger persists, By JASON MAGDER, THE GAZETTE September 5, 2009

Montreal bus driver celebrates 40 years of official bilingualism by throwing English-speaking passenger off her bus, By debaron@illinois.edu @ The Web of Language

Healthcare debate in Canada: Media monitoring

Dignity of labor (Oops: Labour): Australian PM once worked as toilet cleaner

Happy to be here in Canada

Library Services for Newcomers to Canada: Embracing Cultural Diversity

Discrimination common in Toronto rental market: study

Wanted: Plumbers. Must not be foreign

Award ceremony recognizes top Canadian immigrants

Not All Struggles Are Equal ~~ Learning to Live with Racism

Becoming Canadian: Combating immigration fraud

All's well in the kingdom of Canada

Kenney dubbed: Minister for curry in a hurry....

OLA CONFERENCE OPENS IN TORONTO - Super Conference 2009 Poll

The 'Czech way' and The 'Canuck way' --Grading, education and miscellany

Top 25 Political Blogs in Canada: Google vs Technorati

Study exposes tolerance of racism ~~ Toronto Star

More Jobs For Librarians Than Ever Before: How True?