Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney

Ottawa, February 16, 2012 — Ottawa-Legislation to protect the integrity of Canada’s immigration system was introduced today by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.
The proposed measures include further reforms to the asylum system to make it faster and fairer, measures to address human smuggling, and the authority to make it mandatory to provide biometric data with a temporary resident visa application.
“Canadians take great pride in the generosity and compassion of our immigration and refugee programs. But they have no tolerance for those who abuse our generosity and seek to take unfair advantage of our country,” said Minister Kenney.
The new bill, Protecting Canada's Immigration System Act, proposes changes that build on reforms to the asylum system passed in June 2010 as part of the Balanced Refugee Reform Act.
The proposed measures would provide faster protection to those who genuinely need refuge, and faster removal for those who don’t.
In particular, currently, he said, it takes about 1,000 days for the Immigration and Refugee Board to review a claim filed by someone from a democratic rights-respecting country.
That would be reduced to 45 days under the proposed changes, or 171 days under the Balanced Refugee Reform Act.
 "Canada receives more refugee claims from Europe than from Africa or Asia. Last year alone, 23 per cent of all refugee claims made in Canada were made by nationals from the EU. That’s up from 14 per cent  the previous year. This growing trend threatens the integrity of our immigration system,” said Minister Kenney.
In recent years over 95 per cent of EU claims were withdrawn, abandoned or rejected. If that trend continues, that means that the unfounded claims from the 5,800 EU nationals who sought asylum last year will cost Canadian taxpayers nearly $170 million.
“Too many tax dollars are spent on bogus refugees. We need to send a message to those who would abuse Canada’s generous asylum system that if you are not in need of protection, you will be sent home quickly,” added Minister Kenney.
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With the Balanced Refugee Reform Act and today’s legislation, the provinces and territories are expected to save in the range of $1.65 billion over five years in social assistance and education costs.
Most of the provisions in the former Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada’s Immigration System Act (Bill C-4) have also been included in this new bill, with one modification. Minors under the age of 16 would be exempt from the detention proposals designed to deal with all mass arrivals from human smuggling operations.
“Our Government is sending a clear message that our doors are open to those who play by the rules, including legitimate refugees. However, we will crack down on those who endanger human lives and threaten the integrity of our borders,” said Minister Kenney. “Human smuggling is a despicable crime and Canadians think it's unacceptable for criminals to abuse Canada's immigration system for financial gain.”
Mandatory detention remains for people who enter Canada as part of a designated smuggling event. But once the identity of a claimant has been established and a refugee claim is approved, individuals would be released from detention.
The final component of the new legislation would give the Minister the authority to make it mandatory for visa applicants to provide biometric data (i.e., fingerprints, photograph) to visit Canada. Documents can be forged or stolen, whereas biometric data provide greater certainty, confirming the identity of applicants when they apply.
"“Biometrics will be an important new tool to help protect the safety and security of Canadians by reducing identity fraud and identity theft,”" said Minister Kenney. "“As fraudsters become more sophisticated, biometrics will improve our ability to keep violent criminals and those who pose a threat to Canada out. In short, biometrics will strengthen the integrity of Canada’s immigration system while helping facilitate legitimate travel.”"
These measures would put us in line with international partners such as the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia, and the United States. This would help prevent known criminals, failed refugee claimants and deportees from using a fake identity to obtain a visa. The use of biometrics would also bolster Canada’s existing measures to facilitate legitimate travel by providing a fast and reliable tool for confirming identity. 
All these reforms are aimed at deterring abuse of Canada’s generous immigration and refugee system. With these proposed measures, the integrity of Canada’s immigration programs and the safety and security of Canadians will be protected.

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Brenda Flanagan-Davies

London, Feb 15 (ANI): The fattest woman in Britain, who weighs nearly 40-stone, (560 pounds) has revealed how she has not been out for four years because of her weight.
Brenda Flanagan-Davies, who eats 6,000 calories a day – three times what an average woman needs, spends all day in a reinforced bed listening to the radio and buying groceries online.
Her only exercise is to walk 20 feet to the wet-room style shower in the bathroom, a feat that leaves her exhausted. Doctors have given the 43-year-old a stark choice — diet or die. “It terrifies me, but I just can’t stop. Doctors warned my weight will kill me because I’m putting so much stress on my organs,” the Sun quoted her as saying. “But food is an addiction that I can’t fight.”
“I hate this life. I feel ashamed of myself that I’m even in this position. I want to help myself but don’t know where to start,” she said.
She has been told her body is not strong enough to cope with surgery, such as fitting a stomach-shrinking gastric band. She has already tried weight-loss drugs and spells at slimming clubs but admitted that she “can never stick to a strict diet.”
Brenda, who five years ago weighed 48st and gets about 300 pounds a week in benefits, shares a bungalow with husband Ronnie Davies in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear.
A care team devotes 25-and-a-half hours a week to her, costing Gateshead Council around 400 pounds. Carers help her shower, give her a “deep crease clean” to tackle the sores which develop from being in bed so much and cook and shop for her.
She spends around 250 pounds a week on food, while about 100 pounds a month goes on takeaways.
In between sensible meals prepared by her carers, she has chocolate bars and fizzy drinks from a fridge in her bedroom.
She met her 65-year-old husband six years ago at a community centre day out. But she was effectively bed-bound when he proposed in 2010, so a registrar had to marry them in a special ceremony at her home.
Her last trip out was to see her GP four years ago.
“I struggled to get in and out of the car,” she said.
On one outing in Ronnie’s Ford Mondeo, her weight broke the front suspension.

“Eventually he wasn’t able to turn the steering wheel or change gear because my flab was in the way,” she said. Brenda piled on weight after being sent to a children’s home when her mum had depression. It got worse when she was bullied at school and began comfort eating. At 18 she was 20st and a size 18. She inherited the uneviable title of Britain’s fattest woman in 2010 when 45st Sharon Mevsimler died aged 41.

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Known as "The regions of France", a very popular lemons and oranges festival  that runs Feb. 17 to March 7 required some 145 metric tons of lemons and oranges  for the displays.

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By Cassidy Olivier,
The Insurance Corporation of B.C. can’t use its facial recognition software for purposes other than trying to detect and prevent driver’s licence fraud, B.C.’s privacy commissioner ruled in a report released Tuesday.
That means ICBC can’t use the software to help identity suspects who participated in the Stanley Cup riot without a court order, wrote privacy commissioner Elizabeth Denham.
This summer, ICBC had offered to riot investigators use of the software, which would have allowed police to run pictures of suspected rioters against ICBC’s driver’s licence data.
The Vancouver Police Department never responded to the offer.
Denham said ICBC only authorized under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act to use its facial recognition software for driver’s licence fraud. Anything else, constitutes a breach of this authorization, she said.
Denham also found that ICBC had failed to notify its customers that facial recognition is in use, something she recommended the Crown corporation remedy as soon as possible.
Four other recommendations were also offered, including: that ICBC immediately stop using its facial recognition technology to identify persons for police without a court order; the creation of accountability and leadership on privacy within the corporation; the implementation of a privacy impact assessment; and regular review of privacy policies.
An ICBC spokesman said the corporation welcomes the recommendations and intends to implement them.

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Kishan Singh Sanghera

May 4, 1936--February 8, 2012
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved father, Kishan Singh Sanghera at the age of 75.  He passed away at Peace Arch Hospital (Surrey, BC) with his family by his side after a brief battle with cancer.  He is predeceased by his father, Dharam Singh and his mother, Beant Kaur of village Bilga, Punjab.  He is survived by his loving wife, of 55 years, Harbhajan Kaur,  his 3 children:  Harminder Kaur, Kanwaljit Singh,  and Surinder Kaur and 4 grandchildren:  Sandeep, Amandeep, Gagan, and Mandeep.  After having achieved a masters degree in Punjab and teaching for a few years, he immigrated to Canada in 1971 and spent most of his working years as a mill worker.  He had a passion for Urdu poetry and published a collection of his poems in 1995, entitled:  Maghdai Dhukhdai Jism.  He also published poems in local papers and wrote regularly for the Indo-Canadian Times.  He will be remembered by many for his calm and patient nature, his devotion and faith in God, his love of poetry, and his unwavering love for his family.  He will be greatly missed.  Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 11am at Riverside Funeral Home, 7410 Hopcott Rd. Delta, followed by prayers at Akali Singh Sikh Temple, 1890 Skeena St.  Vancouver.

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The Kabir Association invite community to hear Dr. Purendu Ranjan.
Dr. Purendu Ranjan, professor of history from Chandigarh, India, will be attending a conference Feb 20-22, and presenting a paper on Kabir at the Religion and Spirituality Conference at UBC Robson Square campus. While here, Dr. Ranjan would be giving a lecture on Kabir and the Kabir Panth at the Kabir Centre, #208 – 14770 – 64th Avenue, Surrey, BC, February 23rd at 7:30pm. Light refreshments will be served. For further information call 604-599-6876 or email dasj@shaw.ca

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