National

Ottawa to accept applications from refugees seeking to leave Gaza

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 03 Jan, 2024 12:06 PM

The National Council of Canadian Muslims is calling on the federal government to remove a cap on the number of Palestinians who can seek refuge with their Canadian extended family members from the violence in the Gaza Strip.

The special extended family program for people in Gaza is set to launch next week, after Palestinian Canadians pleaded for months to get help from the government to rescue their loved ones as the Israel-Hamas war continues.

The program would offer visas to a maximum of 1,000 Palestinians, which would allow them to take refuge in Canada for three years if their families are willing to financially support them during that time.

An immigration lawyer in Toronto says a cap on the number of Palestinians who can seek refuge with their Canadian extended family members from the current Israel-Hamas war is "heinous."

Yameena Ansari says the limit of one-thousand three-year visas for Palestinians to stay in Canada if financially supported by their families is a huge underestimate of the number of people who need help.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Health professionals, not police should care for intoxicated prisoners: B.C. watchdog

The head of British Columbia's police watchdog says caring for intoxicated prisoners is a health-care issue and shouldn't be a police responsibility. A report released by Ronald J. MacDonald, the chief civilian director of the Independent Investigations Office, says holding those who are intoxicated in jail cells is outdated and offers no guarantee of their safety and health.

Health professionals, not police should care for intoxicated prisoners: B.C. watchdog

B.C. non-profits to receive $60 million from government to help with their work: Eby

Certain non-profit organizations in British Columbia are getting $60 million from the government in grant funding to help them do their work. Premier David Eby says the help of non-profits is crucial and they benefit the people of B.C. with community supports, arts and cultural services and assistance to find affordable housing.

B.C. non-profits to receive $60 million from government to help with their work: Eby

B.C. raises pay $2 per hour for daycare workers at licensed facilities

B.C.'s Education and Child Care Ministry says the $2-per-hour raise and previous wage boosts totalling $4 an hour since 2018 will increase the hourly wage for early childhood educators to $28 per hour. The ministry says early childhood educators who hold specialized certificates for infant, toddler and special needs education are also eligible for up to $3,000 extra per year.

B.C. raises pay $2 per hour for daycare workers at licensed facilities

Joly to plead for humanitarian pauses as she says time is running out to help in Gaza

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says time is running out to help people in Gaza. In a speech to the Economic Club of Canada in Toronto this afternoon, Joly is expected to plead for humanitarian pauses in the Israel-Hamas conflict to allow more aid to get into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, which is home to more than two million Palestinians.

Joly to plead for humanitarian pauses as she says time is running out to help in Gaza

Poilievre calls on Liberals to exempt all forms of home heating from carbon price

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling on the Liberals to exempt all forms of home heating from the carbon price, after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an exemption for three years that only applies to home heating oil. The federal government announced last week that it is increasing the carbon price rebate for rural Canadians and lifting the carbon price off home heating oil entirely for the next three years.

Poilievre calls on Liberals to exempt all forms of home heating from carbon price

Cold snap hits BC

An unseasonable cold snap covering much of the province broke records over the weekend, including one that had been in place for more than a century. Environment Canada reports at least eight new lows for the record books, such as Nelson’s low of at minus 4.9 degrees, exceeding the 4.4 degrees set in 1905.