[Image-1] When Air Canada flight 608 finally touched down in Halifax in December 2013, it marked the beginning of Pedram Niakan’s new life. He was excited. Above all, he was terrified. Not many people visit Halifax in the winter, least of all people from warmer climates. Yet he was moving in. Voluntarily. Niakan, 25, first […]
immigration
Posted inNews + Opinion
Bhutan beats Belgium
[Image-1] Last week Halifax Regional Council made a token gesture to welcome newcomers by letting permanent residents vote in municipal elections. Naturally, the topic elicited the usual xenophobia from radio callers and Internet commenters. The public seemed worried planeloads of new immigrants would invade our city, flex their democratic muscle and change all our blue […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Newcomer support groups merge
Beginning this week, recent immigrants to Halifax can look forward to new and improved support for their newcomer needs. Two organizations committed to helping people settle into their new lives are officially amalgamating to better serve under one name. The Immigrant Settlement and Integration Services (ISIS) was formerly spread over two shops—the Metropolitan Immigrant Settlement […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
…while a Mexican couple faces deportation
Verónica and Oscar Velasco live in a basement apartment in Dartmouth, off a street named after a flower. Like many couples in the HRM, their apartment is littered with toys and books and other remnants of young children. Unlike other couples, however, they may face deportation from Canada. Verónica and Oscar fled Mexico as refugees […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Nepalese refugees welcomed to Halifax…
A group of Nepalese/Bhutanese refugees will start new lives and form a new immigrant community in Halifax, after spending nearly 20 years in refugee camps. Twelve government-sponsored refugees arrived last week, joining the 20 who arrived in May. “We’re assuming that we will get more,” says Sarah Cooper, settlement worker at the Metropolitan Immigrant Settlement […]
Posted inArts + Music
Is Stephen Harper taking our advice on Pier 21?
In tomorrow’s paper, Sean Flinn writes about Pier 21’s 10th anniversary and its pursuit of national museum status. Already a national heritage site, Pier 21 hosts Stephen Harper tomorrow, and the PM is planning an announcement with premier Dexter at 10:30am. Hopefully this means good news for Canada’s immigration museum, putting it on par with […]