Canadian Immigration News and Views By Berto Volpentesta The government of Canada has regulated who can be counsel or an “Authorized Representative” for immigration purposes. The Federal government has jurisdiction over the issue of who can counsel, appear or represent people in Immigration matters. The not so new regulations govern who may represent clients and ⇒

By Danielle Bisnar Philippine Women Centre-Ontario On October 23, Filipino migrant workers and representatives from Filipino migrant and immigrant organizations from across Canada will meet in a historic gathering at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). Entitled “Our History, Situation and Resistance. A gathering of Filipino migrant workers in Canada,” this will bring ⇒

TORONTO – Two transgenders have filed a civil action suing the Toronto Police Services Board, a police officer and a donut shop for “assault and battery” and “breach of their Charter rights”. The two complainants are Lorraine Tagalog, a board member of Silayan Community Centre, and Adel Abdulrahim, both of whom are residents of Toronto. ⇒

I DISAGREE with some of Julito Longkines’s claims and assertions in his statement (see page 41) about the Philippine Reporter story on his audit findings on the Filipino Centre Toronto (FCT). Longkines claims our reporter used the “draft 2003 audit report” in her story. With all due respect to his competence and experience as an ⇒

FCT Update By Aida E. D’Orazio The publication by a Filipino newspaper, The Philippine Reporter, of FCT auditor Julito Longkines’ draft of 2003 Audit Report, which still had to be discussed, resolved and approved by the FCT Board, has caused the Members of the FCT Board to rise up in collective outrage. As a result, ⇒

TORONTO – Filipino Centre-Toronto (FCT) Chairperson Dr. Victoria Santiago has decided to grant a petition from some members to hold a general membership meeting, an FCT source told The Philippine Reporter. By granting such petition, the FCT board may have prevented the Provincial Court from intervening on the matter. In a letter dated Sept. 21, ⇒

TORONTO – The Philippine Reporter was recently awarded for “Best Editorial and Visual Presentation,” by the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada. This is the second time the paper won this award from the prestigious national press organization, the first in 2003. The award was presented to Hermie Garcia, publisher and editor, by ⇒

TORONTO – The survey on access to trades and professions recently conducted by the Community Alliance for Social Justice (CASJ) culminated successfully, with a 40 per cent response rate. The survey, a collaborative project with Dr. Philip Kelly of York University, was started August 15, 2005, with the distribution of 1000 questionnaires. As of Oct. ⇒

The Asociacion Negrense through a unanimous decision by the newly-elected officers and members of the Secretariat during its meeting on Oct. 1, 2005 has approved and endorsed a motion to join the Community Alliance for Social Justice (CASJ). Edwin Mercurio was designated as the official representative of Asociacion Negrense to CASJ. Two other officers of ⇒

SOME of the local Canadian delegates to the recently concluded International Solidarity Mission (ISM) have now returned home from the Philippines bringing with them horrific tales of human rights abuses. “We are outraged over the blatant violation of human rights and the lack of respect for humanity that Arroyo shows for her own people,” says ⇒