The poll also found that preference towards assimilation of minorities tends to increase with age as well as length of time spent living in Canada. 53% of Canadians between the ages of 18 to 34 feel that “we should encourage cultural diversity with different groups keeping their own customs and languages;” compared to only 31% of those aged 35 to 54, and a mere 17% of those aged 55+ agreeing with this sentiment.

Fortunately, Canada’s hardening attitude towards multiculturalism does not appear to be affecting how welcome newcomers to Canada feel. 83% of immigrants who have been in Canada for less than 10 years feel welcome as a part of the community they live in. In addition, in spite of the growing preference towards assimilation, 67% of Canadians indicated that they were satisfied with how well new immigrants were integrating into their communities.

For more information on Temporary or Permanent Migration to Canada, click here.

(Sources)

The post Study Finds Canada Now More in Favour of Assimilation Than United States first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

What exactly are “anti-Canadian values?” Now if someone asked me the positive of that question – “what are Canadian values?” – the answer would be very easy, just look at the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The fundamental values of Canadian society are perfectly reflected in the Charter, part of the supreme law of Canada. Section 27 of the Charter provides guidance as to how it should be interpreted: “in a manner consistent with the preservation and enhancement of the multicultural heritage of Canadians.”

The multicultural nature of Canadian society is a fairly non-contentious issue. The goal of preserving and enhancing multiculturalism is even explicitly enunciated in the Charter. In addition, Canada was the first country in the world to ever adopt multiculturalism as an official policy in 1971.

So, if this is all true, then why would we ever want to “screen” out immigrants on the basis that their values are different from ours? One would have thought that differing thoughts, beliefs, and opinions could only serve to preserve and enhance multicultural Canada. The greatest irony in asking whether we should screen potential immigrants for anti-Canadian values is that this whole exercise is in and of itself anti-Canadian.

For more information on Immigration into Canada, please click here or here.

(Sources)

The post Screening for “Anti-Canadian Values” is Anti-Canadian first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

The Honourable Minister Jason Kenny, Minister for Multiculturalism, issued a statement in regards to Ramadan. To read the full statement, please click here.

(Sources)

The post Commencement of Ramadan! first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

This day is important not only because it celebrates Roma’s around the world, but  it also brings light to the discrimination that Roma’s face as well as persecution because of their cultural differences.

Currently over 10 million Roma’s reside in Europe, as Europe’s largest minority group.  Despite the hardships they have faced, today is a day to celebrate! If you are in the GTA you can visit the following venue to participate in Roma a Day Event.

The Shape of a Heart: A Gypsy love story

• Tuesday, April 8th at 9:00 PM — Admission $10
  Revue Cinema — 400 Roncesvalles Ave. 
  Join the Roma Community Centre in celebrating International Roma Day 
  with a documentary film featuring the Toronto Romani Community.

The post International Roma Day! first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

As one of the most multicultural cities on the planet, Toronto is home to people from every single country in the world, as we saw with Cosmopolis Toronto.  Toronto’s cultural diversity is one of its greatest strengths, and it is through shared experiences across cultures that the entire community comes together.

So resist the urge to stay in this winter! The City of Toronto encourages all of us to go out and explore a new cuisine, a new restaurant, or an old favourite with family, friends and neighbours during Winterlicious 2014!

There are 200 of Toronto’s best restaurants participating in Winterlicious this year. Each will offer a fine dining experience with special prix-fixe menus showcasing their unique specialties.  Lunches will run $15-25 and dinner $25-45 including appetizers, entrees, and desserts.  For a complete list of participating restaurants click here. It is recommended to call ahead to make a reservation during the festival.

This year Winterlicious is also offering a special Culinary Event Series.  There will be a variety of special events that offer indulgent food experiences and workshops that are both interactive and educational.  Learn from expert chefs! Tickets for these events are on sale and going fast.  Contact the event producers to purchase yours.

Winterlicious runs from January 31 – February 13, 2014.

The post Winterlicious 2014 is almost here! first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

It is because of these values that Bellissimo Law Group is very proud to help sponsor a community based project like Cosmopolis Toronto!

“Cosmopolis” by definition is a city inhabited by people from many different countries. Toronto is exactly that.  More than half of Torontonians are born outside of Canada, making it arguably one of the most cosmopolitan cities on Earth.

Cosmopolis Toronto is a portrait photography exhibit featuring works by Colin Boyd Shafer and curated by Vanessa Tamburro.  The project is on-going and aims to capture the faces and personal stories of people from every country in the world who now make the City of Toronto their home. It is both a celebration of multiculturalism and a way to remember the important historical relationship Canada has with immigration.  Cosmopolis Toronto tells the personal stories of transnational migration: why people left and why they came.  It uses the visual impact of photography to show that Toronto, and the people who make up this city have roots that span the globe.

Bellissimo Law Group would like to extend an invitation to view the Cosmopolis Toronto exhibit in person at the Toronto Centre for the Arts!  The exhibition runs from January 15 – February 22, 2014.  Admission is free, or by donation. For exhibition hours please see the daily schedule.

Exhibition Dates:      January 15 – February 22, 2014

Location:                 Toronto Centre for the Arts (Directions)

Admission:               By donation

Exhibition Trailer:

If you would like to tell your immigration story and are interested in participating in Cosmopolis Toronto, please see the list of 60+ countries that still need an entry for the photography project.

The post You’re Invited to the Cosmopolis Toronto Photography Exhibit! first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.

Earlier this week Canada’s Minister for Multiculturalism, Jason Kenney, invited Canadians to send in their nominations for the 2014 Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism.  This will be the 6^th annual award given out by the Minister and his partner foundation, the Canadian Race Relations Foundation; a leading agency dedicated to the elimination of racism in Canada.

The Paul Yuzyk Award was created in 2009 to recognize individuals or groups in communities across Canada who have made strong contributions to fostering multiculturalism and helping newcomers integrate into local communities.

The award’s namesake, Paul Yuzyk (1913 – 1986), seen in the above picture with then Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was a Canadian historian, university professor and Senator frequently referred to as the ‘father of multiculturalism’.  He was born in Saskatchewan to Ukrainian immigrant parents, but faced numerous acts of racism as a young adult that changed his path in life and led him to academic, cultural and diplomatic work. Yuzyk introduced the concept of multiculturalism in a 1964 senate speech criticizing the government’s focus on English-French Biculturalism, which failed to recognize that Canada was in fact a ‘multicultural’ society.  He helped to establish multiculturalism as central to Canadian heritage and identity.

The Paul Yuzyk Award has two categories: Outstanding Achievement, and Lifetime Achievement given to individuals who have made a contribution to Canadian pluralism for ten years or more.

One award is granted each year to either an individual or a group. The recipient receives a certificate of honour signed by the Minister, and is asked to nominate a registered Canadian not-for-profit organization to receive a $20,000 grant from the Government of Canada.

Previous recipients include Mr. Bashir Ahmed of Edmonton Alberta, who chose the Somali Canadian Education and Rural Development Organization for the 2013 $20,000 grant; and Bridget Foster of St. John’s Newfoundland in 2012, who selected the Association for New Canadians.

For eligibility criteria and how to nominate an individual for the 2014 award, nomination packages are available.  Click here to read the full bio on Canada’s father of Multiculturalism.

The post 2014 Nominations for the Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism first appeared on Bellissimo Law Group.