THE LINK • SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 • THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA/NEWS NEWS 03 Federal plan fast Federal election tracks immigration process for students takes the limelight Canadian Experience Class Program aims to keep Politicians try to understand as by-elections go bye-bye skilled workers in Canada • TERRINE FRIDAY of the people running for a seat • KIRSTEN GORUK, CUP ALBERTA AND in the House of Commons. NORTHERN BUREAU CHIEF Nobody’s happy to see the Anne Lagacé Dowson, NDP by-elections come and go with candidate for the Westmount- EDMONTON (CUP) – Hossein Safaie, nobody appointed to represent Ville Marie riding, thinks it’s an international student at the University of the Westmount-Ville Marie unfortunate Harper will host a Alberta, could be a permanent Canadian resi- riding. federal election in lieu of the dent within a matter of months, if a new fed- The by-elections for three scheduled by-elections. She eral program does what it’s supposed to. ridings, one of which was also thinks it’s unfair that the In a move that will drastically change the Montreal’s downtown core, three thousand ballots cast immigration application process for interna- were cancelled when Prime won’t count. tional post-secondary students, the federal Minister Stephen Harper “My eight-year-old daughter government recently unveiled its new announced a federal election said to me, ‘Isn’t that cheat- Canadian Experience Class Program. on Sunday. ing?’” Dowson said. “It’s been in the works for a few years. It’s The Canadian Federation of “Mister Harper is equal to something that we, and the government of Students Quebec, which every other citizen and does The Queen has yet to reply to a Montrealer’s letter of disapproval. Canada, find very valuable. It couldn’t have launched a voting campaign not have the power to destroy GRAPHIC R. BRIAN HASTIE come soon enough,” said Danielle Norris, a and produced a Candidate people’s right to vote,” said spokesperson with Citizenship and Report Card based on the run- David Rovins, running as an to the famous King-Byng Rovins, a McGill University Immigration Canada. ningmates’ platforms, won’t independent candidate in the Affair. alumnus is also a fighter for The program hasn’t officially passed yet, get to see the fruits of its labour Westmount-Ville Marie riding. In 1926, the then-Governor accessible education. One of but if and when successful, skilled temporary for another month. Rovins says it’s unconstitu- General, Lord Byng of Vimy, his major platform policies is foreign workers and international students “Now we have to wait anoth- tional to cancel the by-elec- refused a request by then- free education for all would have to wait months instead of years to er 35 days,” said Noah Stewart, tions, especially since some Prime Minister William Lyon Canadians all the way up to the complete the immigration process. a CFS-Q representative. votes had already been cast. He Mackenzie King to dissolve doctoral level. “The Canadian Experience Class Program Although Stewart calls the has even gone so far as to write parliament and hold a federal “Canada is one of the gives them the opportunity, as well as Canada, faux-campaign time a “political a letter to our Head of State— election. The King-Byng Affair wealthiest countries in histo- to keep the best and the brightest coming game by this government” he’s the Queen of England. resulted in Canadian political ry,” he said. “Health and edu- from other countries,” Norris said. happy about the response from “It’s difficult for the reform on grounds of inde- cation should always be our International students who have attended students. “We got really posi- Governor General to intercede pendence, which saw the role paramount concern.” a post-secondary institute for two years and tive results,” he said. as she would have in the of Governor General become Rovins is still awaiting a have been employed within Canada for one Even more upset are some 1930s,” Dowson said, referring largely symbolic. response from the Queen. year are eligible to apply for the fast-tracked program. Sorcha McGinnis, public affairs officer with Alberta Employment and Immigration, Old news is good news agrees with Norris and feels the addition of the program is a positive step by the federal Kosher foods already available at ConU, government. With labour shortages facing provinces but new packaging seals the deal like Alberta and B.C., the announcement comes as welcome news to addressing those • CLARE RASPOPOW by the university’s efforts to increase the vis- issues. ibility of their kosher and halal food options. “In response to a competitive environ- Students excited at recent advertisement “It’s very encouraging,” he said. “It gives ment, it gives us another tool to attract [...] of kosher and halal foods in Concordia’s cafe- the feeling of belonging for other faiths, that international students who have already terias and coffee kiosks might be surprised to they are being thought of.” made steps to integrate into society,” find out that these meal options have been Roig Ludovic, head of the Loyola cafete- McGinnis said. “They have the skills that are available for quite some time. ria, also appreciates the expanded menu and much needed in the labour environment.” Concordia has in fact had a contract with kosher food options. “I’m Jewish and many However, the widespread praise for the Montreal-based Homemade Kosher Bakery of the students are Jewish and it’s nice to be program doesn’t extend to the Alberta for almost three years and has been getting able to pick up a snack while I’m on campus,” Federation of Labour. halal chicken from Montreal’s Metropolitan he explained. “These foods are quality kosher “Workers in that group will now be given a Meats. products, sealed and safe.” new avenue to citizenship, which is something The university has recently insisted on Elmenyawi believes that the university’s we feel should be made available to all tempo- new sealed packaging, different labelling and move to halal and kosher products promotes rary foreign workers,” Gil McGowan, presi- an expanded menu of sandwiches in order to not only inclusion but also health. The rules dent of AFL explained. maintain hygiene standards and bring these of halal insist that chickens be fed a mini- McGowan’s concerns are the result of the options to the attention of the students. mum of one week before the animals are program’s separation of skilled workers from When asked why these foods hadn’t previ- killed. non-skilled and domestic ones. ously been marked as kosher Gary Camlot, “They have found that this procedure Kosher foods are now labelled at both Con U Other criticism stems from a lack of com- Concordia’s catering manager, replied “there cleans the chicken of viruses,” Elmenyawi campii. PHOTO ELSA JABRE munication on the part of the federal govern- hadn’t been a large demand for kosher” in explained. “These are good practices for “Nobody is controlling the certifications of ment. the past and that the new labeling was “for everyone. Many non-Muslims would prefer halal, so we don’t trust outside providers,” he Safaie is glad to know that steps have been the Islamics, because many would rather eat to eat halal meat.” said in defence of his company’s products. taken to improve the application process, but kosher, because kosher is halal.” In the face of the recent controversy sur- “[Some companies] can open one eye and he isn’t sure what the program means for him. Imam Salam Elmenyawi, president of the rounding the lack of monitoring for halal close the “The only thing that bothers me is that not Montreal Muslim Council, who recently meat providers, the spokesperson for other. [Metropolitan Meats] kill the chickens all the details are being advertised. I don’t spoke to The Gazette about the increasing Metropolitan Meats remains adamant about one by one. The chickens are ours, we control know what I can or what I can’t do, or what it demand for halal meat products, is pleased the quality of his company’s product. them from A to Z.” takes,” Safaie said. 04 NEWS THE LINK • SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 • THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA/NEWS In search of answers Truth Society demands deeper investigation into 9/11 A threat to • JENNIFER FREITAS fraudulent document and that to be done. those behind the report are con- “This is a dialogue that we With Canadians set to cast sciously or unconsciously guilty need to draw the Canadian abortion their ballots in next month’s of covering up what happened on Government into,” he said. Lewis Federal election, Canada’s 9/11 Sept. 11, 2001.’’ is also a writer and resides in Truth Society urges everyone to The petition to the report Montreal. demand investigation into the reaped more than 130 signatures Peter Stoett, an International events surrounding the Sept. 11, and was read in the House of Relations professor at Concordia, rights 2001 tragedy. Commons by NDP Deputy Leader says the 9/11 Truth On behalf of the 24 Canadians Libby Davies last June. Society’s demands are highly murdered that day, the group is Federal Minister of Public unlikely and “diplomatically Proposed Bill C-484 would pushing political authorities to Safety, Stockwell Day, sent a impossible.” launch an independent investiga- hasty official response that “The “Challenging authority can be limit women’s right to choice tion into the terrorist attacks that Canadian Government has no very healthy, an indicator of a • TERRINE FRIDAY happened in the United States. cause to believe that the destruc- thriving democracy,” said Stoett.