Vol. XXX, No. 4 April 2012 http://www.filipinostar.org Borough’s healthy life style policy receives community support Montreal, April 3, 2012 - It was a pleasant surprise to see many people responded to Councilor Marvin Rotrand’s invitation to get a feedback from the community regarding the CDN-NDG Borough’s policy initiative about promoting a healthy lifestyle that was approved by the Borough Council last February 2012. The meeting started with the opening remarks of Councilor Marvin Rotrand and followed by several experts. Gilles Bergeron, Directeur de la Culture, des Sports et des loisirs et du dév. Social. made a detailed presentation to explain the plan and gave some details of the timeframe to implement. Daniel Lafond, directeur de l’urbanisme et de l’amenagement Councilor Marvin Rotrand, who presided over the meeting about the CDN-NDG Borough Healthy Life Style policy listens to See Page 4 Healthy Life Style Bill Jeffrey, Canadian National Coordinator of the Centre for Science in the Public Interest and a Canadian lawyer specializing in nutrition-related law and policy reform. Minister Kenney launches consultations for a new "Start-up VISA" for immigrant entrepreneurs (page 4) Jessica Sanchez page 17 Dolphy: ‘I’m OK’’ page 19 See Page 15 - Philippine Cuisine & Immigration Miniser Jason Kenney with Kevin O’Leary, a Venture capital investor, and member of the TV show “Dragon’s Den.” Favorite Recipes - Featuring “Bangus” • RESP (Education Savings Plan) Shana Zhao Life and Disability Insurance Save Money as little as Insurance Broker • Health Insurance (Acupuncture, Massage...), $10/month for your kids, it will Office: 514-932-3003 ex: 231 • Travel Insurance (Super Visa) change their future. 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This situation is new bill, Bill C-31, before parliament abandoned and they will be removed Council has recently adopted a worrisome to the elected officials of that will fundamentally change from Canada. The result will be that Healthy Life Style Action Plan. our Borough. Canada’s refugee system. One of the many claimants will have to deliver Although health is usually under While sedentary lifestyles most important changes is to the written statements that are incomplete provincial jurisdiction, the City reinforce the causes of death, regular refugee claim process itself. Refugee or inaccurate because they could not government has decided to make this physical activity, plays an important claims will be decided much more find an available lawyer or the lawyer move of promoting a healthy life style part in the prevention of chronic quickly. In the opinion of most refugee did not have enough time to fully for its residents. Councilor Marvin illnesses. It is associated with a experts, the process will be too fast; it understand and prepare the claim. Rotrand proposed this policy which reduced risk of cardiovascular will not give refugee claimants a fair Refugee hearings will be was supported by our Borough Mayor disease, certain types of cancer, chance to tell their story. scheduled 30 or 60 days later, Michael Applebaum, and unanimously osteoporosis, diabetes, obesity, For more than twenty years, depending on the claim category. For approved by the Borough Council hypertension, depression, stress and the United Nations High many claimants, that will not be during its meeting on January 27, anxiety. Commissioner for Refugees has enough time to find the evidence and 2011. Councilor Marvin Rotrand In addition to sedentary life praised Canada’s refugee system as a witnesses they need to prove their invited the community to a meeting on styles, people do not eat healthy food model for other countries. In the claim, especially if they need April 3, 2012 to explain the whole idea often enough. This was shown in a Canadian system, every eligible psychological or medical reports. of the Healthy Life Style Action plan 2009 publication by the Direction de la refugee claimant is given a hearing Some claimants will not have a right to and at the same time to hear our santé publique de Montréal entitled before an independent member of the appeal a refusal by the IRB and could comments, suggestions and “La santé est-elle au menu des Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB). be deported from Canada 46 days observations. Montréalaises? Portrait de la Most claimants have a legal after making their claim. Claimants Overall, the meeting was a consommation alimentaire des representative to assist them and they who can appeal will have only about success as we saw many people Montréalais pour la période 2002- have enough time to gather and 21 days to make their appeal, not came to participate and presented 2007.” present the evidence needed to prove enough time to fully prepare an their own ideas to support the The Direction de la santé that they are refugees. There are effective appeal. Borough’s policy. Documents about publique (DSP) identified five “dietary problems with the system: some of the Canada’s current refugee the policy were very informative and and social context” factors to explain Board members are not reliable system is too slow and must be impressive for they contain not only why Montrealers do not always opt for decision-makers and there is no improved. But the government is facts about health problems but also the best food choices: appeal, but the overall system gives going from too slow to much too fast. proposed solutions to overcome • lack of easy access to most claimants a fair chance to tell It is very difficult for most refugees to these problems. If one pays attention healthy food within walking distance their story. prove their claims. They are to the recommendations, and the • income and education The new system will be very frightened, they do not understand the actions being undertaken by the disparities different. After they make their claim at law and they do not know how to tell Borough, we are impressed by the •consumption of commer- a port-of-entry, refugee claimants will their stories without legal help. Under leadership of our elected cially prepared foods have only 15 days to find a lawyer who this new law, more refugee claimants representatives in pursuing such an • loss of culinary know-how can take their case and prepare a will be forced to prove their claims ambitions project of promoting public • loss of interest by public written statement explaining why they without lawyers. Even with a lawyer, health through education, and health authorities in dietary matters are a refugee. That is simply not there will not be enough time to prove persuasion instead of coercion. during the 1990’s enough time for someone who has just their claim. There will be more According to Mayor Evidently, the mobilization of arrived in Canada, does not speak mistaken decisions by the IRB and Applebaum in his written message, all municipal, community and English or French, does not have a more refugees will be sent back to the aim of the policy is two fold: to institutional agents will be required in place to live, and knows nothing about persecution. promote healthy eating habits and order to influence the behaviour of Canada. Most immigrant Canadians Peter Showler, Director, the Refugee ban foods containing trans fats from youth, to promote an active lifestyle, can understand how confusing the Forum, University of Ottawa municipal facilities within the and to prevent obesity. arrival experience can be. If refugees borough’s jurisdiction as well as to If all the things proposed, do not deliver their written statement promote physically active lifestyles. planned and suggested are realized, Councilor Marvin Rotrand outlined the we will see many positive changes in specific action that the Borough will the Borough. Perhaps, we can also LEGAL NOTICE OF CHANGE OF NAME undertake in implementing the policy expect it to be a model for other by: 1) developing, modernizing and boroughs to follow. This type of maintaining urban infrastructure initiative is not only something that we From KIARA ELLA HUALDEGONZALES (2nd child) conducive to the use of active means all should support but also someting will be changed to: of transportation: for work, leisure, we can be proud and derive Kiara Ella Hualde Gonzales (2nd child) school, or any other number of daily inspiration from. With the existence of requested by Paolo Gonzales (father) activities taking place across its so many Filipino-Canadian territory, 2) maintaining and upgrading associations, we believe that they can the range of high quality, accessible, be empowered to work with this diversified and safe sports and healthy life style initiative in many recreation services offered to citizens ways. It is just a question of of all ages. He said that several maintaining the interest of people from municipal, community, and these organizations in order to institutional stakeholders eagerly develop a cohesive project that can be await the constitution of a committee implemented easily within their and have expressed a desire to means.