Canadian Government Opens Public Consultation on Bill C-51

The Liberal Government of Canada aims at revisiting the controversial Bill C-51 which was introduced by the outgoing Conservative government. Bill C-51, also known as the “Anti-Terrorism Act” received royal assent earlier in June 2015. 

Even before the bill became law, it faced intense scrutiny because it gave law enforcement and CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) sweeping powers.

Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government believes that this public consultation will help shape this anti-terror legislation in a way that protects Canadians, and at the same time, reflects the rights, values, and freedoms of Canadians. 

As a first step in doing so, the government has opened an Online Public Consultation in hopes of soliciting feedback from Canadians. This is what Public Safety Minister, Ralph Goodale has to say about this online public consultation: 

“Today’s consultation launch is an important step in the development of our national security framework…”

David Christopher, Communications Manager of the OpenMedia (an Internet Rights group) commented on the above saying that his organization is happy about the launch of the public consultation. However, he has concerns with the wording in the consultation’s backgrounder, sighting that it is biased towards law enforcement, rather than the public.

Watch this CTV News Channel video below, as Public Safety Minister, Ralph Goodale, dsicusses the issues that will be addressed in the public consultations on Bill C-51:

The public consultation is open until December 1, 2016. This is an opportunity for Canadians to have their say on a very important subject that affects all Canadians. I would encourage you to read the background document titled “National Security Green Paper” to get a detailed understanding of the purpose of this public consultation. 

The next step, after reading the above paper would be to head over to the “Online Consultation on National Security” website to provide your written feedback. Additionally, Public Safety Canada and the Department of Justice Canada, plan to organize public events, between now and December 1, 2016, to talk to Canadians on this issue.

Canada 2016 Census: Completed Your Form Yet?

On May 2, 2016, Statistics Canada started mailing out access codes required to complete the Canada 2016 Census. I don’t ever remember seeing so many Canadians excited about completing a government form.

Twitter was buzzing with excitement as Canadians shared their enthusiasm about completing the 2016 Census. So much was the excitement that they crashed the Statistics Canada website.

I have to admit that I was excited to complete the Census form myself. Though, I decided to wait a day before completing and submitting my 2016 Census form. I got the short version of the census form and it took me less than 10 minutes to complete it online.

May 10, 2016  is Census Day, but if you haven’t yet, I would encourage you to complete the Census form as soon as possible. This time around, Statistics Canada restored the 36-page long-form census which is also referred to as the National Household Survey. However, only one in four Canadians will receive the long-form census. Canadians have the option to complete the census online or request a paper census form mailed to them.

The census is conducted by Statistics Canada once every 5 years. Legally speaking, it is mandatory for Canadians to complete the short or long-form census. Information collected from the census form will help communities with the information they need for planning purposes. You can watch the short video below to see How your community benefits from the 2016 Census:

If you complete the census form online, make sure to save your information because if you take more than 20 minutes to complete one page of the questionnaire, it will time out your session, as a security measure.

If you need any help with your 2016 census form or if you have not received your access code, you can get help by calling toll-free 1-855-700-2016 or by TTY (a telecommunications device for people who are deaf) at 1-866-753-7083. The Census Help Line is open Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., starting May 2, 2016.

Help for New Canadian Immigrants

Coming to a new country and starting anew can be more than a daunting task. Many newcomers, to Canada, will face different types of challenges whether it is having to adjust to a new culture, or new way of living; settling into a specific region or looking for jobs.

I know firsthand because I immigrated to Canada in over a decade ago and had to go through many challenges myself. However, there are ways to minimize these challenges by preparing and pacing yourself.

On this blog, I have created various free online resources to help new Canadian immigrants settle in and start off their life on the right foot. Currently, I’ve developed the following information resources for newcomers to Canada:

New Immigrant’s Checklist: this online resource will walk you through, step-by-step, on some of the key things that you need to do when you first land in Canada. Some new immigrants may decided to do their landing and go back to their country and then return within the stipulated period. Others may do their landing and immediately start settling into Canada. This checklist covers many important things like applying for a Permanent Resident (PR) card, applying for your Social Insurance Number, applying for your Healthcare Card, opening a bank account, applying for a driver’s license, enrolling your children in school (if applicable to you), and other important aspects like looking for a job.

Job Search & Interview Preparation Guide: this online resource will help new Canadian immigrants with their job search in Canada. Settling in a new country is one challenge, but looking for work is another challenge you need to face. However, if you prepare yourself and stay focused, you will be successful in this challenge as well. The Job Search Guide will walk you through the process of what you need to do to effectively prepare for getting a job like preparing your resume, knowing where to look for jobs, how to apply for jobs, the importance of networking, how to prepare for job interview in Canada, and much more.

Hope you find these online resources helpful. If you have any questions, you can feel free to contact me. Wishing you all the best in your new endeavours!

Welcome to "Helping Canadians" Blog!

Welcome to this "Helping Canadians" blog which is geared towards helping new comers to Canada, Canadian residents, and Canadian citizens. On this help blog you will find information on various topics like helping new comers to Canada settle in and find jobs in Toronto, helping Canadian residents prepare for their citizenship test, and much more.

I am a Canadian immigrant myself, so I understand the challenges faced by new immigrants. I came to Canada in early 1998 and quickly integrated myself into the culture and society. I was fortunate to have close friends who helped me settle down and provided guidance. But, coming to a new country can be daunting and present many challenges, but also provides great opportunities.

On this blog, I will share my firsthand experiences on various aspects of Canadian living, the culture, the people, the land, the system, and help you discover Canada and make it your home. This beautiful country is now my home and I surely feel belonged to this place even though at first I felt like a foreigner. Like most things in life, it may take time, but as you embrace the challenges and look at them as opportunities, you will integrate into your community and succeed in your endeavours here in Canada.

Wishing you all the best and if you have any questions, please feel free to connect with me. I will do the best I can to help you and answer your questions.