Sophie Gregoire Trudeau calls for ending gender inequality

20 February 2018

Mumbai (PTI): The wife of visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday called for an end to gender disparity, saying the world has suffered a lot due to inequality between men and women.

All sections of the society should “stand up together” to eliminate gender disparity from the world, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau said at Sophia College for Women in South Mumbai.

“Misconceptions have led to many sufferings. It is a misogynist belief that girls are lesser than boys.

“Being able to acknowledge the true value of women is not a sign of weakness, but strength. A man has full potential to become strong, courageous and fearless but (he) also has the same potential to become tender and compassionate,” she said.

The fight for eliminating inequality does not mean pitting one gender against the other, Gregoire Trudeau said, adding “rather men are our allies.”

The 42-year-old former television host and women’s rights activist is accompanying her husband on his eight-day visit to India.

Appealing to women to stand up and speak against discrimination they face, she said, “We must open up, we must let the truth rise. Because by sharing the stories of suffering, we can move as a hero and this is what is happening and this is the awakening we are talking about. Moreover, as women we must unite and help each other and it works.”

Gregoire Trudeau, a mother of three, said education is the key to ending gender inequality.

“You are engaged in the process and you must continue… education is the key in this process,” she said, adding the fight against gender inequality has achieved initial success but a lot remains to be done.

“We say truth is rising on this planet, but there are lots of paradoxes on the earth. Still truth is rising, voices are rising and awareness is rising. Most importantly, we, as women, are rising. The more we unite, the more we will rise,” Gregoire Trudeau said.

During her 17-minute-long speech, she praised the diversity in India, saying, “India is a wonderful and vibrant country, besides being a beacon of diversity and innovation. And you all can continue to serve as an example to the world of how a nation can be so diverse but also so compassionate.”

To a query by a student on how Canada is addressing the issue of gender inequality, she said her government is committed to bring equality in all sectors.

“The Government of Canada is committed to upholding gender equality in all sectors. There are an equal number of males and females in the Cabinet and girls were doing a good job in education and academics,” she said.

Post-secondary education made more affordable for part-time students

20 February 2018

STARTING this academic year, nearly 10,000 more part-time students from low- and middle-income families will benefit from up to $1,800 in non‑repayable grants per year and up to $10,000 in loans.

This was announced by parliamentary secretary Terry Beech on behalf of Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, on Tuesday.

Additionally, access to grants for part-time students with children will be expanded allowing them to benefit from up to $1,920 per year in grants.

Expanded access to Canada Student Grants for full-time and part-time students and students with dependants helps more Canadians afford post-secondary education. These measures will benefit Canadian women in particular, who often strive to improve their career prospects while balancing family responsibilities.

Women represent nearly two-thirds of the Canada Student Loans Program’s part-time recipients, while approximately four out of five students receiving the Canada Student Grant for students with dependent children are women.

Hajdu said: “Helping more Canadians afford post-secondary education will help grow our economy and strengthen the middle class. Far too many Canadians face challenges when pursuing post-secondary education—not only because of the cost of education itself but also because of the financial pressures and time constraints of supporting our families. Our government has Canadians covered, no matter their circumstance—whether they are going to college or university for the first time, returning to school or upgrading their skills.”
Kathy Kinloch, President, British Columbia Institute of Technology, said: “The British Columbia Institute of Technology has always supported unique paths to post-secondary education. As we empower our students to embrace the challenges of a complex world, we work alongside the government and our industry partners to enhance education access opportunities for all learners.”

The Government of Canada is investing:
– $107.4 million over four years, starting in 2018–19, and $29.3 million per year thereafter, to expand eligibility for Canada Student Grants for students with dependants.
– $59.8 million over four years, starting in 2018–19, and $17 million per year thereafter to expand eligibility for Canada Student Grants for Part-Time Students and to increase the threshold for eligibility for Canada Student Loans for part-time students.
-Expanded access to Canada Student Grants for students with dependants, starting in the 2018–19 academic year, allows more:
– full-time students with children to receive up to $200 per month per child; and
– part-time students with children to receive up to $1,920 per year in grants.

Federal government reduces processing fees for minors applying for citizenship

20 February 2018

FED LIB IMMI MIN AHMED HUSSEN off — Ahmed Hussen

AHMED Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced on Tuesday that the processing fee for minors applying under subsection 5(1) of the Citizenship Act has been reduced from $530 to $100, bringing them into line with the processing fees for minors applying under subsection 5(2) of the Act.

He said the federal government is committed to encouraging all immigrants, including minors under 18 years of age, to acquire citizenship and this step will make that easier.
On June 19, 2017, the royal assent of Bill C-6 immediately brought into force a legislative amendment that removed the requirement to be 18 years old to apply for a grant of citizenship under subsection 5(1) of the Citizenship Act. This made it easier for minors to apply for citizenship on their own behalf. One of the strongest pillars for successful integration into Canadian life is acquiring Canadian citizenship, Hussen said.
This ensures that there is no difference in the fee paid by citizenship grant applicants who are minors, regardless of whether they have a Canadian parent, are applying with a permanent resident parent or are applying on their own behalf.
Anyone who already paid the $530 fee for a minor applying under this subsection on or after June 19, 2017, will be reimbursed the difference of $430. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will contact these applicants directly to outline the process for receiving a refund.
Minors who do not have a Canadian parent, or a permanent resident parent applying for citizenship at the same time as them, can apply for citizenship under subsection 5(1) of the Citizenship Act. Therefore, the reduction in citizenship fees will help more minors, including immigrant children in the child welfare system or in the care of the state, acquire Canadian citizenship.
The department will be engaging provinces and territories, childcare agencies, immigration service provider organizations and other stakeholders to raise awareness of this change. The department will also provide information on how these institutions can assist minors in their care to acquire citizenship.

Hussen said: “We encourage all immigrants, including those under 18 years of age, to take the path to Canadian citizenship and benefit from permanently belonging in Canadian society. We are pleased that these fee changes will further facilitate access to citizenship for minors and reduce the financial burden for potentially vulnerable children.”
For more information on minors applying for citizenship, see the infographic.

Trudeau welcomes more than $1 billion in investments between Canadian and Indian companies

20 February 2018

Trudeau with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

PRIME Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday met with the senior corporate leadership of Tata Sons, Infosys, Mahindra Group of Companies, Jubilant Bhartia Group, Aditya Birla Group, and Shapoorji Pallonji Group in Mumbai.

He welcomed more than $1 billion in investments between Canadian and Indian companies, which he said would lead to the creation of more than 5,800 good, well-paying middle class jobs for Canadians.

He said these investments will grow Canada’s economy, encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, and see increased collaboration in several key sectors, including infrastructure, information technology, aerospace, clean technology, film production, and research and development.

Later in the day, Trudeau participated in a women’s leadership roundtable and met with a number of business executives to discuss how Canadians and Indians can benefit from new opportunities to cooperate in the global economy and promote women’s economic empowerment.

He then participated in an armchair discussion at the Canada-India Business Forum before

The Trudeaus with Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan.
Photo: PTI

attending an event with members of the Indian film industry and a reception with business and community leaders.

Trudeau said: “As one of the world’s fastest growing economies, India offers exciting opportunities for Canadian businesses of all sizes. The partnerships announced today will create thousands of good, middle class jobs for Canadians, and are further proof of the ever-growing ties between our two countries.”
Merchandise exports to India totalled $4.18

billion in 2017, making India Canada’s seventh-largest destination for merchandise exports, while merchandise imports totalled $4.16 billion that same year.
Bilateral trade in services between the two countries reached $2.1 billion for 2016, an increase of 1.9 per cent over 2015. India is also Canada’s 10th-largest source of tourists and international visitors, with 224,000 visits made from India to Canada in 2016.

Abhayjeet Sachal of Surrey is among Canada’s Top 25 Environmentalists Under 25

19 February 2018

In Greenland.
Photo courtesy canadastop25.ca

ABHAYJEET Sachal, 16, of Surrey has been chosen one of Canada’s Top 25 Environmentalists Under 25 for 2017.

The Starfish Canada’s Top 25 Environmentalists Under 25 program recognizes and rewards young Canadian leaders creating positive environmental change in their local communities. Past recipients include scientists, gardeners, outdoor recreationists, entrepreneurs who initiated green businesses, and volunteers who sit on the Board of Directors for local non-profit groups.
His citation at canadastop25.ca reads:

IN 2016, Abhayjeet looked out at an expanse of icebergs stretching out for kilometers in front of him. He listened to them crash and melt into the sea.

He was 14 years old and experiencing the effects of climate change first hand at the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Ilulissat, Greenland, thanks to a $12,000 U.S. Embassy scholarship. Abhayjeet was the youngest of 120 students from across the world chosen to take part in the 2016 Students on Ice Arctic Expedition.

Nature is the ultimate connector of humanity. We are all a part of it and affected by it regardless of other borders that divide us. Abhayjeet has understood and felt this connection from a very young age. His family moved to Canada from India when he was 11 months old, and he still reflects fondly on his experiences in nature as a child in Canada. He particularly enjoyed spending time at Watershed park.

When Abhayjeet was six years old, he visited India and was shocked by the waste and pollution he saw there. This caused him to develop a greater appreciation for the environment and wild spaces back home in British Columbia, and instead of being discouraged, Abhayjeet was inspired to take action.

He began to educate himself about the effects of climate change and think about ways he could make changes in his own life. He started talking to teachers about recycling. Only he didn’t stop there. He began with discussions in his school and community and is now in the processes of taking the conversation to an international level.

Abhayjeet has understood since childhood, that change starts with a conversation. In elementary school he discussed issues such as climate change with his parents and teachers. He was then inspired to organize community clean-ups, fundraisers and preservation initiatives. He took a leading role in his school’s environmental club and developed a community rain garden to educate others. Through the Delta Youth Sustainability Network, he began giving presentations at local schools to connect with other students and inspire them to work collectively.

Despite the magnitude of the melting icebergs he saw on the 2016 Arctic Expedition, Abhayjeet was most inspired by the connections he made with Inuit students during the trip. He was moved by their stories on how climate change is directly affecting their way of life and contributing to the epidemic of suicide happening in Inuit communities (where suicide rates are 11 times the national average). From these interactions, Abhayjeet began to understand that climate change is not strictly environmental but also physical and social as well.

This motivated him to found the organization “Break The Divide” to connect youth from across the world and enable them to share their own stories of the role climate change plays in their lives. The organization has begun by connecting students in Delta, BC with those in Inuvik, Northwest Territories through video calls.

Abhayjeet continues to expand “Break The Divide,” giving presentations in classrooms from Delta, B.C. to India. He was the keynote speaker at the 2017 Richmond Earth Day Youth Summit.

Next, Abhayjeet would like to expand the organization internationally and encourage youth to take an active role in mitigating the effects of climate change in their communities. He is looking at France and Japan as starting points.

Abhayjeet has used his connection to nature to inspire connection between students across Canada and the world, and – as he puts it – “connection is power.” Abhayjeet would like to thank his teachers for initially giving him the confidence to take action and his friends, family, and other students for their continued support.

Highlights
* $12,000 U.S. Embassy Scholarship to take part in the 2016 Students on Ice Expedition

* Keynote speaker at the 2017 Richmond Earth Day Youth Summit (a position previously held by prominent environmentalists such as David Suzuki)

* Co-founder of “Break The Divide”, an organization dedicated to connecting youth at the international level to share their stories on the personal effects of climate change and local issues

What Trudeau will do on Tuesday in India

19 February 2018

Itinerary for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for Tuesday, February 20:

Indian Standard Time

Mumbai, India

9 a.m. The Prime Minister will meet with the Chairman of Tata Sons, Natarajan Chandrasekaran.