Please note, this is not an open access database or repository. We have focused on creating simple summaries of reports and articles that we have accessed through websites and academic journals, with a focus on key findings, so that even if a full report is not free to access you can reference it. When possible, we include a link to wherever the original document is hosted (which may or may not be open-access). If you come across a link that is no longer active, please let us know and we can update it. There are also some reports that will have been submitted directly to the project. In this case, these reports are uploaded directly with permission from the author or publisher. Any original documents found on this site are stored in Canada on our secure servers
In 2001, Rie Fujii, a 23-year-old Japanese national living without legal status in Calgary, Alberta, Canada left her two infant children alone in her apartment for 10 days while visiting her out-of-town boyfriend. The children, Domenic and Gemini, died of dehydration and starvation. Charged with two counts of second-degree homicide, Fujii plead guilty to manslaughter and received an 8-year sentence. Through an analysis of the publicly available judicial documents relating to the crimes of Rie Fujii, this paper explores how the law’s individualization and medicalization of crime and violence may obscure the multiple forms of everyday and structural violence that racialized women in white settler states such as Canada experience and may perpetrate. I argue that the law’s conceptualization of crime and violence conceals and thus advances the violence endemic to white settler colonialism. In 2001, Rie Fujii, a 23-year-old Japanese national living without legal status in Calgary, Alberta, Canada left her two infant children alone in her apartment for 10 days while visiting her out-of-town boyfriend. The children, Domenic and Gemini, died of dehydration and starvation. Charged with two counts of second-degree homicide, Fujii plead guilty to manslaughter and received an 8-year sentence. Through an analysis of the publicly available judicial documents relating to the crimes of Rie Fujii, this paper explores how the law’s individualization and medicalization of crime and violence may obscure the multiple forms of everyday and structural violence that racialized women in white settler states such as Canada experience and may perpetrate. I argue that the law’s conceptualization of crime and violence conceals and thus advances the violence endemic to white settler colonialism.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
Children of newcomers to Canada are at a moderate to high risk for developing early childhood caries (ECC). The purpose of this study was to investigate the oral health of preschool children of refugee and immigrant families in Winnipeg. We recruited 211 children. Overall, 45.5% of the children had ECC and 31.8% had severe ECC (S-ECC). Infant dental enucleation was observed in 6 children. Things that we associate with severity of oral health conditions were increasing age, the presence of debris on teeth, parents believing their child has dental problems and the presence of enamel hypoplasia. Overall, ECC is prevalent in children of newcomer families in Manitoba. These data will inform advocacy efforts to improve access to dental care and tailor early childhood oral health promotion and ECC prevention activities for refugees and recent immigrants. Children of newcomers to Canada are at a moderate to high risk for developing early childhood caries (ECC). The purpose of this study was to investigate the oral health of preschool children of refugee and immigrant families in Winnipeg. We recruited 211 children. Overall, 45.5% of the children had ECC and 31.8% had severe ECC (S-ECC). Infant dental enucleation was observed in 6 children. Things that we associate with severity of oral health conditions were increasing age, the presence of debris on teeth, parents believing their child has dental problems and the presence of enamel hypoplasia. Overall, ECC is prevalent in children of newcomer families in Manitoba. These data will inform advocacy efforts to improve access to dental care and tailor early childhood oral health promotion and ECC prevention activities for refugees and recent immigrants.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
Centre for Newcomers in Calgary, Alberta hosted a conference on settlement of LGBTQ+ newcomers. Key themes from the conference include: 1) complex barriers faced by LGBTQ+ newcomers; 2) service gaps for LGBTQ+ newcomers; 3) lack of Canadian research on this topic; 4) several promising programs currently exist.
This report summarizes the key themes of the two-day conference and documents the key outcomes of the brainstorming and action planning sessions. It also provides a summative evaluation, documenting both the expectations and feedback from conference participants. Centre for Newcomers in Calgary, Alberta hosted a conference on settlement of LGBTQ+ newcomers. Key themes from the conference include: 1) complex barriers faced by LGBTQ+ newcomers; 2) service gaps for LGBTQ+ newcomers; 3) lack of Canadian research on this topic; 4) several promising programs currently exist.
This report summarizes the key themes of the two-day conference and documents the key outcomes of the brainstorming and action planning sessions. It also provides a summative evaluation, documenting both the expectations and feedback from conference participants.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
Recent statistics indicate that Alberta will continue to be a popular destination for African immigrants, however African families face parenting challenges that threaten their integration, mental health and general wellbeing. This meeting, the first of its kind in Alberta, brought together around 150 stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including African immigrant parents, service providers, policy makers and researchers across Alberta. This report is a summary of the presentations, panels and focus groups in the meeting. Recent statistics indicate that Alberta will continue to be a popular destination for African immigrants, however African families face parenting challenges that threaten their integration, mental health and general wellbeing. This meeting, the first of its kind in Alberta, brought together around 150 stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including African immigrant parents, service providers, policy makers and researchers across Alberta. This report is a summary of the presentations, panels and focus groups in the meeting.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
Skilled workers and their dependents are the largest group of economic immigrants in Canada. Their labour market integration is critical for immigrant well-being as well as host country economic productivity. However, immigrant professionals face significant barriers to workplace integration, including unfamiliarity with workplace norms and practices. Participants of this study described challenges related to workplace communication and interactions, adaptation to new workplace cultures, recognition of qualifications and experience, and professional outcomes. They identified general professional values, skills, and capacities, and communication and relationships perceived as essential for workplace integration. Strategies for supporting workplace integration included continuing learning and education, training on cultural diversity and workplace skills, professional field experience, and professional mentorship. These findings have implications for practice and policies facilitating the workplace integration of immigrant professionals in Canada, including training and mentorship approaches. Skilled workers and their dependents are the largest group of economic immigrants in Canada. Their labour market integration is critical for immigrant well-being as well as host country economic productivity. However, immigrant professionals face significant barriers to workplace integration, including unfamiliarity with workplace norms and practices. Participants of this study described challenges related to workplace communication and interactions, adaptation to new workplace cultures, recognition of qualifications and experience, and professional outcomes. They identified general professional values, skills, and capacities, and communication and relationships perceived as essential for workplace integration. Strategies for supporting workplace integration included continuing learning and education, training on cultural diversity and workplace skills, professional field experience, and professional mentorship. These findings have implications for practice and policies facilitating the workplace integration of immigrant professionals in Canada, including training and mentorship approaches.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
The purpose of this paper is to examine support needs of African refugee new parents in Canada. Separated from their traditional family and cultural supports, refugee new parents reported isolation and loneliness. They lacked support during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum and had limited interactions with people from similar cultural backgrounds. Refugees required support to access services and overcome barriers such as language, complex systems, and limited financial resources. Support preferences included emotional and information support from peers from their cultural community and culturally sensitive service providers. The purpose of this paper is to examine support needs of African refugee new parents in Canada. Separated from their traditional family and cultural supports, refugee new parents reported isolation and loneliness. They lacked support during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum and had limited interactions with people from similar cultural backgrounds. Refugees required support to access services and overcome barriers such as language, complex systems, and limited financial resources. Support preferences included emotional and information support from peers from their cultural community and culturally sensitive service providers.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
Experiences of refugees have rarely been described through the concept of resilience because of them dealing with the challenges of flight, exile, forced migration, and resettlement. Researchers were approached by eight South Sudanese refugee women resettled in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, who were interested in exploring alternative notions of resilience through reflection, dialogue, and action. Using Photovoice, a technique that employs still photography and text captions, participants of this study used aesthetic expression to deconstruct and reconstruct notions of resilience. Faith and spirituality, circles of support, and the global community were the key overarching themes describing participants’ resilience process which enabled participants to survive their past, foster support in the present and harness hope for the future. At each stage, we also identified supporting factors and threats to resiliency. In conclusion, we suggest that resettlement service providers need to foster the resiliency in their programmes. Experiences of refugees have rarely been described through the concept of resilience because of them dealing with the challenges of flight, exile, forced migration, and resettlement. Researchers were approached by eight South Sudanese refugee women resettled in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, who were interested in exploring alternative notions of resilience through reflection, dialogue, and action. Using Photovoice, a technique that employs still photography and text captions, participants of this study used aesthetic expression to deconstruct and reconstruct notions of resilience. Faith and spirituality, circles of support, and the global community were the key overarching themes describing participants’ resilience process which enabled participants to survive their past, foster support in the present and harness hope for the future. At each stage, we also identified supporting factors and threats to resiliency. In conclusion, we suggest that resettlement service providers need to foster the resiliency in their programmes.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
In this paper, I illustrate how race and class hierarchies mark Filipino temporary foreign workers as foreign ‘others’. Because public spaces are structured in gendered and racialized ways, Filipino migrants have to carefully navigate public spaces to ensure their safety and create their own spaces of belonging that give them refuge against xenophobia. I argue further that the paradoxical discourses of multicultural inclusion and economic protectionism invoke the figure of the ‘good’ migrant and the ‘bad’ migrant. These, in turn, promote contradictory actions towards migrants, whose public acceptance hinge on wildly variable and changing notions of inclusion/ exclusion and economic acceptability. These lead to the passage of inconsistent policies where migrants are read as being ‘good’ one day, and as being ‘bad’ the next. In this paper, I illustrate how race and class hierarchies mark Filipino temporary foreign workers as foreign ‘others’. Because public spaces are structured in gendered and racialized ways, Filipino migrants have to carefully navigate public spaces to ensure their safety and create their own spaces of belonging that give them refuge against xenophobia. I argue further that the paradoxical discourses of multicultural inclusion and economic protectionism invoke the figure of the ‘good’ migrant and the ‘bad’ migrant. These, in turn, promote contradictory actions towards migrants, whose public acceptance hinge on wildly variable and changing notions of inclusion/ exclusion and economic acceptability. These lead to the passage of inconsistent policies where migrants are read as being ‘good’ one day, and as being ‘bad’ the next.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
Migration is an experience of the self, a personal journey for those who leave their places of origin. The movement from one place to another carries with it material and subjective meanings. Mobility also implies change, transformation or seeming difference in its social interactions with another culture or a different social system. These changes undeniably affect one’s notion of identity and belonging. This chapter uses a feminist approach in examining selected personal case studies of Filipina immigrants in Lethbridge, a small city in southern Alberta. This chapter demonstrates how gender roles, labour migration and identity construction are interconnected. A concluding section deals with the prospect of whether these Filipina immigrants will stay or leave the city, emphasizing the best the city has to offer or not. Migration is an experience of the self, a personal journey for those who leave their places of origin. The movement from one place to another carries with it material and subjective meanings. Mobility also implies change, transformation or seeming difference in its social interactions with another culture or a different social system. These changes undeniably affect one’s notion of identity and belonging. This chapter uses a feminist approach in examining selected personal case studies of Filipina immigrants in Lethbridge, a small city in southern Alberta. This chapter demonstrates how gender roles, labour migration and identity construction are interconnected. A concluding section deals with the prospect of whether these Filipina immigrants will stay or leave the city, emphasizing the best the city has to offer or not.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
Religious groups and churches have always played, and continue to play, vital roles in the settlement and integration of newcomers to Canada. In the 1980s, several not-for-profit agencies emerged with Catholic and Mennonite roots to respond to the arrival of thousands of refugees to the province from Southeast Asia and Central America. Today, these agencies are particularly interesting as they both challenge prevailing views on secularization and the provision of public services and play an exceptionally active role in providing services to newcomers. This paper explores the interplay between the prevalence of a liberal secular ideology in Canada and the shifting identities of faith-based organizations in Alberta. Based on archival research and interviews, this paper demonstrates that it is the shifting and, often conflicting, views of staff and volunteers that have contributed to the secularization of identities in most of these agencies. Religious groups and churches have always played, and continue to play, vital roles in the settlement and integration of newcomers to Canada. In the 1980s, several not-for-profit agencies emerged with Catholic and Mennonite roots to respond to the arrival of thousands of refugees to the province from Southeast Asia and Central America. Today, these agencies are particularly interesting as they both challenge prevailing views on secularization and the provision of public services and play an exceptionally active role in providing services to newcomers. This paper explores the interplay between the prevalence of a liberal secular ideology in Canada and the shifting identities of faith-based organizations in Alberta. Based on archival research and interviews, this paper demonstrates that it is the shifting and, often conflicting, views of staff and volunteers that have contributed to the secularization of identities in most of these agencies.
This publication has no Abstract to dispaly
