HEADLINE PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY December 1 - 15 , 2017
Statement by the Prime Minister on the launch of Christmas Lights Across Canada
Ottawa , Ontario
The Prime Minister , Justin Trudeau , today issued the following statement on the launch of Christmas Lights Across Canada , which runs every night from December 7 , 2017 , to January 7 , 2018 :
“ Tonight , thousands of holiday lights will illuminate Parliament Hill as we launch Christmas Lights Across Canada . For the next month , lights will shine in Canadian capitals from coast to coast to coast , in celebration of all that unites us .
“ Holiday traditions like this brighten cold winter days and bring family , friends , and communities together to celebrate the spirit of the season . The lights also remind us of our treasured Canadian values – peace , openness , compassion , and hope – which guide us even in times when the world seems dark . They represent the light we all bring to the world , and the power we have to shape it for the better .
“ This year , as we mark the beginning of Christmas Lights Across Canada , the 150th anniversary of Confederation draws to a close – a time for all of us to reflect on the country we have become . Canadians come from every background and culture , practice many faiths , and share both values and dreams of a better tomorrow . We are strong in our diversity , and we are a work in progress with the constant , remarkable opportunity to do better and be better .
“ On behalf of the Government of Canada , I invite all Canadians to celebrate the final weeks of Canada 150 and to think about how we want to shape our country in the decades and centuries to come . Together with our family , Sophie and I wish all those celebrating a merry Christmas .”
Federal government continues to make family reunification a priority
Processing surge puts Government on track to largely eliminate Live-in Caregiver Program backlog by end of 2018
Toronto , ON – Caregivers and their families will be reunited and the inventory of Live-in Caregiver Program ( LCP ) applications will be largely eliminated by the end of 2018 , thanks to the commitments made today by the Honourable Ahmed Hussen , Minister of Immigration , Refugees and Citizenship .
Great progress has been made on the backlog in recent years . As of October 1 , 2017 , there was a 63 % reduction in the number of caregivers and their family members waiting for their permanent residence applications to be finalized since reaching its highest level in May 2014 .
This fall , Immigration , Refugees and Citizenship Canada ( IRCC ) dedicated additional resources to process LCP applications and encourage caregivers and their family members to submit any documents that were missing from their applications . With this focus , IRCC is on track to finalize 5,000 more cases than originally planned by the end of 2017 . This surge will allow IRCC to welcome 20,000 new permanent residents in the caregiver category in total this
year , reaching the high end of the target range as set out in the 2017 levels plan .
Having taken these steps , IRCC is committing to :
Finalizing a minimum of 80 % of the cases that were in the LCP inventory as of October 1 , 2017 by the end of 2018 ;
Processing 80 % of new , complete LCP applications submitted on or after October 1 , 2017 within 12 months ; and
Admitting high numbers of LCP caregivers and their family members as permanent residents until the remaining cases are processed .
The multi-year levels plan for 2018-2020 set out targets for the number of permanent resident admissions in the caregiver category that will allow IRCC to meet these commitments .
Earlier this year , the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration recommended that the Government deliver a plan to end the backlog of Live-in Caregiver Program applications . With this plan in place , caregivers waiting for their Live-in Caregiver Program applications to be finalized should get decisions on their cases and be reunited with their families soon .( CIC )
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