Canada's immigration department has revealed it maintains no records tracking how many citizenship applications from individuals with criminal histories have been approved or rejected. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada confirmed the data gap in response to a parliamentary inquiry from Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner, stating that the department cannot report on applications involving criminal records that are received, approved, or denied.
The disclosure has raised concerns following last year's arrest of Ahmed Fouad Mostafa Eldidi, who obtained citizenship in May 2024 despite alleged ties to ISIS. Between January 2019 and August 2025, Canada approved 1,820,495 of 1,859,281 citizenship applications, with only 2,530 rejections under Section 22 of the Citizenship Act, though specific criminal-related denials remain untracked.
#canada_immigration, #citizenship_records, #criminal_background_checks, #ircc, #national_security, #canadian_citizenship, #public_safety, #border_security
November 13, 2025
A significant shift in Canadian travel patterns has emerged as new research reveals a dramatic decline in cross-border trips to the United States. According to the Angus Reid Institute, only 10% of Canadians made multiple trips south in the past year, down from 19% in 2023.
The drop comes as two-thirds of Canadians call new US fingerprinting requirements for stays exceeding 29 days "invasive," while 70% express discomfort with winter travel plans.
Safety concerns, political tensions, and stricter border protocols now outweigh cost considerations, with many Canadians redirecting their travel dollars to domestic destinations or international alternatives as a gesture of national solidarity.
#canadian_travel, #us_border, #travel_restrictions, #border_security, #fingerprinting_requirements, #cross_border_travel, #tourism, #snowbirds, #travel_trends, #canada_us_relations, #border_policy, #international_travel, #border_crossings
November 11, 2025
Saskatchewan's labour market demonstrated remarkable strength in October, adding 14,000 jobs compared to the previous year—a 2.3% increase that ranks second-highest among Canadian provinces.
The province's unemployment rate dropped to 5.5%, significantly lower than the national average of 6.9%, placing it as the second-lowest in the country.
October saw record-breaking employment figures with 621,800 people working across Saskatchewan, including 514,500 in full-time positions.
Both Regina and Saskatoon experienced growth, with Regina adding 9,200 jobs and Saskatoon gaining 1,900 positions.
The healthcare and construction sectors led the expansion, contributing 7,300 and 4,400 new jobs, respectively.
#saskatchewan_employment, #job_growth, #unemployment_rate, #saskatchewan_jobs
November 11, 2025
Canada's employment landscape continued to strengthen in October 2025, adding 67,000 jobs and pushing the national employment rate to 60.8%.
This marks the second straight month of growth, with the unemployment rate dropping to 6.9%.
The gains were particularly pronounced among men aged 25 to 54 and younger workers aged 15 to 24. Wholesale and retail trade, transportation, and information sectors led the expansion, while Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador posted notable regional increases.
Average hourly wages climbed 3.5% year-over-year to $37.06, reflecting ongoing economic adjustments despite labour disruptions that affected total hours worked across several provinces.
#employment, #labour_force_survey, #job_growth, #employment_rate, #unemployment_rate, #statistics_canada
November 10, 2025
