Pathways to Prosperity 2014 National Conference – Plenary Sessions

Pathways to Prosperity 2014 National Conference
November 24 & 25, 2014
Delta Hotel Montréal, 475 President-Kennedy Avenue, Montréal

 

Monday, November 24

Welcome and Opening Remarks
Conference Chairs: Victoria Esses and Jean McRae, Pathways to Prosperity Co-Chairs
The Honourable Kathleen Weil, Minister for Immigration, Diversity and Inclusion, Quebec [Video]

 

Regionalization and Immigration to Communities Outside of Metropolises
Chairs: Michèle Vatz-Laaroussi, Sherbrooke University, and Michael Haan, University of New Brunswick
Regionalization policies for immigration have been present in Quebec for almost 20 years and have more recently been promoted throughout Canada. What can we learn from past experiences and the research to date? This session discusses efforts ​to promote the socio-economic integration and social participation of immigrants and refugees outside the major centres in Canada, and research on the effectiveness of relevant policies and strategies.

  • Community Engagement and Settlement Services in Smaller Centres in Southern Alberta, Successes and Challenges – Fariborz Birjandian, Calgary Catholic Immigration Society  
  • Immigration in Mid-sized Cities: The Greater Moncton Immigration Strategy – Angelique Reddy-Kalala, City of Moncton
  • Housing Experiences of Immigrants in Central Okanagan Valley [Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton] – Carlos Teixeira, University of British Columbia – Okanagan
  • Immigration Regionalization: Have We Gathered the Winning Conditions? – Pascale Chanoux, Table de concertation des organismes au service des réfugiés et des immigrants du Québec

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Evaluation Strategies for Local Immigration Partnerships, Réseaux en immigration francophone, and Other Networks Designed to Support the Settlement and Integration of Newcomers

Chairs: Ümit Kiziltan, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and Victoria Esses, University of Western Ontario

This session explores strategies for evaluating the work of place-based networks designed to promote welcoming communities and the coordination of services to support the settlement and integration of immigrants, including Local Immigration Partnerships and Réseaux en immigration francophone. Given their nature as primarily planning and coordination bodies, rather than direct service deliverers, developing a set of reliable and valid performance measures for these networks is challenging, with a need to consider what processes and outcomes should be assessed.

  • CIC Settlement Program Evaluation (2016/17): Considerations for Evaluating Indirect Services – David Kurfurst and Brian Diener, Citizenship and Immigration Canada
  • Developing Performance Measurement Tools for the Local Immigration Partnerships and Réseaux en immigration francophone – Victoria Esses, University of Western Ontario
  • Made in Peterborough – Evaluation Strategies of a Small City Local Immigration Partnership – Jason Stabler, Peterborough Partnership Council on Immigrant Integration
  • Immigration Regionalization: A Job, a Life Project – Eva Lopez, Réseau des organismes de régionalisation de l’immigration du Québec (RORIQ)

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Tuesday, November 25

 Chairs: Victoria Esses and Jean McRae, Pathways to Prosperity

The Honourable Chris Alexander, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration [Video]

 

Pre-arrival Services and Information for Immigrants

Chairs: Queenie Choo, S.U.C.C.E.S.S., and Julie Drolet, University of Calgary

Pre-arrival strategies for providing settlement services and information have become an increasing focus in recent years, with the goal of facilitating faster and more efficient economic and social integration of newcomers by addressing their needs, where possible, prior to their arrival in Canada. This session discusses research and promising practices in pre-arrival services and information for immigrants, and the bridge between pre-arrival and in-Canada settlement support.

  • A Strategic Approach to Canada’s Settlement Programming: Pre- and Post-Arrival – Corinne Prince St-Amand, Citizenship and Immigration Canada
  • Canadian Immigrant Integration Program – Preparing Newcomers for Labour Market Success – Cynthia Murphy, Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan)
  • IOM and the Canadian Orientation Abroad (COA) Project – Joanie Durocher, International Organization for Migration (IOM)
  • Pre-Arrival Services and Information for Immigrants – Active Engagement & Integration Project (AEIP) – Sandra Wilking, S.U.C.C.E.S.S.
  • Orienting Live-in Caregivers: Upcoming Research on the Perceived Needs of Current and Former LCP Workers – Sara Torres, University of Montreal

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Overview of the 2014-2015 Co-investigator Led Projects

Chairs: Jean McRae, Canadian Immigrant Settlement Sector Alliance (CISSA-ACSEI), and Victoria Esses, University of Western Ontario

This session provides snapshots of the P2P co-investigator led projects to be conducted this year. These projects fall under four priority themes: Warmth of the Welcome: Economic and Social Integration of Immigrants in Canada; International Students as Future Citizens; The Role of Employers and the Private Sector in Newcomer Integration; and Regionalization and Immigration to Smaller, Non-metropolitan Communities. This is an opportunity to find out about some of the projects being conducted by the P2P this coming year, to provide feedback and suggestions, and to get involved. The following teams speak briefly about their projects:

  • Recruitment and Retention in the Atlantic Provinces – Michael Haan, University of New Brunswick, Yoko Yoshida, Dalhousie University, Carlo Lavoie, University of Prince Edward Island, and Charles Ayles, Population Growth Division, New Brunswick
  • The Recruitment and Economic, Social and Community Integration of French-speaking Newcomers to Prince Edward Island – Carlo Lavoie, University of Prince Edward Island
  • Exploring the Social and Economic Consequences of Sponsored Parent and Grandparent Migration – Yoko Yoshida, Dalhousie University, Madine VanderPlaat, Saint Mary’s University, Howard Ramos, Dalhousie University, and Gerry Mills, Immigrant Settlement & Integration Services
  • Immigrant Seniors – Caroline Andrew, University of Ottawa, Carl Nicholson, Catholic Centre for Immigrants, Houssein Charmarkeh, University of Ottawa, Yew Lee, Consultant, April Carrière, University of Ottawa, The Economic and Social Council of Ottawa-Carleton, and Ottawa’s Council on Aging
  • International Students as Future Citizens: Understanding the Relation between Universities and Cities – Chedly Belkhodja, Concordia University, Daniel Salée, Concordia University, Mireille Paquet, Concordia Univer-sity, Annick Germain, l’Institut national de recherche scientifique, Monica Heller, University of Toronto, and Patricia Lamarre, University of Montreal
  • The Practices of Regionalization Organizations and their Partners in the Area of Employment – Michèle Vatz-Laaroussi, University of Sherbrooke, Chedly Belkhodja, Concordia University, Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes immigrantes et réfugiées (TCRI), and Réseau des organismes de régionalisation de l’immigration du Québec (RORIQ)
  • The Art of Immigration – Sheila Petty, Joy Emelogu, Brahim Benbouazza, and Djemaa Maazouzi, University of Regina
  • Fostering Research Partnerships for Improved Labour Market Integration and Employment of Skilled Immigrants and Refugees in Edmonton, Calgary, and Fort McMurray – Julie Drolet, University of Calgary
  • Settlement Experiences, Housing Careers and the Regionalization of Immigration to Mid-sized Cities in the Interior of B.C. – Carlos Teixeira, University of British Columbia – Okanagan, Julie Drolet, University of Calgary
  • Immigrant Language Ability, Occupational Choice, and Employment Skill Match Quality – Herbert Schuetze, University of Victoria, Ana Ferrer, University of Waterloo, and BC Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training

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Official Language Minority Immigrants

Chairs: Chedly Beklhodja, Concordia University, and Cédric de Chardon, Citizenship and Immigration Canada

This session explores recent research and initiatives on immigration to official language minority communities. By considering both Francophone newcomers outside of Quebec and Anglophone newcomers in Quebec, both of whom are considered official language minority immigrants, participants learn more about the importance and nuances of immigration to official language minority communities in Canada.

  • Research on Immigration and Quebec’s English-Speaking Communities: An Overview – Lorraine O’Donnell, Concordia University
  • The Individual and Community-Level Determinants of Retention of Anglophone and Francophone Immigrants across Canada – Michael Haan and Jacob Travis, University of New Brunswick
  • Immigration into Anglophone Communities in Quebec’s Regions: Shared Challenges Contrasted with Francophone Communities Outside Quebec – Michèle Vatz-Laaroussi, University of Sherbrooke, Paulin Mulatris, University of Alberta – Campus Saint-Jean, and George Liboy, Saint-Anne University
  • English-speaking Immigration in Quebec and French-speaking Immigration Outside Quebec: A Brief Overview – Brigitte Chavez, Statistics Canada

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Changing Entry Pathways, Including Students, Temporary Workers, and Transition Classes

Chairs: Meyer Burstein, Pathways to Prosperity, and Herbert Schuetze, University of Victoria

This session explores themes related to the growing use and interest by newcomers to Canada in entering via pathways that accord temporary status, followed, increasingly, by a transition to permanent residence. These new entry modalities are frequently welcomed because of their salutary effect on regional migration but they also raise issues around integration and accommodation pathways, including service eligibility and availability, and impacts on local communities.

  • Selections Before the Selection: Earnings Advantages of Immigrants who were Former Skilled Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada – Feng Hou, Statistics Canada
  • Do Immigrants with Prior Canadian Exposure Perform Better than Those Without? An Analysis Using the Longitudinal Immigrant Database (IMDB) – Manish Pandey, University of Winnipeg
  • Temporary Foreign Worker Program: Recent Changes and Labour Market Factors – Steven West, Employment and Social Development Canada
  • Commentary on Temporary Foreign Worker Program and Speaker Presentations – Mario Calla, COSTI Immigrant Services

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Summing Up and Closing Remarks

Conference Chairs: Jean McRae and Victoria Esses, Pathways to Prosperity Co-Chairs

 

 

 

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