2021 Canadian Law Blog Awards Winner

Today I Become a ‘Zero’: How Age Affects Express Entry Scores

April 2016

Today is my birthday.

I have turned 45, not a particularly noteworthy age. No one will adorn my lawn with pink flamingos. There are no Hallmark cards celebrating this event.

But for those wanting to come to Canada through the Express Entry system, 45 is the age at which you are no longer awarded any ‘points’ for your age.

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Liberals Miss Chance to Include Recognition of Treaties with Indigenous Peoples in Citizenship Act Changes

March 2016

One of the most annoying things about the previous government was its tendency to give its legislation long, bewildering, and often oxymoronic titles. The ‘Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act’ was one of the most egregious examples, since it purported to protect women by preventing them from applying to come to Canada. 

Understandably, it is a relief to see that new government’s citizenship amendment legislation is simply called ‘An Act to amend the Citizenship Act and to make consequential amendments to another Act’.

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Would you pay someone to sleep in the street?

The insanity that has become the Parent and Grandparent sponsorship program

February 2016

For the third consecutive year, the first business day of 2016 meant Canadians could once again submit sponsorship applications for their parents and grandparents.

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My 2016 Canadian Immigration Wish List

January 2016

To The Honourable John McCallum, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada,

I hope you are enjoying your new position. May I commend you on the job your department is doing by bringing the most vulnerable of the Syrian and Iraqi refugees to Canada.  I know it is taking longer than you’d hoped, but you will not hear any criticism from me. I know people who work in your department, as well as the Canadian Border Services Agency, and I am well aware of how hard your colleagues are working.

May I also applaud your decision to give a Temporary Resident Permit to Daksh Sood so that he can join his parents here in Canada. 

I have a few suggestions on what I think would be important to add to your ‘to-do list’ for 2016:

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