Fucking hell fuck.
At least 10 Greater Toronto immigrant service agencies have been told by Citizenship and Immigration Canada that their program funding will not be renewed next year, with up to 35 others across Ontario also facing "significant" cuts.The settlement agencies, which offer language classes, help in finding jobs and other integration programs for thousands of newcomers each year, stand to lose tens of millions in funding. In all likelihood, most of them face closing next year, as the bulk of their funding comes from Ottawa
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Ontario Immigration Minister Eric Hoskins held an emergency meeting with the management of seven of the 10 agencies Wednesday and has asked to meet with his federal counterpart to demand the decisions be reversed.
Hoskins noted the majority of the defunded organizations are ethnocultural agencies serving specific ethnic communities.
"Their specialties can't be replaced," Hoskins said. "They are upset at what they called the ‘blunt' and ‘brutal' manner the news was delivered to them, in a letter, two weeks before the holiday. None understands the justification and rationale behind it."
In total, $53 million is being cut from settlement programs across Canada, excluding Quebec. More than $43 million of that will come from Ontario, which will see its 2011 settlement funding down to $344 million.