OTTAWA-Canada's new immigration minister says the Conservative government does not plan to restrict family reunification nor change the overall target number for newcomers. But Monte Solberg said the mix of immigrants - and the means they use to enter the country - may need to change to reflect a greater emphasis on labour shortages. "I don't think it's the overall number that's the issue," Solberg said in an interview yesterday. "I think partly maybe it's the mix. But it's also using some of the other tools that we have to address some of the problems we have - like the work visas.". Solberg is floating the idea of working with provinces and industries, especially the resource sector, to get more targeted, skilled labour into Canada on temporary work visas. "Maybe ultimately if they're here for a time and they're doing a good job, well, permanently land them," he said. Solberg, 47, has been handed one of the federal government's hot-button portfolios. The former Alberta broadcaster and finance and international affairs critic for the Reform, Canadian Alliance and Conservative parties has a new role dealing with immigration matters. He said his initial priorities are those laid out in the Conservative campaign platform: cutting the $975 landing fee; introducing new legislation to ease foreign adoptions; and creating a new federal agency to assist newcomers in getting their education and professional credentials recognized.

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It's a tale of two regions when it comes to Canada's economy, say reports which highlight the growing rift between the oilpatch and the manufacturing sector.
As Alberta's unemployment rate for January dipped to 3.5% -- its lowest in nearly 25 years -- the country's manufacturing sector experienced its largest single-month de-cline in jobs since the 1991 recession, according to Statistics Canada.
Hardest hit was Ontario, which shed 33,000 manufacturing jobs, bringing the province's total losses in that area to 93,000 since the end of 2002.

In Western Canada, Alberta and B.C. were the main beneficiaries of a 12,000 job gain in the natural resources sector last month.
Since the end of 2002, employment in Alberta's natural resources industry has jumped more than 35%, thanks to a robust oil patch.
The province also continues to lead the nation in terms of wage growth.
The average hourly wage rate rose 7.4% in January, compared to the same month last year.
That's more than double the country's average hourly wage rate increase of 3.4%.
Carl Gomez, an economist with TD Bank Financial Group, called it a "split personality" economy.

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TORONTO, Feb. 11 /CNW/ - The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has appointed Father Peter Joseph Hundt as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Toronto. Bishop-Designate Hundt will be ordained to the episcopate on a date to be announced shortly.

In response to the announcement, Bishop-Designate Hundt commented: "I am honoured to have been appointed Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Toronto by His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI. I will do my best to be worthy of this appointment and of the trust that has been placed in me."
Aloysius Cardinal Ambrozic enthusiastically welcomed the announcement: "We give thanks for the appointment of Bishop-Designate Hundt. He brings great experience to our Archdiocese, both as a Pastor and former Chancellor with the Diocese of Hamilton. No doubt he will bring wonderful gifts to our community. May God bless him as he begins his important work."

Father Hundt was born in Hanover, Ontario on August 26, 1956. Prior to ordination he studied at St. Jerome's College, University of Waterloo where he received a Bachelor of Arts (1978) and at St. Peter's Seminary, London, Ontario, where he was conferred with a Masters of Divinity from the University of Western Ontario in 1981. In 1987 he was awarded a license in Canon Law from the University of St. Thomas Aquinas, Rome. Bishop-Designate Hundt was ordained to the priesthood for the diocese of Hamilton on May 8, 1982. After priestly ordination he served as parochial vicar in the parish of St. Eugene's in Hamilton from 1982 to 1985 when he was assigned to Rome for further studies. Upon returning from Rome in 1987, he served first as Vice-Chancellor of the diocese of Hamilton for two years before becoming Chancellor in 1990, an office in which he served until 1994. Since 1994, he has been the Pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Georgetown,
Ontario.

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 TORONTO, Feb. 8 /CNW/ - The Ontario government is increasing funding to settlement and integration services to ensure new Ontarians get the help they need to succeed, Citizenship and Immigration Minister Mike Colle announced today.

"Ontario invests more than any other Canadian province in services to help newcomers settle in their communities," said Colle. "This is an investment in our newcomers. We're increasing our funding to allow agencies to serve more people."

The funding increase of $1.2 million annually to the Newcomer Settlement Program will bring annual provincial spending to about $130 million on services that help newcomers get established in their communities, find jobs and housing, learn English or French, and access community resources.

The increased investment will improve settlement services for newcomers through specialized training for front line staff in settlement agencies and will help agencies modernize their facilities and make them more welcoming.

"Newcomers bring with them vitality and innovation," said Colle. "They bring experience with every market and every culture. And they bring our future, because the more immigrants succeed, the more Ontario succeeds."

Over 125,000 newcomers arrive in Ontario each year - nearly equivalent to the population of Prince Edward Island. While Toronto remains the overwhelming destination for newcomers, surrounding municipalities have seen a large increase over the past three years. Brampton had about 60 per cent more newcomers over three years, while the increase in Mississauga was 47 per cent over the same time period.

Signed in November 2005, the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement will
see federal funding in Ontario increase by $920 million over the next five
years to help newcomers get off to a good start.


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