July 24, 2013
Welcome to another edition of the NewBindian newsletter.
Every year, thousands of people immigrate to Canada in search of new opportunities and a better life. Today, Statistics Canada estimates that immigrants account for more than one-in-five Canadians and projects that by 2055 immigration will account for 90 percent of the country's population growth.
But figuring out how things work in a new country can be challenging, from locating new schools and communities to navigating the banking system.
NewBindian is a channel of MyBindi.com that is dedicated to the advancement of new immigrants to Canada.
If you are an internationally trained professional new to Canada, you will truly benefit from having a mentor.
Culture Link can help!
This Thursday, you can meet mentors from different fields, such as Health Care, IT and Finance and Accounting. See details below.
If you'd like to feature your event or organization, or share a valuable resource for newcomers, feel free to contact us at team@mybindi.com. We'd love to hear from you. :)
Best regards,
Syerah Virani
Editor-in-Chief & CEO MyBindi.com syerah@mybindi.com
and to never miss out on breaking news, offers and free giveaways .
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How do I access credit? New Canadians face learning curve | 
Every year, thousands of people immigrate to Canada in search of new opportunities and a better life. Today, Statistics Canada estimates that immigrants account for more than one-in-five Canadians and projects that by 2055 immigration will account for 90 percent of the country's population growth. But figuring out how things work in a new country can be challenging, from locating new schools and communities to navigating the banking system. According to a poll from TD Canada Trust, most newcomers said they did not know how to open a bank account (47%), apply for a credit card (58%) or mortgage (87%) or send money to family overseas (72%) in their first three months in Canada. The biggest surprise new Canadians encountered setting up their finances was the credit rating system (24%) and not having access to credit right away (23%). "One of the major challenges new Canadians face when they arrive is establishing a credit history so they can buy or rent a home, get a credit card, purchase a car, and even secure a mobile phone plan and insurance," said Stephen Menon, Associate Vice President of credit cards at TD Canada Trust. "But in order to build a good credit rating, you need to apply for credit, which is challenging when you are new to Canada and don't have a Canadian credit history."
Click HERE to read more. |
CultureLink: Career Mentorship - Speed Matching Session
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Attention internationally trained professionals new to Canada!
Someone is here to help you find your career path and overcome employment barriers. Come to our speed-matching sessions to choose a right Mentor!
You are going to meet mentors from different fields, such as: - Health Care
- IT
- Finance/Accounting
To participate, you must: - Be a landed immigrant or convention refugee (bring your PR card to the session)
- Be 19 years or older
- Have a job-ready level of English proficiency
Register with Tanya to obtain a number - this is a by-invitation-only event. When: Thursday, July 25, 2013
Time: 5.30pm - 8.30 pm
Location: CultureLink, 2340 Dundas Street West, Suite 301
To register and to get more information on other Career Mentoring Events, please call Tanya at 416.588.6288 ext. 210 or EMAIL her.
Refreshment will be provided. All services are free.
Click HERE for more information on Career Mentoring Events and/or CultureLink.
This event is proudly sponsored by MyBindi.com.
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CAMP: 8 Simple Steps to Increase Productivity in Your Career & Life
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Patrick Bizindavyi is a renowned radio host, author, speaker & coach. His portfolio includes: - Trademark show "Mercredi Tempo" on Radio Bonesha FM had the highest rating from 1999 to 2002
- One of the most recognized figures in the Francophone community; as a host on radio 105.4 CHOQ FM & also as Master of Ceremony for a number of events such as Black History Month, music festivals, conventions and fundraising events
- Guest speaker at TD Bank, RBC, BMO, Sun Life, Canada Post, Government ministries and many other as part of the United Way Fundraising Campaign
- For seven years he helped new immigrants to settle in Toronto and assisted them in finding jobs, housing & with the immigration process
When: Thursday, July 25, 2013
Where: The North York Civic Centre - Committee Room #4
Time: 6:15pm to 8pm
Tickets: This is a FREE event!
You're welcome to bring guests however seating is limited.
Please confirm your attendance via EMAIL. Click HERE for more information on CAMP. This event is proudly sponsored by MyBindi.com.
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India Rainbow's 28th AGM
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India Rainbow Community Services of Peel held its 28th Annual General Meeting on June 20th, which was attended by over 100 guests, members, volunteers and staff.
Sam Malvea, President, welcomed the gathering and went over the highlights of the past year. He acknowledged the excellent work being done by all, and particularly the positive feedback received from the Surveyors of CARF Canada, who had recently completed their 3 day survey as part of the accreditation process of our Seniors Services.
In his opening remarks, India Rainbow's newly appointed Executive Director, Gurpreet Malhotra, also recognized the contribution and hard work of the funders, board members, staff, volunteers, donors, and Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) members and said that he was confident that with their help and expertise, we can together make a change for the better. He later recognized the staff completing 10, 15, 20 and 25 years of service with the organization.
Click HERE to read more.
MyBindi.com is a proud alliance partner of India Rainbow.
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Hire Canada Job Fair & Training Expo
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This is a great opportunity for individuals from all levels, qualified and skilled, who are seeking new jobs, careers or are interested in upgrading their skills.
Get to meet with schools, colleges and private institutions and learn how you can upgrade your skills.
The event will feature:
- On-site Recruiters
- Resume Critiquing
- Career Coaches
- And Admissions Staff to assist throughout the Job Fair
- FREE Admission & Parking
When: Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Time: 11am to 3pm
Where: Mississauga Convention Centre
Hire Canada is a leading Job Fair & Training Expo organization. They are dedicated to assisting individuals in finding new employment and networking with admissions staff from various colleges and universities.
Click HERE for more information.
This event is proudly sponsored by MyBindi.com.
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CIBC Offers Banking Solutions for Newcomers | 
CIBC offers banking solutions for newcomers looking to establish credit history in Canada. CIBC address top newcomer challenge by offering credit cards that require no deposit, no credit history. As part of an enhanced CIBC Welcome to Canada Package, CIBC (TSX: CM) (NYSE: CM) has introduced a range of new unsecured credit card options to help new Canadians address their challenges with establishing a credit history in Canada. "New Canadians tell us that establishing a credit history in Canada can be challenging - and they are often unable to get a credit card without pledging a security deposit," said Teresa Tazumi, CIBC's Director of Cultural Business Development.
"To help them establish a financial foothold in their new home, CIBC is pleased to introduce a range of CIBC credit cards for newcomers without a deposit or credit history requirement when they hold eligible CIBC personal banking products."Click HERE to read more. |
Discover Canada Citizenship Test Guide Available as Audio eBook | 
The popular citizenship study guide, Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship, is now available as an integrated audio eBook download. "I'm pleased to launch the audio eBook version of Discover Canada just in time for Canada Day," said Minister Kenney. "This is yet another way those studying for the citizenship test can learn about Canada's history, values, symbols and important institutions." The audio eBook allows people to conveniently hear the text of the guide being read aloud as they follow along on their e-readers, smart phones and tablets. Click HERE to read more. |
Secure, Convenient 10-Year ePassport Available Now | 
Canada's new and more secure 10-year ePassport is now available to Canadians. The new, 10-year ePassport provides more convenience for Canadians, and facilitates safe, secure travel which, in turn, helps create jobs, growth and long-term prosperity for Canadians. The Canadian passport is not only a privilege of citizenship, but a reflection of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. ePassports are the international norm in travel documents. They contain technologically-advanced features, including an embedded electronic chip, to prevent fraud. Click HERE to read more. |
Minister Kenney issues statement on Ramadan | 
Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, issued the following statement recognizing the start of the month of Ramadan, which officially began when the first crescent of a new moon was sighted: "Today marks the start of Ramadan, the holy month during which the Qur'an is believed to have been revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. "This is a time of worship, reflection and contemplation for all Muslims. Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, as Muslims are also called upon to worship, pray, and read the Qur'an. Click HERE to read more. |
Is Canadian experience" requirement discriminatory?
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It's becoming less common for job listings to specify Canadian experience, but the attitude is still pervasive in Canadian companies, but is it discriminatory?
"A strict requirement for "Canadian experience" is prima facie discrimination (discrimination on its face) and can only be used in very limited circumstances," a new report from the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) said. "The onus will be on employers and regulatory bodies to show that a requirement for prior work experience in Canada is a bona fide requirement."
Click HERE to read more. |
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What's New on Bindi Blogs
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 Stand ankles to ankles with your partner and bend down into downward dog or triangle pose as it's known in kundalini yoga In this upside down position lock eyes with your partner. Hold and breath long and deep for 2 mins.
Can you stay mad in such an absurd circumstance? Doubt it That is the power of angles and triangles on the body, mind and spirit.
 Stress Less with Supplementation! I am a huge fan of Adeeva Nutritionals - a Canadian supplement company founded by Dr. James Meschino - my nutrition professor at CMCC as well under whom I studied for my fellowship in Integrative Nutrition. This month, his focus is on Stress. Here is a tidbit from his recent newsletter of what stress is and how it affects us and what supplements are clinically proven to help mitigate the effects of stress on our bodies: "It's a known fact that stress and anxiety plague 80% of Americans. Stress manifests itself psychologically and physically, with the more common symptoms being fatigue, headache, sleep disturbances, digestive upset, muscle tension, and irritability. Stress is also known to rob the body of essential vitamins and minerals. A healthy diet and smart supplementation with essential nutrients can help the body fight back. To replace your "nutrient fuel tank", look no further than your high-potency multi-vitamin. Make sure it contains adequate amounts of the following nutrients, by reviewing its ingredients with your healthcare professional.

Award-winning director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's latest motion picture BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG has been heating up the music charts this summer with three smash hit songs with music from Shankar - Ehsaan - Loy.
The Farhan Akhtar-Sonam Kapoor starrer tells the true story of India's original sports hero Olympian Milkha Singh who became known as the "Flying Sikh" thanks to his incredible 96.5% winning ratio.
Synopsis:
'Milkha Singh'- for some the name evokes a faint memory from the pages of history. All that is most remembered is that Milkha Singh, hailed as the Flying Sikh, was a famous athlete who infamously lost the penultimate race of his life.
"The one who lost the 400 meters finals at the Rome Olympics" is an involuntary response when the name Milkha Singh is mentioned. Click HERE to read more.
Are there any stories left to tell about India's most fascinating city?
Yes, most definitely yes, says Veena Gokhale, author of Bombay Wali and other stories, recently released by Canadian publisher Guernica Editions.
Bombay, like New York, Paris, London and other world cities, is teeming with tantalizing tales!
"Six of the 12 stories in my book reflect the slum-speckled, City of Gold I knew in the 1980s," says Gokhale.
"I was a college student and then a journalist in Bombay, and it had not been renamed Mumbai then.
I wrote the stories in Toronto nearly 10 years later. I was doing my Masters at York University and the stories started tumbling out.
"The first, Reveries of a Riot, was in response to a very tense period of communal violence in Bombay in the early 1990s. Others followed."
Says reviewer Heather Leighton about the book in The Rover, an independent review of art and culture:
"While her stories impart a genuine taste and flavour of India familiar to Indophiles, there is a definite departure from tradition in this collection, giving the reader a sense that considerable change is in the air... "Bombay Wali" is a welcome shift from the traditional portrayal of Indian women."
"My stories are both character and plot driven," says Gokhale. "The hero or heroine are intimately drawn, and I describe the people, relationships and issues in their life with as much depth as a short story allows!
The themes and emotions tackled are universal - friendship and resentment, family ties and freedom, despair and acceptance, ambition and uncertainty, growing up and growing old.There is a touch of humour and one reader told me that I create suspense. Some of the stories have an informal, playful vibe; others are more serious."
The characters reflect the diversity typical of urban, contemporary India and come from different language, caste, class and age groups.
So there is Dilip, a dalit (lower caste) student who comes to Bombay from a small village to attend university on a government scholarship, and Munni, a little servant girl.
Feroza is a middle-aged Parsi woman, a university professor who is the primary caregiver for her aging ...
Click HERE to read more.
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