By: Laura Glowacki, for CBC News

The first mosque for a south-central Manitoba city has been approved after a unanimous vote by Winkler City Council.

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MANSO is introducing a new segment in our news and e-news to feature our member organizations’ current events and program updates. As an organization with over 60 members, MANSO wants to be intentional about increasing awareness of one another’s programs and services.

Neepawa and Area Immigrant Settlement Services (NAISS) has been in existence since 2008.  NAISS was funded by the Manitoba government until November 2013 when it came under the direct supervision of IRCC.

Since the last census of 2011 Neepawa’s population has grown by 27%.  This is primarily due to the efforts of Hylife foods, the largest employer in the area who recruit Temporary Foreign workers to our area who later become Permanent Residents.

The NAISS office is located in Neepawa but serves six other rural communities and eight municipalities.  Our target population is identified by criteria outlined by IRCC. We currently are not funded to provide services to Temporary Foreign Workers.

We offer LINC English language training from literacy to CLB 6.  We are able to provide a variety of Information and Orientation sessions addressing a multiplicity of areas of everyday life.  We offer Employment services as well as a strong Social and Community Connections component. We partner or network with a number of mainstream agencies and programs to enhance our service delivery capacity.  Programs are developed based on information generated from the client needs assessments and general feedback.

We try to be broad based with programs and services targeted towards eligible individuals, parents, families, pre-school children and youth.  We are intending to expand our youth program activities as well as our Employment program within the coming year.

We recently partnered with the local Regional Health Authority to provide a Healthy Eating in Canada series of workshops; including touring a grocery store, identifying healthy Canadian eating options, menu planning, and cooking with different food products – this was a huge success.

Our philosophy is integration through education, networking and effective newcomer community involvement.  Integration is a total community endeavour and we all have our role to play in making it happen.

By: Don Walmsley                                                                                                                                                            Coordinator – Neepawa and Area Immigrant Settlement Services, Inc.

By: Austin Grabish, for CBC News

United Way, Odyssey Dental Care provide first-ever visit to dentist for some newcomers from Congo and Syria.

Click on the link for full details

Government of Canada – News Release.

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By: Jill Coubrough, for CBC News

New guidelines for evaluating LGBT refugee claimants should stop inappropriate and irrelevant questioning by Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada adjudicators, people who work with asylum seekers say.

Click on the link for full details.

CIC News

A bill to change Canada’s Citizenship Act has finally been passed by the Senate with amendments, bringing the legislation closer than ever to becoming law. As a result of this bill, immigrants to Canada would be able to apply for Canadian citizenship earlier and more easily than before.

Click on the link for full details

By: John Woods, for Winnipeg Free Press

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By: Jessica Lussenhop, for BBC News, Fargo

When sizeable refugee populations from African and Muslim countries start resettling in communities that look, talk and pray nothing like them, friction and outright racism can follow. Can simple storytelling prevent that fate?

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By: Riley Laychuk, for CBC News

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CBC News

Welcome Place program matches newcomers to local hosts.

Click on the link for full details

Southeast Manitoba has a long history of migrants moving to the area. When immigration in large numbers started again in the late 1990’s, Eastman Immigrant Services (EIS) was established in an effort to assist newcomers and community with the settlement and integration process.

EIS’s office is located in Steinbach, but our services expand from Pine Falls (north) to Sprague (south) and from Falcon Lake (east) to Rosenort (west). Over the years, and as needed, EIS has operated satellite offices throughout the region, including in Grunthal, Niverville, Beausejour and Oakbank.

EIS’s staff consists of four full-time and three part-time staff, serving an average of 280 newly arrived families a year, in addition to returning clients from previous years. Our region has become very diverse, as we record about 45 different nationalities arriving per year. During Steinbach’s annual Pioneer Days Parade, EIS’s parade entry consists of over 100 flags, which are carried to represent the various nationalities in our region.

Our services are driven by a philosophy of informing, supporting, and empowering both newcomers, and the receiving communities. As such, we emphasize a collaborative approach where we work with community. Just as the old saying goes “It takes a village to raise a child”, we believe it takes a community to integrate newcomers.

Our service areas consist of settlement, employment, English At Work, a resource centre with access to computers internet and printing, integration programming and events, and a volunteer program.

While the success of every newcomer causes celebration, our biggest celebration is our Cultures in the City event, which is scheduled for June 16 -18 (Friday to Sunday). This year, our annual Cultures in the City event will have 10 food vendors providing the opportunity to sample ethnic foods from all around the world. In addition there will be a few vendors offering cultural clothing, art and other products. Our 20‘x 20’ stage, right on Main Street, will feature cultural performances and dance representing 20 different groups. It is estimated that over 10,000 visitors enjoy the cultural foods and performances per year. The sights and stories of people celebrating their cultures is not only educational, but helps build a community where everyone is welcome.

See you  at Cultures in the City!

Some photos from last year’s event:

Richard Harder

Program Director

Eastman Immigrant Services.

Immigrant Centre Manitoba has been serving Manitoba’s newcomer community since 1948. Back then we were known as the Citizenship Council of Manitoba. In 1969 we changed our name to become the International Centre and expanded our services. Fast forward 40 years later to 2009, we changed our name from the International Centre to the Immigrant Centre Manitoba Inc. and moved into our current location in a restored textile factory on Adelaide St. in the Exchange District.

Our services have changed and expanded over the years to meet the changing needs of newcomers in our community. Last fiscal year we served over 18,600 clients through eight of our departments, which includes: Pre-Arrival Centre, Intake and Referrals, Settlement Services, Employment Services, Access English Centre, Language Bank, Nutrition Services, Volunteers Services and we host the Neighbourhood Immigrant Settlement Worker Coordinator. We also partner with many other settlement agencies and mainstream organizations to increase our capacity to serve our community and to ensure that the needs of our clients are met.

Recently we started the Newcomer Employment Pilot Project to provide employment services to newcomer refugees with low levels of English. In the program we have three Employment Facilitators who provide services in the clients’ first language and we have an Employer Liaison who works with employers to hire and retain newcomers with low levels of English. Since the program’s start in February of this year, it has had a very high success rate of clients finding employment.

At the Immigrant Centre we pride ourselves on our ability to serve all newcomers who come through our doors. To do so we have made sure that we have diverse funding which ensures that all newcomers, no matter their immigration status, can be provided with services in almost all of our departments. We even have a Settlement Facilitator that can provide settlement support to non-permanent residents.

“The better the start, the better the future” is our moto at the Immigrant Centre. By helping newcomers prior to arriving in Manitoba and supporting them once they do arrive, we ensure that they have the tools to successfully settle and integrate into our community.

Some photos showing Immigrant Centre staff at work together with their clients:

*Le français suit* 

The Board and Staff of the Manitoba Association of Newcomer Serving Organizations (MANSO) are proud to announce the launch of the organization’s Strategic Plan for the next 5 years.

The strategic planning process began when 44 representatives of MANSO members and staff met on October 19th, 2016 to reflect on external trends or challenges that may impact the organization, MANSO’s vision and mission statements, and critical issues and sector gaps for MANSO to address.

A facilitated strategic planning session held on December 13th, 2016 brought together MANSO staff and the Board of Directors. With consideration of the proposed strategic issues, trends and challenges, staff and board engaged in discussions to identify goals and priorities for the organization in the coming five years, discuss the current mission and vision statements, and begin to identify strategic priorities.

MANSO’s response to the issues identified through the planning process, goals and objectives provide a roadmap for the next five years – toward achieving MANSO’s desired long-term impact.

Goal 1 – Strengthened sector capacity to respond to settlement needs

• Strengthen delivery of professional development for the sector and work towards professionalization for settlement practitioners.
• Support sharing of promising practices among service providers and enhance our ability to describe the long-term impact of the work we do.
• Promote collaborations and partnerships among MANSO members.

Goal 2 – Responses to emerging and critical issues are coordinated

• Support evidence-based research to inform policy and best practice.
• Strengthen and support processes to respond to identified settlement and integration issues.
• Strengthen intra and inter sectoral communication approaches.

Goal 3 – MANSO is a respected and recognized voice

• Strengthen sector participation at Federal, Regional, Provincial, and Municipal tables
• Strengthen and coordinate advocacy on newcomer settlement and integration needs.
• Develop a strategy for engaging in public conversations on immigration and settlement.

Based on the current MANSO mission and stakeholder feedback, the next five years will be guided by the following strategic priorities:

1. Organizational Participation
2. Responsiveness and Accountability
3. Partnerships and Collaboration

The plan was reviewed by the Board of Directors on January 19th, 2017 and adopted by the board on March 23rd, 2017. It was launched on June 12th by Board Members Marta Kalita and Jana McKee, at the 2017 AGM to over 100 MANSO members and partners.

MANSO PLAN STRATEGIQUE 2017-2022

Le personnel et le conseil d’administration de l’Association manitobaine des organismes de services aux nouveaux arrivants (MANSO, l’Association) sont fiers d’annoncer le lancement du plan stratégique de l’organisation pour les 5 prochaines années.

Afin d’éclairer la planification, 44 représentant-e-s des membres et du personnel de l’Association se réunirent le 19 octobre 2016 pour réfléchir aux tendances ou aux défis externes susceptibles d’affecter l’Association, aux énoncés de vision et de mission de l’Association, et aux problèmes critiques et aux lacunes sectorielles qu’il lui faut corriger.

À la suite de la journée de visualisation, une séance de planification stratégique animée eut lieu le 13 décembre 2016, qui réunit le personnel et le conseil d’administration de l’Association. En considérant les tendances, les défis et les enjeux stratégiques proposés, le personnel et le conseil cherchèrent à cerner pour l’organisation des objectifs et des priorités pour les cinq prochaines années, examinèrent ses énoncés de mission et de vision, et entreprirent d’identifier des priorités stratégiques.

La réaction de l’Association aux enjeux identifiés dans la démarche de planification, ses buts et ses objectifs dessinent une feuille de route pour les cinq prochaines années, visant à obtenir les résultats à long terme auxquels elle aspire.

But 1 – Renforcer la capacité du secteur afin de répondre aux besoins en établissement

• Renforcer la prestation du développement professionnel pour le secteur et travailler à la professionnalisation des praticien-ne-s en établissement.
• Soutenir l’échange de pratiques prometteuses entre fournisseurs de services et nous aider à mieux décrire l’incidence à long terme du travail que nous faisons.
• Promouvoir la collaboration et le partenariat entre les membres de l’Association.

But 2 – Coordonner les réponses aux principaux besoins émergents

• Appuyer la recherche fondée sur des données probantes pour éclairer les politiques et les pratiques exemplaires.
• Renforcer et appuyer les processus pour réagir aux problèmes connus d’établissement et d’intégration
• Raffermir les approches de communications intra- et intersectorielles.

But 3 – L’Association, une voix respectée et reconnue

• Renforcer la participation du secteur aux tables fédérales, régionales, provinciales et municipales
• Renforcer et coordonner le plaidoyer sur les besoins d’établissement et d’intégration des nouveaux arrivants.
• Élaborer une stratégie pour amorcer des conversations publiques sur l’immigration et l’établissement.

Compte tenu de la mission actuelle de l’Association et des réactions des parties prenantes, les priorités stratégiques qui voici orienteront les cinq prochaines années.

• La participation organisationnelle
• L’adaptabilité et la responsabilité
• Le partenariat et la collaboration

Le conseil d’administration étudia le plan le 19 janvier 2017 et il l’adopta le 23 mars 2017.  On élabora aussi l’ébauche d’un plan de travail pour soutenir la mise en œuvre du plan.  Il a été lancé le 12 juin par les membres du conseil d’administration, Marta Kalita et Jana McKee, à l’AGA de 2017 à plus de 100 membres et partenaires de MANSO.

MANSO hosted our Annual General Meeting on June 12^th at the Deer Lodge Community Centre. Thank you to the more than 100 representatives of our member organizations, and other friends and partners who joined us during the day.  During the AGM, we launched our 2016-17 Annual Report, and our 2017-22 Strategic Plan.

As part of our Annual General Meeting, we celebrated 10 years of umbrella organization collaboration in Manitoba.  (The first settlement umbrella, initially called Manitoba Immigrant Settlement Sector Association, later changed to Manitoba Immigrant and Refugee Settlement Sector Association was founded in 2007.  Manitoba English as an Additional Language Organizations (MEALO) was founded in 2012 and the two joined forces in 2016.)  Our umbrella has grown a lot over this 10 year history, now bringing together more than 60 organizations with a very wide range of expertise from across the province. 

Leading up to our 2017 Annual General Meeting, we asked several people who have been leaders during our 10 year history to share their memories of the early days of the organization.  Here are six stories – among many more!  

Carlos Vialard

When I was chosen by the Provincial Government to represent Manitoba SPOs at the national Settlement meetings in the mid-2000s, I really felt like the odd one out.

I struggled to speak on behalf of regional or francophone service providers and I couldn’t provide a fully-informed voice for our sector.

Everyone else had an umbrella organization behind them to help them prepare their reports. I learnt from the big agencies like OCASI, worked hard with my colleagues back home and in 2007 MIRSSA was established, a board was elected and its meetings were hosted around the Province.

Jorge Fernandez

Ten years ago we had several settlement organizations who were doing shared work but had no voice to represent us at the provincial level. 

Eight organizations (Success Skills, NEEDS, Welcome Place, Immigrant Centre, Portage la Prairie, SERC, Salvation Army and the Entry Program) united to form (then) MISSA and we enjoyed a strong level of support and collaboration among all the programs.

It is wonderful to see that same spirit of cooperation and support in MANSO and to see the strength that our combined voice brings to provincial and national tables now.


Shannon MacFarlane

When I think about 10 years of umbrella work in Manitoba I want to say that it’s been an honour and a privilege to be a part of this.  It’s not always easy to do this work because there are many barriers that we as a sector face and that newcomers face, but I have so much respect for the people we work with, and for.  Nobody works 9-5 in this sector; we’re all in it because we want to make a difference.

Laurie Sawatzky

It has been a privilege to be part of the settlement sector in Manitoba and in the good company of experienced colleagues who provide support and resources for clients and for each other. It has been a great pleasure to be part of the MIRSSA and MANSO boards for the past 6 years. 

Grace Eidse

I was President of MIRSSA when the Feds 'repatriated' settlement funding in April 2012. I remember sitting at the table for the “crisis talks” at 213 Notre Dame, furiously scribbling notes as people expressed their concerns. I was in a strong learning mode and leader mode at the same time. I called directors afterwards to make sure I understood all the issues, and wrote a formal 2-page list of our priorities and concerns to share at the National Settlement Council meeting later that month. I felt I was standing strong for the sector, while at the same time assuaging peoples' fears and willing everything to work out well. Those were exciting times! That's when I adopted the mantra, "Never waste a good crisis!"

Monika Feist

What stood out to me from those early days is that all the leaders and their staff were very passionate about the work they were doing to support immigrants and refugees. 

We realized that we needed to get together to share best practices and stand together on specific issues; we needed a united approach. 

The creation of MIRSSA was the beginning of that united approach and that valuable work continues today.


We wish to thank our board of directors, including Val Cavers (Mosaic) and Terena Caryk (University of Winnipeg, English for Specific Purposes), who completed their terms on the board for their outstanding contributions.  We welcome new board members, Grace Eidse (Altered Minds Inc.), Susan Emerson (YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg), and Miriam Turyamwijuka (Portage Learning and Literacy Centre), as well as Laurie Sawatzky (Regional Connections) who we re-elected to the board.  

We also thank our guests Dr. Lori Wilkinson (Immigration Research West / University of Manitoba), who gave an informative presentation about collaboration with researchers and Dr. Jan Stewart (University of Winnipeg) and John Smyth (Aurora Family Therapy Centre) who presented about their insights from the Harvard Refugee Trauma Program. 

At the AGM, we had the chance to hear from more of you about what MANSO means to you.  Here are a few of your reflections.  We look forward to a great year ahead.

Mosaic Newcomer Family Resource Network is a neighbourhood language learning program, and family resource network.  The agency’s aim is to provide federally funded English classes with quality childcare, along with parenting and settlement support as close to home as possible for newcomer parents. The classes and programmes help participants develop English language skills and a social network while their children socialize in a safe and educational environment.

Mosaic offers a range of family programming throughout the year and throughout the city of Winnipeg. We have adapted programmes like Positive Discipline in Everyday Parenting, and Nobody’s Perfect to be accessible for newcomers with low English levels. Our goal is to help newcomers adjust to life in Canada so that they can become active, participating members of their new community.

Many newcomer parents find parenting in Canada a daunting task. There are social and legal responsibilities that are new for them. Mosaic programmes focus on child and parent attachment. We emphasise the role that parents have as their child’s first teacher; and we honour and encourage newcomer parents to share the wealth of parenting information that they bring from their culture.

All of our family programmes are facilitated by trained and mentored newcomers. We currently have over 30 trained facilitators who can offer language support in 18 languages. We also offer programmes in first language whenever it is requested.

Our programmes are offered in a variety of community locations including in schools, churches, mosques, and community centres. We have a number of home visit programmes, bringing valuable information in to the home and reducing any barriers to access. We work in partnership with many different groups and organizations throughout the city, and respond to requests for programmes whenever, and wherever possible.

Please visit our website for more details.

Here are some pictures from our various programmes.

LINC Class in Fort Garry

Mother Goose

Family Room Drop – in

Volunteer Recognition