Ukrainian newcomers taught about Canadian rights, rules to protect themselves
An information session for Ukrainian newcomers about their legal rights and regulations in Canada was held at MacEwan University on Saturday.
In the last week, some 1,100 Ukrainians arrived in the country, on top of thousands more before them. According to Alberta's government, more than 26,000 Ukrainians have settled in the province since Russia invaded.
The Free Store For Ukrainian Newcomers was set up in Edmonton to help equip those arriving with basic necessities and household items – and on Saturday, important information about living in Canada, too.
The group partnered with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress in Alberta and Edmonton Police Service to put on the afternoon event, which covered the topics of personal rights and responsibilities, renting housing, rights and obligations of workers and employers, driving rules, and the police service's non-emergency line.
“We are only like six months here in Canada and would like to know more about laws and regulations, how to rent an apartment, how to drive, maybe learn some interesting new information for us,” Mila Yazvinska, who arrived in Canada with her husband in October, told CTV News Edmonton.
They were two of 41 people who participated in the free event on Saturday.
While many Ukrainian newcomers have been met with generosity in their new home, some have been "taken advantage of," according to EPS.
“We want to give them some knowledge and background in how to avoid that and if it happens, how they can come and talk to the police," Const. Amanda Trenchard explained. "But we’re hoping first that we give them the knowledge so that it doesn’t happen to them."
The groups that organized the event said it was so successful they may hold another in the future.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Marek Tkach
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
China's latest EV is a 'connected' car from smart phone and electronics maker Xiaomi
Xiaomi, a well-known maker of smart consumer electronics in China, is joining the country's booming but crowded market for electric cars.