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Statistics Canada Begins Major Workforce Overhaul, Cutting 850 Positions

    Statistics Canada says it will be cutting around 850 of its staff along with 12 per cent of its executive team. Statistics Canada is moving ahead with a major restructuring that will see roughly 850 jobs eliminated , including a portion of its executive ranks. The agency confirmed that it has entered a formal workforce adjustment period, with affected employees set to receive notices over the next two weeks. The cuts are part of a broader federal initiative to reduce public service spending. With more than 7,200 employees as of early 2025, Statistics Canada is among several departments facing significant downsizing as the government seeks long‑term budget efficiencies. Union representatives have raised concerns about the impact on the agency’s ability to maintain the quality and timeliness of national data. Management, however, has emphasized that voluntary departures and early retirement incentives will be used where possible to ease the transition. The announcement m...

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Thousands of Syrians Begin Journey Home from Turkey

 

Hundreds of Syrian refugees gathered at the Cilvegozu and Oncupinar border crossings in southern Turkey on Monday, eagerly awaiting their return home following the fall of President Bashar Assad’s government. Many arrived at the border gates at daybreak, wrapped in blankets and coats, some even setting up makeshift fires to keep warm.

Among the crowd was 28-year-old Muhammed Zin, who fled Damascus in 2016 and has been living in Istanbul. “Assad was shooting us, killing us,” he told the Associated Press. “I will return to Syria now. Thank God, the war is over,” he said.

Seer Ali, 18, who left Damascus six years ago, expressed similar sentiments. “We are very happy, very happy. Not just me, but everyone, all of us Syrians here are very happy,” he said. “Everyone will return, no one will stay here. They will all go to their families.”

Turkish officials have not disclosed the exact number of Syrians who have returned since Assad’s downfall. Authorities have set up checkpoints to ensure only those with proper documentation can advance to the border gate. The fall of Assad has sparked widespread joy among Turkey’s three million Syrian refugees, many of whom have taken to the streets to celebrate.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated, “We will continue our efforts to ensure the safe and voluntary return of Syrians and to rebuild the country.”

As the first major wave of refugees begins their journey home, the future remains uncertain, but hope and excitement fill the air.




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