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CITING a backlog of more than 140,000 applications for skilled migration, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship released amendments to the system of awarding points for applications last year.

Most futurists, who spend decades modelling scenarios, agree that 70 per cent of jobs in 2050 don't even exist yet

Permanent migration is no longer particularly permanent in a fluid, globalised labour market where international graduates strategically select destinations where they will study, live and work for the medium term before moving on or home, in a pattern referred to increasingly as return or triangular migration.

Yet the censuses also show aboriginal residents still lag far behind other city dwellers. They’re more likely to be jobless or earn less money

These disparities have many native and municipal leaders calling for a new pact for Canada’s rapidly growing urban aboriginal population – such as a landmark accord initiative in Edmonton, begun six years ago, which established aboriginals as equal partners in seeking solutions.

In 2005, Edmonton and its native community created the Urban Aboriginal Accord, which aims to address native issues. A survey conducted for the accord found that four in 10 felt Edmonton was an unwelcoming and unfriendly city to aboriginals. “They’re a major part of our community, and yet they were kind of separated from our community,” said former city councillor Ron Hayter, a long-time champion of the accord’s creation.

What is a Next City™? Next Cities™ are places with the assets and amenities that attract and retain a young, educated work force. They have bustling city centers, walkable neighborhoods, diverse career opportunities, and vibrant art and music scenes. In 2008, NGC surveyed young professionals in eight cities. These interviews and focus groups with members of the next generation revealed that they choose where to live based on the following seven indexes, listed in order of importance:1. Cost of Lifestyle: Young professionals are just getting started in their careers, and affordability is key. This index includes variables in the national cost of living index, which encompasses a roof over head, food on the table, clothes on the back, and a warm bed at night. 2. Earning: High school guidance counselors tell students that they’ll have between nine and eleven careers in their lifetime. The earning index measures the diversity of employment opportunities, the percentage of jobs in the knowledge-based sector, and average household income.

3. Vitality: How “healthy” is a city? This index measures air and water quality, green space, and a city’s overall health (e.g., obesity, life expectancy, etc.). 4. After Hours: There’s more to life than work. This index counts the places to go and things to do after work and on weekends. 5. Learning: Is the city committed to high quality education for all of its citizens? This index includes measurements related to educational opportunities and expenditures, educational attainment, and accessibility of Wi-Fi hotspots. 6. Around Town: How easy is it to get to where you want to go in a city? This index measures a city’s walkability, airport activity, commute times, and mass transit opportunities. 7. Social Capital: Great talent comes in every race, creed, and color. This index accounts for how open, safe, and accessible your city is to all people. It includes measures of diversity, crime rates, and civic engagement (e.g., voter participation, volunteerism). Jane Jacobs actually coined the phrase “social capital” in The Death and Life of Great American Cities.