Focus Montreal introduces Montrealers to people who are shaping our community and brings their stories into focus.
It airs on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 7:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and midnight.
Take a look at who we’re meeting this week on Focus Montreal:
![Click to play video: 'Focus Montreal: James Santos'](https://i0.wp.com/media.globalnews.ca/videostatic/436/123/FOCUS_MTL_SAT_MARCH_4_2017_1_medium_16x9_848x480_890591299769.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all)
Dawson shooting survivor on pursuing his dream
One of the survivors of the Dawson College shooting over a decade ago, marked an important milestone last week.
James Santos graduated from the police academy in Nicolet, Que. on Feb. 24 and said the police intervention during the Dawson shooting was partly what moved him to follow this path.
Seventy-one people, including Santos received their diplomas at the academy’s 178th graduation ceremony.
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Santos earned a special award of excellence, awarded by the instructors to a student who shows perseverance and engagement.
Santos dropped by Focus Montreal to share his story.
![Click to play video: 'Focus Montreal: Bursaries for Refugees'](https://i1.wp.com/media.globalnews.ca/videostatic/437/599/FOCUS_MTL_SAT_MARCH_4_2017_2_medium_16x9_848x480_890587715961.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all)
Bursaries for refugees
A little over a year ago, Canada welcomed the first planeload of Syrian refugees, fleeing their war-torn country.
It was a life-changing moment for those who fled.
The language barriers and cultural differences can all be difficult hurdles for newcomers to overcome, but a crowdfunding project spearheaded by McGill’s School of Continuing Studies aims to help by allowing refugees a chance to pursue their education.
The Seeds of Change platform raises money for a wide array of worthy projects within the McGill community, but the “Bursaries for Refugees” project snowballed into a program of its own thanks to people’s interest and generosity.
Since its creation in 2015, $50,000 has been raised to give access to continuing education for as many refugees as possible.
Nabil Beitinjaneh, an advisory board member at McGill’s School of Continuing Studies and president of the Montreal Syrian Cultural Centre, joins Elysia-Bryan Baynes to talk about the “Bursaries for Refugees” project.
![Click to play video: 'Focus Montreal: Emerging Entrepreneurs'](https://i2.wp.com/media.globalnews.ca/videostatic/441/503/FOCUS_MTL_SAT_MARCH_4_2017_3_medium_16x9_848x480_890596419542.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all)
Commerce and creativity
Every year – Montreal is host to an international conference on commerce and creativity called C2.
The conference attracts some of the world’s largest business leaders and personalities.
It serves as an ideal networking opportunity.
If you’re a local entrepreneur you too could take part in the event thanks to the Claudine and Stephen Bronfman Family Foundation and the Emerging Entrepreneurs Contest.
Calls for online submissions are now underway and applicants have until Friday, March 24 to apply.
A jury of professionals will then select the winners. Each prize is worth approximately $3,800.
Business woman and philanthropist Claudine Bronfman discusses the details of the contest with Global’s Elysia Bryan-Baynes.
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