Canada pledges to bring 25, 000 Syrian refugees to Canada by the end of the year

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Justin Trudeau’s new cabinet met today and one of the key items on the agenda was the pledge to bring 25 000 Syrian refugees to Canada, by the end of the year. Tomorrow, social service agencies across the country will participate in a conference call to find out how they will help the government keep its promise. One of those agencies in Hamilton already has a tentative plan, in place.

The details are murky at the moment. The vow of the liberal government to bring the refugees to Canada by the end of the year is a daunting goal and one that will challenge Wesley Urban Ministries, which will direct and co-ordinate Hamilton’s effort to resettle an unspecified number of new residents.

Typically in a year we receive just under 300, but that number is only a small fraction of those already approved, to enter the country.

“In Beirut, there’s an operation centre that there’s 700 individuals a week that they’ve been processing for a number of weeks now.”

Many of the refugees coming to Hamilton have only a hazy impression of a distant land. A land, much colder than the home they left behind. But a warm welcome will be waiting, at Pearson Airport.

“As you can tell the weather is getting colder, so they’ll go there equipped with winter coats and scarves and gloves.” said Executive Director of Wesley Urban Ministries Daljit Garry.

From there, the journey to Hamilton will take them to temporary accommodation, in a local hotel. And then, the real work begins.

“Getting income supports in place. Sin numbers. OHIP. Health assessments.”

“A lot of teaching happens. Everything is different when you’re coming from a camp, and a different country.”

And after months, sometimes years of darkness, this city represents the light at the end of the tunnel.

“We’re helping them establish a new life, create opportunities for their children, so really I think it’s creating that new beginning.”

Daljit Garry says, in the long run we will all benefit from the influx of Syrian refugees, especially from the children, who will build new jobs, provide new skills, and participate in fuelling Canada’s economy.

And well there’s no official number yet, social services agencies have been told to expect at least 7000 new arrivals, already approved and waiting in refugee camps in Europe, Jordan, and Turkey.

Here in Hamilton, anyone that wants to help in the effort to resettle the refugees here in Canada should go to the Wesley Urban Ministries website where there’s an on-line portal with everything you need to know about local efforts to help.