Late Jan. 12, 2016, Canada officially reached its preliminary goal of welcoming over 10,000 Syrian refugees into the country.
As part of a plan to welcome 25,000 refugees by the end of February 2016, the Canadian government has been tirelessly working with the United Nations and the International Organization for Migration to migrate and integrate these new Canadian residents.
“Many people have worked day and night to bring these refugees to Canada—and Canadians have opened their communities and their hearts to welcome them,” said Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship John McCallum, in a Jan. 13, 2016 news release. “Canada continues to set an international example with its response to the worst refugee crisis of our time.”
With the help of resettlement organizations, service providers, and private sponsorships, the Canadian government was finally able to reach a goal that had been pushed back a number of times due to poor weather and other unforeseen circumstances.
On his Twitter page, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took the time to share his appreciation for those who have pledged support for Canada’s newest immigrants.
“This week, Canada welcomed its 10,000th refugee from the Syrian crisis. My thanks to all who have worked so hard to #WelcomeRefugees,” read a Jan. 13 tweet from Prime Minister Trudeau.
The general public’s response to the incoming refugees has been warm and welcoming. Private sponsors, religious organizations, cultural groups, and other ordinary Canadians have donated time and supplies to help new refugees get settled. Donations have also been made to help new refugees find more permanent housing or employment.
However, there are small groups of citizens who continue to oppose the immigration of new refugees. Some citizens are becoming weary of whether Western countries are equipped to accommodate a mass immigration of refugees from such a culturally divergent area.
In an interview with CTV News, John McCallum assured Canadians that the situation in Canada is very different from that of Europe. McCallum told CTV News that Canada has only pledged to take in 25,000 refugees, whereas Germany and other European countries have accepted more than one million. The smaller numbers have allowed Canada to have a more in depth and careful screening policy, which has led to many successful integrations of Syrian refugees.
Newly settled Canadian Avedis, told the International Organization for Migration’s I am a Migrant campaign:
“Life in Canada promises me values I hold dear: freedom of speech and conscience, multiculturalism, social justice, and equality, just to mention a few…I can’t wait to be fully integrated in Canadian society, and am so happy I have already started.”