CBC News reported on Sunday, the federal government will limit the resettlement of 25,000 refugees by year’s end to women, children and families only.
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As many as 900 to 1,000 per day will land at airports in Toronto and Montreal for the next few weeks, arriving on flights arranged by Ottawa. However, The Canadian Press is said to have obtained a government document which shows that the resettlement plan is being pegged at a cost of 1.2 billion over the next six years.
Immigration Minister John McCallum said he spoke to Canada’s big city mayors about how they can help resettle the refugees.
Canada is set to reveal details of their resettlement plan Tuesday.
Security was always a major factor and even before the November 13 attacks in France, planners had been looking at ways to mitigate concerns, including a focus on women, children and those who might already have ties to Canada.
“I urge other countries to follow Canada’s lead, galvanise their resources, and dramatically increase the number of Syrians who are able to rebuild their lives in safe countries without having to take perilous journeys”, said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres in a statement.
“While security concerns remain of vital importance, will a young man who lost both parents be excluded from Canada’s refugee program?” he asked.
Trudeau’s government has sought to reassure the White House over its plans, as President Barack Obama faces a barrage of opposition to his own scheme to resettle 10,000 refugees in the coming year.
Health Minister Jane Philpott, however, said the leaked information was “outdated and not expected to be accurate”.
But after Islamic militants claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks, the political pressure for airtight security screening of refugees took on new impetus and was one of the reasons a planned rollout of the program last week was delayed, sources said.
The previous government came under fire for prioritizing refugees by “the most vulnerable”, which critics saw as code for excluding Muslims – an accusation the Conservatives repeatedly rejected.
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“They’re not fleeing poverty; they’re fleeing war”, he said.
