Literally. Justin Trudeau, the new Prime Minister of Canada, was there when 163 Syrian refugees touched down in Canada to start their new lives.
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In late November, the Liberals admitted they would fail to meet the target, saying they will bring in 10,000 mostly private-sponsored refugees by the year’s end and another 15,000 government-sponsored refugees by 29 February.
Joined by Immigration Minister John McCallum, Health Minister Jane Philpott and CN board member Robert Pace, Jobin said the donation reflects Canada’s history of welcoming newcomers.
Tsipras also said the government had initially been “taken by surprise” by the sheer number of migrants, “but since September there has not been a single arrival who has not been registered”.
“The feeling that I got yesterday was a very similar feeling when I arrived in Canada when I was five years old”.
The flight arrived just before midnight carrying the first of two large groups of Syrian refugees to arrive in the country by government aircraft.
Canadians have a reputation for being welcoming and the response to the refugee crisis “is just a true testament to that”, she said.
“Every week it seems clearer than the week before, but we can’t say we have absolute clarity yet”.
The flight from Jordan arrived in Toronto on Thursday.
“Everyone is excited. We will be ready”, said Lorig Garboushian-Katrjian, a coordinator at the Armenian Community Centre of Toronto, which has helped sponsor 71 refugees arriving on the first plane. “It goes beyond government to include every single Canadian, whom we are asking to come forward and contribute…” The majority will stay in Toronto, while others are heading to Columbia and Alberta, reports the Times.
Canada’s commitment reflectd the change in government after October’s election.
Canada has already resettled 3,500 Syrians since the beginning of 2014.
“This is something that we are able to do in this country because we define a Canadian not by a skin colour or a language or a religion or a background, but by a shared set of values, aspirations, hopes and dreams that not just Canadians but people around the world share”.
According to the New York Times, some conservative leaders disagreed over some of the details of the plan, but politicians and the public alike have largely supported the resettlement of Syrian refugees.
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The Karageouzians, who will live with their cousin, expect the rest of their family to arrive in Canada within the next few weeks – one son and his family coming from Lebanon and another son coming from Dubai.
