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Syrian refugees find welcome mat in Canada

All of them will be staying with her in east-end Toronto.

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, welcomes Syrian refugees arriving from Beirut at the Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, on December 11.

“This is a significant step in fulfilling our plan to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada in the coming months”, Trudeau said in a statement.

“This is a wonderful night, where we get to show not just a planeload of new Canadians what Canada is all about, we get to show the world how to open our hearts and welcome in people who are fleeing extraordinarily hard situations”, Trudeau said.

Federal Immigration Minister John McCallum says Canada is still on track to welcome 10,000 Syrian refugees by the end of the year.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a battery of politicians from across the political spectrum were on hand at the Toronto airport to greet the refugees. Another plane will arrive in Montreal on Sunday.

Canada has promised to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees by the end of the year, and 25,000 by March.

The number of irregular migrants arriving in Greece fell sharply last month, with probably fewer than 100,000 people recorded by the European Union border agency, less than half the number in October, a Frontex said yesterday. The Toronto Star reported that Jamkossian expressed his gratitude to the Canadian leader.

Buses ferrying refugees began pulling up to the hotel shortly after 3 a.m. but Youssef didn’t immediately spot her relatives. 54 percent of Canadians said they were against the government resettling Syrian refugees, while 42 percent said they support the plan.

Organizations that have raised money and support for sponsorships include churches, universities, and Syrian immigrant community groups.

Canadian groups pay the living expenses for a family’s first year at a cost of $28,000 per family.

Harjit Sajjan says seeing the children arrive and greet family and other Canadians waiting to welcome them brought back memories.

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To organize this effort, the Toronto University Lifeline Syria Challenge has asked students from four post-secondary schools in the area to act as interpreters and is offering training to those who have the necessary Arabic skills and interest. “It’s about helping them out when they’re here”.

Armenian Orthodox Priest Meghrig Parikian right hands a Christmas chocolate to Gerget Prtoyan during a service at the St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church where Syrian refugees arrived this morning in Toronto on Friday Dec. 11 2015