Canada will accept 10,000 refugees by the end of this year, and another 15,000 by the end of February.
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Among the refugees who arrived last night were Kevork Jamkossian, his wife Georgina Zires, and Madeleine, their 16-month-old daughter.
More than 30 (mostly Republican) governors have said they will not take refugees in their states-despite the fact that states probably don’t have this authority, in governor Mike Pence recently successfully diverted a family to Connecticut-and two bills meant to keep out refugees have been voted on in Congress.
Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau and a slew of other Canadian leaders welcomed more than 160 Syrian refugees Thursday at Toronto Pearson International Airport, the first big wave of refugees to arrive in Canada. After months of promises and weeks of preparation, the first Canadian government planeload of Syrian refugees landed in Toronto on Thursday, aboard a military aircraft met by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you”, Karageouzian said to his cousin repeatedly. The prime minister handed out winter coats, shook hands and welcomed the families.
“We’re not going to sleep until they get here”, she said outside a Travelodge hotel near Pearson International Airport around 2 a.m. “To each according to his ability, and we will get this national project done”.
Leaving Syria has been hard for the family, who survived multiple bombings before fleeing to Lebanon, Youssef said.
“I am reaching out to the Canadian business community to show a similar generosity to what we have seen this morning from CN”, he said. They also were screened one more time at the airport and given permanent residency documents and health cards giving them access to free health care.
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There were tears, tight embraces and beaming smiles as newly arrived Syrian refugees united Friday with the Canadians who helped bring them to the country. The bags had items added as people arrived to greet the refugees.
