WATCH ABOVE: Prime Minister Stephen Harper is feeling the pressure to do more for refugees trying to flee Syria. And as Jacques Bourbeau reports, the government’s system of accepting refugees is too slow.
MONTREAL – People in the city are once again gathering to rally behind those affected by the Syrian refugee crisis.
Wednesday, Montrealers from Montreal City Mission and Saint James United gathered downtown to collect signatures for a petition aimed at increasing the number of refugees brought to Canada.
READ MORE: Quebec asks Ottawa for help bringing in refugees
Reverend Arlen John Bonnar told Global News he understands only a certain number of people are allowed in the country every year, but the process is too slow.
“It’s an absolutely ridiculous process,” he said.
“What we need is for people to come in now and be processed now.”
Paula Kline, Director of Montreal City Mission believes Montrealers are compassionate people who have responded to issues like this in the past.
“We all think of ourselves as nice people,” she said.
“We are compassionate, we’re humanitarian – now is the time to show it.”
WATCH: A group of Montrealers gathered downtown to sign a petition to tell the Canadian government it’s not doing enough to welcome people whose lives have been shattered by war. Felicia Parrillo reports.
On Monday, Quebec Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil announced the province is willing to take in more Syrian refugees.
By the end of 2015, Quebec hopes to accept 3,650 Syrians, but the province’s hands are tied until Ottawa agrees to speed up the process.
READ MORE: Quebec asks Ottawa to help welcome an additional 2,450 Syrian refugees
Mariane Leaune Welt, who works as a coordinator and social worker at Just Solutions, told Global News her company has helped over 2,000 refugees come into the province.
“We just want Canada to know that we want them to open doors and make this process easier for them,” she said.
“It’s so complicated.”
Several Montrealers stopped to sign the petition Wednesday afternoon.
READ MORE: Syrian refugee queries draw jeers from Tories
“I think Canadians have big hearts,” one woman told Global News.
“We should leave our doors open for these unfortunate people who never wanted to be thrown out of their own homes.”
Organizers are hoping to gather 50,000 signatures and present the petition to the federal government.
They will also plan more gatherings over the next month.
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