REGINA – On Monday Premier Brad Wall sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urging him to suspend the plan to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada by the end of the year.
Wall said that Saskatchewan mayors and social agencies have raised concerns about meeting that goal – from both a security and settlement perspective.
Wall’s stance was quick to draw both praise and criticism from the community.
On Tuesday afternoon dozens of people gathered at the Legislature, and spoke out against the Premier’s stance.
“I was actually really saddened, because again I know that people think for themselves but he definitely planted a seed of fear in a lot of people,” said Sofia Aman when asked about her response to the letter.
“I think Canadians said very clearly that they want to welcome those people to Canada,” said Jim Holmes. “I don’t know what our premier is doing shooting his mouth off in a pretty ill-informed and divisive way.”
“To imply at any point that refugees would have been let into the country without going through a vetting process is simply ridiculous,” said Archdeacon of St. James the Apostle Anglican Church Malcolm French.
French is familiar with the refugee experience. He sponsored an Iraqi family through the Refugee Sponsorship Program four years ago. French will also be sponsoring their extended family when they arrive in the near future.
“We’re all from somewhere else. If it’s not us it’s our immediate ancestors that came from somewhere else; most of those people fleeing conflict,” said Ward 3 Councilor Shawn Fraser while attending the rally.
Earlier on Tuesday while attending a separate event at the Legislature Regina Mayor Michael Fougere spoke to reporters about the influx of refugees.
He stated that over the weekend he had conversations with both the federal and provincial immigration ministers. He said he is ready to welcome refugees, but has some concerns about the logistics.
“Is it possible to get 25,000 people in by December 31st? It’s just a question of process. And will the local groups be able to support them and accommodate them,” he said.
A representative from the office of Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said cabinet was meeting on Tuesday afternoon to work on the details of the refugee process.
Individual amounts of refugees coming to various communities has not yet been established. However local groups are already planning for an influx of refugees.
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