The Liberal government won’t make their goal of bringing 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada by the end of the year.
On Monday, Minister of Immigration, Citizenship, and Refugees John McCallum announced 10,000 Syrian refugees will be brought to Canada by the end of the year. The rest of the promised 25,000 are expected by the end of February.
Public Safety Minister and Regina-Wascana MP Ralph Goodale detailed the screening program at the announcement. He said that security will not be compromised.
Goodale added that there will also be multiple ID checks that applicants will go through.
All refugees will have to pass the vetting process before they board a plane to Canada.
READ MORE: Canada to miss target of resettling 25,000 Syrian refugees by year’s end
Premier Brad Wall has been vocal in his opposition to having a firm date for the arrival of the refugees. In a statement, he said February may still not be enough time to ensure the secure settlement of 25,000 refugees.
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Mayor Michael Fougere said he does not know how many refugees Regina will receive or when, but he expects to know more on Wednesday.
“I think the tone and view of Regina residents and Saskatchewan residents is welcoming with open arms to help out people who were in incredibly stressful circumstances,” he said in a press conference.
At Monday’s city council meeting, a report was commissioned to look at what resources/services are available for refugees. A focus is being put on housing, volunteer and donation collection and mobilizing social services.
On the front-lines, groups like the Regina Women Immigrant Centre (RWIC) are preparing for the influx.
“It sounds a little bit more manageable I think for the 10,000 to come first,” said the Centre’s executive director Neelu Sachdev. “Especially with Christmas holidays coming and stuff because I know everyone is going to be scrambling.”
RWIC provides a wide variety of settlement services for female immigrants and refugees, including: language training, social integration courses, and employment services.
Sachdev added that they are waiting for government instruction on what is expected of them once refugees begin arriving, and have reached out to the appropriate ministries.
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