WINNIPEG — With some 2,000 Syrian refugees in Winnipeg the basic essentials like dishes can be hard to come by.
The Winnipeg Foundation announced it will donate $150,000 to Welcome Place to provide bedding, dishes, pots and pans to newcomers.
READ MORE: Syrian refugees prepare for school in Winnipeg
An additional $350,000 to other immigration support services.
The announcement was made Thursday but the news conference was quickly interrupted by a refugee couple.
“They will take your children,” the man shouted as Mayor Brian Bowman was at the podium.
READ MORE: Former Winnipeg hotel donates furniture to Syrian refugees
“We’re suffering for six years, we’re suffering.”
The couple was quickly surrounded by the dignitaries including Immigration Minister John McCallum.
“The two people that were here are clearly upset, they’ve been separated from their children for sometime and my staff will speak to them and see what we can do,” McCallum said.
But McCallum was in Winnipeg to show his support for the 2,000 refugees in Winnipeg.
“We in Canada can be proud…I thank all Canadians for giving such strong support.”
Rita Chahal from Welcome Place says she’s never seen the couple before but felt this wasn’t the appropriate forum to make a statement.
“We would wish they’d come talk to us in private,” Chahal said.
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