Canada to take in 10000 more Syrian refugees
Date
3/31/2016 11:50:22 PM
(MENAFN- The Peninsula) A Syrian couple smiles after boarding a bus transferring them to the western coastal town of Kyllini from the port of Piraeus Greece 31 March 2016. According to the latest data the number of migrants and refugees who found shelter in the port of Piraeus has reached 5800. At least eight people were slightly injured late on 30 March according to the Coast Guard in clashes between Afghan and Syrian refugees at the port of Piraeus. EPA/SIMELA PANTZARTZI
TORONTO: Canada will take in an additional 10000 Syrian refugees adding to the more than 25000 already received in the last few months Immigration Minister John McCallum said on Thursday in Germany where an influx of refugees has sparked a backlash.
McCallum told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp he was responding to complaints from Canadian groups who want to sponsor Syrian refugees but did not have their applications processed quickly enough to be among the government’s initial target of 25000.
“We are doing everything we can to accommodate the very welcomed desire on the part of Canadians to sponsor refugees” McCallum said in a phone interview with CBC News from Berlin where he is meeting with the German interior minister.
The Liberal government won election in October 2015 pledging to bring in more Syrian refugees more quickly than the previous Conservative government. Private groups including church family and community organizations had lined up to sponsor Syrian families.
The welcome contrasts sharply to Europe where resettlement has sparked an anti-migrant backlash amid security fears.
While there have been some delays finding permanent housing for refugees arriving in Canada particularly in large cities like Toronto where the housing market is tight the resettlement program has been mostly smooth.
A poll released last month showed Canadians were divided over whether to accept more Syrian refugees.
A total of 26200 Syrian refugees had arrived in Canada as of March 28 according to the Immigration Department. But nearly 16000 more applications are in process or have been finalized even though the refugees have not yet arrived according to official figures.
McCallum said he has instructed bureaucrats to extend the deadline for submitting sponsorship applications to Thursday from the initial March 1 deadline which should allow the department to process the backlog.
(Reporting by Andrea Hopkins; Editing by Tom Brown)
Reuters