Alan Kurdi: Relatives of drowned Syrian toddler receive warm welcome in Canada

(CNN)Relatives of 3-year-old Alan Kurdi, the toddler who tragically drowned off the Turkish coast earlier this year, have arrived safely in Canada as refugees.

Images of his lifeless body, face-down in the sand, sparked outcry and led millions around the world to demand countries provide a safe haven for refugees fleeing violence, such as that generated by the four-year Syrian civil war. Mohammad arrived here on Monday with his wife and their five children, Xinhua reported.

Canadian Immigration Minister John McCallum said last week that the government would likely not meet its target of receiving 10,000 Syrian refugees by January 1.

One of the older boys said he was thankful not only to the Canadian people and Canadian government, but also to government of Turkey, to which the family had first fled. “We nearly lost hope, thank you to the Canadian government and the Canadian people for making this happen”.

After the tragedy Alan’s father Abdullah Kurdi said family hoped to join his sister Tima in Canada. Tima Kurdi is opening a hair salon in Port Coquitlam, B.C., called Kurdi Hair Design, where she will work alongside Mohammed, who ran a barbershop in Syria.

“Abdullah, all of us are wishing you were with us”, said Tima breaking up in tears as she addressed her brother.

Tima and Mohammed’s three-year-old nephew, Alan Kurdi, drowned alongside his five-year-old brother and their mother while crossing the waters between Turkey and Greece in September.

Tima Kurdi said it’s important that governments around the world continue to welcome refugees.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came to power promising to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of December, 2015, but the deadline has now been pushed to the end of February.

Domestically, the images of Kurdi’s death up-ended an otherwise predictable Canadian election campaign, and knocked the incumbent Conservatives onto their heels after it was revealed that Mohammad and his family had applied for, and been denied, refugee status in Canada.

“I walked through that tunnel”, she said.

While Tima Kurdi praises Canada for its efforts, she worries already the world is beginning to forget the thousands of people still struggling to escape Syria.

The extended family of Alan reunited with his aunt, Tima Kurdi, in Vancouver upon arrival.

Mohammad, his wife Ghousoun Dakouri, and their children Hedeen, 16, Shergo, 14, Ranim, 9, Rezan, 7 and Sherwan, five months, will stay with Tima Kurdi and her family in Coquitlam. “It has meant the world to refugees and to me”.

“We’re going to make it. We’re going to work hard together”, she says, eyes flashing.