Canada plans to resettle 25000 Syrian refugees by the end of February

Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, sworn in this month, made the initial pledge part of his election campaign but a wide array of critics said the goal was unrealistic.

Immigration Minister John McCallum said he spoke to Canada’s big city mayors about how they can help resettle the refugees.

Ben Lobb tells Bayshore Broadcasting News that the Liberals’ math was flawed from the outset, and the plan was unworkable.

He added that in 2016, the government will bring its refugee intake up to 25,000 and with private sponsorship the figures will total more than 25,000, although he did not put a number on it.

Most premiers from Canada’s 10 provinces and three territories also support the Trudeau government’s resettlement plan.

In times of crisis in decades past, Canada resettled refugees quickly and in large numbers.

In the last six weeks alone, Canadian authorities have managed to screen about 100 people a day in Lebanon to help the government reach its ambitious of target of getting 25,000 Syrian refugees here by the end of the year.

In an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Trudeau admitted that the Paris terror attacks had an influence on public perceptions and that his government decided it would be best to do all security checks on the ground in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey before allowing refugees to board planes to Canada.

The government plans to use chartered flights to bring the refugees to Toronto and Montreal, but could turn to military aircraft if necessary.

“I just don’t understand how anyone, any government can think that they could properly vet these people”, Medaille Homeland Security Program Director Steven MacMartin said.

Women, children and families are to get priority ahead of single men, unless they identify as LGBT or are part of a family unit.

The rise of ISIL, or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, an ultra-extremist jihadist force dedicated to the restoration of a medieval caliphate, has created even more suffering, forcing more than 830,000 refugees to flee areas of Syria and Iraq that are controlled by ISIL and its allies.

“We’re going to be doing it in a way that balances our compassionate urge also with our need to protect the safety and security of Canada”.

“Should a community group or family choose to sponsor Syrian refugees, they will be welcomed with open arms”.

The transportation costs for moving the refugees are estimated to be between $94 million and $121 million.

Ramadan hopes that Canadians can do not forget to recognize the individual stories of Syrian refugees.

Of the 25,000 refugees, 15,000 will be government-assisted and 10,000 will be privately sponsored.

The immigration process will be completed overseas.

CFB Trenton is planning to take in 1,000 refugees, and CFB Valcartier in Quebec is expected to house up to 500.

Meanwhile Bond says she appreciates what she calls the “clarity” today from the federal government on the new timeline.

What did the other parties promise during the campaign for Syrian refugees?