Syrian refugees arrive in Canada

Fwad Malik, member of a group sponsoring Syrian Families to settle in Canada, holds up a sign welcoming his charges as he waits for them to arrive at Toronto’s Pearson Airport, on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015.

As Trudeau met the military aircraft amid tight security at a special terminal, privately sponsored Syrian refugees were arriving on commercial flights at Toronto’s main terminal, greeted by sponsors and ordinary Canadians who had come to the airport to welcome the much-anticipated newcomers.

Here in Vancouver, locals are gearing up for the arrival of 3,000 refugees by the end of February next year, starting with the first few batches arriving at YVR sometime this month.

Bringing Syrian refugees to the US has become an especially contentious issue.

A Vietnamese Canadian group called Voice Canada is raising money to sponsor three Syrian refugee families.

The Syrians’ reception in Canada contrasted sharply with that of the neighboring United States, where fear of Syrian refugees following the deadly Nov 13 Paris attacks spurred opposition to allowing them entry.

When asked what they knew of Canada before their arrival, Mazen Khabbaz said: “We just think that Canada is the country of peace … we will also participate in peace, making peace”.

The first flight arrived in Toronto before midnight and another will land in Montreal on Saturday.

You are permanent residents of Canada now, with all the rights and protections and possibilities that confers.

Canadian Armed Forces flight, CFC3129, is expected to touch down around 11:15 p.m., according to the Prime Minister’s office.

November 4: The Liberal government is sworn in, repeating its plan to resettle 25,000 Syrians by the end of the year.

“Inviting them to community events would be great but even something as small as welcoming them the way you might any new neighbour, with a hello and a smile”.

“To us on the outside, [it] seemed inexcusable and unexplainable, and we welcome the fresh wind that appears to be blowing through”, she said.

Canada’s ambassador to Lebanon, Michelle Cameron, offers a teddy bear to a Syrian child at the beginning of an airlift of Syrian refugees to Canada, at the Beirut International airport December 10, 2015 in a photo provided by the Canadian military.

Kotyk added the response has been fantastic to see, especially in light of the anti-refugee rhetoric used by some politicians during the US presidential campaign.

Canada is set to welcome 25,000 refugees by the end of February.

Mr Trudeau, who swept the 19 October Canadian elections, has a different stance on refugees than his predecessor, the conservative Stephen Harper, who did not wish to resettle more people.