Up to 2,300 Syrian refugees expected in Calgary over the next six to eight weeks

[woob]

The Current had a good segment on CBC Radio this morning about The Ripple Refugee Project. They are a group of Torontonians who have come together to sponsor a Syrian refugee family. It was interesting to hear about a group of people who came together with a common goal of sponsoring a family and their experiences so far. They also talked about some of the specifics of setting up a sponsorship, from the financial aspect, speaking to existing Syrian Canadians for culture guidance, and hearing about their family they chose.

Here's the link to the Current segment: Click

And here is a link to their blog: The Ripple Refugee Project

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I would love to see more pictures of Syrians arriving in Canada if anyone knows where to look.

At the same time, I realize that respecting their privacy is important and we don't want to be in their faces so blatantly, but seeing how happy they are in those pictures made my day.

We always talk about the numbers. I find it valuable to drive home the point that these are people, not numbers.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

We always talk about the numbers. I find it valuable to drive home the point that these are people, not numbers.

To right.


It is easy to apply numbers and de-humanize these people.


It is also easy to ignore that the people that are coming to Canada are those that have languished in refugee camps for 3-4 years. These are people that have been vetted and re-vetted.


But hey, they are brown.

[CroFlames]

The kid with the toy cop car looks pretty darn white to me....

Now what are we supposed to believe?

[Red]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

The kid with the toy cop car looks pretty darn white to me....

Now what are we supposed to believe?

Haha...and one of the guys I saw on Global had a cross on his neck....some Muslim :-)

I think that a lot of people assumed that all Syrians look like the taliban fighters and that Syria is just a dusty desert. Saw a comment from someone surprised about these people wearing real clothes...

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Red

Haha,,,,and one of the guys I saw on Global had a cross on his neck....some Muslim :-)

I think that a lot of people assumed that all Syrians look like the taliban fighters and that Syria is just a dusty desert. Saw a comment from someone surprised about these people wearing real clothes...

That's the thing, the first people to flee from a bunch of crazy Muslims, isn't Muslims.

[GirlySports]

yeah they should take some single men, especially if they are well-educated in Syria and speak English well.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

yeah they should take some single men, especially if they are well-educated in Syria and speak English well.

No luck dating lately?

(Sorry, had to.)

[undercoverbrother]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle27463376/

The federal government will miss its year-end deadline to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees into Canada by two months, welcoming them in the country only after they have undergone a full security and health screening on foreign soil.

In addition, Ottawa is only sponsoring, or covering the initial costs, for 60-per cent of the asylum seekers, despite the Liberal Party of Canada’s election pledge to bring in all 25,000 as government-assisted refugees.

The Liberal Party had promised during the last election campaign to take in all of the refugees by the end of the year, but the last of the 25,000 asylum seekers will only arrive by the end of February, federal officials said on Tuesday.

Between now and Dec. 31, Canada is only expecting to welcome 10,000 refugees, while the other 15,000 refugees will be resettled in January and February. Still, all 25,000 refugees will be identified and selected by the end of the year, federal officials said.

I wonder if this will quell the outrage?

[Looch City]

And Trudeau once again misses an election promises. These Liberals are going to ruin our great country.

[Regorium]

Do you chalk it up to a broken promise or a smart, evidence-based move?

I don't know.

I want to say broken promise, because it was clear to every single (logical) person that flying in a 747's worth of refugees every single day from election day to Dec 31 was completely stupid logistically, never mind the security issues.

But at the same time, it's a very prudent move based on reality.

I just don't want Trudeau to get credit for saying one thing during the campaign, and discrediting Harper/Mulcair's refugee plan (which were far more realistic and measured), and then get credit for "being realistic" after he's elected.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle27463376/



I wonder if this will quell the outrage?

I doubt it. The exact same people that were outraged about the promise, will now be outraged that the promise will miss the deadline.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by Regorium

Do you chalk it up to a broken promise or a smart, evidence-based move?

I don't know.

I want to say broken promise, because it was clear to every single (logical) person that flying in a 747's worth of refugees every single day from election day to Dec 31 was completely stupid logistically, never mind the security issues.

But at the same time, it's a very prudent move based on reality.

I just don't want Trudeau to get credit for saying one thing during the campaign, and discrediting Harper/Mulcair's refugee plan (which were far more realistic and measured), and then get credit for "being realistic" after he's elected.

This seems like precisely the correct response and incidentally what I was telling a newly elected MP I was talking to on the weekend. I chalk it up to a smart evidence based move that happens to break a promise, but keeping a promise when it's bad policy is not a good idea.

If new information forces one to revise one's judgment as to what should be done, then keeping to the earlier plan is idiocy.

As you note, the issue is whether the initial plan was a bad plan all along and should have been recognized as such at the time. But I'm less worried about that than getting it right in fact, provided that cynical dishonesty of that sort doesn't become a trend.

[EldrickOnIce]

It's the right way to approach it. Logistics would have been next to impossible.
This is interesting, from the link:

The government’s focus will be on admitting full families, women at risk and members of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. Single men will only be admitted if they are accompanying their parents or are identified as members of the LGBT community, federal officials said.
Orphans will only be welcomed if they have family ties in Canada.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

I get a risk-based admissions policy, but it's really quite political to identify those specific at-risk populations and not others.

[puckedoff]

^ We are only allowin' refugees who ain't gonna be sleepin' with our wimmen!

[Huntingwhale]

We've got enough single dudes in Calgary as is.

[Looch City]

Let's replace all ######bags with single Syrians.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by Regorium

I just don't want Trudeau to get credit for saying one thing during the campaign, and discrediting Harper/Mulcair's refugee plan (which were far more realistic and measured), and then get credit for "being realistic" after he's elected.

That's exactly the article we will see on cbc.ca.

[llwhiteoutll]

I don't see it as breaking an election promise. He heard what Canadians wanted, which was a more realistic timeline for multiple reasons, and actually listened. There will still be 25,000 refugees brought in by the government.

I think that this will alleviate the concerns that many had around the logistics and security of the previous timeline. Do another poll of the country in a week and I'd say that you'll find the vast majority of people are supportive. Not all the people voicing concerns were advocating closing the border, they just wanted a more realistic timeline and clarity on what's happening and I think the government has provided that in the last few days.