Ex-slaves in Libya coming to Canada

MIKE BLANCHFIELD AND STEPHEN COOK

More than a year after the United Nations asked countries to take in refugees living in slavery in Libya, Canada has begun resettling hundreds of them, the UN and the federal government said Wednesday.

Canada was one of the few countries to respond to a request from the United Nations refugee agency in December 2017 to take the refugees who were living in detention centres in Libya, said Michael Casasola, the head of resettlement for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Ottawa.

“It can take some time for the countries to do their selection because it was a voluntary act. So they want to screen. They go through their usual selection processes,” Casasola said. “That can take time.”

More than 150 people have been resettled and another 600 more are expected over the next two years through the regular refugee settlement program, Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen said Wednesday.

Canada is also planning to take in 100 refugees from Niger who were rescued from Libyan migrant detention centres, including victims of human smuggling, he added.

That was also helpful because Niger has been pressuring the UN to find new homes for the refugees it has taken in, Casasola said.

Hussen revealed the resettlement plan on Monday night at an event in Ottawa to celebrate Black History Month.