Of course we can do it again, so let’s get started right away

Re: Watson’s offer a faint echo of Marion Dewar and Project 4000, Sept. 3.

Reading David Reevely’s column brought both memories and questions. I first arrived in Ottawa in 1979 at the height of the boat people crisis. I, like so many others, was so inspired by thenmayor Marion Dewar’s challenge to have Ottawa residents privately sponsor 4,000 refugees fleeing Vietnam and other countries in Southeast Asia. I jumped at the chance the Citizen gave us to send in our names and addresses so we could be organized by neighbourhood and hear a Project 4000 spokesperson tell us how we could help.

At that meeting, I asked so many questions that I was recognized and elected chairman of our neighbourhood group (Lowertown/Sandy Hill) at our own first meeting together. We called our group “Rideau Refuge” (because of Rideau Street, which divided us) and we went on to sponsor four single Vietnamese women at first, plus a married couple later. One of the original four women later became my wife (she has since passed away) and the Citizen would occasionally feature followup stories on her progress as a proud Canadian.

My questions begin with the “faint echo” put-down and progress to “could Ottawa do it again?” Is it only a “faint echo” because Mayor Jim Watson only sent a letter to Immigration Minister Chris Alexander saying “Ottawa has a very strong track record of looking after the most vulnerable”? Well, yes, that is faint compared with Mayor Dewar’s bold statement that Ottawa will sponsor 4,000 refugees when she only had her gut instinct that her city would support her.

But politicians rarely make bold statements because they fear upsetting some voters. Hence Watson’s horse racing “strong track record” statement that may be good in judging the odds of a horse, but not whether it will win.

Should our mayor be as bold as was Dewar in stating a number of refugees Ottawa could sponsor privately and then ask us residents if we could do it again? Should he call for a “Project ####” campaign and could the Citizen again organize us by neighbourhoods?

If any of my Rideau Refuge group are still game then so am I; only this time you don’t have to elect me as your chairman. Alan Humphreys, Ottawa

DAVE CHAN Thu Kim Humphreys with her husband Alan at their home in Orléans in a 1999 photo. She was one of the Vietnamese refugees who came to Ottawa as part of Project 4000 back in 1979.