Refugees have ‘great hunger’ to settle in Canada

MONTREAL — The idea there are many refugees who don’t want to come to Canada is “crazy,” federal Immigration Minister John McCallum said in response to reports only a small percentage of Syrian refugees are interested in relocating to this country.

McCallum has just returned from visiting a refugee camp in Jordan, where he said there is “huge enthusiasm — a great hunger to come to Canada.”

He was responding to questions about comments his own immigration officials made last week, which were reported by several Canadian news organizations.

The officials reportedly said during an off-the-record briefing with reporters that fewer than five per cent of people the United Nations tried to contact wanted to come to Canada by the end of December.

McCallum suggested there might have been technical problems contacting people in camps and some refugees might want to stay out of hope the situation in Syria would improve and they could move back home.

“But there are a huge number of people who want to come,” he said.

“Look at how many went to Germany — almost a million. The idea that they don’t want to come to Canada is crazy.”

McCallum was in Montreal for a meeting with Quebec Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil and about a dozen refugee, church and community groups working on the logistics of bringing refugees to the province.

Weil would not get into details of how the province will co-ordinate the settling of the more than 2,000 refugees who are expected to arrive by plane in Montreal by the end of the year.

Quebec has set aside $29 million until the end of 2016 to settle more than 7,000 refugees.

She said the money is enough to cover foreseeable costs, adding the federal government has said it will help pay for any surprises.

“Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard spoke with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said the federal government would be there with respect to additional costs,” she said.

McCallum said that after meeting with provincial stakeholders, he is convinced “Quebec is ready,” adding 13 of the 36 Canadian cities planning to welcome refugees are in Quebec.

He also called on individuals and companies to do what they can to help the country settle the 25,000 Syrians the Liberal government has committed to welcoming by the end of February.

Ottawa says the refugee program will cost $687 million.

McCallum said CN Rail has pledged a yet-undisclosed amount of money to help settle refugees.

“We hope CN is the first of many companies who will help,” he said.