Tories: Plan to expedite refugees on way,
Announcement expected as Harper faces growing public pressure to act
NEW ANNAN, P.E.I.— Conservative Leader Stephen Harper, who has repeatedly said he has “already” moved to expedite the resettlement of refugees from Syria, switched tack Thursday to say his government will soon announce measures to do just that.
Under growing public pressure to act more swiftly, Harper was asked by reporters after a campaign event what specific measures he’d already taken. He said he could have more to say on that question very soon, a signal of a possible upcoming campaign announcement.
Harper was also asked if he would elaborate on the security threat he believes might be posed by Syrian refugees coming into Canada, but he refused, saying “the short answer is, ‘no.’ ” He went on to state he’d visited refugee camps in Jordan and elsewhere in the Mideast and seen the deplorable conditions and was well aware of the suffering of so many.
He told the small partisan crowd that his government had moved before the crisis hit the headlines to increase the number of Syrians resettled as refugees here.
After Harper spoke following the campaign event on Thursday, the party circulated an email to reporters with additional information they had been seeking for days.
It said, under Harper, the government eliminated the processing backlog at a refugee-application processing centre in Winnipeg. “As a result, refugee applications are now processed in real time.”
A party spokesman could not explain what the backlog was, and how long it now takes to process an application. Refugee advocates say the waits can be up to 31months or more.
The email said the government has given “applications from Syria and Iraq global priority.”
It added: “We have deployed more people to our embassies in Beirut, Amman and Ankara. Twice as many officers are now working on these files at these missions than there were12 months ago. These measures have helped bring down overall processing times by more than 50 per cent since 2012.”
The policy that governs the resettlement of refugees requires their refugee status to have been formally established by either the UN agencies or foreign governments that host refugees.
But it’s very difficult for many to provide the proper documentation of their claims to satisfy authorities.
Harper has consistently stated his approach is a three-pronged one: to increase the number of persecuted religious and ethnic minorities from the Syrian-Iraqi region; to provide humanitarian aid on the ground to agencies trying to cope with the massive migration out of Syria due to the civil war, and to stop the spread of Islamic State.
“We are going to take some measures as well to expedite the process to make sure this process moves forward more quickly and more effectively than it has to date, but at the same time in a way that protects security and also makes sure that we are prioritizing the right people,” Harper said.
The Conservative leader recorded a one-on-one interview with Zoomermedia’s Majed El-Shafie, which airs on VisionTV.
In it, Harper remained adamant that part of his approach to the crisis had to include military intervention, and again criticized his rivals for not being up to the task of fighting “jihadist terrorism.”
“This is terrorism with a motive. We have to be frank about what it is. It’s a perversion of the Islamic faith, but we have to call it what it is and be prepared to take it on.”
Asked about the many refugees from many different religions, including moderate Muslims, facing persecution, Harper suggested his policy does not ignore them.
“Our focus is on bona fide refugees and, in particular, on vulnerable religious and ethnic minorities. These are the groups that are at risk and most need our help, both Muslim minorities and non-Muslim minorities. That’s where our focus has been.”
It is unclear how many religious and ethnic minorities are being admitted as refugees. Immigration Canada spokesperson Sonia Lesage said in an email “information on religious or ethnic composition is not being aggregated.” New Democrat Leader Thomas Mulcair, who has said he wants the military to airlift Syrian refugees to bring them to Canada for resettlement, accused Harper of using security concerns as an excuse not to do more, and more quickly.
“All countries are going to have to deal with these security issues . . . . I am concerned about security, but it’s not an excuse for inaction. That’s the difference between Mr. Harper and myself,” Mulcair told reporters Thursday in Winnipeg.
The NDP has committed to resettling 10,000 Syrian refugees by the end of the year, with another 9,000 annually until 2019.
A group of Syrian Canadians, Amnesty International, the Canadian Council for Refugees, and the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers have called for the government to immediately issue Temporary Residence Permits for Syrians who have been sponsored by Canadian family members. They said it would be a quick and “effective way to ensure families are safe while their permanent resident applications are being processed inside Canada.”
They said lengthy multi-year processing delays for family sponsorships are “unacceptable and especially brutal for Syrian refugees facing dangerous conditions in Syria and neighbouring countries.
“As other countries prepare urgent and bold plans to accept more refugees, Canada can and must do more than it is currently doing.”
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau said Ottawa must respond to the calls from community groups, mayors and premiers to do more but said Harper lacks the “will” to open Canada’s doors to those who need help.
The Liberals have called on the government to accept 25,000 refugees immediately. Trudeau said that could be done by hiring more case officers, working with non-governmental organizations and taking a cue from other governments which have stepped up their response. With files from Joanna Smith in Winnipeg and Bruce Campion-Smith
“All countries are going to have to deal with these security issues . . . but it’s not an excuse for inaction.” THOMAS MULCAIR FEDERAL NDP LEADER