TONY BURMAN
Four things we learned this week from the deepening Syrian refugee crisis,
In this chaotic and confusing world, we have been reminded again of the overwhelming power of a single dramatic image.
Here in Canada, Conservative strategists privately expect the horrific photograph of little Alan Kurdi lying face down in the sand on a Turkish beach will be forgotten when Canadians go to the polls on Oct. 19. I expect they will be proven wrong. Here are four things we have learned this past week from the world’s deepening Syrian refugee crisis: 1. As Canadians, we have snapped out of our slumber.
The hidden secret in the world of international affairs is that, globally, the Canada of Stephen Harper doesn’t much matter anymore. In the 10 years of Harper’s government, the influence and respect once accorded Canada in world circles has been significantly diminished. We are now seen as selfcentred, ideological and unreliable. But the dramatic intervention by Canadians over the refugee issue indicates that era may be coming to a close.
Polls taken in the days immediately after the toddler’s photos were made public suggest a developing consensus among the majority of Canadians. They believe these people are genuine “refugees” and that Canada should do more to welcome them. 2. Harper’s policy is based on lies.
On the day after Alan Kurdi’s death became public, Harper claimed that Canada has “the most generous immigration system in the world,” which is absurd. In terms of Syria, the numbers of refugees who have been allowed into Canada have been virtually impossible to confirm, but are dismally low compared with other countries. The Conservative government has also introduced policies that favour “ethnic and religious minorities” in the Middle East, code for discriminating in favour of Christians over Muslims.
The prime minister also tried to score political points by emphasizing Canada’s military campaign against “ISIS,” or the so-called Islamic State: “We have to take a firm and military stance against ISIS and that’s what we’re doing.” But he never mentions that ISIS is responsible for only a fraction of the deaths in Syria’s civil war.
The most dangerous threat to Syrian civilians — which the Canadian government is doing nothing to combat — is the despised Syrian regime of President Bashar Assad. 3. Germany’s actions best reflect our values.
One of the most remarkable images in the refugee crisis was seen last Saturday, when hundreds of Germans greeted Syrian refugees arriving by bus from Hungary. They clapped, cheered and handed out candies to the weary families, who responded with astonished smiles.
Among all European countries, Germany has led the way. It expects to accept 800,000 asylum seekers this year. German officials say they could take in 500,000 refugees each year for “several years.” Their generosity is a reminder of Canada’s track record in past refugee crises.
Germany’s contribution is among the highest in the world. It is in the same range as neighbouring countries to Syria, such as Turkey (1.9 million refugees), Lebanon (1.1 million) and Jordan (630,000). And it puts to shame the wealthy Gulf states that have resettled no Syrian refugees, according to Human Rights Watch. 4. The world needs to end the Syrian civil war.
Above all, the Syrian civil war needs to end. But it will only end if more countries, such as Canada, pressure the world’s major powers for this to happen. Although Russia, China and Iran all have been guilty of arming the Assad regime, the U.S. has also stood by and allowed the conflict to worsen.
When President Barack Obama was elected, he was determined to pull the U.S. military out of Iraq and limit U.S. involvement in other Middle Eastern conflicts. That became an operating principle, and there have been catastrophic consequences.
The Syrian civil war has lasted now for more than four years, resulting in 250,000 deaths — not to mention the massive refugee crisis that is haunting the world.
In an ideal world, where would Syria’s refugees like to go? To Europe? To Canada? To Latin America?
No, to Syria, of course. Virtually all of the refugees interviewed in recent months have expressed the fervent wish that they be able to return to a stable, secure and peaceful Syria.
In the wake of Alan Kurdi’s needless death, Canada’s leaders need to get past their empty political posturing, and make this their country’s priority.