Canada will rise to refugee challenge
I am sure that open-hearted Canadians will rise to the challenge of welcoming the Syrian (and other) refugees fleeing for their lives. The primary objective must be to protect them in the initial phase. As a rural resident, I am very familiar with the temporary support model by which we take in storm-stayed people and families and provide food, warmth and shelter until the travellers can proceed in safety.
Of course, in this situation, the stranded travellers cannot go back there — as there is no “there” there for them anymore. So, we must be creative and compassionate — as Canadians tend to be.
Surely we could easily adapt the many empty schools and federal, provincial and municipal buildings that are not being used and awaiting disposition. As long as the buildings are sound, heated and have hygiene facilities, nothing more should be needed on a temporary basis. Even food can be prepared off-site and brought in if there is not time to build suitable cooking facilities.
Families could stay together and settlement services would have a place to process the immediate needs of these new Canadians. Another advantage of this concept is that the refugees could be dispersed across the country, including smaller centres, as many places have appropriate empty or underused buildings.
I fear that if it is necessary to have everything ready before the refugees arrive, many more of them will perish in the cold northern European winter that is rapidly approaching.
While faith imperatives may lead us to respond to this crisis, common humanity cries out for us to assist our sisters and brothers in their distress. Jane Shute Pole, Chatham, Ont. As Canada’s prime minister-designate, Justin Trudeau reiterated his promise to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada before the end of 2015. The logistics of screening, transporting and accommodating 25,000 refugees within a twomonth period is mind-boggling and will inevitably be excessively expensive, i.e., over budget. Lloyd Atkins, Vernon, B.C.