Majority of Canadians not afraid of refugees, immigrants

Re Love letters to Ontario in 150 words, Feb. 22

The love letters to Ontario published in the Star were all wonderful, but Janice Stein’s experience on the subway with the Syrian refugee brought tears to my eyes.

She was on the train with a young man she had just met when suddenly the subway stopped and the lights went out. He began to tremble and explained how it brought back memories of his experience in a basement in Aleppo during a bombardment. Ms. Stein took his hand and reassured him that he was safe in Toronto.

How proud I am that I am a citizen of this city who can give that kind of security to an individual who carries with him the scars of warfare from his home country. How proud I am of the humanity and empathy that Ms. Stein has shown to this one young man!

I believe the majority of Torontonians, Ontarians and Canadians feel the same way.

We are not afraid of refugees and immigrants. But we do fear those who protest their arrival, those whose hatred is generated by and given licence by some politicians whose only aim is electoral success. Stephen Bloom, Toronto