PM plans to greet first arrivals
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau predicted “a great day” as he revealed that the first planeload of Syrian refugees would arrive Thursday evening at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.
A second planeload will arrive Saturday in Montreal.
“Resettling refugees demonstrates our commitment to Canadians and to the world that Canada understands that we can and must do more,” Trudeau said Wednesday in the House of Commons.
About 300 Syrian refugees sponsored by private groups such as family members and churches are expected to arrive via the two flights, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said.
They will arrive aboard Canadian military aircraft, although chartered planes will be used for future resettlement efforts.
Trudeau indicated he would be on hand to welcome the Syrians, saying the government has “invited all opposition leaders to join us in welcoming the new Canadians as they arrive at Pearson Airport (Thursday) night.”
The number of refugees arriving this week is smaller than expected, and suggests the government will require a herculean effort to reach its goal of resettling 10,000 Syrians by Dec. 31.
More than 700 Syrians will have arrived once the second flight lands Saturday at Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. But the government will have to bring in nearly 500 more each day to meet its goal.
Immigration Minister John McCallum — who announced Wednesday that the government was disbursing $3.6 million to help refugee groups in 23 communities outside Quebec get ready for the influx of refugees — said he believed resettling 10,000 Syrians by Dec. 31, and 25,000 by Feb. 29, was still possible.
McCallum said immigration officials in Beirut and Amman are processing about 800 applications a day, which he described as “a pretty good clip.”
There are about 12,000 applications being processed, while nearly 1,500 Syrians have been approved to come to Canada.
Speaking at an off-the-record briefing, immigration officials said the biggest challenge to resettling 10,000 refugees by the end of the year won’t have anything to do with the government’s efforts.
It’s that many Syrians aren’t ready when the call comes to actually begin the journey.
The officials, who could not be quoted by name, said a number of challenges have emerged, including the need for more biometric equipment as well as staff to interview applicants and process their paperwork.
The government also had a hard time securing exit visas for Syrian refugees leaving from Lebanon, while operations in Turkey are only now ramping up.