Canada's Response To The Syrian Refugee Crisis

Justin Trudeau’s liberal party made the moral and accurate decision to admit the Syrian refugees into Canada. This decision was based on the morals to provide safety towards innocent victims of war. This decision should be seen as morally justified by all Canadians. Although there are some practice issues that must be resolved in order to give them an equal and equitable life in Canada.

On September of 2015, the image of 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi went viral. “The toddler’s lifeless body on a Turkish beach had reverberated across the globe” (Parkinson & George-Cosh, 2015). Aylan’s family had “fled the brutal civil war in their native Syria and only attempted the boat crossing after Canada denied their application of admission as refugees. The image led to an astonishing outpouring of support for Syrian refugees” (Hein & Niazi, 2016).

On the 30th of June 2012, the government of Canada had implemented cuts to the Interin Federal Health; (IFH), which is the health insurance program for refugees in Canada. The refugees were given minimal health coverage until their refugee status was accepted as truth, thus being granted provincial coverage as every Canadian is given. Up till this change Ottawa had covered the cost of drugs, and medical care for refugee claimants until their claims had been accepted as truth. Since the beginning of Canada, immigration has played a crucial part in the growth of the economy, and Canada in general. Yet the health and social benefits they receive have become increasingly restricted. To slash health aid for individuals escaping their native countries

For various reasons, it may become necessary to leave one's home country. Many people are attracted to Canada. Some people do not leave their countries because of choice, but because of unjust persecution. Such persons are referred to as refugees. There exists an administrative body that addresses the needs and rights of refugees seeking relocation and settlement in Canada; this administrative body is called the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. Refugees very often are in desperate situations that called for cultural sensitivity and processing through legal avenues. The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada handles these duties. This paper will briefly examine this board, its decision-making process, and evaluate the efficacy of the board.

Canada has always been recognized as an accepting and “go-to” country in crisis. However, in recent years, there have been changes. Refugee legislation has become extremely strict, qualifications for refugees have become unfair, and limitations regarding what Canada offers refugees have been set.

In Margaret Wente’s article, “Syrian refugees: the romance and the reality” (Oct 1, 2016), she argues that Canadians must stop looking at the refugee crisis through rose coloured glasses and realize that there is far more to helping those living through this crisis then simply taking them out of the battleground. Wente backs her argument using data and facts as well as personal anecdotes from those providing social assistant to those in need. She hopes to bring attention to the problems Canada is facing regarding immigration and realize that simply bringing Syrians to Canada isn’t enough. While people have left the warzone coming to Canada without the ability to speak the language or support themselves will put the same pressure

Has United States or Canada been more effective with implementing and abiding by refugee rules and laws? Before discussing and comparing which of these countries had been more successful, the historical context of refugees needs to be explored. Although refugees have existed throughout the course of history, the definitions of what a refuge is had shifted and evolved over time. The League of Nations in the 1920s defined refugees “by categories, specifically in relation to their country of origin.” Up until 1950s, the League of Nations, which later became the United Nations, “established and dismantled several international institutions devoted to refugees in Europe.” After World War II, creating and facilitating solutions for refugees were of high importance internationally. This is evident in the first session of United Nations General Assembly in 1946 when it adopted the principle that no refugee who had “expressed valid objections to returning to their countries [sic] of origin ... shall be compelled to return.”

They can not only help Canada, but can help their everyday lives as well. They can help their everyday lives because by moving to Canada, they don’t need to worry about another civil war occurring suddenly and being killed. Plus, by moving to Canada, their children or descendants would be able to live a happy and promising future, instead of growing up in a community where healthcare, education, and other infrastructures have been destroyed. Furthermore, even though the government is only taking care of the refugees for one month, it doesn’t mean they can’t find a decent-living job. Even if they have problems learning the language, the Canadian government is taking care of you for one month by providing you with enough money, services and benefits for the refugees to find a job and live a better life than the refugees did in Syria. Lastly, Syrians should come to Canada because they can express what their lives were like and possibly encourage the Canada government or citizens to help rebuild Syria instead of just one family trying to do it. With more Syrian refugees coming to Canada, more new ideas could be generated and could be the first step to renovating both Syria and

Critics have said that this is unfair be¬cause not all countries are safe for all people, even if they are relatively peaceful. For example, some religious, sexual or cultural minorities may be at risk in countries that are otherwise safe for the majority. Syria is not listed under the “safe” countries list therefore it appears that Canada went above and beyond standard policy. Through research I found that the process of resettling the first 25,000 Syrian refugees had five phases. Canada worked with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to identify people in Jordan and Lebanon, where they have an extensive list of registered refugees. Following that visa offices were setup in Amman and Beirut for processing and then beginning in December 2015, many refugees flew in on government-chartered aircraft, and commercial flights. When refugees arrived in Canada, Border Services Officers processed and admitted them to Canada. This included verifying their identities when they arrived. Refugees were also screened for signs of illness when they arrived. Anyone who was ill was

I believe that only a few of us here really know what is going on with the politics and politicians. And most of us might not even really care, because we have so many other things to worry about such as; graduating, prom and where we are going next. But I am sure that everyone has heard about at least one thing that had to do with the Syrian refugees situation. And a bit more of us have heard that Canada wants to accept 25 000 Syrian refugees. How thoughtful of us, helping people who have nowhere to live, and live in pitiful situations! It is the right thing to do isn’t it? Apparently not. Saving children and women who have gone through screening processes and who have lived for four years on UN supported camps, could be DANGEROUS. Fellow classmates and Ms. Hubbard I am here to tell you that Syrian refugees should be welcome to Canada by all citizens.

Canada has always been recognized as one of the most generous and caring countries in the world, and this is mainly due to the values that Canadians hold. According to Gerald Caplan of The Globe and Mail, “Canadians know we can’t solve this crisis on our own, or even make more than a dent in it. But they also know we can make a real difference to tens of thousands of fleeing Syrians whose lives have been shattered, and they’re determined to do so.” For this reason, the civil society of Canada had and/or has encouraged its political parties in aiding and accepting Syrian refugees to help them escape their violent situation in order to make a real change in their lives. In fact, Canadians have themselves gotten involved in helping sponsor, as well as, intergrade Syrian refugees into Canadian societies. Mennonite Central Committee, who has a history of working with the refugee population and have assisted “thousands of displaced people and has been instrumental in creating and promoting to assist refugees in Canada” have themselves stated that different groups of people offered their help after the picture of Alan Kurdi surfaced. “… (the picture) bought together a diverse group; other church groups became interested in joining our work on resettlement—other faith groups, neighborhood groups, institutions of learning, and even municipalities.”

The film creates an idea that the United States of America is the one who should be held responsible for the rescue and safe return of the refugees. However, the Canadian Ambassador did an immense amount to help keep the refugees safe and see that they returned to America safely. The Canadians were the ones who offered them refuge, supplies, food, and a place to sleep for a long period of time. Ultimately, they kept them safe until the Americans could find a way to get them home. Historically, the Canadians have been seen as the ones who saved the six refugees and this film seems like it seeks to change

By making different decisions may drive Canada to a different future, as well as the Canadian citizens. Canada always has a strong sense of helping those in need around the world. Tracing back to the 1950s Hungarian refugees to Ismaili Muslim refugees in the 1970s. Canada always offers helps to different countries in the past, why are we not welcoming Syrian refugees now? In the Refugee Crisis video that Mary Jo Leddy interviewed on Context, she talked about Canada is not compassionate enough to refugees. Because of bogus refugees, several governments do not want to accept any refugees and Leddy thinks that it has blinded us, due to the fact that we are children of God, so they are our brothers and sisters. “If we imagine that God is just like us, we are missing a chance to learn that God is much more than someone just like us,” said Leddy. From “Charity: The virtue of Friendship with God” by Paul Wadell, he mentioned that how charity brings likeness to God; “To love God in charity is to become like God in goodness.” (Wadell, 74-75) We will never be the same as God, but we can become like God in goodness. By accepting and showing of care to refugees in Canada, the gift that they bring to us is the great and new hope to our country. From the hope that they placed on us summoned us to become a better people. Let Canada become the refugees’ home as well, make them feels

[in the Refugee Crisis] … and personally resettle-and essentially adopt- a refugee family.” The way that Canada has structured its system is further defined in consist of one year where “…groups would provide financial and practical support [in] subsidizing food and rend to supplying clothes to helping them learn English an finding work.” The system of integration that Canada presents is definitely appealing to the community of refugees seeking a safe space for it immense benefits. It is also likely that because of this thought that there is one country that will offer these sort of support networks, that there is also the expectation that there will also be other communities (nations) that will have the same sort of structure. The problem

A refugee is defined as an individual who has been forced to leave their country due to political or religious reasons, or due to threat of war or violence. There were 19.5 million refugees worldwide at the end of 2014, 14.4 million under the mandate of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), around 2.9 million more than in 2013. The other 5.1 million Palestinian refugees are registered with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). With the displacement of so many people, it is difficult to find countries willing to accept all the refugees. There are over 125 different countries that currently host refugees, and with this commitment comes the responsibility of ensuring these refugees have access to