The Liberal government will not be able to meet its deadline to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada by the end of the year — a fact that does not sit well with residents of Toronto.
“It’s never good when your newly elected government is already not able to meet self imposed deadlines,” financial adviser Jonathan McCabe said. “I understand that they made a promise they couldn’t keep but it is not the greatest start to a new government.”
The promise to have 25,000 Syrian refugees in Canada by the years end started as a part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s election campaign. Now the government estimates it will have 10,000 in Canada by Dec. 31. For some that number just isn’t high enough.
We’ll welcome Syrian refugees as quickly as possible, while also taking the time to do it right. #WelcomeRefugees
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) November 24, 2015
“We as Canadians made a promise to those poor people suffering in Syria and we are accountable for that promise,” private nurse Linda Brown said. “A few months in Canada might seem like a short time to us but a few months in Syria could be the difference between life and death.”
The Liberal government plans to identify all 25,000 refugees before Dec. 31 and have the remaining 15,000 in Canada by the end of February.
Not everyone is in disagreement with the government on extending the timeline for welcoming refugees to Canada. Many politicians have concerns about the security and screening of the refugees into Canada and hope that the extra time will allow for a safer entry in to Canada both for the refugees and its existing citizens.
I welcome the federal government’s leadership on the vital humanitarian response to the Syrian refugee crisis. — John Tory (@JohnTory) November 24, 2015