Canada will bring in 10,000 Syrian refugees by the end of December 2015, instead of the 25,000 people the Liberal government had pledged to resettle, the government announced Monday.
They will include a mix of privately sponsored and government-assisted refugees, said Health Minister Jane Philpott, chair of the ad hoc government committee on Syrian refugee resettlement.
The remaining 15,000 Syrians, mostly government-assisted refugees, will arrive in Canada in January and February of 2016, said Philpott.
“Our plan to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada will meet the commitment of a quick and successful resettlement while meeting the needs for security and health,” said Philpott. “Full medical exams and security screening will be completed overseas prior to arrival in Canada.”
Further screening for communicable diseases will be done upon arrival in Canada as is the usual process for all travelers to Canada, she said.
“As these refugees begin their new life and their participation in Canada most refugees will be resettled in their new host communities directly upon arrival,” Philpott said. “If necessary, the federal government will make interim housing arrangements to refugees while they make their way to more permanent lodging.”
Delay to ‘get it right’
Resettlement and integration supports will cost an estimated $678 million over six years.
“Yes, there is a short-term cost but there is also a big long-term gain for Canada,” said Immigration Minister John McCallum.
McCallum said the Liberal government is delaying its plan for the resettlement of Syrian refugees because it “wants to do it right.”
“Because when we welcome our newcomer friends with a smile, a smile alone is not sufficient,” said McCallum. “We want them to have a roof over their head, we want them to have the right supports for language training and for all the other things that they need to begin their life here in Canada.”
McCallum said he has been in constant contact with provincial and territorial immigration ministers to work out the details of resettlement. Canada is also working with the governments of Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan – the countries that have taken the bulk of over 4 million Syrian refugees – to expedite the process, McCallum said.
The military to assist with screening
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said the Canadian Armed Forces are ready to deploy military personnel overseas to assist Canadian immigration officials with the screening and processing of Syrian refugees prior to their flights to Canada.
“We will be assisting with medical screening and with the processing of applications, including assistance with collection of biometrics,” Sajjan said.
Also the Royal Canadian Air Force is preparing to provide transport of refugees to Canada every 48 hours, Sajjan said.
“Finally, we remain prepared to provide temporary lodging for up to 6,000 Syrian refugees at military bases in Ontario and Quebec, and more if necessary,” Sajjan said.
Security is top priority
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said security has always been on the government’s priority list. He said the government has a robust multilayered approach to designed by immigration officials, the military, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Syrian refugees will have to undergo thorough, professional, one-on-one interviews, submit their biometric data, which will then be checked against Canadian and U.S. databases, Goodale said.
“Before anyone gets on a plane to come to Canada, the security screening will be fully completed overseas,” said Goodale, referring to concerns expressed by critics, especially after the deadly Paris attacks, that in the rush to fulfil their promise to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees the Liberal government was compromising security screening.
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