Thank you very much.
I worked with Diane Dicks from Vision Canada on the Iraqi refugee-related issues for quite a time. The Iraqi community is very active in trying to see possibilities to sponsor.
Unfortunately, until last week there was no receptive approach from the government side. But last week it suddenly changed, and we are very happy about that. Hundreds of cases were referred by UNHCR, from regions such as Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan—mostly Iraqis, but also including Palestinians from Iraq. The private sponsorship community is very open and very cooperative with the government. We are more than willing to do whatever we can to sponsor these people.
Yes, we hear about the problems, when they cut families in pieces.... But one of the strengths of the private sponsorship program is that the private sponsors can jump up and down at the CIC to see that family reunification happens. Honestly, in several cases, when we have had so-called linked cases and we know in advance that there is a family member who is elderly, or there is a person who has special needs, medical considerations, then CIC is really good at taking that into consideration.
I think that is exactly our role, that a private sponsor is there to make sure that Canada, through this wonderful resettlement program, doesn't hurt family unity. We do something good, but we need to be there.