Absolutely.
Evidence of meeting #16 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 42nd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was families.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #16 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 42nd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was families.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Founder and Co-Chair, Collingwood Syrian Sponsorship Committee
Absolutely.
Conservative
Bob Saroya Conservative Markham—Unionville, ON
You raised $90,000, and you have some places rented for these guys. Nobody has arrived yet, right?
Founder and Co-Chair, Collingwood Syrian Sponsorship Committee
The first family is arriving tomorrow. We have no idea about the next. We have two other families that we're going to bring in. We have no idea. Small-town Canada has gone out and...in Barrie, Ontario, they've leased the property. They've had it leased for three months. They have no idea when the family is coming in.
Conservative
Bob Saroya Conservative Markham—Unionville, ON
Going back to the frustration, again and again it's the same thing, and the government can't make it right from any angle and every angle.
The next question is for Paul Clarke. Among the refugees you're bringing over here, what number of people are looking for a job? How many people have found a job over the last number of years?
Sponsorship Program Officer, Action Réfugiés Montréal
Do you mean over the number of years, or of the Syrians who have recently arrived?
Sponsorship Program Officer, Action Réfugiés Montréal
For Syrian refugees, I don't have an exact number. There are some who are starting to find jobs while they're taking courses. A lot are working evenings and night shifts. Very few have found day shifts, as they're trying to take courses at the same time. Many have also gone back to school. They're taking English courses here and there, or trying to further their studies. There is still a large population that is looking for work.
Conservative
Bob Saroya Conservative Markham—Unionville, ON
If you had to pick one problem, what's the biggest problem out there that the government can help with?
Conservative
Sponsorship Program Officer, Action Réfugiés Montréal
There are plenty. As our other witness mentioned, transportation loans are a huge burden on families. It is putting them into an additionally vulnerable position upon their arrival. Right now there's a lot of injustice caused because of countries of origin, which to me is unjust and unfair. They do not choose which country they're coming from. If they're arriving in Canada, they need help no matter what their country of origin is. I hope that you can consider that.
Conservative
Bob Saroya Conservative Markham—Unionville, ON
Going back to Paul again, based on your experience, what changes would you like to see made to our current strategy and the future resettlement strategy? Do you have any recommendations?
Executive Director, Action Réfugiés Montréal
What I would say—because Action Réfugiés has been around for 20 years, and we weren't invented with the Syrian refugee crisis—is to get people out of Islamabad before six years and get people people out of Nairobi before four or five years. There is an injustice in how long people wait across the globe to have an interview with a visa officer.
Liberal
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Thank you very much. Thank you to all the witnesses.
My question first is to Mr. Alhendawi. I'm going to ask short quick questions for short quick answers.
This is your 13th month here in British Columbia?
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
You're now on the regular income assistance support from the provincial government. After you pay your rent, how much money are you left with to support your family?
Amer Alhendawi Interpretation
I am getting a welfare benefit of $1,200. If I pay the rent and then I pay the transportation costs, we as a family are left with only with $200.
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
You're paying $102 each month for the transportation loan that you owe?
Amer Alhendawi Interpretation
I pay $103 a month.
This is the least I can pay. I am supposed to pay a minimum, but this is what I can afford.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
How are you making ends meet, then, to support your family? Are you using food banks and the like?
Amer Alhendawi Interpretation
Generally, we support the family with the Canada child tax benefit. Sometimes we go to the food bank.
NDP
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
You are in arrears, are you, with your payment for your transportation loan, about $600 and some?
