Evidence of meeting #20 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 support.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:20 p.m.
Liberal
12:20 p.m.
Liberal
Darshan Singh Kang Liberal Calgary Skyview, AB
Thank you.
First of all, I'd like to congratulate both Calgary school boards for the work you have accomplished in welcoming the Syrian refugee students. I have heard from teachers in my riding of Calgary Skyview, who have outlined some of the challenges they face when working in a classroom where a new student shows up without support from home.
Can you outline some of the unexpected challenges you have had to address from the parents of these children, challenges that the government may be unaware of, such as, for example, scheduling, help with homework, and ensuring lunches are packed? That is my first question.
12:20 p.m.
Supervisor, Diverse Learning, Calgary Catholic School District
We have a multicultural team that supports families and students with cultural adaptation. We recognize that many of the families are not in a position to support or understand how to support students coming in to school within the Canadian system.
Through our multicultural support, we provide teams that go in, and we provide sessions that allow the families to integrate into the school system and learn about the various supports that are available. I believe that including them and encouraging them to come into the school system makes them feel more adequate and better prepared. They feel more involved and more integrated within the system.
Many other agencies we work with also support families that are not prepared or not able to support their families adequately. We utilize those organizations as well. The CBE mentioned the Calgary Bridge Foundation. We also work with the Calgary Immigrant Women's Association. All of these organizations help to support those families with those needs.
12:25 p.m.
Liberal
Darshan Singh Kang Liberal Calgary Skyview, AB
My next question is about all those organizations that have done a great job in helping to settle the Syrian refugees in Calgary. Am I correct? In your opinion, have all those agencies been doing a wonderful job?
12:25 p.m.
Supervisor, Diverse Learning, Calgary Catholic School District
Yes. I do believe that. I believe the CBE feels the same way.
12:25 p.m.
A voice
Absolutely, that's correct.
12:25 p.m.
Liberal
Darshan Singh Kang Liberal Calgary Skyview, AB
We are told that the area of education funding and support is mostly the focus of the provincial government. We know that. We've heard that.
Also, now we know that what we plan to do can be very different from what we have to do. My question is, while trying to make your program successful, what are the challenges you uncovered that might have been overlooked or unaccounted for by the provincial and federal government funding agreements? Also, what are your top three recommendations to make sure that we succeed in this?
12:25 p.m.
Chair, School District 19, Calgary Board of Education
For us, this is an exceptional circumstance, where we had an influx of a large number of Syrian refugee students from one country at a targeted, specific time. We needed to rally support for those students in a specialized setting to ensure that they could transition from their home country to Canada and to our school district, and be successful. That is the greatest challenge we are facing.
When we receive a few students here and there, we can accommodate and assimilate them into our district. When we receive a large number in a very short period of time that we are required to support, that puts tremendous strain on our system. What we are requesting is for the provincial government and the federal government to work together to ensure that, if we are going to do this again, there is a coordinated effort to work directly with the school boards that are educating those students each and every day.
We are also requesting for the federal and the provincial governments to work with us now to help and support us by reimbursing us for the funds we have already utilized in supporting those students.
12:25 p.m.
Liberal
Darshan Singh Kang Liberal Calgary Skyview, AB
Has that funding shortfall put any pressure on any other areas of the school board's education programs? What kind of pressure has it put on them?
12:25 p.m.
Chair, School District 19, Calgary Board of Education
As I said, we receive refugee students throughout the year, every school year, but it comes in fits and spurts throughout the school year, and some of the students who come have a high degree of English. They are not from war-torn countries, and they have not experienced trauma to the degree our Syrian students have. Because of that, they are coming into some of our mainstream classes. They are living within their own community. They are going to their community schools, and they are receiving supports within their community schools.
The students we are talking about today need some significant support to ensure that they can be successful. We have put on 20 extra classes for these students. They are receiving significant support. As a result, the costs continue to escalate.
12:25 p.m.
Liberal
Darshan Singh Kang Liberal Calgary Skyview, AB
Okay. My next question is for Mr. Sawaf.
Sir, you were talking about the agencies. They haven't been doing the kind of job you were expecting them to do. In my opinion, from Calgary, from Alberta, I think those agencies have done a wonderful job.
In your opinion, what percentage of those agencies have been falling behind or not keeping up with your expectations? Is it just the volunteer agencies? I think you are saying that everybody is not doing a wonderful job.
12:25 p.m.
As an Individual
I am not sure if it is the same in Calgary, because I haven't witnessed anything in Calgary. When I say “all agencies”, obviously they are not government agencies. They don't represent the government, for sure, so they are not funded by the government. No, they are not doing their jobs at all.
12:25 p.m.
Liberal
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
Bob Saroya Conservative Markham—Unionville, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Michelle is going to take two minutes, and I am going to take the first five minutes.
My first question is for Eman. Are all your children going to school?
12:30 p.m.
As an Individual
I have two daughters in high school and one in third grade, so third, eighth, and tenth grade, and the youngest is staying at home.
My older children stayed for four years in Jordan without schooling.
12:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Borys Wrzesnewskyj
We have stopped the time while you resolve your technical difficulties there, Mr. Saroya.
12:30 p.m.
As an Individual
Three are attending school, but the youngest is not.
The older children stayed in Jordan for four years without schooling. The grades are third, eighth, and tenth. I also have a young daughter who is staying at home, no schooling.
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
Bob Saroya Conservative Markham—Unionville, ON
What is the Canadian experience of the children who are going to school? Since they hadn't been in school for a long time, do they enjoy the learning process?
12:30 p.m.
As an Individual
They like the school, they like learning, but there are so many things they don't understand, even with the interpreters who try to help them. They are still afraid. They are anxious that they might not be able to reach the required success level.
12:30 p.m.
Conservative
Bob Saroya Conservative Markham—Unionville, ON
Would you like to see something different, if we could provide something from this side? Do you have any suggestions, any guidelines?
12:30 p.m.
As an Individual
They have been at school for a month because there was a delay in sending their papers. That put them behind. They need to be in special classes until their language command is strong enough to go to regular schools with regular students.