Evidence of meeting #26 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 yazidi.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Drew Boyd  Director of Operations, The Sentinel Project for Genocide Prevention
Chris Lewa  Director, The Arakan Project
Rabea Allos  Director, Catholic Refugee Sponsors Council
Majed El Shafie  Founder and President, One Free World International
Lorne Weiss  President, Shaarey Zedek Synagogue, Operation Ezra
Nafiya Naso  Representative, Yazidi Community of Winnipeg, Operation Ezra

11:05 a.m.

President, Shaarey Zedek Synagogue, Operation Ezra

Lorne Weiss

We're at a point now where we're looking at it conceptually, so we haven't drilled down to.... In essence, the concept is that we have volunteers and people who are knowledgeable and experienced in settlement and helping these folks and their families after their arrival. Also, particularly in Winnipeg, we're very fortunate that we have an established Yazidi community of approximately 200 people, who are very welcoming of other Yazidi families coming here. We have, then, a good support system. Our problem is the frustration of having to wait this length of time, in comparison with—and I'm not saying instead of, but in comparison with—the speed with which we've been able to bring in 25,000 Syrians.

The fact is, we have brought into Canada, over a year, nine people. That's it.

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Borys Wrzesnewskyj

Thank you.

I'm sorry, but our time is up.

I'd like to thank all of the panellists for the tremendous work that all of you are engaged in and continue to do. Thank you for bringing your insights to this committee.

At this point, the committee will adjourn.