Before I came here, I talked to my settlement counsellors. Every day they see people from around the world coming to our centre asking different kinds of questions, and family reunification and sponsorship is such an important part of their work. They really suffer because of the lengthy process of bringing their families—mom and dad or grandparents—for a visit to see them.
There is a reason behind all these applications. They need them so quickly. They have a baby coming or they are sick or they have stress and anxiety. Young people are getting other kinds of stress in their lives and they need somebody to help them. They are alone.
We really want to have family around the corner. Of course, we don't have them in the neighbourhood. In our culture, we have family in our own neighbourhood. It's a headquarters. Everybody is connected and we help each other. But here at least the family members like mom and dad, grandparents and others, or siblings.... I'm really emphasizing bringing in siblings; open the door for siblings to come. I came as a sibling in 1988 with my family to Canada, and look at me. I'm not a burden. I did so much for Canada and Canada did so much for me. We should really reopen this conversation to sponsor and bring in siblings, too.
Thank you.