Mr. Speaker, three municipalities in my riding, namely Saint-Basile, Pont-Rouge, and Saint-Ubalde, are still waiting for their refugee family to arrive.
As I mentioned yesterday, the photo of three members of the family is on the fridge in Saint-Ubalde. Clothes for the little baby who was supposed to be four months old when he arrived, will have to be replaced. Last Sunday, I was at the church in Pont-Rouge and a photo of the refugee family is on the lectern near the altar.
People across Canada have been getting ready for several months. They have collected money and worked very hard to welcome new refugee families. They are still waiting and do not have an arrival date. That is disrespectful.
What I take away from yesterday's reply by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship is that the government is overwhelmed because of Canadians' dedication and generosity. That is not a problem, quite the opposite.
Is there one charitable member of this government who is respectful of the people in our regions, who have been working so hard to be more welcoming? Could the government have more empathy and take action to ensure that the refugees our communities are taking in arrive this summer?