Syrian

Wednesday December 7, 2016

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Wednesday December 7, 2016 'We can't abandon them': Senators urge more language, mental health supports for Syrian refugees One year after the first wave of Syrian refugees arrived in Canada, the Senate's committee on human rights is urging the federal government to boost language training, mental health services and financial supports to ease the next phase of the resettlement process. Releasing a report called "Finding Refuge in Canada: A Syrian Resettlement Story," committee chair Jim Munson said while the program has been a Canadian success story, the government and citizens must not be complacent. "We can't abandon them. We can't let indifference set in. We need to do more to help them in their next resettlement steps," he said during a news conference in Ottawa Tuesday. In the last year, Canada has brought in moreÊthan 35,000 government-assisted and privately sponsored refugeesÊfleeing conflict and violence in the region. After the one-year mark, the federal government's monthly living allowance ends for many families, which means they must support themselves or rely on provincial social assistance. Senator Thanh Hai Ngo said it's not fair to simply transfer the financial burden on the provinces. "That's not right. If you help them, you help them to the end. You don't leave them in the middle of the street and say, 'OK, that's it I've done my job,'" he said. According to information provided by Dawn Edlund, IRCC's associate assistant deputy minister of operations, about 12 per cent of government-sponsored Syrian refugees have a job, while more than half of privately sponsored refugees have work. Edlund acknowledged there have been challenges in addressing language training needs, but said approximately 87 per cent of eligible Syrian adults outside of Quebec had been assessed as of the end of August and 64 per cent had enrolled in language training at that time. After additional funding was

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday December 7, 2016

‘We can’t abandon them’: Senators urge more language, mental health supports for Syrian refugees

One year after the first wave of Syrian refugees arrived in Canada, the Senate’s committee on human rights is urging the federal government to boost language training, mental health services and financial supports to ease the next phase of the resettlement process

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Friday December 11, 2015 Syrian refugees now in Toronto look forward to 'beautiful future' Georgina Zires and Kevork Jamkossian looked both happy and haggard while toting their 16-month old daughter as they arrived in Toronto after spending almost a day in transit with more than 160 other refugees who have fled civil war in Syria to start a new life in Canada. Waiting to greet them at Pearson airport Thursday night was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, who helped the family pick coats from piles of donated clothing. "Now, we feel as if we got out of hell and we came to paradise," Jamkossian told Trudeau through an interpreter. "That's how we feel." The couple was joined by more than 160 other Syrian refugees who arrived in Toronto in the first government aircraft carrying refugees, as the Canadian government works to fulfil a pledge to bring in 25,000 refugees by the end of February. In Syria, Zires worked as a clerk in a women's clothing shop and Jamkossian worked as a blacksmith. A better life for their daughter Madeleine was the main motivation for coming to Canada. "She is the reason for us to come here because here she can do many things," Zires said, also through an interpreter. "In other countries, she can do nothing." After landing in Toronto, the new arrivals were given warm coats, social insurance numbers and health cards after a security and health screening at a special airport terminal renovated for their arrival. After processing, they were bused to an airport hotel to rest. "They step off the plane as refugees, but they walk out of this terminal as permanent residents of Canada with social insurance numbers, with health cards and with an opportunity to become full Canadians," Trudeau he said. Shadi Mardelli, who spoke to reporters at the airport shortly after he was processed, said he's looking forward to a "beautiful future" in Canada. (Sou

December 11, 2015

Releasing a report called “Finding Refuge in Canada: A Syrian Resettlement Story,” committee chair Jim Munson said while the program has been a Canadian success story, the government and citizens must not be complacent.

“We can’t abandon them. We can’t let indifference set in. We need to do more to help them in their next resettlement steps,” he said during a news conference in Ottawa Tuesday.

In the last year, Canada has brought in more than 35,000 government-assisted and privately sponsored refugees fleeing conflict and violence in the region.

After the one-year mark, the federal government’s monthly living allowance ends for many families, which means they must support themselves or rely on provincial social assistance.

Senator Thanh Hai Ngo said it’s not fair to simply transfer the financial burden on the provinces.

“That’s not right. If you help them, you help them to the end. You don’t leave them in the middle of the street and say, ‘OK, that’s it I’ve done my job,'” he said.

According to information provided by Dawn Edlund, IRCC’s associate assistant deputy minister of operations, about 12 per cent of government-sponsored Syrian refugees have a job, while more than half of privately sponsored refugees have work.

Edlund acknowledged there have been challenges in addressing language training needs, but said approximately 87 per cent of eligible Syrian adults outside of Quebec had been assessed as of the end of August and 64 per cent had enrolled in language training at that time.

After additional funding was provided in June, preliminary figures show 95 per cent of government-assisted refugees are enrolled in some kind of language training, compared to 79 per cent of privately sponsored refugees. (Source: CBC)

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Thursday November 12, 2015

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Thursday November 12, 2015 Refugees as a long-term investment in the country Immigration Minister John McCallum and the new Liberal government have drawn global attention and praise with a frantic Beat the Clock pledge to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada by the end of the year. The deadline is probably unnecessarily tight and, to do it right, Canadians would probably give the new Trudeau government the breathing room needed to push the Jan. 1 deadline. But the government has the support of the UN Refugee Agency, provinces, cities, the military, airlines, labour organizations, churches and Canadians. It evokes memories of the last time this country opened its arms in such a compassionate embrace and one Toronto man knows better than any the work involved in pulling off such a herculean task. Scott Mullin was 22 and barely out of Carleton University when the Star headlined a March 5, 1979, piece about him Ñ ÒViet refugees view Canadian as a god.ÕÕ A few months later, the CBC called him ÒThe One-Man Board of Immigration,ÕÕ in a July 1979 piece from reporter Peter Mansbridge. Mullin, now the vice-president of community relations for the TD Bank, determined which of the so-called Vietnamese Òboat peopleÓ came to Canada and which were denied passage, relying largely on gut impressions which resulted in far more ÒyaysÓ than Ònays.Ó ÒWe have to look upon this for ourselves as an investment in the future,ÕÕ the young Mullin told Mansbridge 36 years ago. ÒThe first six months we might have a lot of problems, but whatÕs this guyÕs son going to be like and howÕs he going to do? I think thatÕs the important thing you have to look at.ÕÕ (Source: Toronto Star) http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/11/11/refugees-as-a-long-term-investment-in-the-country-tim-harper.html Canada, Syria, Syrian, migrants, Hercules, emperor, Justin Trudeau, John McCallum, immigration, refugees, war

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday November 12, 2015

Refugees as a long-term investment in the country

Immigration Minister John McCallum and the new Liberal government have drawn global attention and praise with a frantic Beat the Clock pledge to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada by the end of the year.

The deadline is probably unnecessarily tight and, to do it right, Canadians would probably give the new Trudeau government the breathing room needed to push the Jan. 1 deadline. But the government has the support of the UN Refugee Agency, provinces, cities, the military, airlines, labour organizations, churches and Canadians.

It evokes memories of the last time this country opened its arms in such a compassionate embrace and one Toronto man knows better than any the work involved in pulling off such a herculean task.

Scott Mullin was 22 and barely out of Carleton University when the Star headlined a March 5, 1979, piece about him — “Viet refugees view Canadian as a god.’’

A few months later, the CBC called him “The One-Man Board of Immigration,’’ in a July 1979 piece from reporter Peter Mansbridge.

Mullin, now the vice-president of community relations for the TD Bank, determined which of the so-called Vietnamese “boat people” came to Canada and which were denied passage, relying largely on gut impressions which resulted in far more “yays” than “nays.”

“We have to look upon this for ourselves as an investment in the future,’’ the young Mullin told Mansbridge 36 years ago. “The first six months we might have a lot of problems, but what’s this guy’s son going to be like and how’s he going to do? I think that’s the important thing you have to look at.’’ (Source: Toronto Star)

 

Friday August 23, 2013

Friday August 23, 2013

Syria gas ‘kills 100s,’ Security Council meets

Syria’s opposition accused government forces of gassing hundreds of people on Wednesday by firing rockets that released deadly fumes over rebel-held Damascus suburbs, killing men, women and children as they slept.

With the death toll estimated between 500 and 1,300, what would be the world’s most lethal chemical weapons attack since the 1980s prompted an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council in New York.

The council did not explicitly demand a U.N. investigation of the incident, although it said “clarity” was needed and welcomed U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon’s calls for a prompt investigation by the U.N. inspection team in Syria, led by Ake Sellstrom.

An earlier Western-drafted statement submitted to the council, seen by Reuters, was not approved. The final version of the statement was watered down to accommodate objections from Russia and China, diplomats said. Moscow and Beijing have vetoed previous Western efforts to impose U.N. penalties on Assad.

Syrian Information Minister Omran Zoabi said the allegations were “illogical and fabricated”. President Bashar al-Assad’s officials have said they would never use poison gas against Syrians. The United States and European allies believe Assad’s forces have used small amounts of sarin before, hence the current U.N. visit.

Immediate international action is likely to be limited, with the divisions among major powers that have crippled efforts to quell 2 1/2 years of civil war still much in evidence.  (Source: Reuters)

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This cartoon was featured in a gallery of Editorial Cartoons in the Yahoo! Canada News for August 2013. Here it is on Yahoo News’ Facebook page.