Canada has announced it is prepared to take 25,000 Syrian refugees within the upcoming three months, stating top priority to those who are at a lower security risk. Families and vulnerable individuals, including those from the LGBT community are priorities, while single men wil be excluded from the Canadian government resettlement program.
"The basic objective is to help people who are in desperate need," Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said, according to The Star.
The Canadian government is set to spend $450 million settling in the refugees, says the Wall Street Journal. Immigration and Refugee Minister John McCallum announced on Tuesday during a news briefing that Canada will continue to bring in refugees through 2016. McCallum added that Canada wishes to help anyway it can, but wish to take the time to do this right.
"I've been saying time and time again, that yes, we want to bring them fast, but we also want to do it right," McCallum said, according to CNN. "I've heard Canadians across this country saying, yes you have to do it right, and if it takes a little bit longer to do it right, then take the extra time."
While Prime Minister Trudeau had promised to resettle 25,000 refugees by year's end, he had to extend the deadline into early 2016 with current security challenges. Trudeau is eyeing Feb. 2016 as a deadline now, as he went on to admit that the Paris terror attacks have had a huge influence on public perception leading to Canada insisting on security checks on the ground for all refugees before they are allowed to board planes to come to the country.
The with first wave of refugees are expected to arrive in early December and will be housed temporarily in former military barracks, vacant hospitals and hotels, as well as with families who have volunteered to sponsor a refugee or family. The bulk of refugees are expected to come from Jordan and Lebanon, with Canada agreeing to take refugees of all faiths.
Safety and security of the residents of Canada is the number one priority according to Canada's Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, who said it refuses to compromise the security work quality. If it takes a little longer to get this done correctly, Canada is ready to make those allotments in the time frame proposed.
