Canada has welcomed its Syrian refugees with open arms, as the nation received 163 refugees under its accelerated-entry program which promised to take in 25,000 refugees by March of 2016. As the refugees entered Canadian soil, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a host of politicians across the political spectrum were present to greet them.
"You are home," Trudeau said as the first few passengers landed after their 16-hour flight from Beirut on a Canadian military plane. Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne handed out winter coats to the refugees, according to the New York Times.
But warm coats were not all that the new entrants had received. They were also each given social insurance numbers and health cards after having a security and health screening at the special airport terminal which was renovated specifically for their arrival. Once they were processed, they were taken by bus to an airport hotel to rest, according to CBC News.
"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 said.
Already more than 400 Syrians have arrived through commercial flights since the liberals took office on Nov. 4. Nearly 10,000 refugees are expected to be in Canada by the end of February 2016. The refugees who had arrived were all sponsored by private groups who had filed the necessary paperwork months in advance in order to take in some of the estimated 4.3 million Syrian refugees. The Toronto Star, a major Canadian daily newspaper, on Thursday welcomed the refugees in large type on its front page, with a brief message dedicated to them, according to The Washington Post.
At least 69 Canadian communities are preparing to welcome refugees.
"This is a wonderful night where we get to show not just a planeload of new Canadians what Canada's all about, but we get to show the world how to open our hearts and welcome in people who are fleeing extraordinarily difficult situations," Trudeau said Thursday night.
