Syrian Refugee Programs and War Refugees

Syrian refugee crisis: That caller was a stark reminder that millions of Canadians remain highly critical of federal Syrian refugee programs. "I say scrap the whole stupid program," another reader wrote, according to Hamilton Spectator. Others argued the refugees aren't war refugees at all, but rather economic migrants who cannot or will not be assimilated into what one termed "mainstream Canadian society." Indeed, a new Nanos Research poll released May 9 indicates that while most Canadians support Ottawa handling of the Syrian refugee crisis, a significant 30 per cent of those surveyed oppose or somewhat oppose it. Don't I know that ISIS terrorists may be hiding among the innocent refugees, the caller asked in responding to a recent column I wrote about how Ottawa has mishandled the Syrian refugee private sponsorship program Don't I care about the safety of women and children on our streets And don't I know that if Canada is so eager to bring refugees here, then a good move would be to stick them in remote, abandoned outports in Newfoundland until we can fully screen them. These findings are little changed from findings in similar surveys conducted months ago. That important because such concerns should not be ignored or simply dismissed as irrational, bigoted or self-centred. Such lingering levels of opposition should be a wake-up call to Canadians who support the refugee plan, especially those who are volunteering their time and donating money to help sponsor a refugee family, that little has been done to ease the fears — and in some cases the loathing — of many of their neighbours, friends and even family members toward Syrian refugees. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.