Ahmad Hwichan

: Despite the suffering, the unsavoury incident has failed to temper the enthusiasm and gratitude Hwichan and other refugees feel toward their adopted country and its citizens. Ahmad Hwichan, centre, and his sons Louai, left, 11, and Qusai, right, 8, pose for a photograph at a hotel where they're living temporarily in Vancouver on Jan. 12. "This doesn't change my point of view of Canada, according to Huffington Post Canada. It will never change," Hwichan said through a translator on Tuesday, four days after the attack. "This was probably one guy who was drunk or, I don't know, crazy." He added in English without the help of a translator: "I love you Canada so much." The pepper spraying prompted universal condemnation from political leaders, including Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, B.C. Premier Christy Clark and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan. The newly arrived government-sponsored refugee from Syria was one of about a dozen people who were sprayed by a man on a bicycle outside a welcome ceremony around 10:30 p.m. on Friday. Syrian refugee Youssef Ahmad al-Suleiman, also hit in the attack, recounted how he and his fellow newcomers were stunned after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to Twitter and apologized on behalf of himself and the Canadian people. The man sprayed something once or twice toward the crowd and quickly left, he said. Overwhelmed by response "We're not used to this back home in our own country," al-Suleiman said, using a translator. " Bashar al-Assad killed around 300,000 people and did not apologize once. "Canada stays Canada — Canada of dreams," he added. "One individual does not represent the whole Canadian people." Al-Suleiman recalled seeing a man wearing a helmet cycle up to their group, which was waiting on the sidewalk outside a Muslim Association of Canada centre for a bus to return to their residence. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.