Tragedy Thrust: British Columbia and Canadian Conscience

tragedy thrust: On Sept. 2, 2015, the Port Coquitlam woman life was forever changed because of the drowning deaths of her nephews, Alan, 3, and Ghalib, 5, and their mother in the Aegean Sea while fleeing to Greece, according to Toronto Star. The tragedy thrust her into a new role: appealing to the Canadian conscience over the long-standing refugee crisis. By Nicholas Keung Immigration reporter Thu., Sept. 1, 2016 A year ago, Tima Kurdi was just a suburban mother, a hardworking immigrant in British Columbia who had knocked on many doors in a helpless effort to bring over her siblings and their families from war-torn Syria. Overnight, Kurdi was thrust into the spotlight, becoming a spokeswoman for millions of Syrian refugees to people in Canada and around the world shaken by the image of tiny Alan lying facedown and lifeless on a Turkish beach. Just weeks later, the new Liberal government swiftly opened Canada door to thousands of Syrian refugees, and community sponsorship groups sprang up to embrace them. The plea she and other Syrian Canadians had been making for years to politicians was finally heard. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.