Syrian asylum-seekers arrived on Thursday to Pearson International Airport in Toronto.
Sixteen-month-old Madeleine Jamkossian, right, arrives with her family, refugees fleeing the Syrian civil war, at Pearson International airport, in Toronto, on Friday, Dec. 11, 2015. (Nathan Denette / THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau personally welcomed the first plane carrying 163 Syrian refugees coming from Beirut and Amman, cities where the Canadian government has arranged refugee-processing centers for Syrian asylum-seekers.
Compared to US proposal to receive 10 000 refugees next year, Canada expects to host 25 000 Syrians by the end of February.
Canada had previously hosted thousands of refugees from beleaguered places such as Uganda, Vietnam and Kosovo.
Once asylum-seekers landed in Canadian territory they went through security and health screening to then be provided with warm enough coats, social insurance numbers and health cards. According to Trudeau, refugees entering to Canada are regarded as permanent residents with an opportunity to become full Canadians.
It’s expected that another government plane carrying refugees will arrive to Canada today; this, as Europe keeps struggling with the biggest migratory crisis since World War II and in the US conservative politicians are even proposing to ban completely the entrance of Muslim citizens to their territory.
Written by Lisbeth Mechter