Vaughan candidates speak: Syrian refugee crisis

Yorkregion.com
Sept. 15, 2015

In light of the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis in Europe and the Mideast where hundreds of thousands of displaced Syrians have fled their war-torn homeland, the Connection asked federal candidates running for the major parties in King-Vaughan riding what their position is with respect to bringing refugees to Canada.

Here are their answers:

Natalie Rizzo of the NDP said in a statement:

"The NDP has a fully costed plan to bring 10,000 Syrian refugees to Canada immediately and 9,000 per year for the next four years. Our plan and our number is based on what the UN has called for. It’s too easy to assign blame. Let’s talk about solutions. In the past, Canada has always chosen to be the voice of compassion, justice, and welcome. We must continue this legacy."

Green Party candidate Ann Raney’s statement in part:

“Former prime minister Joe Clark has said the process to bring refugees to Canada can be sped up and in ways that have no bearing on the criminality or security checks that are a part of the process. Elizabeth May has called for revoking the changes this government has made to Canada’s refugee laws and to accelerate the process including military planes or vessels to help get people to safety faster.”

Conservative candidate Konstantin Toubis:

“Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s plan includes continuing assistance to refugees from Iraq and Syria facing religious persecution and genocide through a new commitment to accept an additional 10,000 refugees from the region over the next four years. This commitment would be in addition to previous commitments to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees by 2017 and more than 20,000 Iraqi refugees by the end of 2015.”

Deb Schulte, Liberal candidate, replied:

"A Liberal government will take immediate action to directly sponsor and bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada. We will invest to reduce refugee processing time, improve sponsorship and settlement services capacity, while maintaining the highest security standards. We will remove the red tape preventing so many here in Canada from helping their families and getting people to safety. Liberals will contribute an additional $100 million to support critical relief activities on the ground."