Trudeau's Committment to Syrian Refugees - 25,000 by Year End

Smallc · November 17, 2015

Some perspective on this issue, from the CBC's As it Happens:

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-monday-edition-1.3321310/thorough-refugee-screening-puts-canada-at-low-security-risk-says-former-refugee-official-1.3321326

Keepitsimple · November 17, 2015

Actually, I don't. I saw it on the CBC website ticker today (it said US to accept 100,000, up from 10,000). I can't find anything on it now. I found one vague reference on Fox News but I can't find anything else.

Until it's otherwise verified - it's still stuck at 10,000 Syrians for all of next year.

dialamah · November 17, 2015

There appears to be a plan already in place, so we're not just picking up stray refugees without any way of knowing who they are or where they come from.

First, the UNHCR has already triaged the refugees and assessed those that would make ideal candidates for re-settlement, he said, noting that less than five per cent of asylum seekers make that initial cut. For these candidates, there is additional security screening so that UN officials can learn their stories, he added.

Second, Canadian visa officers conduct more screening and interviews with this group to ensure there is consistency in their cases, he said.

And finally, there is an additional security review of the candidates by Canadian security agencies, including CBSA, CSIS and the RCMP.

[... ]

He added that, when the Syrian civil war began four years ago, the first refugee flows out of Syria were people who were primarily secular, politically active and pro-democratic.

"They've now been in the neighbouring countries as refugees for four years," he said. "We know who those people are.

"So it's actually quite easy to identify 25,000 that fit into extremely low-risk security categories."

notca · November 18, 2015

There is no plan in place yet. I think they had better hurry if they are going to meet their all-important deadline!

As late as one hour ago, Ralph Goodale was interviewed. He had the same old answers as in every previous interview' "We are working on a plan".

Ms. Clark, Mr. Wall, the Manitoba Premier have all been interviewed and don't have any specific information yet about how things are going to proceed.

The press has no clue what the 'plan' is or how it is proceeding.

Mr. Goodale was asked point blank where the screening was taking place, how the refugees were going to be transported, how many would be settled where and all he said was that all the agencies involved are working together night and day to put together a plan. He had no clear answers to any of the questions put to him.

The same evasiveness seems to apply to all that the Liberals say they are doing. Their answers are always, "We are working on a plan. As soon as we know we will inform the public".

So much for openness and transparency! One has to wonder, do they know their arses from their elbows!

Army Guy · November 18, 2015

I hope the UN does a better job than they did with that guy that was part of the Paris attacks....

Smallc · November 18, 2015

I hope the UN does a better job than they did with that guy that was part of the Paris attacks....

That is not, first, the same situation. Second, it isn't a known fact at this point.

dialamah · November 18, 2015

I hope the UN does a better job than they did with that guy that was part of the Paris attacks....

Two of the dead attackers was French, one more Frenchman is being sought. I believe two more dead attackers were Belgian. There was a fake Syrian passport found near one of the dead attackers. I don't know if they've identified the other three attackers, or where they're from yet.

Army Guy · November 18, 2015

according to both news agencies , the Syrian was id through finger prints they had tracked his passport to Greece which was screened by UN pers.....I'am not making this up as I go, .......the media.....well maybe but I don't think so .....

dialamah · November 18, 2015

according to both news agencies , the Syrian was id through finger prints they had tracked his passport to Greece which was screened by UN pers.....I'am not making this up as I go, .......the media.....well maybe but I don't think so .....

Yes, I read the updated news this morning, but don't know exactly when it was updated. The report I read said he was ID'd by fingerprints, but that the passport found near him was not his.

In any case, 3 of the attackers were still French nationals and 4 were from Belgium. Refugees are still less of a threat than in-country radicalization.

Smallc · November 18, 2015

Yes, I read the updated news this morning, but don't know exactly when it was updated. The report I read said he was ID'd by fingerprints, but that the passport found near him was not his.

I was under the impression that they were trying to determine if the fake passport was a duplicate - i.e., another fake copy.

dialamah · November 18, 2015

I was under the impression that they were trying to determine if the fake passport was a duplicate - i.e., another fake copy.

Could be too. Sometimes its hard to get details straight.

Smallc · November 18, 2015

In related news:

https://twitter.com/ABC/status/666959656913342464

dialamah · November 18, 2015

It would seem that terrorists entering via the refugee process are doing it wrong. Much better to enter via other means.

Presumably, the refugees selected for resettlement into Canada will be among those who have already been vetted by the UN and have been waiting around for several years for this opportunity. A terrorist looking to gain glory in heaven isn't going to sit in a refugee camp hoping to be one of the 1% or 2% ultimately deemed suitable for resettling in a Western country, when he can just fly over in a tourist class seat within a few weeks of accepting his destiny.

Damn, now I'm scared and thinking we need to stop letting people come to visit Canada.

Black Dog · November 18, 2015

according to both news agencies , the Syrian was id through finger prints they had tracked his passport to Greece which was screened by UN pers.....I'am not making this up as I go, .......the media.....well maybe but I don't think so .....

Also not confirmed.

If I'm ISIL and one of my goals is to harden Westerners' hearts against Syrian migrants to perpetuate an "us vs. them" narrative, planting a fake Syrian passport on a one of your minions would be a great place to start. Seems to be working.

Scotty · November 18, 2015

There is no plan in place yet. I think they had better hurry if they are going to meet their all-important deadline!

As late as one hour ago, Ralph Goodale was interviewed. He had the same old answers as in every previous interview' "We are working on a plan".

I watched him interviewed, where he said security was their most important concern, and was not challenged. If I had been there I would have said that no, security was clearly not the most important thing to you. Getting them here in a month is the most important thing to you, for political reasons.

The federal government will inevitably have to cut some corners on security screening to achieve its ambitious goal of bringing in 25,000 Syrian refugees by year-end, said current and former security sources http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canadas-syrian-refugees-target-may-require-screening-shortcuts-security-sources-allege/article27316488/

Scotty · November 18, 2015

Also not confirmed.

If I'm ISIL and one of my goals is to harden Westerners' hearts against Syrian migrants

That is not one of their goals.

Black Dog · November 18, 2015

That is not one of their goals.

And you know this how?

Scotty · November 18, 2015

That is not one of their goals.

Because they're animals. Animals don't think complicated thoughts. The bulk of the fighters are there to rape and kill and enjoy themselves doing so. Their leaders are religious kooks who want to expand their power in that region. They don't care about Europe.

Black Dog · November 18, 2015

Because they're animals. Animals don't think complicated thoughts.

There's been plenty of writing done about ISIL's motivations, origins etc. Clearly you should read some.

The bulk of the fighters are there to rape and kill and enjoy themselves doing so. Their leaders are religious kooks who want to expand their power in that region. They don't care about Europe.

Which is why they are reaching out to disaffected youth in Europe and convincing them to fight for the caliphate in Syria/Iraq and undertake terror attacks on European soil, right?

Edited November 18, 2015 by Black Dog

marcus · November 18, 2015

Because they're animals. Animals don't think complicated thoughts. The bulk of the fighters are there to rape and kill and enjoy themselves doing so. Their leaders are religious kooks who want to expand their power in that region. They don't care about Europe.

Your reasoning and comments about the situation are shallow and contradict each other. These terrorists just attacked France. Why would they attack France if they don't care about Europe and what Europeans think?

marcus · November 18, 2015

This article makes a lot of sense. The people who are coming to us have been waiting for years. What self respecting terrorist would be willing to embed themselves that long and subject themselves to such scrutiny?

Syrian refugee screening will be a challenge, but one Canada can meet

Man who led Vietnamese refugee program says humanitarian efforts shouldn't be derailed by fear

dialamah · November 18, 2015

That is not one of their goals.

It actually is. One of the attackers posted it on his FB page - something along the lines of making us afraid of our communities, not able to sleep comfortably in our beds.

Floatingcloud · November 18, 2015

How can we trust those people who doing the processing job. People are making mistakes. We only need couple then our Canadian cities are gonna be Paris.

marcus · November 18, 2015

How can we trust those people who doing the processing job. People are making mistakes. We only need couple then our Canadian cities are gonna be Paris.

All of the attackers who have been identified have been identified as citizens of France and Belgium. The refugees are running away from these people and for the most part, the refugees who are coming into Canada have been waiting for around 2 years in refugee camps. The terrorists are not going to wait that long. They will just recruit impressionable kids who are already in Canada to carry out terrorist attacks. But before you start getting scared about that, you should probably become more scared of being killed by a lightning bolt. You are four times more likely to be killed by a lightning bolt than by a terror attack.

Keepitsimple · November 18, 2015

All of the attackers who have been identified have been identified as citizens of France and Belgium. The refugees are running away from these people and for the most part, the refugees who are coming into Canada have been waiting for around 2 years in refugee camps. The terrorists are not going to wait that long. They will just recruit impressionable kids who are already in Canada to carry out terrorist attacks. But before you start getting scared about that, you should probably become more scared of being killed by a lightning bolt. You are four times more likely to be killed by a lightning bolt than by a terror attack.

They might have been "citizens" of France or Belgium....but why do you think Hollande immediately said that France will introduce legislation to strip French citizenship from terrorists who have a second citizenship? Think about it.