In the fall federal election, the Liberal government promised to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of the year. THE JUNCTION/Brea Elford.
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall’s request for the Liberal government to rethink its acceptance of 25,000 Syrian refugees shows “a limited understanding of the resettlement process,” says a Carleton University political scientist.
James Milner, an immigration expert, said Wall’s comments are concerning because they are “completely unfounded.”
Wall released a letter Monday, asking Canada’s new prime minister to re-evaluate his refugee resettlement commitment. Wall argued, in light of the deadly terrorist attacks in Paris which claimed the lives of 129 people, concerns for the safety and security of Canadians should be heightened.
In his letter to the prime minister, Wall expressed his concern with the Liberal government striving to meet their election promise. He said that fast-tracking the resettlement of Syrian refuges by year’s end could “undermine the refugee screening process.”
“However, if even a small number of individuals who wish to do harm to our country are able to enter Canada as a result of a rushed refugee resettlement process, the results could be devastating. The recent attacks in Paris are a grim reminder of the death and destruction even a small number of malevolent individuals can inflict upon a peaceful country and its citizens. Surely, we do not want to be date-driven or numbers-driven in an endeavour that may affect the safety of our citizens and the security of our country.”
Wall was among those who raised security questions following the news that a Syrian passport was found next to the body of one of the suicide bombers in Paris. Officials believe the man entered Paris via the Greek islands.
Milner said, however, that Canadians should not worry about terrorists entering the country as asylum seekers via the refugee resettlement process. “It is the worst way one could go about it,” said Milner.
Milner said the multiple security screening stages before a refugee can even enter Canada are “as strenuous as you can hope.” He added these procedures have been in place since the 1970s.
“The Premier’s concerns demonstrate a limited understanding of the resettlement process,” said Milner.
Syrian refugees must first be identified by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or by private sponsors in Canada. Following that initial triage, a second screening process is conducted by Government of Canada agencies, including Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the Canadian Border Services Agency and CSIS, Canada’s spy agency.
Wall wrote the attacks in Paris are a “grim reminder of the death and destruction even a small number of malevolent individuals can inflict upon a peaceful country and its citizens.”
Milner said that Wall’s statement appeals to only a narrow group of individuals, and that he doesn’t think it will gain support in Canada.
In an interview with The West Block’s Tom Clark on Monday, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said, “the necessary documentation is going to be there and we will not compromise on the security investigations.” But, he added, “Can we guarantee 100 per cent perfection? Nothing in life is 100 per cent.”
Health Minister Jane Philpott said the Liberal government will release further details next week on its plans to resettle 25,000 refugees by the end of the year.
