Canada’s immigration minister meeting with officials after Syrian boy drowns
Posted September 3, 2015 8:17 am.
Last Updated September 3, 2015 12:04 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Federal Immigration Minister Chris Alexander said Thursday he is meeting with officials to discuss the case of a Syrian family who drowned while trying to get to Europe.
Three-year-old Alan Kurdi, his five-year-old brother Ghalib and their mother Rehan died as they tried to reach Europe after their refugee application to Canada was rejected, said Fin Donnelly, who is running for re-election in Port Moody-Coquitlam for the New Democrats.
Donnelly said he delivered a letter in March to Alexander on behalf of Fatima Kurdi, who lives in Coquitlam and says she is the children’s aunt. But Donnelly said the sponsorship request was not approved.
Images of Alan Kurdi’s lifeless body on a Turkish beach have been featured on newspaper pages around the world.
“That’s how Tima learned of this tragic drowning of her family members,” says Donnelly. “My deepest condolences to the Kurdi family. I did speak to Tima last night and she was horrified by the news … this is heartbreaking.”
He said Tima spoke with her brother and that he is in a “terrible state having lost his wife and two little boys.”
“Like all Canadians, I was deeply saddened by that image and of the many other images of the plight of the Syrian and Iraqi migrants fleeing persecution at the hands of ISIS.”
While campaigning in Brossard, Que., Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau was asked about Alexander’s decision to get an update on the Kurdi family case.
“You don’t get to suddenly discover compassion in the middle of an election campaign. You either have it or you don’t,” Trudeau said.
“This government has ignored these pleas of Canadian NGOs, of opposition parties and of the international community … all believe that Canada should be doing more, should have been doing more.”
Canada has already accepted 2,300 refugees from Syria, but Trudeau is demanding this country immediately start accepting 25,000 more.
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair says that after seeing that photo, as a dad and grandfather it’s “unbearable” that Canada has failed in its obligation to act.
Mulcair said the first step is to immediately take in 10,000 refugees as the United Nations has requested.
“Canada must do more to accept its share of refugees around the world. This is a global crisis and one that must be addressed,” Donnelly said.
With files from Cormac MacSweeney
