Tories promise to bring 10,000 additional refugees from Syria and Iraq to Canada if elected

MARKHAM, Ont. — The Conservatives say they will bring 10,000 additional refugees from Syria and Iraq to Canada if re-elected, despite refusing to say whether thousands of others from the war-torn region have already been resettled.

The party would meet the new commitment over four years by targeting refugees from religious minority groups in the region who face persecution or the threat of extremist violence, Stephen Harper told a news conference Monday.

In 2013, the Conservative government promised to resettle 1,300 Syrian refugees by end of 2014, but took until last March to do it.

Then in January, the government committed to a further 10,000 resettlements over the next three years, but has steadfastly refused to say how many have actually arrived. Harper said Monday that some 2,500 refugees from Syria are now in Canada.

As for Iraq, Harper said the government is on track to resettle 23,000 Iraqis by the end of the year. The Tories had committed to resettle 20,000 in 2009.

Federal spending under the pledge would be tied to just how much private sponsors, such as religious groups, are able to spend on resettling refugees accepted to come to Canada.

 

 

NATIONAL POST