NDP statement regarding the Syrian refugee crisis

NDP candidate in Ottawa-Centre Paul Dewar made the following statement regarding the Conservative government’s announcement that it would match Canadians’ donations to Syrian refugees:

“We welcome the Conservatives’ decision to finally listen to Canadians who have been calling for government action to help Syrian refugees and set up a donation matching fund as we requested last week.”

“Of course, we must not stop there. It is our duty to implement a concrete plan to help Syrian refugees now, and over the years to come. We are once again reaching out to the government for real action, because humanitarian assistance is essential. We need to take immediate steps to speed up the arrival of refugees here in Canada. That means appointing a Syrian Refugee Coordinator before Election Day.”

“The NDP is proposing that we admit 10,000 government-sponsored Syrian refugees before the end of the year, followed by 9,000 per year over the coming years. We need to lift the cap on private sponsorships, eliminate quotas and bureaucratic obstacles, and treat refugees equally. We need to put an end to the politics of religious discrimination in this country and provide temporary residence permits to Syrians who want to reunite with their Canadian families temporarily.”

“A humanitarian crisis of this magnitude requires an ambitious plan. But when it comes to saving lives, Canadians are ambitious.”