General Chat

Caroline, if they are sponsored did the Armenian church not have to have raised the money beforehand? That was the impression I got from articles? edit I realise that you are there and can probably see local news that doesn't make the major papers online eg http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/syrian-refugees-get-warm-welcome-at-armenian-community-centre-1.3361914

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/12/11/cn-pledges-5-million-for-syrian-refugee-resettlement.html

Yes they were meant to be able to provide all expenses for a year (usually 10 yrs).....not sure how it has gone belly up already.....not able to get the money quick enough...assuming the government would help......money promised and not delivered...they haven't said they just admit they're already overwhelmed and they said that before the first plane load landed last week.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

Just showing on the news here, a plane carrying refugees is due to arrive at Stansted airport this afternoon, and a family who arrived in Coventry 7 weeks ago via Iraq, where they fled when their two children were caught in a bombing, and they need further medical treatment for injuries, one child has lost her sight in one eye.

Caroline, I don't know where you're getting all of your negative news from re: the refugees. You mention the "problem" that most Canadians have. I don't believe that most Canadians have a problem with it. I believe that, like me, they are very proud to be a part of it and see no problems. Of course there will be little problems along the way, it is a massive undertaking and can't be expected not to have problems.

You don't listen to Lowell Green, do you?

I did quote CTV news they've run a number of stories along this line for over a week, can't help it if the truth is negative.

Never heard of Lowell Green will goggle right now but I'm guessing there's a little uncalled negativity meant in there somewhere :-)

Nope he's in Ottawa

If you goggle it more often than not Canadians say they're worried about the speed...it's one thing to promise something it can be another to deliver....even Government workers responsible for bringing them in have been quoted on the news stories saying it needed to slow down and then it did somewhat.

CTV news quote Apkar Mirakian of the Armenian community/church who is in charge of resettling the refugees; quoting in writing and he's filmed saying it.

So not sure how I can be made out to be lying/too negative when all I'm doing is passing on his information......

I never accused you of lying, Caroline.

Not directly but there's a strong inference.......

I think there is concern about finding housing for the GOVERNMENT sponsored refugees when they arrive ............ but there is little or no problem with the ones now arriving, the privately sponsored refugees.

The groups sponsoring them have to provide furnished accommodation for 1 year, a minimum of $20,000** (or is it $27,000) for a family of 4 for the first year, and emotional, mental and physical support for 1 year, including finding schools for the children, help with learning English (or French in Quebec), learning a new way of life, registering with a GP and finding other medical help as needed, etc etc.

I think some of these groups, or members of these groups, are about to find just how much is involved in the latter "support"

If the group does not yet have accommodation or funds, then it is their fault for being slow ......... especially as most of the groups have known that they have been accepted to receive a refugee family for many months. They just have not known when "their" refugees were going to arrive.







for the UK'ers, that's about £9,000 (£12,000) a year

Agreed...but again CTV news has been quoting this group since before the first plane landed so this in itself makes you wonder how rushed it is in some cases as they don't seem to have checked the groups can actually fulfil their part of the bargain. So far at least they seem to have pledged to take the most people for the Toronto area and yet clearly they didn't have the room/houses etc for them.

The Government ones will be in disused hospitals in Toronto for instance for the short term.

By the way good luck getting family doctors for them in Toronto most aren't taking new patients......not being negative just being honest

Caroline ...............


we don't get much news from Toronto such as you are quoting. We get the western Canada news, from BC and Alberta, and there seem to be no problems.

All the groups are well-organised.

They might only just be cleaning and furnishing the apartment or house, but that is to be expected .......... who can afford to sit with an empty house or apartment for months? But the money is there, they have many of the supports in place, including translators, they have the apartment or house now.

As for the medical .............. all provinces have the same problem with finding family doctors, BUT there are special clinics being set up in many places that doctors will take turns in staffing. At least, that is happening on this side, and I think also in Ontario.


There are ways and means.

After all, many Canadians use walk-in clinics :-)


It does make me wonder whether CTV found that one group or spokesman "good TV copy", and now go to him time and time again, regardless of whether he is accurately representing ALL groups.

............. some reporters do like nay-sayers :-)

I just don't get this 'rushed' business, it's only rushed because countries have just sat back and watched the crisis happening for FOUR years...it's a bit like how some people find Christmas a rush, and yet they have had a whole year to consider it's next arrival?

I do appreciate that finding homes ( especially in cities which already tend to be stretched) is difficult, but it can hardly have come as a surprise.

In all likelihood, the countries who sat back and watched thought the conflict would be all over by Christmas (or Ramadan or Eid!). The mass migration to Europe this year has focussed their attention.

From what has been mentioned on this thread, although some of the immigrants were expected, there was no timeframe. You wouldn't buy your fresh sprouts 6 months before Christmas 'just in case' it arrived early.

I think ctv keeps going back to them because they are taking in so many people. They offered to take in how ever many it was. ...let's say 1000 then before they did that they should have made sure they had funding to rent places for 1000...they agree they have clothes that's easy in the whole scale but they don't have the money it seems.i get they wanted to help as many as possible as quick as possible but it's not responsible to not be honest with the finances. Renting somewhere to live in Toronto is not cheap but there are places available if you can pay. Also of course for the short term there are hotel rooms.

DET ..............

that's true ......... there was no time frame for accepted refugees because the old government was refusing to give its final permission. So, yes, no surprise that they did not set up accommodations, buy food, furniture, etc

But those private groups are supposed to have the money BEFORE they apply for permission to sponsor a refugee. The money should have been in the bank before they knew they had been approved and that refugees had been found.

There is a process they have to follow.

That money should still have been in the bank, even after many months waiting

That's why I wonder about that guy in Toronto.

It's not just one guy it's the whole organisation/church for Toronto.

Caroline .............


do you mean that all the groups sponsoring refugees in Toronto are complaining, or is it just the one group, the Armenian church (if I remember correctly what you posted earlier?), with lots of other groups quietly getting on with it.

That seems to be the case but like i say i think this group have bitten off more than they can chew so to speak. Whether their members failed to follow through with their promise or whether it wasn't thought out correctly time will tell. A lot of the others have been sponsored by family and literally put up in their own homes/basements.