Should We Provide Refuge for the Refugees?
My previous article discussed Canada’s federal election, as it was the topic on
everyone’s mind. Now, I believe that the same can be said of one of Justin Trudeau’s first acts
as Canada’s new Prime Minister – his promise to welcome 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada by
February of 2016. If you tune into CP24 or watch the evening news, you’re sure to receive new
information on the matter. However, this is a controversial issue for many Canadians. The
question is not whether it will happen, since as of December 12th, 2015, 400 refugees had
already been brought in, but whether this is a good or a bad thing. Some question how
providing sanctuary for people fleeing from a war-torn country, who have been relocated to
refugee camps for months or years, is not a positive act. Others argue that this decision is going
to have too great of an impact on Canada
So, what are some of the possible negative impacts that people are concerned about?
One thing that always is involved is the cost. It’s not as if the refugees will step off the plane
one day and be able to acquire a job to support themselves the next. Not only does it take more
time than that to find a job, but many of these people don’t speak, read, or write English
Additionally, Canada’s unemployment rate is already 7%, which makes the search for a job even
more difficult for those who have just come to the country. For this reason, the Canadian
government will be using tax payers’ money to pay for the refugee’s living cost, which includes
housing costs, food and clothing, and supplying more funding for the things our government
already provides, such as the healthcare and education systems.
There is also the matter of safety to think of. Let’s consider this for a moment: we are
accepting 25,000 people in less than 3 months from a place where terrorism is at its worst into
one of the countries that these terrorists want to infiltrate most. Some are concerned because
there is not a 100% guarantee that none of the people trying to enter Canada are in support of
the radical groups. I believe that I speak for everybody when I say that for everyone’s safety and
peace of mind, including those of the other refugees, security has to be at its best.
So now that we’ve covered the fears and concerns of Canadian citizens, let’s move on to
talk about the reasons that we’re doing this. For some Canadians, taking in the Syrian refugees
is almost synonymous with us upholding our reputation. Some Canadians also see this as our
duty because we come from such a fortunate country. We have one of the highest standards of
living, a relatively stable government, and no internal wars. We’re not a perfect country, we
also face issues, but when compared to what these refugees have had to endure on a daily
basis, our problems seem miniscule. Canadians worry about things like climate change and
senators syphoning money from the government, but every one of these refugees is worried
about the most basic things: food, water, clothes, and having a home.
I also believe that welcoming the refugees to Canada is also the morally correct
decision, especially if you view it in terms of a Catholic community’s responsibility. Helping
those in need, being selfless, isn’t this exactly what the Bible teaches us? I think that the story
of the Good Samaritan can be related to this situation. In this story, the Samaritan helped the
injured person even though no other passersby would. Can’t the same message be applied to
this Middle Eastern crisis? We have a fundamental responsibility as Catholics, and simply as
human beings, to help those in need. It is important for us to see that the refugees are not just
more mouths to feed, but a group of individuals that need our help and support.
Lastly, I also think that accepting these refugees is a way of further combatting the
injustices taking place in Syria. The reason that we sent troops into Syria is because we’re not
afraid of standing up for what we believe is right; we have seen a wrong, a problem, and we
feel it’s our duty to try and restore equality to the world. Doesn’t bringing in the refugees work
towards the same end result?
I understand that accepting the refugees will impact Canada significantly, and that
security has to be taken extremely seriously, but I also believe taking in the refugees is the right
thing to do. This acti
on allows us to demonstrate we still believe in peace, justice, selflessness,
and helping others. It displays that we aren’t going to be scared into giving up the fight for
what’s right – for what we believe in. In conclusion, providing a safe haven for the refugees
demonstrates the same things as our war with the terrorist groups does, but has more positive
and peaceful effects.
Photo Credit: ctvnews.ca
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