Are refugees really welcome in Canada?

Posted by watchmen
March 25, 2017
Posted in OPINION

Despite the recent tweet by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding Canada’s commitment to welcoming refugees regardless of their faith, the main question is: Are refugees really welcome in Canada?
Many around the world have applauded Trudeau for his compassion towards “those fleeing persecution, terror, and war.” But do his people share the same view? Personally, I don’t have anything against refugees, but many in Canada think otherwise.
After I interviewed a number of people – both Canadians and Filipinos who have lived in Canada for years – many of them shared the same sentiment: No refugees, please. People outside Canada may think it is rude or uncaring, but they seem to have convincing reasons behind their stand. While I feel bad about how they view the refugee program, at some point, I could not judge them for feeling the way they do.
Currently, the Canadian economy is not at its highest point, and the needs of citizens and residents, primarily healthcare, are a priority of the government. However, to fund the refugee program, the healthcare budget has been trimmed.
There is also the concern over safety.
An incident occurred recently in Edmonton, in the province of Alberta, where a Syrian refugee sexually harassed teenage girls. After the media identified the assailant as a “Syrian refugee,” it struck many with rage. Even if it was an isolated incident – a number of refugees even issued apologies – the episode sparked significant outrage among local Canadians, calling for an end to the refugee program.
There also have been problems occurring at schools, where refugees enrolled were reportedly “bullying and threatening students and teachers.”
Another concern is that many refugees refused to work and are only dependent on assistance provided by the government. Working Canadians and foreign workers, who pay taxes with their hard work but are seeing cutbacks in healthcare, are seeing their public dollars going to supporting the “lazy” people.
Due to differing cultures and beliefs, the assimilation of refugees has not been as smooth as the government expected. While there are a number of refugees that can be trusted and are willing to work, unfortunately, they are being overshadowed by the acts of the less willing refugees.
Notwithstanding the fact that the government is welcoming these asylum seekers with open arms, there are still many Canadians who are half-hearted about the presence of refugees. Unfortunate as it may seem, refugees are not really welcome in Canada, in the real sense of the word, based on the feelings of its citizens and residents./WDJ

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