Security will be at the forefront of the move to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada, Liberal ministers pledged Tuesday, promising a detailed plan to deliver on its promise will be announced in coming days.
“I think what we will do is make sure that security is at the forefront and we are in consultation with all of our security partners to make sure the we do this right,” Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan told reporters on his way out of a meeting of the cabinet committee on refugees.
“Security is paramount and we want to make sure we get it right,” said Sajjan, who avoided answering a direct question about which will take precedence – security or meeting the government’s deadline of January 1.
Sajjan’s comments came after a two-and-a-half hour meeting of the cabinet committee set up to draft the government’s plan to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada by the end of the year. Those plans may have been complicated, however, by last week’s devastating terrorist attacks in Paris by ISIS inspired attackers.
The meeting included some of Canada’s top security officials, including National Security Advisor Richard Fadden, RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson and Chief of Defence Staff Jonathan Vance. Several officials appeared grim as they left the meeting, with Vance hurrying past reporters and refusing to answer any questions.
Liberal ministers, however, appeared much more upbeat and optimistic that a plan is only days away.
“There are an incredible number of very detailed plans that we have discussed, things are coming together nicely,” said Health Minister Jane Philpott.
“We’re going to have a very detailed plan available in the coming days that we will be making a formal announcement about. But as you can imagine there are still many details. We want to make sure that we do this right. It is a very important initiative on behalf of Canadians and we’re making sure that all the pieces are in place as they should be.”
Immigration Minister John McCallum suggested the plan might include transporting refugees to Canada immediately while the necessary checks are being carried out.
“We will welcome these refugees immediately,” McCallum responded when asked whether the 25,000 will be on Canadian soil by January 1. “There are processes under way but we will welcome them well, that is to say that we will pay due regard, total regard to issues of security and health which means we will do it rapidly but we will do it properly.” ....
