First Group of Refugees to be Selected Under Innovative Process Arrive in Canada
OTTAWA, November 4, 2003 -- The Honourable Denis Coderre, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), today announced the arrival of the first group of refugees selected to come to Canada through group processing. Two groups of refugees -- 30 Sudanese and 17 Somalis -- will arrive in Canada today from the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya.
"Canada has a long-standing humanitarian tradition and we are a country that values protecting refugees who are in genuine need," said Minister Coderre. "Identifying and implementing solutions is one of the benefits of our close partnership with international partners such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration. Group processing is an example of the kind of new solutions to real problems that we can come up with by working together."
Group processing is an innovative approach to identifying refugees abroad and bringing them to Canada. Under this approach, Canada and the UNHCR identify entire refugee populations, as opposed to individuals, and resettle these populations in the same community.
Both the Sudanese and Somali refugees, destined for Winnipeg and Hamilton respectively, were deemed vulnerable by CIC because they had been experiencing persecution in the camp for many years. In the next six to eight months, approximately 900 refugees will arrive in Winnipeg, Hamilton and Edmonton.
Individuals will be resettled together in the same city so that they can maintain ties with friends and family members. Allowing them to remain with the groups that have developed over a period of years in the refugee camps will hopefully create the positive environment necessary to allow them to successfully integrate into various regions across the country.
The refugees are being admitted under Canada's Refugee Resettlement and Humanitarian Program, which provides support for refugees through local settlement agencies. The agencies help the refugees find housing, language training and other social services. Funding for these organizations comes from the federal and provincial governments.
"Community organizations provide critical services to new refugees. Without them, we would not be able to bring refugees to Canada or help them find a future here," said Minister Coderre. "We are committed to finding effective and durable solutions to the successful settlement and integration of refugees from abroad."
