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| Justin Trudeau greets Syrian refugees arriving in Canada | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The first Canadian government plane carrying Syrian refugees has arrived in Toronto, where they were greeted by the prime minister, Justin Trudeau, who is pushing forward with his pledge to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of February. | The first Canadian government plane carrying Syrian refugees has arrived in Toronto, where they were greeted by the prime minister, Justin Trudeau, who is pushing forward with his pledge to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of February. |
| The arrival of the military flight carrying 163 refugees on Thursday stands in stark contrast to the US, which plans to take in 10,000 Syrian refugees over the next year and where the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump caused a worldwide uproar with a proposal to temporarily block Muslims from entering the US. | The arrival of the military flight carrying 163 refugees on Thursday stands in stark contrast to the US, which plans to take in 10,000 Syrian refugees over the next year and where the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump caused a worldwide uproar with a proposal to temporarily block Muslims from entering the US. |
| The flight arrived just before midnight carrying the first of two large groups of Syrians into the country by government aircraft. | The flight arrived just before midnight carrying the first of two large groups of Syrians into the country by government aircraft. |
| Related: Canada to end airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, new prime minister Trudeau says | Related: Canada to end airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, new prime minister Trudeau says |
| Trudeau greeted the first two families to come through processing. The first family was a man, woman and 16-month-old girl. The second family was a man, woman, and three daughters, two of whom are twins. Trudeau and Ontario’s premier, Kathleen Wynne, welcomed them to Canada and gave them winter coats. Both families said they were happy to be there. | Trudeau greeted the first two families to come through processing. The first family was a man, woman and 16-month-old girl. The second family was a man, woman, and three daughters, two of whom are twins. Trudeau and Ontario’s premier, Kathleen Wynne, welcomed them to Canada and gave them winter coats. Both families said they were happy to be there. |
| “This is a wonderful night, where we get to show not just a planeload of new Canadians what Canada is all about, we get to show the world how to open our hearts and welcome in people who are fleeing extraordinarily difficult situations,” Trudeau said earlier to staff and volunteers who were waiting to process the refugees. | “This is a wonderful night, where we get to show not just a planeload of new Canadians what Canada is all about, we get to show the world how to open our hearts and welcome in people who are fleeing extraordinarily difficult situations,” Trudeau said earlier to staff and volunteers who were waiting to process the refugees. |
| All 10 of Canada’s provincial premiers support taking in the refugees while members of the opposition, including the Conservative party, attended the welcoming late on Thursday. Trudeau was also joined by the ministers of immigration, health and defence, as well as the Toronto mayor, John Tory. | All 10 of Canada’s provincial premiers support taking in the refugees while members of the opposition, including the Conservative party, attended the welcoming late on Thursday. Trudeau was also joined by the ministers of immigration, health and defence, as well as the Toronto mayor, John Tory. |
| In the US, several Republican governors have tried to stop the arrival of Syrian refugees in their states in the wake of the deadly attacks blamed on Islamic extremists in Paris and California. | In the US, several Republican governors have tried to stop the arrival of Syrian refugees in their states in the wake of the deadly attacks blamed on Islamic extremists in Paris and California. |
| Related: Canada launches inquiry into murdered and missing indigenous women | Related: Canada launches inquiry into murdered and missing indigenous women |
| The first flight arrived in Toronto before midnight and another will land in Montreal on Saturday. The planes will carry about 300 Syrian refugees. | The first flight arrived in Toronto before midnight and another will land in Montreal on Saturday. The planes will carry about 300 Syrian refugees. |
| Greg Keoushkerian, 26, waited at the airport for his best friend whom he sponsored. Keoushkerian, a Syrian refugee of Armenian descent, said he and his family had been in Canada for 10 months and did not bother applying for asylum in the US. | Greg Keoushkerian, 26, waited at the airport for his best friend whom he sponsored. Keoushkerian, a Syrian refugee of Armenian descent, said he and his family had been in Canada for 10 months and did not bother applying for asylum in the US. |
| “Canada has been so welcoming. The US doesn’t seem like that. People here respect each other here. It’s so multicultural,” he said. “All my friends are asking about Canada now and how they can come here. In two weeks there will be another flight with some of my other friends.” | “Canada has been so welcoming. The US doesn’t seem like that. People here respect each other here. It’s so multicultural,” he said. “All my friends are asking about Canada now and how they can come here. In two weeks there will be another flight with some of my other friends.” |