The Liberal government says it will have an announcement in the coming days that will explain “in substantial detail” how Canada plans to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of the year.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with his cabinet Thursday to discuss how to deliver on the Liberals’ refugee promise, amid criticism that the plan will be difficult to carry out.
Immigration Minister John McCallum told reporters after the meeting Thursday that the plan has not changed.
“After today’s meeting we are in same place as we were yesterday,” he said. “That is to say we are still committed to bringing in 25,000 refugees into Canada by the end of the year and we will have an announcement in substantial detail on that plan in the coming days.”
He added that the 25,000 people will be government-sponsored refugees, and Ottawa is also encouraging private sponsorship of refuges.
The Liberals have yet to explain the logistics of how the government plans to bring 25,000 refuges to Canada and where they will go once they are here.
It's expected refugees will be chosen from camps and settlements in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. The program will likely involve simplified paperwork and the batching together of groups of refugees.
