A Canadian citizen stuck in Sudan says the country has descended into “utter chaos.”
“Our neighbours to the north and south of us were both hit by a (rocket-propelled grenade)– thankfully nobody was injured,” Safia Mustafa told CTV News from outside Sudan’s capital. “We sleep usually during the day if we can, because at night it’s so scary: all you hear is bombs going off everywhere and you don’t know you’re going to be hit.”
Mustafa, who grew up in St. Catharines, Ont., moved to Sudan two years ago to help care for her elderly parents and grandmother.
“My dad passed away two months ago, God rest his soul, and now we’re in the middle of a war,” Mustafa said in a video call beset with connection issues. “I don’t know how I’m going to get out of here.”
Hundreds have been killed and thousands injured since fighting broke out on April 15 between the Sudanese military and a rival paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would begin conducting airlifts from the east African country.
“Obviously the situation in Sudan is extraordinarily concerning,” Trudeau told reporters Tuesday morning. “We’re looking at doing direct airlifts — lifts of Canadians and dependants.”
A German flight evacuated 58 Canadians on Monday. Of the approximately 1,500 Canadians registered in the country, about 100 have made it out with help from Germany, France, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. According to Canada’s foreign minister, 550 Canadians have asked for assistance leaving. Canadian diplomats have already been evacuated from Sudan.
“For the first few days, we didn’t really hear anything from the Canadian government or the embassy here in Sudan,” Mustafa said. “They’ve evacuated their staff, and I’m really glad that they’re safe, but there was nothing done for the citizens here until now.”
Mustafa now faces the painful choice of staying in Sudan or fleeing without her 90-year-old grandmother.
“Basically you’re being told to get yourself to a location and being evacuated from there, but unfortunately, because my grandma is not a Canadian citizen, we haven’t been offered that opportunity yet ” Mustafa said. “So the choice is either to leave her behind, which is not really a choice, or save ourselves.”
Even getting to a rendezvous point could prove deadly. Mustafa and her family live on a Nile River island that has only one bridge connecting it to the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, where fighting is rampant.
“When you’re crossing bridges, there’s a risk of getting hit, being targeted,” Mustafa explained. Taking a boat comes with the same danger.
“There’s no way my grandmother can make the overland journey, which is the other choice that is on the table right now: to go all the way to Egypt, which is taking over three days for people,” Mustafa said. “I really don’t have to bury my grandmother on the side of the road.”
For now, the family can only hope for the best.
“We have to stay put until they offer all of us a way,” Mustafa said. “It’s just it’s a little disheartening that I have to choose between my grandmother or life.”
Supplies are running low in their house, and Mustafa guesses they have about a week’s worth of food left.
“If we have to make the journey we need to do that now,” she said. “We can’t wait another week, right? We don’t know how bad things are going to get, and I really don’t want to find out.”
With files from The Canadian Press
PORT ALBERNI, B.C. – RCMP say the body of a second person has been found inside their vehicle after a road washed away amid pouring rain on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Police say two vehicles went into the Sarita River when Bamfield Road washed out on Saturday as an atmospheric river hammered southern B.C.
The body of the other driver was found Sunday.
More coming.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
The B.C. Greens say Sonia Furstenau will be staying on as party leader, despite losing her seat in the legislature in Saturday’s provincial election.
The party says in a statement that its two newly elected MLAs, Jeremy Valeriote and Rob Botterell, support Furstenau’s leadership as they “navigate the prospect of having the balance of power in the legislature.”
Neither the NDP led by Premier David Eby nor the B.C. Conservatives led by John Rustad secured a majority in the election, with two recounts set to take place from Oct. 26 to 28.
Eby says in a news conference that while the election outcome is uncertain, it’s “very likely” that the NDP would need the support of others to pass legislation.
He says he reached out to Furstenau on election night to congratulate her on the Greens’ showing.
But he says the Green party has told the NDP they are “not ready yet” for a conversation about a minority government deal.
The Conservatives went from taking less than two per cent of the vote in 2020 to being elected or leading in 45 ridings, two short of a majority and only one behind the NDP.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Toronto FC captain Jonathan Osorio is making a difference, 4,175 kilometres away from home.
The 32-year-old Canadian international midfielder, whose parents hail from Colombia, has been working with the Canadian Colombian Children’s Organization, a charity whose goal is to help disadvantaged youth in the South American country.
Osorio has worked behind the scenes, with no fanfare.
Until now, with his benevolence resulting in becoming Toronto FC’s nominee for the Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award, which honours an MLS player “who showed outstanding dedication to charitable efforts and serving the community” during the 2024 season.”
Other nominees include Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and CF Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois.
The winner will be announced in late November.
The Canadian Colombian Children’s Organization (CCCO) is run entirely by volunteers like Monica Figueredo and Claudia Soler. Founded in 1991, it received charitable status in 2005.
The charity currently has four projects on the go: two in Medellin and one each in Armenia and Barranquilla.
They include a school, a home for young girls whose parents are addicted to drugs, after-school and weekend programs for children in a disadvantaged neighbourhood, and nutrition and education help for underprivileged youth.
The organization heard about Osorio and was put in contact with him via an intermediary, which led to a lunch meeting. Osorio did his due diligence and soon got back to the charity with his decision.
“It was something that I wanted to be a part of right away,” said Osorio, whose lone regret is that he didn’t get involved sooner.
“I’m fortunate now that to help more now that I could have back then,” he added. “The timing actually worked out for everybody. For the last three years I have donated to their cause and we’ve built a couple of (football) fields in different cities over there in the schools.”
His father visited one of the sites in Armenia close to his hometown.
“He said it was amazing, the kids, how grateful they are to be able to play on any pitch, really,” said Osorio. “But to be playing on a new pitch, they’re just so grateful and so humble.
“It really makes it worth it being part of this organization.”
The collaboration has also made Osorio take stock.
“We’re very fortunate here in Canada, I think, for the most part. Kids get to go to school and have a roof over their head and things like that. In Colombia, it’s not really the same case. My father and his family grew up in tough conditions, so giving back is like giving back to my father.”
Osorio’s help has been a godsend to the charity.
“We were so surprised with how willing he was,” said Soler.
The TFC skipper has helped pay for a football field in Armenia as well as an ambitious sports complex under construction in Barranquilla.
“It’s been great for them,” Figueredo said of the pitch in Armenia. “Because when they go to school, now they have a proper place to train.”
Osorio has also sent videos encouraging the kids to stay active — as well as shipping soccer balls and signed jerseys their way.
“They know more about Jonathan than the other players in Colombia,” Figueredo said. “That’s the funny part. Even though he’s far away, they’ve connected with him.”
“They feel that they have a future, that they can do more,” she added. “Seeing that was really, really great.”
The kids also followed Osorio through the 2022 World Cup and this summer’s Copa America.
Back home, Osorio has also attended the charity’s annual golf tournament, helping raise funds.
A Toronto native, he has long donated four tickets for every TFC home game to the Hospital for Sick Children.
Vancouver’s Berhalter was nominated for his involvement in the Whitecaps’ partnership with B.C. Children’s Hospital while Montreal’s Sirois was chosen for his work with the Montreal Impact Foundation.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
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