Today, 29 of them from 11 families will celebrate that anniversary in a very special way — by getting sworn in as Canadian citizens.
One is Rahaf Zwayne, who was single and 28 years old when she arrived in her new country — so desperate to leave the violence and fear behind her that she had considered crossing by migrant boat to Europe from Turkey.
Sponsored by a Canadian couple, she worked to obtain a diploma in hospitality and tourism and settled into a new life in Canada.
“It’s like a movie,” she said.
WATCH / Rahaf Zwayne on becoming Canadian
New Canadian and former Syrian refugee Rahaf Zwayne describes what it will be like when she gets her Canadian citizenship. 0:42
She said her efforts to integrate into a new culture have brought with them many challenges, including some experiences of racism and anti-refugee backlash. But the kindness of her sponsors and the many other Canadians who have helped her are far more important, she said.
“I just feel like I have wings now. I feel free. I feel like there are a lot of things I can do now,” she said. “And it’s wonderful to live in a country that respects human rights and respects people.”
The Syrian refugee resettlement initiative was a national project, drawing governments, community volunteers, sponsors and businesses together to bring thousands Syrians to the country.
Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino called it an “ambitious effort” by the Canadians who welcomed the newcomers with kindness and generosity.
“In the face of a humanitarian crisis, Canadians opened their homes and their hearts, and helped over 70,000 Syrian refugees to start new lives in Canada. Since then they’ve made immeasurable contributions to communities across the country,” he said.
Mendicino will take part in today’s special ceremony to welcome them to the Canadian family and wish them success in their new home.
Samer Al Jbawi had the advantage of speaking English when he arrived as a Syrian refugee five years ago. Now, he helps other newcomers as a settlement counsellor in Ottawa.
WATCH / Samer Al Jbawi on finding a new identity
New Canadian and former Syrian refugee Samer al Jbawi describes how his new citizenship makes him feel. 0:52
In a ceremony that was delayed by the pandemic, he and his family are being sworn in as Canadian citizens today.
“I think definitely I will be proud of my new identity, because getting Canadian citizenship, being a Canadian, this is a new life for me. A new nationality, a new identity. Dignity,” he said.
The government has helped fund settlement supports such as orientation, language assessment and training, employment services, transportation, translation and child care.
Al Jbawi said many refugees have found adjusting to a new culture and finding jobs to be their biggest challenges. He’s still struggling with another: the cold.
“I can say that I like almost everything except one thing, which is the weather. Until now, I haven’t adapted to the cold weather, the winter,” he said. “But for the rest, I think everything is more than perfect.”
WATCH / Samer Al Jbawi on Canada’s climate
New Canadian and former Syrian refugee Samer al Jbawi says Canada is a nearly perfect country except for one complaint common to new and old Canadians alike. 0:22
Fadi Al Gabbash agrees that the long Canadian winter is hard to get used to.
He and his nine-year-old daughter Leyla are also being sworn in as Canadians today. His wife is still working on her English language proficiency and his other children were born here.
“Canada is, in my opinion, is the best country in the world. So I am so glad and proud to be a member of the Canadian family now,” he said.
He is grateful for what Canada offers his family, including a good education. But he misses his mother, whom he hasn’t seen in five years.
Citizenship gives him the right to obtain a Canadian passport, but he said it’s not safe to travel to see his relatives in Syria now.
Fadi Al Gabbash is pictured here with wife Marwa Barakat, baby daughter Layan, son Ahmad and daughter Leyla. (Submitted by Fadi Al Gabbash)
VANCOUVER – Contract negotiations resume today in Vancouver in a labour dispute that has paralyzed container cargo shipping at British Columbia’s ports since Monday.
The BC Maritime Employers Association and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 are scheduled to meet for the next three days in mediated talks to try to break a deadlock in negotiations.
The union, which represents more than 700 longshore supervisors at ports, including Vancouver, Prince Rupert and Nanaimo, has been without a contract since March last year.
The latest talks come after employers locked out workers in response to what it said was “strike activity” by union members.
The start of the lockout was then followed by several days of no engagement between the two parties, prompting federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to speak with leaders on both sides, asking them to restart talks.
MacKinnon had said that the talks were “progressing at an insufficient pace, indicating a concerning absence of urgency from the parties involved” — a sentiment echoed by several business groups across Canada.
In a joint letter, more than 100 organizations, including the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Business Council of Canada and associations representing industries from automotive and fertilizer to retail and mining, urged the government to do whatever it takes to end the work stoppage.
“While we acknowledge efforts to continue with mediation, parties have not been able to come to a negotiated agreement,” the letter says. “So, the federal government must take decisive action, using every tool at its disposal to resolve this dispute and limit the damage caused by this disruption.
“We simply cannot afford to once again put Canadian businesses at risk, which in turn puts Canadian livelihoods at risk.”
In the meantime, the union says it has filed a complaint to the Canada Industrial Relations Board against the employers, alleging the association threatened to pull existing conditions out of the last contract in direct contact with its members.
“The BCMEA is trying to undermine the union by attempting to turn members against its democratically elected leadership and bargaining committee — despite the fact that the BCMEA knows full well we received a 96 per cent mandate to take job action if needed,” union president Frank Morena said in a statement.
The employers have responded by calling the complaint “another meritless claim,” adding the final offer to the union that includes a 19.2 per cent wage increase over a four-year term remains on the table.
“The final offer has been on the table for over a week and represents a fair and balanced proposal for employees, and if accepted would end this dispute,” the employers’ statement says. “The offer does not require any concessions from the union.”
The union says the offer does not address the key issue of staffing requirement at the terminals as the port introduces more automation to cargo loading and unloading, which could potentially require fewer workers to operate than older systems.
The Port of Vancouver is the largest in Canada and has seen a number of labour disruptions, including two instances involving the rail and grain storage sectors earlier this year.
A 13-day strike by another group of workers at the port last year resulted in the disruption of a significant amount of shipping and trade.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
The Royal Canadian Legion says a new partnership with e-commerce giant Amazon is helping boost its veterans’ fund, and will hopefully expand its donor base in the digital world.
Since the Oct. 25 launch of its Amazon.ca storefront, the legion says it has received nearly 10,000 orders for poppies.
Online shoppers can order lapel poppies on Amazon in exchange for donations or buy items such as “We Remember” lawn signs, Remembrance Day pins and other accessories, with all proceeds going to the legion’s Poppy Trust Fund for Canadian veterans and their families.
Nujma Bond, the legion’s national spokesperson, said the organization sees this move as keeping up with modern purchasing habits.
“As the world around us evolves we have been looking at different ways to distribute poppies and to make it easier for people to access them,” she said in an interview.
“This is definitely a way to reach a wider number of Canadians of all ages. And certainly younger Canadians are much more active on the web, on social media in general, so we’re also engaging in that way.”
Al Plume, a member of a legion branch in Trenton, Ont., said the online store can also help with outreach to veterans who are far from home.
“For veterans that are overseas and are away, (or) can’t get to a store they can order them online, it’s Amazon.” Plume said.
Plume spent 35 years in the military with the Royal Engineers, and retired eight years ago. He said making sure veterans are looked after is his passion.
“I’ve seen the struggles that our veterans have had with Veterans Affairs … and that’s why I got involved, with making sure that the people get to them and help the veterans with their paperwork.”
But the message about the Amazon storefront didn’t appear to reach all of the legion’s locations, with volunteers at Branch 179 on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive saying they hadn’t heard about the online push.
Holly Paddon, the branch’s poppy campaign co-ordinator and bartender, said the Amazon partnership never came up in meetings with other legion volunteers and officials.
“I work at the legion, I work with the Vancouver poppy office and I go to the meetings for the Vancouver poppy campaign — which includes all the legions in Vancouver — and not once has this been mentioned,” she said.
Paddon said the initiative is a great idea, but she would like to have known more about it.
The legion also sells a larger collection of items at poppystore.ca.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
