Surrey councillor lobbying for changes to federal refugee program
Posted April 13, 2014 9:34 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
SURREY (NEWS1130) – A Surrey city councillor says the federal government refuses to change it’s refugee program, which charges a fee for those coming here.
Councillor Judy Villeneuve say she’s been lobbying the government.
Villeneuve says government-assisted refugees are required to pay back their transportation and pre-medical screening costs. “We’re talking about the refugees that are coming out of war torn camps, some of them have been in camps for 18 years. Some of them are arriving in Canada with no assets.”
She says refugees can be on the hook for anywhere between $10,000 and $15,000, depending on the number of children they have. If it’s not paid back within three years, interest is charged.
Villeneuve says many have a burden on their back before they even get started.
Petitions are now moving throughout the community.
