Canadians gather in BC to demand safe passage to Europe for Syrian refugees
Posted February 27, 2016 5:38 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A small crowd in Vancouver is adding its voice to a global day of action calling for European governments to provide Syrian refugees with safe transportation across the Mediterranean.
Vancouver was the only Canadian centre to participate in today’s event, called Safe Passage, which is being held in about 150 cities throughout 30 countries, mostly in Europe.
A choir sang on a downtown beach as volunteers coasted ashore in a dinghy, simulating the treacherous Mediterranean voyage that has so far claimed thousands of lives.
Syrian immigrant Danny Ramadan stressed to the gathered throng that the families seeking asylum are just like Canadians.
He said Syrians were forced to flee a devastating war and didn’t choose to leave a country he describes as dazzling and beautiful.
Federal officials expect 25,000 Syrian refugees to be in Canada by Monday, making good on one of the new government’s core campaign promises.
