Canada pledges to welcome Yezidi refugees
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Canadian parliament has recognized the Yezidi genocide in a unanimous vote with survivor and UN Goodwill Ambassador Nadia Murad present.
The House of Commons also voted to fast track accepting a number of Yezidi women and girls with the goal of welcoming a group within 120 days.
“I am pleased to see Nadia again today and reassure her that in the coming months we are committed to bring in… vulnerable Yezidi refugees,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after the vote on Tuesday.
There is no confirmed number for how many Yezidi refugees Canada will welcome but Rona Ambrose, the interim leader of the Conservative Party whose party tabled the bill, has said a minimum 1,000 should be brought to Canada.
Murad welcomed the decision, saying “I would like to thank Canada on behalf of the victims who will come here and who will start a new life. They will start a new life where they will have rights, where they will have safety, where they will have a new life that is different than the life they had at the hands of ISIS.”
Canada has welcomed 32,737 Syrian refugees since November 4, 2015. Another more than 20,000 applications are in process.
The House of Commons also voted to fast track accepting a number of Yezidi women and girls with the goal of welcoming a group within 120 days.
“I am pleased to see Nadia again today and reassure her that in the coming months we are committed to bring in… vulnerable Yezidi refugees,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after the vote on Tuesday.
There is no confirmed number for how many Yezidi refugees Canada will welcome but Rona Ambrose, the interim leader of the Conservative Party whose party tabled the bill, has said a minimum 1,000 should be brought to Canada.
Murad welcomed the decision, saying “I would like to thank Canada on behalf of the victims who will come here and who will start a new life. They will start a new life where they will have rights, where they will have safety, where they will have a new life that is different than the life they had at the hands of ISIS.”
Canada has welcomed 32,737 Syrian refugees since November 4, 2015. Another more than 20,000 applications are in process.