People in Saskatchewan react to Syrian refugee crisis

People in Saskatchewan are following the Syrian refugee crisis closely.

The Mennonite Central Committee is one group that helps to bring refugees to Canada and Syria has become one of its main priorities.

"I think it's vital," Elaine Harder, the group's refugee program coordinator, said. "It's who we are as people. We're caring for each other. We want to help someone in a situation that's vulnerable."

Noor Mitri, a Regina restaurateur originally from Syria, still has relatives in the war torn country.

Mitri says the solution to the crisis is to make Syria a safe place.

"The country is not in a good place at all," Mitri said. "People have no jobs. They can't even send their kids to school with safety. These are the issues we need to look at."

Mitri said his relatives live in constant danger.

"I think the best problem for the refugee problem is really stabilizing Syria again," he said. "Finding out the factors that are currently destabilizing the country and restabilizing it all over again."

People who have experienced turmoil in the homeland have deep understanding of the refugee crisis.

Trevor Kakunze, a student, emigrated to Canada from Burundi. While he was not a refugee, he left the country while it was in the middle of a civil war and encountered many displaced people living in camps.

"No choice is better than another one," Kakunze said of the limited options facing refugees. "People decide to move and go away. Some people decide to stay and wait and see what happens. It's not like a yes or no."

The federal government has set a target to bring to Canada more than 11,000 Syrian refugees. So far, around 2,000 have been successfully processed.