Syrian refugees: Human rights group leads city's refugee plan
A Syrian human rights group in Windsor has taken a leadership role in preparing the city for the arrival of possibly hundreds of refugees in the coming weeks.
Recognizing the lack of coordination among community groups and government, the Syrian Canadian Council wrangled stakeholders to a planning meeting Monday.
With many refugees likely to be recovering from traumatic experiences overseas, they'll need a wide array of resources when they arrive, according to Dr. Ahmad Chaker, president of the Syrian Canadian Council.
He told CBC Radio's Windsor Morning the group is "trying to invite everybody under one roof to get together, have a good communication system and from there we move."
In the past week, critics have called out City of Windsor politicians for the lack of leadership when it comes to preparing for the historic influx of refugees. City staff, on the other hand, have expressed frustration with the federal government for not providing enough information about the arrival.
Without an organized plan, the vulnerable arrivals could suffer even further than they already have, Chaker explained.
"Those people went through [a] horrific experience," he said. "They lived for two, three or four years in [a] tent. Some of them have [a] big, big problem with post-traumatic shock."
Though the details of a plan may be lacking, many stakeholders agree the city needs to provide stable housing for refugees before they arrive. Once that element is in place, the groups can then focus on providing counselling services and the tools needed to adapt to a new country and culture.
Some details have been revealed about the new arrivals. A report from the federal government to the National Settlement Council outlines the ages and the languages of many refugees, but specifics about how many each community will receive has yet to be released.
Earlier this weekend, CBC reported up to 32 Syrian refugees could arrive in Windsor this week, beginning Monday.
The Tonbari family was the first to arrive. Ibrahim Tonbari, his wife Zaineb al Omar and their four children landed at Windsor's airport Monday afternoon.
When the family touched down in Windsor, the kids bent down to touch the grass.
Tonbari told CBC News through an interpreter that he wanted to come to Canada so his kids could grow up in peace.
Refugees need community support
Refugees will rely heavily on community resources once they arrive, particularly because of the minimal assistance offered by the federal government, according to Windsor's Reza Shahbazi, who sits on the National Settlement Council.
"The federal government provides them some stipend, and it usually is equivalent and/or at the same level of those who receive resources from social services," she said. "So, it's not higher than that, but at least they're coming to the resources provided by federal government."
To make sure Windsor's welcome is as efficient as possible, Chaker hopes to hammer out the impetus for a plan at Monday's meeting.
"We need more communication or we need to set a communication system between us. This is why, really, I did this," he said.
Monday's meeting will include dozens of service providers, including the Windsor Essex County Multicultural Council, the YMCA and the City of Windsor.
