OTTAWA — In spite of relentless pressure to help Syrians flee the perils of civil war, Canada’s former Conservative government twice rejected a proposal last year to make it easier for Canadians to sponsor them, newly disclosed documents show. On both occasions, the recommendation as described in documents obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act was rejected by then-immigration minister Chris Alexander. A memo, entitled “Public policy to facilitate the sponsorship of Syrian and Iraqi refugees by groups of five and community sponsors,” was first sent to Alexander on March 17, 2015. As a result, such so-called “groups of five” could only sponsor people who carried an official refugee designation the United Nations or the host country. By May, only 195 came under the groups of five program, which the Liberals announced late last week they would extend.

Source: National Post August 28, 2016 17:26 UTC