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One step forward, one step back, for refugee sponsors

Last week, the government offered to help speed up refugee settlement for private sponsors but Trinity United Church learned the offer does not extend to them.

Government offer to 'swap' refugee families doesn't extend to local church group

Brian Higgins · CBC News ·
Trinity United Church in Summerside plans to meet this month to discuss their ongoing support after learning they don't qualify to have their refugee sponsorship sped up. (CBC)

Last week, the government offered to help speed up refugee settlement for private sponsors but Trinity United Church learned the offer does not extend to them.

"It leaves us in limbo really," said Rev. Andrew Richardson. "We're no farther ahead."

Trinity United in Summerside, P.E.I. has been waiting months for the second of its two Syrian refugee families to arrive in Canada.

Last week, the federal government offered the church group, and other private sponsors across Canada, an opportunity to speed up the process.

When it comes to families that are still separated, yes, we can wait. We must wait.- Father John Molina

That offer entailed a "swap" of the sponsors' designated family for another family that had already cleared the security and health precautions that had slowed some families.

On Thursday, the Summerside church received another email from the government to say the offer does not extend to them.

"It's for recent sponsor applicants only," said Richardson. "Not us. We've been waiting since last year."

One of their sponsored families arrived last November. But the other has yet to be allowed to come.

Delay upsetting

Richardson said the delay has taken its toll on his volunteers. The group raised $30,000 to pay for two families to come.  Now the group needs to reassess if it still has the commitment in time and effort from volunteers to complete the project.
Rev. Andrew Richardson reads the email advising Trinity United Church does not qualify to have its refugee sponsorship sped up. (CBC)

"We will be reconvening in early September and just kind of making sure we're still committed to, and have the man power and resources for the second family," said Richardson.

The Catholic Diocese of Charlottetown said it is willing to wait. About one third of the 150 Syrians it has sponsored have yet to arrive.

"We've been waiting 10 years to reunite one of our families from Africa," said Father John Molina. "When it comes to families that are still separated, yes, we can wait. We must wait."

According to the P.E.I. Department of Workforce and Advanced Learning, more than 230 Syrian refugees have arrived on P.E.I. since Nov. 2015.

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