The Current

Meet the soon-to-be new Canadians inside Beirut refugee camp

For so long, they've been nameless and faceless...referred to only as "Syrian refugees." CBC's Derek Stoffel join us from Lebanon where he's been meeting some of the refugees who are struggling to survive and who will be arriving on our shores soon.
Samer el Bawab and his family is scheduled to travel to Canada next week. HE says he's excited but finds it very tough to leave Syria. (Derek Stoffel/CBC)
Homs was very bad. We were running from one street to another street because of the bombing and shelling. I was arrested by the regime for 10 days. And it was hell these 10 days. Beatings. All kinds of violence. And after this I was like a refugee from street to street and I couldn't support my family. I was running from all the checkpoints and all the police, and that's why I left.- Samer al Bawab on why he left Syria and hopes to leave for Canada next week

This week we've learned much more about the federal government's plan to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees. 

We know that there should be 10,000 in Canada by the end of the year. And that nearly 1000 visas have already been issued.

The father of this Syrian family living in a refugee camp in Lebanon told CBC reporter Derek Stoffel they would love to move to Canada, but worry they couldn't afford it here. (Derek Stoffel/CBC)

Beyond the numbers though, we've yet to hear much from these soon-to-be new Canadians.

CBC Middle East correspondent Derek Stoffel is in Lebanon this week. He has been travelling to several areas around the country to meet refugees face-to-face.

Derek Stoffel joined Piya Chattopadhyay from Beirut for a look at where these refugees are coming from.  

Derek Stoffel visits a camp in northern Lebanon, where conditions are bleak

Life in a Lebanese refugee camp

9 years ago
Duration 1:43
Derek Stoffel visits a camp in northern Lebanon, where conditions are bleak

 

This segment was produced by The Current's Liz Hoath.