“The question becomes, do you take the risk and open your door to Syrian refugees, or do you ignore them to “protect” Canadian citizens?” – I asked.
“We take the risk, children are dying everyday” – my friend said. He is a white Canadian of English origin. “We all start from somewhere. My grandparents came here years ago. Refugees or not, we are all the same.”
This friend is almost 70 years old. He is a Christian, a devoted church-goer, and maintains a super traditional lifestyle.
“So do you support the government’s plan to accept Syrian refugees into Canada?” – I asked
“Yes, before December 2016, we will have taken in a great number of them. I support the plan, but I think we should hurry. People are dying, they can’t wait.” – my friend said. This one is almost 90 years old. He is a first-generation Dutch immigrant, moving to Canada at the end of the WWII. “I have been living here for 66 years. My wife didn’t speak a word of English when we came, but I thought, we are going to make our life here, so we need to learn the language. She was a cleaning lady, and I was a milk-man.”
“It seems to me a lot of Canadians oppose to this move and they are worried about their safety. Are you not worried?”
“We were once in their place. We were dirt poor, and we found a home here. They should be able to find their home here, too.”
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