Washington briefing told of Canada’s ‘overwhelmingly’ positive refugee response
WASHINGTON — A Canadian politician offered a positive view of the country’s experiences with Syrian refugees during a briefing session Monday in Washington, where the current political climate is far less welcoming of migrants.
Arif Virani shared some observations about his country’s experience during a briefing session on Capitol Hill attended by a number of U.S. congressional staffers and moderated by the Washington bureau chief of The Economist magazine.
Virani, the parliamentary secretary for immigration, was asked about a recent cover story in the New York Times about Canada headlined, “Refugees Encounter a Foreign Word: Welcome.” The moderator, David Rennie, asked, “Why is Canada so different?”
Virani responded by referring to different factors — including the role of Canadian media in sharing positive stories about the refugees, like those who helped with fundraising in the aftermath of the Alberta forest fires.