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Friday 11 Dec 2015 - 16:31 Makkah mean time-29-2-1437
Ottawa, (IINA) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau welcomed on Thursday the first batch of Syrian refugees coming to the country by a Canadian military plane, BBC reported.
Welcoming the 163 refugees, new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country was "showing the world how to open our hearts". He also Reiterated his government’s pledge to take in 25,000 refugees by the end of February.
Canada's stance on the issue differs sharply to that of the US, which has been reluctant to take in migrants. Immigration Minister John McCallum said that all 10 provinces in Canada were in favor of accepting the refugees, noting that another plane is due to land in Montreal on Saturday.
"This is a great moment for Canada", he said. "This shows the way we really are. It truly is a non-partisan, national project". He also noted that about 800 refugees go through screening tests in Lebanon and Jordan on a daily basis.
Unaccompanied men will be excluded from the resettlement program but officials said this had nothing to do with national security concerns.
"We want them to have a roof over their head, and the right support", said McCallum. "It takes a bit of time to put that all in place. We're happy to take a little more time than originally planned to bring our new friends into the country".
AG/IINA
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