London, Ont. welcomes 36 Afghan refugees as they begin their new life in Canada
The Government of Canada announced Tuesday that it will continue to exhaust every option to get as many Afghans to safety as possible.
To date, Canada has evacuated roughly 3,700 people from Afghanistan – the majority of whom are refugees who will begin their new lives in this country.
Efforts are underway to help resettle 36 Afghan refugees who arrived in London, Ont. over the weekend. Half of them, children under the age of 15.
Executive director of the Cross Cultural Learner Center (CCLC) Valerian Marochko, says about two dozen families arrived in London, Ont. in great spirits over the weekend.
Marochko says there were “lots of smiles on the faces of those children and the parents too,” as they arrived.
CCLC is one of the local agencies that will assist with resettling the refugees in London. They work alongside all levels of government to insure the refugees are supported with the services they need.
“Starting with housing, starting with learning the language, finding a job, enrolling children in school, finding a family doctor, connecting with the community and making friends,” says Marochko.
After arriving in Canada, the refugees quarantined in Toronto, Ont. and received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, before coming to London, Ont. where they are currently being housed in undisclosed, temporary locations across the city.
Marochko says previous refugee arrivals have helped strengthen the infrastructure – that consists of a network of organization across London, Ont. that help resettle newcomers.
However, they are always looking for volunteers for their Match program that helps integrate the refugees into society.
“You can take a newcomer to a hockey game or go together to a park for a picnic, do activities together so that they get used to Canadian culture,” says Marochko.
Due to covid-19 CCLC says they prefer cash donations so that they can assess the needs of the families and provide them with the appropriate supports.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Minister 'outraged' after AFN national chief's headdress taken from Air Canada cabin
The federal minister of Crown-Indigenous relations is calling on Air Canada to 'make things right' with the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, who said her headdress was removed from an airplane cabin during a flight this week.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Canada recognizes housing as a human right. Few provinces have followed suit
As more Canadians find themselves struggling to afford or find housing, the country's smallest province is the only one that can point to legislation recognizing housing as a human right.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.