# Plane carrying Syrian refugees arrives in Toronto, met by Prime Minister Trudeau



## Shalimar (Dec 11, 2015)

After months of prep, today, Thursday, first gov't plane load carrying Syrian refugees arrived in Toronto, in a military aircraft. They were met by Prime Minister Trudeau, who helped some of them pick out new winter 

coats. Other ministers and dignitaries were present also. Bienvenu chez nous! Welcome home.  Today, my heart smiles, and I eagerly await the refugees who hopefully will soon  arrive in my home town.


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## Ameriscot (Dec 11, 2015)

That is awesome, Shal!!  :love_heart:


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## Shalimar (Dec 11, 2015)

Thanks Annie, I am so excited.


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## Ameriscot (Dec 11, 2015)

I'm liking your new PM more all the time.


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## Shalimar (Dec 11, 2015)

Thanks Annie. He is also working hard to mend relations with our indigenous people. He went to the national chief's meeting. I believe his father may have been the last Prime Minister to do so.


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## SifuPhil (Dec 11, 2015)

Question, Shali, from a political no-nothing: do they have to go through "screening"?


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## Ralphy1 (Dec 11, 2015)

How dare you suggest such a thing as screening these poor wretches...


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## Ameriscot (Dec 11, 2015)

They always get screened.


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## Shalimar (Dec 11, 2015)

Of course they do Philly. Also, currently we are not accepting single men, only women and families.


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## Shalimar (Dec 11, 2015)

Ralphy, where is your birth certificate????? What is your true ethnicity???? It seems one can never be too careful.


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## Ralphy1 (Dec 11, 2015)

I am an American by birth but an Englishman at heart--God Save the Queen and the lovely Camilla!


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## Shalimar (Dec 11, 2015)

Hmmm. At this point I am not prepared to believe you are born of woman at all, without irrevocable proof. You could be a dangerous alien.


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## SifuPhil (Dec 11, 2015)

Ralphy1 said:


> I am an American by birth but an Englishman at heart--*God Save the Queen* and the lovely Camilla!



You've just been placed on the watch list for seditious acts, Ralphy ...


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## Ralphy1 (Dec 11, 2015)

Look out for a Santa wearing a suicide vest...


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## SifuPhil (Dec 11, 2015)

Ralphy1 said:


> Look out for a Santa wearing a suicide vest...



Wow, or in your sack - what a great cover that would be.


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## Ralphy1 (Dec 11, 2015)

What sack are you takin about?  Maybe Shali knows...


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## SifuPhil (Dec 11, 2015)

The sack! You know ... the big bag! The loot carrier! Felix's Righty-O bag! The ...

... oh, forget it - put on your bloody vest.


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## Ralphy1 (Dec 11, 2015)

Nothing in my sack!  Don't want them blown off!  But maybe they would go anyways...


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## SifuPhil (Dec 11, 2015)

Ralphy1 said:


> Nothing in my sack!  Don't want them blown off!  But maybe they would go anyways...



They're usually the first to go. I've worked recovery ops.


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## Ralphy1 (Dec 11, 2015)

Well, they are kind of useless these days so it probably wouldn't matter...


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## Shalimar (Dec 11, 2015)

Hey, can we say hijacked??


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## Ralphy1 (Dec 11, 2015)

Those were the old days of terrorism.   Now it is guys like the shoe and underwear bombers that we must keep off of planes...


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## Ameriscot (Dec 11, 2015)

SifuPhil said:


> You've just been placed on the watch list for seditious acts, Ralphy ...




Unfortunately, I had to pledge allegiance to the queen and her heirs (I didn't mean it!) in order to get UK citizenship.  And that was fine with the US which I am still a citizen of.


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## Ralphy1 (Dec 11, 2015)

You should be taken to the Tower and dealt with harshly for your deceitful behavior...


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## Ameriscot (Dec 11, 2015)

Ralphy1 said:


> You should be taken to the Tower and dealt with harshly for your deceitful behavior...



Sure, except the Tower is only a tourist attraction now.


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## Ralphy1 (Dec 11, 2015)

It could be closed for awhile to deal with you...


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## Ameriscot (Dec 11, 2015)

Ralphy1 said:


> It could be closed for awhile to deal with you...



Yikes!  You mean they know I mentally crossed my fingers when I made my pledge?!!


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## Ralphy1 (Dec 11, 2015)

Nothing escapes MI5.  Better get back to the states pronto, and hope that you don't get extradited...


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## Debby (Dec 11, 2015)

I watched the arrival on the news this morning and it was just so uplifting.  Justin was so sweet with the little girl who got all shy while her daddy held her and listening to that man talk about how they have a 'beautiful new future ahead of them'.....Just brings tears to my eyes when I think of it!  

One family (who must have a huge home) are going to be taking in 43 people I think.   Mattresses everywhere and they've taken out a second mortgage and maxed out their credit cards and they've raised over $200,000.00 to do this!  I think a few are cousins but the rest aren't!  Talk about going above and beyond eh?  

And in so many ways for these Syrian people, the changes in their lives must feel monumental.  I recall someone saying that they'd been in a Lebanese camp for a couple years already.  At least our weather has been cooperative.  This week it's been snowless in Toronto and about eight degrees warmer than seasonal.  Would have been a real rush to arrive to a blizzard don't you think?


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## SifuPhil (Dec 11, 2015)

Ameriscot said:


> Unfortunately, I had to pledge allegiance to the queen and her heirs (I didn't mean it!) in order to get UK citizenship.  And that was fine with the US which I am still a citizen of.



So you have duel citizenship? That's interesting ...


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## Fern (Dec 11, 2015)

It won't be too long before they start demanding the removal of the word Christian, & anything to do with Xmas,(as they have done elsewhere)  that's just for starters.


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## Jackie22 (Dec 11, 2015)

This is all great, Shalimar, I too like your new Prime Minister.


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## Shalimar (Dec 11, 2015)

Thanks Jackie. After a ten year mini-fascist drought, I am beginning to recognise my Canada again. Thanks to him, the long overdue investigation into the deaths and disappearance of over 1000 indigenous women is finally underway. This is not an 

aboriginal problem. This is a Canadian problem, and a national disgrace. We have a history of racism also. He is committed to forming a new relationship with First People. Our new justice minister is an Aboriginal woman. Half his cabinet are women.


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## Bee (Dec 11, 2015)

Fern said:


> It won't be too long before they start demanding the removal of the word Christian, & anything to do with Xmas,(as they have done elsewhere)  that's just for starters.



I don't know about your country but here in the U.K. it is local councils or in other words the PC Brigade that tried to ban the word Christmas in festivities until the British Council of Muslims spoke out about it and told these ignorant people that Muslims have no problem with Christmas and many do celebrate with Christmas gifts and wishing people a Merry Christmas.

I have Muslims in my family and they enjoy Christmas and join in the festivities with the rest of the family and surprise surprise they even imbibe in a glass of wine or three.


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## Shalimar (Dec 11, 2015)

Cheers!


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## Warrigal (Dec 11, 2015)

I've just seen footage of PM Trudeau welcoming the refugees at Toronto and distributing warm clothing to children.
I know that it is a photo opportunity but the symbolism is spot on.
This is true leadership.


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## SifuPhil (Dec 11, 2015)

Meanwhile I understand this is a common site in Toronto ...



Take care of your own first, I always say ...


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## Warrigal (Dec 11, 2015)

Take care of both, I say. Especially the children.


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## SifuPhil (Dec 11, 2015)

Warrigal said:


> Take care of both, I say. Especially the children.



That would be wonderful, as long as they have the money and other resources.


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## Shalimar (Dec 11, 2015)

We are coming out of ten years of a conservative dictatorship. Give us some time to address homelessness. It is possible to serve both them and the refugees.


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## SifuPhil (Dec 11, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> We are coming out of ten years of a conservative dictatorship. Give us some time to address homelessness. It is possible to serve both them and the refugees.



Like most things in life, I'll believe it when I see it. It hasn't worked here so far.


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## Warrigal (Dec 11, 2015)

SifuPhil said:


> That would be wonderful, as long as they have the money and other resources.



A nun, who had no money of her own, once told me that money for good works is never the problem. The problem is always the mindset of people.
Money is always available. All you need to do is ask for it.


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## Shalimar (Dec 11, 2015)

As for the resources, along with the gov't, private citizens have flocked in record numbers to help sponsor Syrian refugees. The call has gone out, and even junior schools have reached out  through the parent's initiative to sponsor refugees. What a wonderful way to teach 

children to be global citizens. They too can make a difference. Developers, homeowners with rental property have offered housing to refugees at minimal cost.


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## Shalimar (Dec 11, 2015)

With respect, Philly, we live in two distinct societies, with considerable historical and cultural differences.


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## SifuPhil (Dec 11, 2015)

Warrigal said:


> A nun, who had no money of her own, once told me that money for good works is never the problem. The problem is always the mindset of people.
> Money is always available. All you need to do is ask for it.



That's easy for nuns to say - their room and board is paid for. 

Seriously - I know from personal experience that if you can't heal yourself you cannot heal others. 

And at least here in the US a lot of people are not whole.


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## Warrigal (Dec 11, 2015)

The whole world is broken Phil. That is the core message of Genesis Chapter 2. 
The broken are charged with the task mending each other.


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## SifuPhil (Dec 11, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> As for the resources, along with the gov't, private citizens have flocked in record numbers to help sponsor Syrian refugees. The call has gone out, and even junior schools have reached out  through the parent's initiative to sponsor refugees. What a wonderful way to teach children to be global citizens. They too can make a difference. Developers, homeowners with rental property have offered housing to refugees at minimal cost.



Once again, it's the private citizens with the _means_ to do so. Money. Resources. Despite what Warri's nun friend said, you have to have it FIRST before you can spread it around.

If they were so concerned about the Human Plight, why didn't they flock together previously, _despite_ the government, to help the homeless? To get rid of the drug problems? To reduce crime?

It's easy to blame the government for our _own_ short-falls.



Shalimar said:


> With respect, Philly, we live in two distinct societies, with considerable historical and cultural differences.



Oh, I know, I know.


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## SifuPhil (Dec 11, 2015)

Warrigal said:


> The whole world is broken Phil. That is the core message of Genesis Chapter 2.
> The broken are charged with the task mending each other.



I agree, _despite_ the overtly altruistic messages contained in your reference material.


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## Warrigal (Dec 11, 2015)

I used the reference to demonstrate the antiquity of the problem, and the remedy.


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## SifuPhil (Dec 11, 2015)

Warrigal said:


> I used the reference to demonstrate the antiquity of the problem, and the remedy.



I agree with the antiquity.

The remedy? Again, not so sure. How do you help others when you can't help yourself? That's like asking a man with no arms to massage the kinks out of your neck. 

Some "remedies", like those in the Bible, are there not to actually work - they're there to keep the upper classes from having to exert themselves in helping the poor. "Heal thyself - don't bother me".


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## Warrigal (Dec 11, 2015)

SifuPhil said:


> I agree with the antiquity.
> 
> The remedy? Again, not so sure. How do you help others when you can't help yourself? That's like asking a man with no arms to massage the kinks out of your neck.
> 
> Some "remedies", like those in the Bible, are there not to actually work - they're there to keep the upper classes from having to exert themselves in helping the poor. "Heal thyself - don't bother me".



Hell will freeze over before the rich are eager to help the poor. Either the poor band together and help each other or they unite in revolution.


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## SifuPhil (Dec 11, 2015)

Warrigal said:


> Hell will freeze over before the rich are eager to help the poor.



Exactly.



> Either the poor band together and help each other or they unite in revolution.



I would prefer revolution, but then the poor do not have the resources - the rich can easily put them down.

That leaves helping each other, and as I previously said that's problematic.


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## WhatInThe (Dec 11, 2015)

SifuPhil said:


> I would prefer revolution, but then the poor do not have the resources - the rich can easily put them down.
> 
> That leaves helping each other, and as I previously said that's problematic.



Exactly

But like many a revolution including the US help from third parties never hurts. And this is where resources should've and should be going. There are still problems to be fixed in the reason which will probably wind up being handled by third parties. Those third parties should be teaching those already living there what to do. Sooner or later even in the west those refugees will have to learn to fend for themselves. So why not do it in their homeland.


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## Ameriscot (Dec 11, 2015)

SifuPhil said:


> So you have duel citizenship? That's interesting ...



DUAL citizenship, yes.  It's very common around the world.


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## Ameriscot (Dec 11, 2015)

Debby said:


> I watched the arrival on the news this morning and it was just so uplifting.  Justin was so sweet with the little girl who got all shy while her daddy held her and listening to that man talk about how they have a 'beautiful new future ahead of them'.....Just brings tears to my eyes when I think of it!
> 
> One family (who must have a huge home) are going to be taking in 43 people I think.   Mattresses everywhere and they've taken out a second mortgage and maxed out their credit cards and they've raised over $200,000.00 to do this!  I think a few are cousins but the rest aren't!  Talk about going above and beyond eh?
> 
> And in so many ways for these Syrian people, the changes in their lives must feel monumental.  I recall someone saying that they'd been in a Lebanese camp for a couple years already.  At least our weather has been cooperative.  This week it's been snowless in Toronto and about eight degrees warmer than seasonal.  Would have been a real rush to arrive to a blizzard don't you think?



How wonderful!!


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## SifuPhil (Dec 11, 2015)

WhatInThe said:


> Exactly
> 
> But like many a revolution including the US help from third parties never hurts. And this is where resources should've and should be going. There are still problems to be fixed in the reason which will probably wind up being handled by third parties. Those third parties should be teaching those already living there what to do. Sooner or later even in the west those refugees will have to learn to fend for themselves. So why not do it in their homeland.



Well said.


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## Ameriscot (Dec 11, 2015)

Shalimar said:


> Thanks Jackie. After a ten year mini-fascist drought, I am beginning to recognise my Canada again. Thanks to him, the long overdue investigation into the deaths and disappearance of over 1000 indigenous women is finally underway. This is not an
> 
> aboriginal problem. This is a Canadian problem, and a national disgrace. We have a history of racism also. He is committed to forming a new relationship with First People. Our new justice minister is an Aboriginal woman. Half his cabinet are women.



So good to hear!  Hope he can accomplish everything he wants to.


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## Shalimar (Dec 11, 2015)

Thanks Annie. We are off to a good start. I am optimistic.


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## Debby (Dec 11, 2015)

WhatInThe said:


> Exactly
> 
> But like many a revolution including the US help from third parties never hurts. And this is where resources should've and should be going. There are still problems to be fixed in the reason which will probably wind up being handled by third parties. Those third parties should be teaching those already living there what to do. Sooner or later even in the west those refugees will have to learn to fend for themselves. So why not do it in their homeland.




If you're talking about 'helping the Syria refugees in their homeland', keep in mind that their homeland is torn apart thanks to the official government and terrorists fighting one another.  What would you do if you were in exactly that situation?  Would you stay and wait for 'someone to help you there' or would you pick up what you could carry, grab your children and make a dash for safety?  

Between 1975 and 1980 Canada took in 60,000 Vietnamese boat people who 'made a dash for safety' just like our country is doing now and we made it work and today those people have been long contributing members of our society.  And I have no doubt that these people will also become fully self supporting in the same way and our country will be better off for having them.  They'll bring their courage and talents and skills and add to us.  And maybe some of these kids will grow up and do great things like Steve Jobs did in the USA.


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## Warrigal (Dec 11, 2015)

The trouble with immigration is that some of them become criminals and some become captains of industry. Most just become citizens like everyone else. In advance you can't tell which path they will follow. It's the same with refugees. If you refuse to allow any of them in because a miniscule number will be antisocial then you miss out on the benefit of the good citizens and the entrepreneurs.

My society has been built on immigration and refugees and overall it has been a resounding success.


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