P.A. bands together to face Syrian refugee crisis

Payton would have been pleased to see 12 people attend, and to see more than twice that left him “ecstatic.”

“I was delighted with the turnout and the feedback we received from people. I expected some people might have raised concerns, issues…no one raised anything that shouldn’t have been raised.”

For more than an hour-and-a-half attendees spoke about why they had attended. The most common answer was that they were there to “listen and learn.”

Many practical concerns about sponsoring a family were raised.

Randy Hanson was behind most of the questions. “I wanted to know if we could particularly pick people with trade’s backgrounds,” he said.

“Saskatchewan needs people. We need skilled people. There’s an awful lot of people who have come here who are highly qualified accountants and lawyers, but they’re driving cabs. We don’t need highly educated people. We need tradespeople.”

Questions about the cost and the time required were also raised.

Lazarowich said the process wouldn’t happen “overnight” and would require serious commitment from the group.

While a specific cost could not be determined, the rough number circulating through conversation was $25,000 to sponsor a family.

Several attendees had personal experience sponsoring families, and provided their input.

Payton had previously sponsored an Afghan family from Russia, and the Wesley United Church with which he is affiliated has brought in two families from the Republic of the Union of Myanmar in the past few years.

Many had also worked abroad or at home supporting refugees in past decades.

Madeleine Marchildon has worked for and supported refugees and crisis survivors from places such as Haiti for the last 15 years.

She said that being able to welcome refugees and provide support is a true honour.

“To be able to have a mission for a community you have to have a personal mission. As people have that personal mission they gather like they did tonight. And you find that there is power and strength in having a group on a similar mission.”

The date for the next meeting was not set, but Payton hoped it would be by the end of November.

ssterritt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit

by Spencer Sterritt

P.A. bands together to face Syrian refugee crisis

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