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Ottawa looking at reuniting Syrian family after fire claims seven children:PM

Feb 21, 2019 | 9:29 AM

HALIFAX — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is looking into reuniting a mother who lost her seven children in a Halifax house fire this week with Syrian family members who are not in Canada.

Trudeau says Halifax MP Andy Filmore has already been in touch with Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen and immigration officials who are looking at the case involving Kawthar Barho’s family.

He says in “heartbreaking cases such as this” the government is looking at doing what it can to bring a family that has suffered “such a devastating loss together.”

Trudeau was among hundreds of people who gathered in Halifax’s main square Wednesday night in support of the Syrian refugee family.

At the vigil, Ali Duane, a member of Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency, urged all Canadians to pressure Ottawa to bring Kawthar Barho’s family members to Nova Scotia.

Her seven children died early Tuesday in a fire that swept through their suburban home, while her badly injured husband remains in hospital.

She has no other family in Canada.

The Barhos came to Nova Scotia in 2017 as sponsored refugees.

They had only lived in the Halifax suburb of Spryfield for a few months, having moved to the city from Elmsdale, N.S., to take advantage of language training and other immigrant services.

A spokesperson for the sponsorship group said the family had planned to return to Elmsdale next month.

The Canadian Press


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