May: “This amounts to contempt of Parliament and Canadians deserve better”
OTTAWA – Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party (Saanich-Gulf Islands), released the following statement today after the Globe and Mail published a story on the Prime Minister’s Office halting Syrian refugee processing:
“On June 15, Chris Alexander, Conservative Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, said, ‘This is a government that has done more than any other party in this place for refugees over the last several decades,' when in fact Mr. Harper had already secretly stopped Syrian refugee processing.
“Only 308 refugees from Syria were issued visas in the first eight months of 2015, according to the department of Citizenship and Immigration. This does not represent a significant effort by the Conservative government to help Syrian refugees come to Canada.
“Mr. Alexander and Mr. Harper deliberately misled the House and the Canadian public. This amounts to contempt of Parliament and Canadians deserve better.
“This is just one example of Mr. Harper’s callous disregard for government processes, privacy rights, and the plights of refugees -many of whom have escaped incomprehensible violence in their home country.
“Disciplinary action must be implemented when the House resumes and Green MPs will ensure that Mr. Alexander and Mr. Harper –if they are re-elected –are held accountable for misleading Parliament.”
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For additional information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Julian Morelli
Director of Communications
Green Party of Canada
cell: (613) 614 4916
office: (613) 562 4916 (224)
julian.morelli@greenparty.ca
Or
Kirsten Strom
Executive Assistant to Director of Communications
t: 613.562.4916 (200)
Toll Free 1.866.868.3447
kirsten.strom@greenparty.ca