Quebec gets ready to welcome first group of Afghan refugees
Quebec to work with several organizations to help transition, provincial immigration minister says
Quebec is getting ready to welcome a first group of Afghan refugees, according to the province's immigration minister.
In a series of tweets on Monday, Nadine Girault tweeted they would come to the province, after they finish their quarantine in Toronto.
"The federal government has informed us that about 300 refugees should soon be able to arrive on Quebec territory," Girault said.
Ottawa is working to resettle about 20 thousand vulnerable people from Afghanistan. The federal government is prioritizing women and children, as well as Canadian citizens, vulnerable minorities and Afghan nationals outside the country.
Après avoir effectué une quarantaine à Toronto, les réfugiés afghans à destination du Québec seront pris en charge par le gouvernement du Québec. Il s’agit de la façon la plus rapide et efficace d’agir dans un contexte de crise et d’évacuation. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/polqc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#polqc</a>
—@NadineGiraultFederal officials speaking on background Monday confirmed that since the start of the airlift Canada has transported 1,700 Canadians and eligible Afghans from Kabul on a total of 13 flights.
Canada, and other countries transporting people out of the country, are racing to meet a Aug. 31 deadline agreed earlier with the Taliban for the withdrawal of foreign forces, a NATO diplomat told Reuters.
On Tuesday, leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) countries — Britain, Canada, France Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States —are to discuss the crisis.
Girault said Quebec will be working with different organizations in order to ease the refugees' transition to the province.
With files from CBC's Peter Zimonjic