Syrian refugee calls Quebec 'perfect'

Syrian refugee Josephine Youssef says Quebec is so "perfect" that she wants to help other refugees come to the province.

"You can live freely. You're in freedom. You can do whatever you want — you can smile, you can play with the snow, you can play [in] the sun. Everything is here."

Youssef and her family fled the Syrian crisis and arrived in Sherbrooke, Que., as refugees in December 2014.

"We left our home, we left everything behind us. We left family members," said Youssef, adding that she is still in touch every day with friends and family members left behind, including her uncle, aunt and grandmother.

"It's not good there."

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Youssef said her family is waiting for the government to process her relatives' paperwork so that they can come to Quebec.

On Tuesday, Quebec Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil announced that the province will be able to accept refugees sooner.

• Syrian, Iraqi refugees living in Sherbrooke meet with Premier Philippe Couillard

"We got the confirmation that the files of about 2,000 refugees destined to come to Quebec will be handled by the end of the year," Weil said. 

"That is very good news for people who were sponsored by a member of their family in Quebec and for collective sponsor organizations waiting for them. They can find a haven in Quebec more quickly."