Standing room only at Syrian refugee meeting in Moncton

About 175 people turned out for a public meeting in Moncton on Thursday night to talk about how the area will welcome an estimated 300 Syrian refugees before the end of the year.

• Multicultural groups planning for hundreds of Syrian refugees

• Cabinet commits to 'quick and substantial help' for refugees but gives few details

There was standing room only at the information session for people interested in helping with the crisis.

Moncton Coun. Dawn Arnold tweeted a photo of the packed room saying "Greater Monctonians, you are amazing!"

Mayor George LeBlanc agreed but also cautioned that welcoming as many as 300 refugees to the Greater Moncton area won't be easy.

"The federal government will be taking the lead on this...from our standpoint it's important for us to prepare so we can help as many as possible," he said after the meeting.

"It will be a challenge if indeed the number turns out to be high. We have... through MAGMA [Multicultural Association of the Greater Moncton Area] sponsored 70 refugees last year and we could be looking at a number that's larger, possibly much larger, we don't know yet but it's important to prepare."

If you can simply take somebody to the movies or a hockey game that's a start. Sometimes they just need transportation, sometimes they need a friend, somebody to talk to, sometimes they need financial help so whatever you can offer they'll take.- Dan McLaughlin

Local government representatives, immigration lawyers, church groups and aid organizations including the Red Cross all attended the meeting along with residents.

Dan McLaughlin of Riverview said he was there to see "how many ways I can help."

After the meeting he planned to register with MAGMA to help refugees to settle in the area.

"If you can simply take somebody to the movies or a hockey game that's a start. Sometimes they just need transportation, sometimes they need a friend, somebody to talk to, sometimes they need financial help so whatever you can offer they'll take."

McLaughlin says he has been bothered by negative and racist comments he has heard when people discuss the arrival of Syrian refugees so to see such a large turnout of people who were willing to help made him happy.

"We're all immigrants, except for the Aboriginals we're all immigrants, so we can use more."

"It's just the way to be. You help those that are less fortunate than yourself," he said.

Ottawa expected to have plan soon  

Newly elected Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe MP Ginette Petitpas Taylor said Thursday she doesn't have any specifics, but she expects there will be more details from the federal government about the number of refugees arriving in communities very soon.

"Within the next week I'm really hoping that we're going to be having a logistical plan as to how this is going to be unrolled."

She says welcoming 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada before the end of the year is a priority and everything possible will be done to help them to settle in New Brunswick.

"People in Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview have a big heart and they're very willing to help their communities."

Petitpas Taylor says she's received an "impressive" number of calls from people who want to help.

On its website, MAGMA says it expects refugees to begin arriving in the Moncton area within two weeks.