I’m writing a hundred letters to the PM about Syrian refugees. Here’s what I wrote.
11.
Dear Mr Trudeau,
I believe I can come up with a hundred reasons why we should welcome refugees to Canada, and I’m going to write to you with another one every day for a hundred days. Please don’t let loudmouths and fools prevent you from doing the right thing. Canada wants you to succeed and to make us proud of you. I would be so proud if you stood your ground on the issue of refugees, allowing not only the first 25,000, but many more than that, take refuge with us.
Thank you,
Shannon
12.
Dear Mr Trudeau,
My father voted for the Conservatives, in the last two elections as well as the most recent one. He said that Mr Harper was good for economy and kept our country safe. That my be true, but he wasn’t for our souls. While he and the Conservative party were in power, it seemed like our international decisions were based on racism, xenophobia, and a bizarre obsession with making sure that corporations could make a profit by ignoring external costs like damage to the labor force and the environment.
I hope and pray that you’ll remember our souls, and not just our bank accounts, when you act on our behalf. 4 million Syrian refugees have been displaced by warfare in their homeland. We have no choice but to respond – to do nothing is also a choice. Will you make a choice that we’re proud of? Will you go down in history as the leader who welcomed refugees, or the frightened figurehead who bowed to the pressure of even more frightened people?
Please make the right choice.
Love,
Shannon
13.
Dear Mr Trudeau,
In 1939 ships full of immigrants fleeing Hitler’s Germany came to Canada trying to immigrate. Some immigrations official, when asked how many Jews would be allowed to enter Canada. He said “None is too many” and turned them all away. I’m 26 years old and I’m still ashamed of what that official did 50 years before I was born. I know you’re familiar with the story. Let’s not do that again. Let’s let lots of Syrian refugees come here.
Thanks,
Shannon
14.
Dear Mr Trudeau,
I learned from World Vision’s website that 12 million Syrians have left their homes due to warfare. There are 195 other countries on earth where they could flee too, but some of those other countries aren’t pulling their weight. 25,000 is technically our fair share of refugees, but I think we should go above and beyond. Can we take 100,000? How about half a million? What would it take handle that many?
Thanks,
Shannon
15.
Dear Mr Trudeau,
The Netherlands has been openly hostile to Syrian refugees. The Danish government has published ads in Arabic newspapers advising Syrians to go elsewhere. Germany has welcomed as many refugees as they could, and are only now starting to close the gates because they’re getting overwhelmed by hundreds of thousands of asylum-seekers. The Germans will be remembered as heroes of this conflict, and the other countries will be forgotten as nothings. You don’t get remembered for being a nothing. Please make sure that Canada is remembered as one of the countries that did something.
Thank you,
Shannon