Your home is hundreds of kilometres away, bombed into ruin due to some conflict that has nothing to do with you. You walked all that way, desperate to escape the fighting and death that surrounded you each step of the arduous journey.
Finally, the day comes.
Soldiers in blue helmets with Canadian flag patches arrive at your camp and you and your family are placed on a bus, driven to an airport and begin a long flight over the ocean.
You arrive in a small city in Canada, and are greeted by smiling faces, hugs and – amazingly – someone who speaks your dialect. A short drive down the highway, with no aircraft strafing you, no soldiers or checkpoints, and you’re in your new community. A warm and comfortable hotel room awaits, and you’ve begun your new life in Moose Jaw.
That miracle has occurred many, many times over the years, thanks to Canada’s government-assisted refugee program and the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council (MJMC).
And on World Refugee Day this Saturday, June 20, it’s a chance to recognize and build awareness when it comes to the plight of refugees not only in Moose Jaw, but all over the planet.
“Each year we welcome several families from refugee backgrounds, both with government-assisted refugees and members of the community who privately sponsor refugees,” said Tyler Bastedo, MJMC community connections coordinator. “So we have lots of new faces each year that come from difficult backgrounds. Days like World Refugee Day, it’s important both for the community to show that we’re a welcoming place for refugees to come settle, but also it can be important for refugees to show their resiliency and feel accepted.”
This year, it’s a little bit more difficult – COVID-19 concerns have prevented the MJMC from holding their traditional major event on World Refugee Day, pushing everything online.
The local organization has made the best of it, though, providing a host of resources on their Facebook page to heighten the amount of information available to anyone wanting to learn about those forced to flee war, violence or persecution.
“Given the circumstances we aren’t able to do anything in person this year, as long as the social distancing recommendations and all of that are still in place,” Bastedo said. “We just didn’t think it would be right to hold anything while not being safe. So we’ve moved to an online platform and we’ve been sharing information about World Refugee Day via social media, mostly our Facebook page, sharing statistics, information, links to different organizations that work with refugees and other things that help people celebrate World Refugee Day from the comfort of their homes.”
While the number of refugees in Moose Jaw wasn’t currently available, more than 100,000 people have arrived in Canada since 2016 from some of the hardest-hit countries in the world, including South Sudan, Myanmar, Syria and the Congo.
The MJMC Facebook page offers a glimpse into what those people have been through via their online resources, which includes reading lists with selections of fiction and nonfiction stories as well as a handful of short videos.
“Anything people can engage in and educate themselves while learning from home,” Bastedo said. “That can make a huge difference, just having people in the know. We’re just trying to find different ways to connect with the community from the safety of their homes and still recognize this important day.”
World Refugee Day is this Saturday, June 20. A helping hand all along the way
The lead in to this article is actually a fairly accurate description of how a refugee family might arrive in Moose Jaw. But once they’re in The Friendly City, the help doesn’t stop there.
In fact, it’s just beginning.
Once the families have had a chance to get their bearings, the MJMC helps them find permanent accommodation, sometimes with the help of a community sponsor. Many religious organizations have stepped up in this time of need, as well as groups like Moose Jaw Pride.
And right from day one, it’s setting up a day-to-day life like any other Canadian.
Acquiring a social insurance number, setting up bank accounts, getting health cards and medical appointments and if necessary, help with their language skills.
“Then we just help them out day to day as needed,” Bastedo said, adding that the process can be incredibly rewarding. “We get to be part of success stories and being able to help families arrive from a situation that might be more dangerous or difficult, having them settle in our community is definitely a great thing to be a part of.
“We get lots of positive feedback and we’re always looking for ways to help as well.”
For more on World Refugee Day and refugees in Moose Jaw and Canada and beyond, be sure to check out the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council’s website and their Facebook page for the complete list of aforementioned resources.
