A National Project: Syrian Refugee Resettlement in Canada

by Luisa Veronis (Editor), Margaret Walton-Roberts (Editor), Leah K. Hamilton (Editor)

Overview

Since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, over 5.6 million people have fled Syria and another 6.6 million remain internally displaced. By January 2017, a total of 40,081 Syrians had sought refuge across Canada in the largest resettlement event the country has experienced since the Indochina refugee crisis. Breaking new ground in an effort to understand and learn from the Syrian Refugee Resettlement Initiative that Canada launched in 2015, A National Project examines the experiences of refugees, receiving communities, and a range of stakeholders who were involved in their resettlement, including sponsors, service providers, and various local and municipal agencies. The contributors, who represent a wide spectrum of disciplines, include many of Canada's leading immigration scholars and others who worked directly with refugees. Considering the policy behind the program and the geographic and demographic factors affecting it, chapters document mobilization efforts, ethical concerns, integration challenges, and varying responses to resettling Syrian refugees from coast to coast. Articulating key lessons to be learned from Canada's program, this book provides promising strategies for future events of this kind. Showcasing innovative practices and initiatives, A National Project captures a diverse range of experiences surrounding Syrian refugee resettlement in Canada.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780228001225
Publisher:	McGill-Queens University Press
Publication date:	08/20/2020
Series:	McGill-Queen's Refugee and Forced Migration Studies Series , #2
Pages:	440
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Leah K. Hamilton is associate professor in the Bissett School of Business at Mount Royal University. Luisa Veronis is associate professor in the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics and research chair in immigration and Franco-Ontarian communities at the University of Ottawa. Margaret Walton-Roberts is professor of geography and environmental studies at Wilfrid Laurier University and the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

Table of Contents

Figures and Tables xi

Foreword Ümit Kiziltan xiii

Acknowledgments xxiii

Note about the Cover xxv

Introduction: A National Project: Exploring Canadian Exceptionalism in Refugee Resettlement Margaret Walton-Roberts Luisa Veronis Leah K. Hamilton 3

Part 1 Perspectives of Syrian Refugees

Part 1A Syrian Refugees' Experiences with Resettlement, Reception, and Integration

1 The Right Information at the Right Time: Optimizing the Provision of Information to Facilitate the Settlement and Integration of Refugees in Canada Victoria M. Esses Leah K. Hamilton Mohammed El Hazzouri Alina Sutter Bailey McCafferty Ajit Pyati 43

2 The Alberta Syrian Refugee Project: Understanding Trauma and Resilience in Refugee Resettlement Julie Drolet Gayatri Moorthi Lisa Elford Amanda Weightman Dania El Chaar Esra Al Saadi Careen Khoury Erin Smith 65

3 Health Needs and Service Use of Newly Arrived Syrian Refugees Andrew Tuck Anna Oda Michaela Hynie Caroline Bennett-Abu Ayyash Brenda Roche Branka Agic Kwame McKenzie 85

Part 1B Experiences of Syrian Refugee Children, Youth, and Families

4 The Honeymoon's Over: Post-Settlement Issues and Challenges for Syrian Refugee Youth in Canada Jan Stewart Dania El Chaar 105

5 Stress in Refugee Resettlement: Syrian Mothers' Strains and Buffers during Early Integration Melissa A. Milkie Neda Maghbouleh Ito Peng 127

6 Syrian Refugee Youths' Use of Social Media as a Space for Communicating Social Support during Resettlement Rukhsana Ahmed Luisa Veronis Idris Alghazali 151

Part 2 The Syrian Refugee Resettlement Context

Part 2A Civil Society and Community Perspectives and Experiences

7 Interrogating Canada's Response to the Syrian Crisis: Analyzing the Observations of Post-Secondary Youth James Baker Leah K. Hamilton 175

8 Accommodating Government-Assisted Syrian Refugee Newcomers: The Experiences of Resettlement Assistance Program Providers Damaris Rose Alexandra G. Charette 195

9 Private Sponsorship of Syrian Refugees: Perspectives of Sponsors and Refugees in Quebe Marie-Jeanne Blain Lourdes Rodriguez del Barrio Roxane Caron Marie-Claire Rufagari Myriam Richard Yannick Boucher Caroline Lester 218

10 A Tale of Three Mid-Sized Cities: Syrian Refugee Resettlement and a Progressive Sense of Place Margaret Walton-Roberts Luisa Veronis Blair Cullen Huyen Dam 243

Part 2B Reception and Integration in Smaller Cities and Rural Areas

11 Splits in the Neighbourhood? Negotiating Visibility in a Rural Reception Context Christopher Kyriakides Karen Anderson Lubna Bajjali Arthur McLuhan 269

12 A Community Engaged in the Reception of Syrian Refugees: The Case of Moncton, New Brunswick Chedly Belkhodja 289

13 Syrian Refugee Integration in Newfoundland and Labrador Tony Fang Halina Sapeha Kerri Claire Neil Opeyemi Jaunty-Aidamenbor 311

Conclusion: Outcomes and Lessons from Canada's Experience with the Syrian Refugee Resettlement Initiative Luisa Veronis Leah K. Hamilton Margaret Walton-Roberts 331

Contributors 345

Index 361

Editorial Reviews

"A National Project gives equal weight to the experiences of the refugees and the experiences of the receiving communities, sponsors, and institutions, setting it apart from previous studies of Canada resettlement operations. This timely book breaks new ground by involving scholars from coast to coast in an effort to understand and extract the lessons from the Syrian program." Michael J. Molloy, University of Ottawa

From the Publisher