Statement on World Refugee Day 2017

(OTTAWA) – Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada (MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands), released the following statement for World Refugee Day:

“The consequences of conflict and climate change continue to push the world’s refugee crisis to previously unseen levels,” said Ms. May. “The United Nations reports that nearly 66 million people – refugees, internally displaced and asylum-seekers – were forcibly displaced from their homes last year, a jump of 300,000 since the end of 2015.

“We cannot ignore the people behind these shocking statistics, and while I am proud of Canada’s efforts in resettling more than 40,000 Syrian refugees in the past two years, the effort has slowed,” Ms. May said. “Many civil society groups and Canadian families, who signed up to privately sponsor refugees, are now left waiting. Refugee settlement must remain a priority of this administration,” Ms. May concluded.