The government will also put more diplomats on the ground overseas to screen refugees, more than double the number of staff working to process sponsorship applications here in Canada, and appoint a special co-ordinator to handle the overall file of Syrian and Iraqi refugees.

As Hungary deploys soldiers and erects fences along it’s Croatian border and the European Union struggles for a unified approach to the humanitarian crisis, the fate of the migrants and refugees trapped in Balkan states has become increasingly dire.

So let’s check that against the situation, as of Saturday.

Canada’s Conservative government said Saturday that it will not accept more than its previously announced commitment of 10,000 Syrian refugees but will accelerate processing their applications to issue thousands more visas before the end of this year.

A campaigning Prime Minister Stephen Harper has also proposed to bring in an additional 10,000 Syrian refugees if re-elected. Moving forward, how can we truly act in the best interests of refugees, Syrian or otherwise, unless we can recognize that each and every one of them is as real and as human as our neighbours?

The Liberals have been consistent in their demands for a closer focus on a multilateral resolution to the Syrian catastrophe, but for now Canada should aim at resettling 25,000 government-sponsored refugees in the year. “We’ll take the time necessary that in welcoming those most in need we protect the security of Canadians”. Gretzky, now a dual citizen, has not lived in his native country since being traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988. The Aurea Foundation is one of the financial backers of the Munk debate.

Groups of five and families are to be allowed to sponsor asylum seekers who have not yet received convention refugee status. But with Canadian, and worldwide , news outlets reporting daily on the plight of Syrian refugees in the months leading up to the little boy’s death, why did it take a photograph of a drowned child to move so many to action?

In reply to the query, Harper stated that “obviously we want to make sure that we have, I think, fair rules to make sure Canadian elections are decided by Canadian residents”. “I suppose it’s because of all this pressure, they’ve finally made a decision to budge”. Syrians will be assumed to qualify for refugee status unless there is specific proof they do not.

“That is the part of the announcement that is critical”.

Duchastel de Montrouge, now of suburban Seattle, is trying to get the required 100 signatures from residents he needs to become an official candidate – although he is discouraging people from voting for him if he does run.