Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said Thursday that Canadian airlines are ready to lend a hand in bringing Ukrainian refugees to Canada on charter flights — as soon as certain logistical hurdles are overcome.
The Canadian government has set up specific immigration programs to help Ukrainians who want to come to Canada temporarily or permanently.
Minister Alghabra indicated last month that Ottawa had concluded agreements with airlines to bring these refugees to Canada on charter flights. But he admitted on Thursday that it is proving more difficult than expected to organize the flights, as the refugees are not all in the same place.
“We are working on these logistical challenges, but hopefully we will have better answers soon,” he told reporters before heading to a cabinet meeting.
Minister Alghabra pointed out that many of these Ukrainians are no longer where they were when they applied for their Canadian visa, which makes it more difficult to organize air transport.
These statements made the Bloc immigration critic, Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, jump, who believes that the Liberals are dragging their feet.
“We send flights to different places, we publicize it and you will see fairly quickly that people will be queuing up to board these planes. It is obvious! “, he launched at the end of the question period.
According to him, Minister Alghabra acts as a person “distraught in the face of the situation”.
“How is it that there is not yet a plan in the face of these difficulties? […] to remedy ? Frankly ! It doesn’t take Papineau’s head,” he exclaimed.
According to the most recent data released by the Department of Immigration, Ottawa has approved applications for 71,057 Ukrainians and their relatives under the Canada-Ukraine Emergency Travel Authorization (CUATU).
This program is intended as a rapid access route to a three-year temporary residence in Canada for these people who have fled the war. In all, 180,903 requests were made. Minister Alghabra has committed to making charter flights available to AVUCU recipients.
More than five million Ukrainians have fled their country to other parts of Europe since Russia launched its invasion on February 24.
With Mia Rabson