The Household had set up long tables in the basement of the Saint-Ambroise church. Suspended garlands from the ceiling and engaged musicians. She was expecting 217 people. But only 147 came, because of the first snowstorm that hit Montreal.
At the end of each year, La Maisonnée, a community organization dedicated to welcoming and supporting new arrivals, organizes a party for the first Christmas of its protégés – rather called “intercultural party” to take into account the fact that most of them are not Christians.
Despite the storm, it was quite crowded. “We must not forget the 36 volunteers,” says Zina Laadj, social worker and coordinator for the organization, whose clientele skyrocketed in 2022. Especially asylum seekers.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
A few dance steps between two bites…
“We had to strengthen the team, hire new people, and assign workers to support asylum seekers,” she explains, between two bites of a generous Syrian buffet.
“We were well received”
Imran Rana is one of these new “clients”. “It’s my first Christmas in Quebec,” he rejoices, sitting a little further away with his wife.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Pakistani, Imran Rana applied for asylum in Canada on August 3.
The 45-year-old Pakistani knew La Maisonnée when he was staying at the Ramada, boulevard Décarie. He spent six weeks in this hotel, at the expense of the federal government, after seeking asylum in Canada via Roxham Road. Like more than 35,000 others, in this record year.
It was August 3. Imran was arriving from New York, where he lived for eight months, waiting for his wife to join him.
It was in New York that he learned of the existence of Roxham Road.
“People have spoken to me about it,” he said in English. It’s easy to find all the information you need. There are even YouTube videos showing how to cross Roxham Road! »
Imran and his wife bought New York–Plattsburgh bus tickets, then took a taxi to the end of Roxham Road, where a tiny, thousand-stepped gap separates the United States from Canada.
I was afraid of what was going to happen to us at the border. You know, this is not a normal border. But we were surprised, seriously. We were well received.
Imran Rana, newcomer from Pakistan
Since then, Imran has found an apartment, near the Ramada hotel, with the help of a worker from La Maisonnée. “We have the apartment, but it takes furniture,” he laughs. I bought a mattress, but we don’t have a table or chairs. We eat on the floor. »
The rent for this three and a half, unheated, unlighted apartment is $1,045 per month.
While waiting to find a job, Imran Rana frequents food banks, including the emergency service of La Maisonnée and Moisson Montreal.
In his country, he worked in human resources for a TV channel. “On LinkedIn, I receive offers every day, but it’s always bilingual, French-English,” he says. I know I’m going to have to speak French, but it takes time. »
Walid and his family
Walid, an “old man” from La Maisonnée, speaks French very well.
A lawyer in his country, this Syrian refugee took full-time francization courses for a year upon his arrival in 2017. His wife Koulod too. Their two children learned the language at school.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
On the menu: a generous Syrian buffet
English? “No, I don’t speak it,” he said.
The first two years were very difficult, says Walid. To the point of considering giving up everything to return to Syria or go to another country.
I had great difficulty finding work. I stayed because my children’s future is in Quebec. I decided to sacrifice my career for them. Here, it’s better for studies than in Syria. There are plenty of opportunities for them.
Walid, from Syria
Walid works at Canada Post and is studying insurance at Cégep Montmorency.
Her son Boulos, 15, is thinking of going to university in engineering. “I’m third in my class in math,” he says proudly.
Recruiter and chemist
Hamid Farahani, his wife Somayeh Rouhi and their granddaughter Selena, born here, are also well integrated.
In Quebec for eight years, they come from Iran. At the Christmas party, they shared a table with their friends Fatemeh Mohaghegh Zadeh, Kamal Eskandar Zadeh and their 15-year-old son, Amirreza, who arrived in Quebec six months ago.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Somayeh Rouhi, her husband Hamid Farahani and their daughter Selena
“I learned French at La Maisonnée,” says Hamid Farahani, who works as a recruiter “in a French-speaking environment.” “In Iran, we had a base, but here we have really improved our French. It took both languages to find work, but 99% of the work I do is in French. »
His spouse, a chemist, works for a pharmaceutical company.
“It’s the seventh time we’ve attended La Maisonnée’s Christmas party,” says Hamid, a well-stocked plate in front of him.