For Richard and Ruth MacKellar, the logistical question of how to bring in Syrian refugees is far less abstract than for most Canadians.
The Squamish couple is part of a small group sponsoring a Syrian family to come to town. As a result, the MacKellars are transforming basement space in their home into a suite for a family.
On Sunday, the MacKellars hosted a work bee for about 20 volunteers to work on the space. It was part home reno, part seasonal cleaning. The atmosphere was typical work bee mayhem – a Murphy bed being moved upstairs, threatening to take out a family portrait on the wall, some concern that the cabinets being assembled may require a jigsaw and so on. Outside was a growing collection of old bikes, roller blades and other items from raising four children over 20 years in the house.
“We’ve got to clear out a whole lot of stuff,” Richard said.
At present, the MacKellars are looking through lists of potential families that would be sponsored in part by the federal government. Some families have one or two children, while others have as many as 13.
Downstairs in their house, the couple is setting up a bedroom for parents, a large room for children, a kitchen and a bathroom.
Beyond the work on the house, the project also means some disruption to life at home, especially for Ruth MacKellar, who has used the downstairs for tutoring.
“My office space of 20 years has been in the basement, and I have about 30 kids that I see,” she said.
The process to bring families from Syria here has gathered momentum quickly, starting from people connecting on Facebook in the fall to establishing groups of families to combine resources for sponsorships to building connections for volunteer or in-kind support in Squamish.
This says nothing of how the situation has changed in the past few weeks, from the federal government to the reactions of some Canadians following the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris to slow down the refugee process.
Others in Squamish are also helping bring Syrian refugee families here.
Richard MacKellar feels it would be a shame if Canadians did not provide opportunities for people feeling the strife in places like Syria and Iraq.
“They’re running from a level of fear that we can’t imagine,” he said.
If all goes as hoped, the MacKellars and others in their group will be able to finish the space before Christmas, with the aim of welcoming a family in January.
“Once we say yes to a family, the process can happen pretty quickly,” Richard MacKellar said.
The federal government has been in the process of running security and health checks on refugee claimants. Meanwhile, the local groups have worked with the United Church to set up segregated funds for the money. He estimates that with the money from the five families in their group and in-kind donations, the overall budget is approximately $40,000 to $45,000.
Beyond this, sponsorship will include ensuring a family applies for health and social insurance numbers, receives language support, opens bank accounts and arranges for care with local medical practitioners.
In the meantime, the group is still looking for some help, especially on plumbing for the suite, but the MacKellars are confident they will have a family downstairs in the near future.
“The government changes are making our lives easier and I think accelerating things,” he said.
