CORNWALL, Ontario – MP Guy Lauzon said Thursday he has communicated with Citizenship and Immigration Minister John McCallum about housing Syrian refugees in Cornwall at the Nav Centre.
While Nav Centre officials would not confirm anything when reached by Seaway News on Wednesday, the local MP said Thursday there has been contact between the two.
“As soon as John was sworn in I put the two of them in touch,” said Lauzon in an interview, adding Nav Centre executive director Kim Coe-Turner was furnished with contact information for federal government officials working on the plan to move 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada. “I’ve been working with her and I would prefer you talk with her.”
Nav officials said on Wednesday they would not get into details concerning any refugee move to Cornwall.
“We don’t speculate on potential or real contracts,” said spokesperson Jonathan Bagg, but did add the Cornwall facility can handle an influx of displaced people. “The Nav Centre has proved itself in the past.”
Lauzon agreed.
“Kim called me and I think it would be an (excellent) place,” he said, adding McCallum has “passed along” details on the Nav Centre to “his officials.”
Little concrete has been decided on where refugees will be located in Canada, though Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has suggested she’d welcome as many as 10,000 to this province.
“The government has reiterated its commitment to resettling 25,000 Syrian refugees and more details will be released in the coming days,” said Citizen and Immigration Canada spokesperson Jessica Seguin. “As Minister (John) McCallum has stated, the government is committed to doing this fast, but also doing it right and doing it well.”
Some city councillors have suggested to Seaway News it’s only a matter of time before refugees are housed in the city.
“I’ve only heard rumours myself, nothing official. But because the feds are the lead, We probably won’t hear until it’s 100 per cent,” said Coun. Justin Towndale. “But it would make sense to me. Nav Centre is a good facility to house displaced people.”
– With Seaway News files.
