Ukrainians met in Canada/channel 24 collage
John's International Airport in Newfoundland and Labrador. There were 166 refugees on board.
Provincial Prime Minister Andrew Fury met the Ukrainians and said that Monday, May 9, was a day of pride for local residents. He noted that there are 55 children among the refugees.
“This should be a safe haven. These are people who have lost their homes – many of their homes, as we saw on TV, were destroyed by rockets. We want to provide a home for them,” Fury said.
According to him, it is not known how many refugees the province of Newfoundland and Labrador can take. However, about 600-700 more people are expected.
Airplane with Ukrainians/Photo from Andrew Fury's Twitter
Arrived from Poland
People flew in from the Polish city of Katowice. They were met at the airport by local residents. Some Ukrainians already have an invitation to work in Canada. They were granted it in Poland because the provincial government of Newfoundland and Labrador set up a special office in Warsaw to help with paperwork, employment and housing.
“It's our responsibility to make sure they feel welcome in Newfoundland. We're doing everything we can. It's on our shoulders to make sure they feel welcome and hopefully we can encourage them to stay,” he said. is he. Wayne Holloway, who came to meet the Ukrainians and brought a blue and yellow flag.
Got a job on the first day
In particular, Stan was happy. He was one of the first to get off the plane and said he was grateful because he was in Canada.
For many years I dreamed of leaving for Canada, and on the first day I got a job. It's just perfect, the local authorities helped me a lot. It's just wonderful, – said Stan.
He added that he was worried about the family left at home. Especially for the pope, who defends Ukraine in the war.
Sten/CBC Photo
First government-sponsored flight
According to Immigration Minister Jerry Byrne, the flight was the first official flight organized by the government. Thousands of Ukrainians have previously arrived in Canada after Russia's full-scale invasion on their own.
The Border Patrol reported more than 19,000 Ukrainians. They also noted that they had approved more than 90,000 temporary visa applications since mid-March.
