Why Canadians Shouldn't Worry About Syrian Refugee Security

Following the recent attacks in Paris and the ongoing unrest in Syria, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has a plan to resettle 25,000 refugees by the end of the year. Many Canadian citizens understand that there are risks with this plan, as evidenced by the increased terror threats in certain countries in Europe that have allowed Syrian refugees access. The biggest difference with Canada's plan, says Trudeau, is that there will be a meticulous screening process during the resettlement to ensure the safety of both Canadian citizens and innocent Syrian refugees.

According to John McCallum, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister, "The government is committed to a rigorous, balanced and compassionate response to this humanitarian crisis." This response includes a three-phase screening process, featuring background screening, secondary interviews and additional security reviews by Canadian agencies like CBSA, CSIS and the RCMP.

The entire process isn't supposed to take too long because officials are already on the ground in refugee camps and gateways in Europe. These officials have been conducting interviews and research for months, determining which Syrian refugees make the ideal candidates for resettlement in Canada. In fact, some international officials have been conducting research like this for four years, since the Syrian civil unrest began.

The 25,000 Syrian refugees entering Canada will be low-risk candidates who have passed through all three phases of the vetting process. While security concerns will always be an issue in situations like this, Canadians can be confident in the screening process and welcome the innocent families trying to flee their home country's war.