Defence Minister Anita Anand says Canadian officers are "doing no matter we are able to to help" Ukrainian refugees who're fleeing Russian violence.
Talking to CTV's Your Morning on Friday, Anand mentioned the Canadian Armed Forces are in Poland and ready to assist with the humanitarian effort as 1000's of Ukrainians cross borders into neighbouring international locations to flee the invasion.
"We've roughly 150 Canadian Armed Forces members on standby in Poland, prepared to help," Anand mentioned.
As well as, Anand mentioned there are "quite a lot of choices on the desk" for getting Ukrainian refugees to Canada, however the first precedence is making certain they've protected passage out of Ukraine.
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Russia pressed its invasion of Ukraine to the outskirts of the capital Friday after unleashing airstrikes on cities and navy bases, and sending in troops and tanks from three sides of the nation.
Explosions sounded earlier than daybreak in Kyiv and gunfire was reported in a number of areas, as 1000's of Ukrainians are anticipated to take refuge round central Europe within the coming days.
Talking throughout a press convention Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned Canada has organized for the protected passage of any Canadian residents, everlasting residents and their households nonetheless in Ukraine by neighbouring land borders with Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova.
As well as, he mentioned the Canadian authorities shall be prioritizing immigration functions for Ukrainians and is launching a devoted phone line "for anybody at house or overseas with pressing Ukraine-related immigration questions."
The federal authorities is advising Canadians to keep away from all journey to Ukraine because of the armed battle with Russia. For these Canadians at present in Ukraine, the federal government recommends sheltering in place until it's protected to depart the nation.
These in Ukraine in want of consular help are suggested to contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre.
"We are going to proceed to make sure throughout the board that we're aiding Canadians who want protected passage to Canada and out of Ukraine," Anand mentioned Friday.
Anand famous she has been in "shut contact" with Canada's Ukrainian neighborhood of roughly 1.3 million and understands the concern and fear expressed by relations.
"We are going to proceed to do no matter we are able to to help the Ukrainian folks at the moment. It's an pressing difficulty. It's the difficulty affecting international stability on the present time, and Canada is right here for Ukraine and the Ukrainian neighborhood," she mentioned.
Nevertheless, given the pressure on the worldwide neighborhood and the folks of Ukraine, NDP Chief Jagmeet Singh mentioned Thursday Canada has to do greater than prioritize software for these fleeing battle zones.
"We can't have one other situation like we noticed in Afghanistan, the place folks had been fleeing the tragedy in Afghanistan and had been unable to reach in Canada due to challenges within the system that made it so difficult, that made it so troublesome for them to use," Singh mentioned.
He recommended the federal government permit Ukrainians to return with out a visa, to make the method as straightforward as doable for folks to seek out security in Canada.
SEEKING REFUGE IN EUROPE
Witnesses report 1000's of Ukrainian residents have already fled throughout borders into neighbouring international locations.
Poland is establishing reception centres and hospitals to cope with the anticipated rush of Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion, the Polish authorities mentioned Thursday.
Hundreds of Ukrainian refugees have additionally fled throughout the border to Moldova, the place the federal government arrange tents and vowed to maintain borders open, whereas Romania is making ready to obtain as much as half one million potential refugees.
As well as, Germany has provided humanitarian assist to international locations bordering Ukraine and is making ready for an inpouring of migrants into the European Union.
Anna Triandafyllidou, Canada Excellence Analysis Chair on Migration and Integration at Ryerson College, informed CTV's Your Morning there are robust Ukrainian migrant populations throughout Europe.
"It is necessary to say there are Ukrainian migrant populations in locations like Germany, but in addition like Italy. So we'd count on that individuals will mobilize their household and associates, kinship networks, to maneuver," Triandafyllidou mentioned in an interview on Friday.
Whereas she acknowledges there are "totally different ranges of preparedness" for an inflow of migrants in every nation, Triandafyllidou famous there shall be a good quantity of "spontaneous" motion.
"There's not such a degree of preparedness, I might say, in locations like Hungary or Slovakia or Romania as we'd have seen in say Canada after we are resettling refugees, however I feel it is going to be one thing extra that may occur on the go," Triandafyllidou mentioned.
She added that international locations taking in Ukrainians should even be prepared for them to remain long-term, particularly if Kyiv had been to fall to Russian forces.
"The navy operations might quickly be over, so it could be that [Ukrainians] aren't proper now considering, 'I am simply in search of refuge with my household, prolonged household, associates or anybody and that I plan to return,' as a result of as we all know, issues usually do not prove as we deliberate them," Triandafyllidou mentioned.
With recordsdata from The Canadian Press
A girl holds a baby's hand after crossing the border from Ukraine on the Romanian-Ukrainian border, in Siret, Romania, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. (AP Photograph/Andreea Alexandru)
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