Dignity For All Newsletter - Issue 2

Dignity For All Program: A Quick Glance (A Joint Newsletter Between Crescent School and Havergal College) Cultural Sensitivity Workshop

At Crescent School, the Dignity For All Program had its second casual dress day dedicated towards the cause; it was a great fundraising effort and we were pleased of the increased awareness this time around!

On Saturday, November 7, 2015, we invited CultureLink to host a Cultural Sensitivity workshop for over 30 members of the Crescent and Havergal community. CultureLink, a settlement agency for immigrants, spent the day educating and providing insight as to the skills necessary for supporting refugees. The workshop was very productive, and we hope to continue to practice the skills acquired to ultimately welcome the refugees in our surrounding community. With a handful of refugees from Syria arriving soon, we are hoping that Dignity For All can continue to support the incoming refugees.

We would like to thank members of the Crescent and Havergal community for their continued support of the program.

- Ronald Chow, Student Chair OUR PARTNERS

If you are interested in partnering with us and offering a financial contribution, please do not hesitate to contact any member of our fundraising team for more details: Joseph Sumabat Jack Williamson Harrison Hui Ryan Boyd

josephsumabat@crescentschool.org jackwilliamson@crescentschool.org harrisonhui@crescentschool.org ryanboyd@crescentschool.org December 4th, 2015

Issue #2

Dignity For All Program: A Quick Glance (A Joint Newsletter Between Crescent School and Havergal College) OUR FUNDRAISING PROGRESS After the second month, Dignity for All continues to grow its fundraising efforts. This month we procured over $4036.85, with $3036.85 being raised through Crescent School’s 2nd casual dress day on November 27, 2015. Our fundraising total now ticks up to $6663.29 – 33.32% of our goal!

We would like to extend a huge thank you to the Kaushal family for their extremely generous donation of $1000 to the program. Their support for this initiative is greatly appreciated.

If you and/or your corporation are interested in supporting the Dignity For All program through a financial contribution, please do not hesitate to contact any member of our fundraising team.

100%

90%

80%

- Joseph Sumabat, Chief Financial Officer 70%

A CALL FOR ACTION In response to the urgent and massive needs of the impending influx of Syrian refugees, CultureLink has established an in-kind donation collection and distribution centre. They are hoping for donations of the following items: winter clothing, kids and baby items, bedding, kitchenware, computers and laptops, toiletry, and other household items (i.e. curtains).

60%

If you are willing and able to contribute, please contact Mr. Mehernosh Pestonji (mpestonji@crescentschool.org) or Amina Yassin-Omar (ayassin@culturelink.ca, or 416-588-6288 ext 230).

50%

- Tyler Mark, Student Co-Chair

40%

Dignity For All Program 30%

Ronald Chow, Student Chair Mr. Mehernosh Pestonji, (Crescent School) Faculty Chair Mr. Gordon Grisé, (Havergal College) Faculty Chair Tyler Mark, Student Co-Chair

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Editorial Board of “Dignity For All Program: A Quick Glance” William Gill, Editor-In-Chief Spencer Dale, Associate Editor

Selina Chow, Editor-In-Chief Angelina Pan, Associate Editor

Our Fundraising Team Joseph Sumabat, Chief Financial Officer Jack Williamson, Financial Planner Harrison Hui, Financial Planner Ryan Boyd, Financial Planner December 4th, 2015

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Issue #2

Dignity For All Program: A Quick Glance (A Joint Newsletter Between Crescent School and Havergal College) Syria: A Higher Call than the Partisan Call

Canada was recently ranked as the most respected country in the world. It’s hard to argue with that; it’s a known fact that foreign tourists put Maple Leaves on their luggage. One of the things that defines us as a nation is our ability to be compassionate. However, we’ve been falling through on that of late. Syria has been in a state of horrific civil war for the last four years. The number of people that have had to leave their home due to the terrible state of fighting is staggering: with estimate of around 4 million. This massive number of people is comparable to the number of residents of Greater Montreal. Simply staggering.

We have a responsibility to do something to help these people. We are a country that stands as a lighthouse of freedom at the end of a sea of tyranny for so many of these people. We need to do more.

However, there is significant political opposition to taking in more refugees. And really, it’s significant in one party, the Conservative Party. This is the party that I belong to. And quite frankly, I don’t really understand this attitude. After giving it some thought, I have come to the conclusion that the Conservatives should be right up there with the other parties in welcoming some more new Canadians.

Conservatism is about freedom and mobility. It’s about creating a society where the government doesn’t needlessly interfere with the lives of the citizens, as this is usually detrimental. Conservatives cherish and tout their rights and freedoms more than any other group. Nobody in the party has a problem applying these things to Canadians. I think the problem lies in the fact that many conservatives don’t notice how these can apply to these refugees.

Forget about high taxes; there is no greater example of excessive Government meddling than the fact that Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria, is the leader of the armed forces that have given the greatest death toll in the civil war in the last year. These people have extremely limited rights and freedoms. They have very little chance of real upward socioeconomic mobility; that falls low on the list of priorities when their lives are in constant danger every day.

Syria’s refugees are in a terrible situation that trumps any problem we have with our own governance. I’m not saying that Canada should accept an unlimited number of refugees; that would be economically and possibly socially unsustainable. What I am calling for is for there to be more compassion for the refugees everywhere in this country, throwing aside party lines. The plight of these people is horrific, and we can help make it end. In a situation like this, no partisan call is higher than the humanitarian call.

- Christian Métivier, Crescent School December 4th, 2015

Issue #2

Dignity For All Program: A Quick Glance (A Joint Newsletter Between Crescent School and Havergal College) Canada’s Refugee Process

While many Canadians are counting down to the end of the year because they are looking forward to a relaxing Winter Holiday, the Liberal government has been counting down for a different reason: their plan to identify twenty-five thousand Syrian refugees and resettle ten thousand of them by December 31st. The government has assured that security will be paramount, but in light of recent attacks like those on Paris and Beirut, many are left questioning how exactly the resettlement process will be carried out.

For now, Canada will focus on the most vulnerable: families, women at risk, and LGBTQI people. Here is how refugees will be brought over: Coming to Canada, Syrian refugees face a three-part process that identifies, screens, and processes. First, refugees who have left their homes and are in various host countries are registered with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) after being interviewed. Next, the UNHCR refers refugees to Canada for resettlement, a long process where few are admitted. The agency considers various factors to refer those that are most in need and the least risky, and it rejects those that pose any security threats, such as an association with a jihadist group. Afterwards, a visa officer interviews the refugees, and if approved, detailed security checks by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and medical exams are administered.

Although this process is long and complicated, Canadians can be assured that Canada’s security will be protected and that twenty-five thousand people will be able to reclaim their lives here in this country we call home.

- Sarah Zhao, Havergal College December 4th, 2015

Trudeau’s Refugee Plan

In light of the Paris attacks, Canadians have been concerned about Justin Trudeau’s plan to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees into this country. Many Canadians have voiced their concerns of possible terrorism threats to our own country over social media platforms.

Initially, Trudeau dismissed these concerns about his plan, especially those regarding his timeline. He planned to bring 25,000 refugees into Canada within the next five weeks.

However, Canadians saw no rush to provide asylum to the refugees. Experts commented that the screening process should be just as vigorous as it is currently, despite the looming deadline.

In response to the public’s outcry, however, Trudeau has now announced that he will delay his agenda as of November 26, 2015. He has also states that Canada will only be allowing refugees who are deemed less risky and most vulnerable. This group will include women, families, and children, excluding any single, unaccompanied men unless they are LGBT. - Abby Tien, Havergal College Issue #2