Canada rejects U.S. security concerns over Syrian refugees

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2016/01/canada-rejects-u-s-security-concerns-over-syrian-refugees

January 28, 2016 5:26 am By Robert Spencer 16 Comments

More comic opera absurdity from our leaders. The U.S. Senate hearing is entitled “Canada’s Fast-Track Refugee Plan: Unanswered Questions and Implications for U.S. National Security.” The Senate has shown no similar concern, as far as I know, over the Obama Administration’s assurances that all refugees will be thoroughly “vetted,” despite the impossibility of doing so. Meanwhile, Canadian officials decline to appear at this Senate hearing on their shortcomings, and assure us that “We have put in place layers of security activity to ensure that our refugee initiative with respect to Syria can be successful.” But is there any way to ensure that jihadis will be prevented from entering Canada, any more than they can be prevented from entering the United States? No. The whole thing, from the American “vetting” to the Canadian “layers of security activity” to the Senate hearing, is a huge charade. In reality, the Islamic State has directed its operatives to appear to be secular and even non-Muslim. They recruit people who don’t have criminal records. There is no way either the U.S. or Canada can distinguish such people among peaceful refugees, however much both countries pretend that they can.

“Canada rejects U.S. security concerns over Syrian refugees,” AFP, January 28, 2016:

Canada rejected Wednesday U.S. security concerns over its fast-tracked resettlement of thousands of Syrian refugees, as the Senate in Washington prepares to hold a hearing on the repercussions for America.
“We have put in place layers of security activity to ensure that our refugee initiative with respect to Syria can be successful,” Canadian public safety minister Ralph Goodale told parliament.
“The program is working well and indeed it will resolve in something that Canadians can be very, very proud of,” he added in response to questions about why the Ottawa government declined an invitation to appear before the US Senate hearing.
The U.S. congressional panel is meeting next Wednesday to consider “Canada’s Fast-Track Refugee Plan: Unanswered Questions and Implications for U.S. National Security.”
It is scheduled to hear from a Toronto immigration lawyer who has criticized Canada’s Syrian refugee plan, calling it unrealistic, border officials and others.
Goodale said U.S. officials have been fully briefed on Canada’s refugee resettlement “and they understand exactly the layers of security screening that are in place,” including U.N. assessments of asylum seekers, collection of biometrics and checks against security databases.
A spokeswoman for Canada’s foreign affairs minister added, “We have emphasized and will continue to emphasize the integrity and robustness of our approach to the selection and screening of the Syrian refugees under consideration.”
Canada’s new Liberal government pledged to take in 25,000 Syrian refugees – more than double the U.S. intake – by the end of February….