When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien.
The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you;
you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
Leviticus 19:33-34 NRSVue
Does Canada have any compassion for the plight of the people of Gaza? Of course, the Liberal government would offer an emphatic yes but the evidence says no. In December of 2023 the Canadian government launched a special visa program to allow citizens and permanent residents to bring extended family members from Gaza to Canada as temporary residents.
Since then some people have been allowed in from Egypt but immigration lawyers and others say that no Gazans have been brought here since the program began. Meanwhile a number of European nations have welcomed thousands without any special announcements or programs.
Some of the people who applied for acceptance in Canada have been killed while waiting, including students who had been accepted by Canadian institutions. Many of these people are caught in a nightmare of not fitting into categories for support from the UN and other agencies. They are surviving in the midst of famine and bombing through financial donations from family.
This inaction on Canada's part is shameful.Today there will be protests at Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada offices in different cities by family members desparate to bring loved ones into a peaceful country, even if this will be for a limited time.
We were proud when so many Canadians, including Christians from varous denominations, welcomed strangers or aliens from Syria into our midst permanently a few years ago. We considered it our moral and biblical responsibility to do so and our government acted quickly and effectively to make this happen. When Ukrainians needed a place to flee they were welcomed as well. What has happened to our moral compass? Please, Canada, open the doors.
This protest occurred in March, 2024
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