Posted March 26, 2017 07:19:33

Photo: Syrian refugees are greeted by Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. (Reuters: Mark Blinch)

A four-year study is beginning in Canada to assess the successes and failures under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's policy to welcome refugees from Syria.

About 40,000 Syrian refugees have arrived in Canada over the last year, with roughly a third sponsored by Canadian citizens motivated to bring people to safety.

Professor Jill Hanley, from McGill University, is the Montreal lead on the "live" study which will track the results of the humanitarian program, and the efforts of ordinary Canadians who've been part of the private sponsorship program.

"I think what really turned the tide in Canada was the example of the young boy that drowned and was photographed in the Mediterranean," she said.

"And when it came out that family had actually applied to come to Canada, that their relatives were here trying to help them get here, that Canada took so long to process their request that they turned to that measure … I think people were deeply ashamed.

"And it made them realise that Canada does have a direct connection to what's happening as people try to get out of the Syrian conflict."

Sponsoring a refugee 'a big responsibility'

Professor Hanley is part of a private sponsorship arrangement herself, and she's positive about the idea of citizens pitching in, up to a point.

"New people came out to support and I think this is a great thing, and I hope this continues," she said.

"But I just hope this doesn't mean the Government lessens their support.

"Because when private sponsors take on sponsorship they're entirely responsible for the financial wellbeing of that family in the first year, and it's a very difficult thing to take on."

Community worker Veronica Islas agrees.

She works for one of the organisations that stepped in to help when private sponsors struggled to deal with the complexities of settling new arrivals.

"It's learning French. It's learning how society works. It's learning how the transport system works — it's learning everything," she said.

"Plus you might have Post Traumatic Shock Syndrome, which doesn't help. It's huge. It's a big engagement."

In some cases, she says there was a lack of follow-up on both refugee families and their sponsors.

"I think one of the challenges was, there was no… measure to know the preparedness of the family — to receive these people — it created this kind of welcome that was varied," she said.

Large religious organisations also sponsored families with great success, but some took on too many people, stretching their resources to provide support.

Most Canadians remain supportive

By following 10 per cent of Syrian arrivals for four years, Professor Hanley hopes some of the issues can be resolved.

"It's one thing to sponsor people, but we hope that when they get here that they are able to have the kind of life that they're hoping for," she said.

"So we're looking at things like health and wellbeing, employment, housing, and their social integration, their social networks in the place they're living."

Despite the teething problems, surveys show most Canadians remain supportive of the refugee policy, and there remains great support for private sponsorship.

However, it's been effectively temporarily mothballed to allow processing to catch up and to fine-tune the system.

'I need to say thankyou'

Photo: Hedar Al-Hallack and his family were privately sponsored by a Jewish businessman in Montreal. (ABC News)

Syrian refugee Hedar Al-Hallack was privately sponsored by a Jewish businessman in Montreal and remains eternally grateful.

"The feeling is, for me, whatever happens in the future, I will be thanking Canada — the Government and my sponsor, the people here," he said.

He's still unemployed and struggling with speaking French, but he and his family now have optimism about the future.

"I need to say to Canada thanks, because here it's very good and nice," he said.

Topics: refugees, immigration, community-and-society, canada