Canada Announces It Will Welcome Single Gay Male Refugees From Syria—But Not Straight Ones

The latest response to the refugee crisis may be the most surprising.
From: NewNowNext

As Congress rushes to block Syrian refugees from entering the United States, our neighbor to the north is instituting a policy that will allow single gay men from the war-torn country—but not heterosexual ones.

On Monday, the National Post reported Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with his cabinet to address security concerns regarding his plan to grant asylum to 25,000 Syrian refugees.

The guidelines would allow single gay men to apply for refugee status, as part of a focus on accepting women, children and families. But lone heterosexual men would be flagged as potential terrorists, at least during the first wave of migrants.

Opposition leader Tom Mulcair of the New Democratic Party says the policy needs more clarification.

“While security concerns remain of vital importance, will a young man, who lost both parents, be excluded from the refugee program?” he asked in a statement on Monday.

“Will a gay man who is escaping persecution be excluded? Will a widower who is fleeing Daesh (another name for the Islamic States) after having seen his family killed be excluded? This is not the Canadian way.”

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister John McCallum is expected to announce more details about the plan today.