Daughter's embrace welcomes Ukrainian refugee to Winnipeg on same day Canada eases visa rules
CBC
Manitoba's already large Ukrainian community could soon grow, after Canada's federal government said it will accept an unlimited number of people fleeing the violence of the Russian invasion.
Oksana Feklisov's mother came ahead of that potential surge — she arrived in Winnipeg from war-torn Ukraine on Thursday, greeted at the airport by a hug from Feklisov.
As relieved as she is to have her mother safely in Canada, Feklisov's father and sister are still in Ukraine, and her 15-year-old niece is in Warsaw, Poland.
WATCH | Happy homecoming:
"We're all happy [my mother is] here, but we still would like to have everyone here," she said.
On Thursday, federal Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced the Canadian government will create a new visa category allowing Ukrainians to come to Canada to live, work or study here for up to two years. There is no limit on how many people can come under the program, he said.
Fraser also announced the government is introducing an "expedited path" to permanent residency for Ukrainians with family in Canada, allowing a "wider circle of family members" to sponsor those who want to stay here.
The United Nations refugee agency estimated on Wednesday that 1 million people had already fled Ukraine.
Millions more could follow unless the fighting stops immediately, the agency said. There was little sign Thursday that will happen, as Russian forces continued to try to take control of Ukrainian cities.
Ukrainian officials said the southern port of Mariupol is surrounded by Russian troops. A large Russian convoy continues to threaten the capital city of Kyiv, but has moved little in recent days.
The number of people already leaving Ukraine for countries like neighbouring Poland is concerning, Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman said in an interview with CBC News.
"I think Canadians should expect that we're going to see an influx of residents," he said.
Members of the Ukrainian community in Winnipeg welcomed the federal government's announcement, but they say the process may still be too slow to protect their loved ones.
"[The measures] are a step in the right direction," said Nick Krawetz, a third-generation Ukrainian Canadian whose wife is from Ukraine. Most of her family is still there.
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