Westman Immigrant Services prepares for Ukrainians

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/03/2022 (1284 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With the expected announcement of special immigration programs designed to aid Ukrainians seeking refuge from Russian invasion, Westman Immigrant Services is preparing for a potential influx of newcomers to the region.

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is not expected to classify those fleeing the war-torn country as refugees, said Westman Immigrant Services community outreach manager Hannah Holt, because the process to become a refugee is lengthy and laborious.

“They understand that the situation is dire and they need to help people quickly,” Holt said.

The government is introducing plans to potentially give Ukrainians coming to Canada a two-year open work permit, visitor visas or a special permanent residency pathway.

All three processes will be expedited, she said, and more information on the initiatives will be revealed in the coming weeks.

It is not possible to project the true number of Ukrainian newcomers expected in Westman until the details of these programs are released by the IRCC.

Westman Immigrant Services has seen an incredible response from the community in terms of helping newcomers from Ukraine when they arrive.

“We’ve had people offering houses. Brandon Bus Lines offering buses to bring people from Ukraine to Brandon,” Holt said. “There’s just so many community members wanting to help. Manitoba has such strong Ukrainian roots.”

Westman Immigrant Services expects to see Ukrainians settle throughout the region because of the Ukrainian community and familial ties in Westman, Holt said. She noted the agency has already had people reach out to different offices in Westman to try and get their family here or offer support to those in need.

She expects the Ukrainian people who do choose Westman to live in will have a high chance of success in their settlement due to the strong ties present in many communities. There are Ukrainian churches, dance groups, community groups and other organizations that can all aid in the settlement process.

She noted many newcomers will also have family ties to provide aid as well.

Newcomers who visit Westman Immigrant Services will first receive an initial needs assessment to learn about their background, current situation and needs. From there, a tailor-made settlement plan is crafted to help them settle into their chosen community.

“We’ll help them find a job. We’ve got English classes, we can do English assessments to see where their English level is at. We’ve got family programming, we’ve got family for kids in school and youth …. There’s a variety of different things to help them get settled into the community.”

As a community, Westman is “very ready” for the arrival of those fleeing the war zone, Holt said, based on the number of people who have already stepped up to help.

“It’s incredibly humbling that people are so generous and wanting to help,” Holt said. “It’s just unbelievable the support.”

Brandon University political scientist Richard Baker said the impacts of the war in Ukraine are already being felt in Westman. The conflict hits close to home with both through family relations and community members’ wallets serving as constant reminders.

Canada is home to the largest diaspora of Ukrainians in the world. As a community with these Ukrainian ties, Baker said, Brandon has already seen a robust community, social and humanitarian response when it comes to the conflict.

These factors are driving people to do whatever they can to provide aid during the humanitarian crisis.

Some community members can experience feelings of helplessness due to the social implications of the war, he said, but they are also feeling stress due to rising costs of fuel brought on by sanctions against Russia.

“Everybody thinks with their pocketbooks, so when they see the cost of gas, it’s hard — this is a massive increase that they’re just not anticipating,” Baker said. “There is a [frustration] there, but the vast majority of us can see that connection [to Ukraine] and they see the importance of starving [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s regime of cash and of power.”

These sanctions are part of Western collective action against the invasion of Ukraine, and citizens are participating in these actions with each visit to the gas pump.

Baker said over long term, Canadians and the federal government have been playing a role in offering sanctuary and aid during the crisis to those in need. There have been passionate second- and third-generation Ukrainians who are doing everything they can to stay connected with relatives and play a role in getting them out of Ukraine and Russia to safe havens like Canada.

The United Nations has reported more than 2.5 million people have already fled the war-torn country.

There is no clear sense of the numbers to expect yet when it comes to the displaced newcomers, Baker added, but because of the nature of local community members, many are ready to welcome those fleeing the Ukraine with “arms wide open.”

“As private citizens, people in our community, people across Canada, are sending money and they are doing everything they can to try and help people, and as a government, we are sending money to try and help out.”

» ckemp@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp