ENERJET OFFERS TO HELP TRANSPORT REFUGEES

Posted on 11/19/2015

A Calgary-based charter airline is offering to help the federal government bring Syrian refugees to Canada. Darcy Morgan with Enerjet says the airline could use its Boeing 737s to transport at least some of the 25,000 refugees the government has committed to bring in by the end of the year.

But he adds that Enerjet is waiting along with everyone else for the government to explain how they plan to accomplish that. Morgan says Enerjet has no intention of getting involved in a political debate and isn't out to make a profit. It simply believes helping refugees is a reasonable thing for Canada to do.

Immigration Minister John McCallum has said every option is on the table, including planes and ships for transport, along with housing refugees on military bases until they can be properly settled. Air Canada has also offered the federal government the use of some of its planes. Morgan said the transportation question has two parts.

“One is moving refugees from their point of departure into Canada, and another is moving them from their point of arrival in Canada to the various points ... where they will be finally settled.” Everyone is keen to hear details, he added. “That's a fair and appropriate question to be asking. What is the plan and how are we going to see it through? And how are we going to be safe in doing so?”