Five relatives of a Syrian couple who lost their seven children in a house fire last week are landing in Canada on Monday, thanks to help from the federal government and private citizens.
The Barho family came to Canada from Syria as refugees in 2017. Last Tuesday, a fire tore through their Halifax home, killing seven children who ranged in age from three months to 14 years old.
Halifax Liberal MP Andy Fillmore told reporters Monday that Immigration and Refugees Canada staff worked through the weekend to expedite visitor’s visas for five members of the Barho family. Fillmore said that those who arrive Monday, all adults, were able to get here quickly thanks to “conditions that made those much easier to expedite.” He said up to five more family members could come later.
Kawthar Barho’s sister, Hibah Alhamed, and her parents remain in the Middle East, in Syria and Lebanon.