My name is Angellina Burns and I am a 19-year-old student. I call my home Whitehorse, Yukon and I am writing to you today as a concerned member of my community and as a Canadian.

With the recent tragedy that has occurred in the Philippines I believe that as a community we should be doing everything that we can in order to support those members who need it. One of the many definitions of a community is “the people of a district or country considered collectively, especially in the context of social values and responsibilities.”

So let me ask you: What are we doing to help the families in the Philippines of those people who are a part of our community? Those people who have been waiting years for paperwork to process in order to bring their families here to Whitehorse and to Canada as permanent residents.

The people in our community and in communities all across Canada should have the opportunity to have their families safe. If they have filled out their paperwork, paid all the money asked, and have all the required documents, why are they not able to be processed, especially in light of this catastrophic event? The children are without homes, without food, without proper care. Their parents are here in Whitehorse, and those children and family members should be as well. These people are trying to rescue their families, and what is our community doing to help?

I know that the government is helping to fast-track those looking for a temporary visa, but why should these families be forced to repay fees to get temporary visas and have to restart the very long, tiring process? As a Canadian I believe that we should be doing everything that we can to aid fellow members of our community.

Being a student I may seem unimportant to you, but I am a member of this community and a proud Canadian. And as a Canadian, I implore our community to do not what is easy but what is right, to contact our MP, to make some noise so that we can aid members of our community.

Angellina Burns

Whitehorse