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AYC joins call to aid Syrian refugees

The Association of Yukon Communities has added its voice to a growing number of organizations pledging to help Syrian refugees come to Canada.

The Association of Yukon Communities has added its voice to a growing number of organizations pledging to help Syrian refugees come to Canada.

“Municipalities are critical to the success of Canada’s response to this deeply troubling situation. AYC will join communities across country to play a key role in any effort to resettle families fleeing violence in Syria. Through our coordinated actions we can maximize the size and the speed of Canada’s response,” said president Wayne Potoroka in a statement.

Potoroka is also Yukon’s representative on the Federation of Canadian Municipalities board of directors.

The board announced this week it would be establishing a task force on refugee resettlement. Once it’s created, the task force will allow municipalities across Canada to share information on helping refugees.

It will also provide a way of coordinating with provincial, territorial and federal counterparts to meet immediate and urgent resettlement targets, the AYC said.

Locally, Yukoners have been working to sponsor at least one family of Syrian refugees fleeing the war-ravaged country.

A fundraising campaign has been set up. The Yukon government has agreed to help out if the group makes it further along in the sponsorship process.