Two Canadian women and three children on way home from detention camps in Syria

The Canadian Press
Thu, July 6, 2023 




OTTAWA — Two Edmonton women and three children who were temporarily missing in Syria after failing to board a repatriation flight to Canada in April are finally on their way home.

They were among a group of 19 people Canada agreed to bring home from Kurdish-operated prison camps in northeastern Syria in January.

The Canadian citizens had been held for years at displaced persons camps in a region now controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.

The other 14 arrived in April. The five who are now en route had failed to show up for the flight, with neither their lawyers nor the Canadian government seemingly aware of what had happened to them for several days.

One of their lawyers later said that the women and children had been detained by Kurdish guards who would not allow them to travel and board the plane at that time.

Ottawa lawyer Lawrence Greenspon, who advocated for the repatriation of the 19 Canadians in Federal Court, said the return of the final five is very good news.

"I have spoken to their families here in Canada and they are over the moon, delighted and just overjoyed," he said.

In a statement, Global Affairs Canada extended its gratitude to authorities in the region for co-operating under difficult security circumstances, and thanked the United States for its assistance in repatriating the Canadians.

"Due to privacy considerations, we cannot provide information about the repatriated individuals, and for operational security reasons, we cannot share details of the repatriation," the statement said.

The federal government arrested and sought peace bonds against three of the four women who returned in April.

"It wouldn't be a surprise if they sought peace bonds against either one or both of these two women," said Greenspon.

In its statement, Global Affairs Canada said it is a serious offence for anyone who leaves Canada to knowingly support a terrorist group.

"Those who engage in these activities will face the full force of Canadian law."

The federal government is currently in talks with lawyers representing the three women arrested in April over peace bond conditions.

In May, the Federal Court of Appeal overturned a ruling from the Federal Court that held four Canadian men held in Syrian camps were also entitled to Ottawa's help to return home.

Greenspon said the matter will be pursued at the Supreme Court of Canada.

A small group of civil society members that includes Sen. Kim Pate is expected to travel to northeastern Syria in late August to visit the four men in the hopes of helping to repatriate them.

Greenspon said the fact that five Canadians are on their way home this week will bolster the delegation's efforts.

The group is also set to include Alex Neve, former secretary general of Amnesty International Canada, and Scott Heatherington, a retired Canadian diplomat.

Another Canadian mother of six who is struggling to leave Syria and was dealt a setback when her tent was damaged by fire is not in the group returning home.

Greenspon said the federal government will not help the Quebec woman return to Canada because officials believe she poses a security risk, and that position has not changed since the fire was reported in late June.

He said he expects to take legal action in response to the federal government's decision to grant repatriation to her six children, but not to her.

She was physically and mentally distraught when they spoke a few days ago, he said.

"She is in very, very poor condition."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2023.

— With files from Jim Bronskill.

David Fraser, The Canadian Press