Chrystia Freeland Says Plight of Stranded White Helmets Keeps Her 'Awake at Night'
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/white-helmets-freeland-interview-1.4760456
"I don't want to give false hope to anyone, but I do want to assure people that we continue to feel a strong moral responsibility to the White Helmets who are still in Syria. We are in close contact with the White Helmets themselves.'
Canada plans to accept up to 250 of the displaced Syrians, who will be subject to the same kind of security screening as the 40,000 others who were resettled here early in the government's mandate. The fate of the White Helmets left behind, who are thought to be moving within Syria amid the chaos of an outgoing offensive by Russia-backed Syrian government forces, was the subject of discussion Monday between Freeland and Raed Al Saleh leader of the White Helmets.
She was effusive in her praise of Israel and thankful to US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, who also played a key role. She said it is too soon to say whether another rescue attempt is possible..."
How Canada's Woman in Istanbul Began the Daring Rescue of Syria's White Helmets
https://theglobeandmail.com/world/article-how-canada-led-the-triumphant-...
"...The operation that saved more than 400 people - members of Syria's famed White Helmets and their families - began with a meeting in Istanbul between Raed Salah *, one of the group's leaders and a Canadian diplomat who would go on to persuade her government it needed to mobilize a rescue effort before it was too late. At that meeting in late June, Mr Salah made an extraordinary plea to Robin Wettlaufer *, Canada's Istanbul-based envoy to Syria.
The new refugees would likely start arriving in Canada, Germany and Britain within five or six weeks."
*Unmentioned in the article is Wettlaufer's role developing contacts and even arranging funding for various anti-Assad 'opposition' formations in Turkey. Having lost the war, the west makes quiet preparations to 'win' the peace.
