Matt Brown / CC
As the war in Ukraine pushes on, it’s raising questions about what London will do with potential refugees coming to the city. Deputy Mayor Josh Morgan is stepping in as acting mayor for Ed Holder.
“The municipality itself is standing with the members of our local Ukrainian community, as well as those in Ukraine and their loved ones facing these horribly tragic circumstances,” says Morgan. “Facing threat on a daily basis, we stand with them.”
Both Morgan and Holder have offered support where they can, like attending the local rallies and speaking with local leaders. Londoners have also rallied together in support, with many offering up donations.
“Ukrainians are already part of the London community and this is already home for Ukrainians,” says Morgan. “I expect London to be a place for refugees to come and will have some comfort. When a free domestic society is under threat to the point where families and individuals have to flee their homes, jobs, schools, and friends, the least we can do as a compassionate society is provide a place for them to stay. It’s not only something we are well-positioned to do, but it’s the right thing to do.”
London has accepted refugees before in the past and Morgan says this benefits the city in multiple ways when it comes to accepting more.
“We’ve accepted Syrian refugees, we’ve accepted Afghan refugees, we continue to be a compassionate community that opens our arms to those who are in need around the world. Because we have done it before very successfully, we are well-positioned, well organized, and we know what to do when these situations arise.”
The difference this time is the quantity of people coming in a short period of time.
“The mass migration of refugees in Europe is the largest, I think, since World War II. So this means that there will be many hands that will be needed across the world to take refugees in and support them. The volume and the speed at which we’re likely to need to act is a unique situation with this particular conflict.”
Conversations and efforts are being led by the federal government right now, but Morgan backs up that London and other communities across Canada are preparing and ready to support.
“Again, this is a testament to our local Ukrainian community and the connections that we already have with Ukraine. It’s just so wonderful to live in a diverse community when something so tragic and unfortunate like this happens, you have those who know the language, the customs, the cities, the country, and can provide that small piece of home here.”
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