Prime Minister Justin Trudeau greets newly-arrived Syrian refugees Lucie Garabedian, center, her father Vanig Garabedian, second left, mother Anjilik Jaghlassian, second right, and sister Anna-Maria Garabedian, right, at Pearson International airport, in Toronto, on Friday, Dec. 11, 2015. The first Canadian government plane carrying Syrian refugees arrived in Toronto late Thursday. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau greeted more than 160 Syrian refugees as they arrived in Toronto late Thursday night.
A military plane carrying the first group of refugees arrived at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, where they were met by Trudeau and Canadian citizens eager to greet the new arrivals. Another plane will arrive in Montreal on Sunday.
“This is a wonderful night, where we get to show not just a planeload of new Canadians what Canada is all about, we get to show the world how to open our hearts and welcome in people who are fleeing extraordinarily difficult situations,” Trudeau said.
Trudeau has pledged to resettle 25,000 Syrians in Canada.
Below, some photos from the airport greeting:
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Steve Russell via Getty Images
Christine Ross and Joja Smiljanic-Jazic drove in from Guelph to lend support to the Refugees and drop off 40 five dollar Tim Horton’s gift cards.
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Steve Russell via Getty Images
Syrian refugees begin to arrive in Canada at Pearson International Airport in Mississauga on Dec, 10, 2015.
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Steve Russell via Getty Images
A local Toronto group put together gift bags for arriving refugees. The bags had items added as people arrived to greet the refugees.
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Steve Russell via Getty Images
Chaim Ifrah and Shai Reef, Jewish Torontonians, wait at terminal one for refugees with a ‘Welcome to Canada” sign.
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Steve Russell via Getty Images
Stefania Dunlop is part of a local group that brought packages for refugees arriving in Canada.
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Steve Russell via Getty Images
Maryam and Nore Kasmeih wait for Syrian refugees at the airport. Their mother came to Canada 15 years ago, and their family that was in Syria has fled to Turkey.
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Steve Russell via Getty Images
Christine Youssef, left, is excited as she reunites with her cousins.
