Let’s reunite Jihan's family. On Monday, June 7, we present this petition to Justin Trudeau. We need 600 more signatures to reach 25,000. Please share the link today ( https://www.change.org/p/help-3-young-girls-in-gaza-war-zone-get-to-their-ottawa-mom on social media, with family and friends. If Jihan cannot get urgent temporary resident permits for Aleen (6), Kenzi (10) and Maryam (11) and her husband Mohammed, all stuck in Gaza, she will be forced by Canada’s failure to board a plane June 9 at 4 pm and head back to the Middle East in a desperate bid to save her family on her own. We cannot allow this to happen when the Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino has all the paperwork needed to issue the permits, as well as the legislated power to do so on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

Canada has recognized Jihan’s refugee status but has failed to begin processing her family’s file. The permits would allow the family, traumatized by years of separation, deprivation, and war, to come to Ottawa and heal together during a processing period that recent estimates show could be up to 39 months. Thousands of refugee families in Canada are separated by heartless bureaucratic rules. Let's push for a happy resolution to Jihan's case and work for the changes needed to end this cruel practice of long-term separation.  

Thanks for your support!

Matthew Behrens
Rural Refugee Rights Network, tasc@web.ca