{"id":27942,"date":"2022-04-23T22:19:55","date_gmt":"2022-04-24T01:19:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelaker.ca\/?p=27942"},"modified":"2022-04-23T22:19:55","modified_gmt":"2022-04-24T01:19:55","slug":"minister-fraser-announces-launch-of-new-ukraine2canada-travel-fund","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/?p=27942","title":{"rendered":"Minister Fraser announces launch of new Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;156&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;111&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>MAIN PHOTO: Minister of Immigration Sean Fraser speaks with the Air Canada and the Shapiro Foundation before the announcement. (Healey photo)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HALIFAX STANFIELD:<\/strong> \u201cI feel very lucky. I feel very lucky to be Canadian.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s how Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser responded to a question form The Laker News on how he feels after announcing a new Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund at Halifax Stanfield Airport on April 22.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund that was launched is done in partnership with Miles4Migrants, The Shapiro Foundation and Air Canada will build on the federal governments support for Ukrainians wishing to travel to Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As of April 22, Canadians and Canadian companies can donate Aeroplan points to the Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund through Air Canada or Miles4Migrants. For those who want to donate cash, the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto will be collecting donations on behalf of the Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund. These partners are inviting Canadians to donate, with the goal of bringing at least 10,000 Ukrainians and their families on flights to Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;157&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;84&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_6901-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27949\"\/><figcaption>Immigration Minister Sean Fraser makes the announcement of the Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund. (Healey photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to a significant donation of 100 million Aeroplan points by Air Canada, The Shapiro Foundation will match donations by Canadians, with a donation equivalent of up to 50 million Aeroplan points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve seen over the course of my time in this position since October, but more so in the throes of this humanitarian crisis as it emerged, and what astounds me the most is how welcoming and supportive Canadians are. How welcoming and supportive Nova Scotians are,\u201d he said. \u201cThe donation that we see today is extraordinary not only in the magnitude of its generosity, but how well it reflects he experience I\u2019ve had in speaking to Canadians I have had.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate group=&#8221;2&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;78&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>VIDEO: Here is Global News video of the presser with Q &amp; A from media:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Canada starts Aeroplan fund to help fly in Ukrainians fleeing Russia\u2019s war | FULL\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5W5CfZ2tW2g?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The program will be open to Ukrainian nationals and their accompanying family members who hold valid Canadian travel documents and who have been approved for travel to Canada. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Details on how eligible Ukrainians and their families can access the program will be made available in the coming weeks.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This partnership follows the <a href=\"https:\/\/pm.gc.ca\/en\/news\/news-releases\/2022\/04\/09\/prime-minister-co-convenes-stand-ukraine-pledging-event\">recent measures announced<\/a> by the Prime Minister of Canada, which include targeted charter flights to Canada for Ukrainian nationals, short-term income support to ensure basic needs are met, and temporary hotel accommodation for up to 2 weeks for those who require support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_6891-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27947\"\/><figcaption>Air Canada VP David Rhealt speaks. (Healey photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Fraser, the MP for Central Nova (which includes the Musquodoboit Valley and Oldham areas), said the new program will help bring upwards of 10,000 Ukrainians quickly and safely to Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re grateful for their generous offers to help, and we\u2019ll continue to do everything we can to support Ukrainians before and after they arrive in Canada,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michael Rousseau, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada, said the company is ready and prepared to assist and support the Canadian government\u2019s plans to bring Ukrainian people to Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWith our 100 million Aeroplan points contribution, we offer our global network and the&nbsp;strength of our Star Alliance partnerships, which will contribute to enabling&nbsp;people&nbsp;to&nbsp;travel to Canada as quickly as possible,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;127&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;158&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_6892-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27948\"\/><figcaption>Shapiro Foundation&#8217;s Sarah MacIntosh-Wiseman. (Healey photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Edward Shapiro, Trustee with the Shapiro Foundation, said they\u2019re humbled to be able to play a part in assisting Ukrainian families who are being warmly welcomed by Canadians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe know that access to flights is a critical need, and we are excited to partner with Air Canada, Miles4Migrants and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on this critically important project,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fraser said one of the greatest challenges he is facing is organizing all of the good will he\u2019s seeing from Canadians towards the efforts to help those in Ukraine flee to safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHow do I feel about this donation we\u2019ve learned about today? Extraordinary gratitude,\u201d said Fraser. \u201cIt has inspired in me a sense of pride not in my role as Minister of Immigration but as a Canadian who cares deeply about doing the right thing for vulnerable people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis gesture represents something that is stereotypically Canadian.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/IMG_6875-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-27944\"\/><figcaption>Immigration Minister Sean Fraser. (Healey Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate group=&#8221;7&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Between March 17, when the CUAET was launched, and April 12, IRCC received close to 141,000 applications and approved over 46,000 applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Canadians who would like to donate their Aeroplan points can do so through the <a href=\"https:\/\/donatepoints.aircanada.com\/\">Air Canada<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/miles4migrants.org\/\">Miles4Migrants<\/a> websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Those Canadians who would like to donate cash can do so through the <a href=\"https:\/\/jewishfoundation.crowdchange.ca\/travelfund\">Travel &amp; Settlement Fund at the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto<\/a>, which will distribute these donations for the purposes of sponsoring displaced Ukrainians. Tax receipts will be issued for donations of more than $10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate group=&#8221;6&#8243;]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;159&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[adrotate banner=&#8221;156&#8243;] [adrotate banner=&#8221;111&#8243;] MAIN PHOTO: Minister of Immigration Sean Fraser speaks with the Air Canada and the Shapiro Foundation before the announcement. (Healey photo) HALIFAX STANFIELD: \u201cI feel very lucky. I feel very lucky to be Canadian.\u201d That\u2019s how Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser responded to a question form The Laker [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":27952,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,957],"tags":[3234,50,970,3558,661,48,3320,3559],"class_list":["post-27942","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-news","tag-air-canada","tag-halifax","tag-halifax-stanfield-airport","tag-minister-sean-fraser","tag-mp-sean-fraser","tag-n-s","tag-ukraine","tag-ukraine2canada-travel-fund"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27942","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=27942"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27942\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27942"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=27942"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging-z.thelaker.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=27942"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}