The Liberal Plan for Resettling Syrian Refugees in Canada: The Justificatory Narrative and Counter-Narrative

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to examine several interrelated aspects of the Liberal Party's plan proposed during the 2015 election campaign to resettle 25,000 government-assisted Syrian refugees prior to the end of that year, and the Liberal government's efforts after the 2015 election to implement that plan. The objective is to examine the following four interrelated aspects of that plan before and after the 2015 election: (a) the evolution of key provisions in the plan; (b) the composition and thematic thrusts of the justificatory narrative for the plan; (c) the composition and thematic thrusts of the counter-narrative that critiqued both the plan and its justificatory narrative; and (d) the degree of continuity and change to public opinion regarding the Liberal plan. The article also devotes some attention to the lessons that can be drawn from this case study regarding factors that shape narratives and counter-narratives, and some potentially valuable directions for further research.