Canada doubles Iraqi refugee quota

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 20 (UPI) -- The Canadian government used the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq to announce it will double the number of Iraqi refugees it accepts this year.

Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Minister Diane Finley made the announcement Wednesday in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she said Canada will accept 1,800-2,000 refugees in 2008, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., reported.

Previously, the country was accepting about 900 displaced Iraqis each year, Finley said.

She said the majority of Iraqis have been arriving in Canada from Syria and Jordan. New refugees will be proposed through private sponsorships and by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, the report said.

Canada's resettlement target for the entire Middle East was also increased by more than 50 percent for 2008 to 3,300 people, Finley said.

UNHCR Representative Abraham Abraham, said Canada takes in 10,000 to 12,000 refugees from 70 difference countries every year, which is about 10 percent of all refugees resettled globally.