Governor General David Johnston is hosting a forum at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on welcoming Syrian refugees to Canada.
Immigration Minister John McCallum says the federal government is spending $700-million to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of February but stresses there are still gaps.
McCallum says they need the private and public sector to come forward and provide jobs and lodging for the refugees.
McCallum acknowledges 700-million is a lot of money but he calls it an investment in the future as the refugees settle here, get work and become productive citizens.
He told the forum welcoming the refugees defines who we are as people and is the right thing to do.
