Chris Alexander defends Canada's refugee response, blames media for ignoring crisis

Amid what has been called the worst refugee crisis since the Second World War, the immigration minister says Canada has taken in"approximately 2,500"Syrian refugees to date.

"The numbers grow quickly through private sponsorship and government assistance. We also have brought over 20,000 Iraqi refugees," Chris Alexander said on CBC'sPower & Politics Wednesday.

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The plight of Syrian refugees was brought into the spotlight Wednesday after a picture of a drowned childcirculated on social media. The boy was found lying face down on a Turkish beach. It is believed he wasthree years old. Turkish media saidhis mother and older brother also died trying to reach Europe.

The interview with Alexandertook place before it was reported late Wednesday night that the toddler's family had beenseeking refugee status in Canada. Alexander was not immediately available early Thursday morningto comment on therevelation.

More than four million refugeeshave fled Syria since the crisis began in 2011. There are also more thanseven million internally displaced people within Syria.

Ontario NDP candidatePaulDewartold Power & Politicshost Rosemary Bartonthat the Conservative government's policies havebeen acatastrophe.

"They hadto be dragged kicking and screaming to actually admit 1,300 refugees," he said. "Theycouldn't tell us for a full year how many refugees had come. At the same time Germany, Sweden, other countrieswere taking in tens of thousands."

Former Liberal cabinet minister John McCallum called the Conservative response to the Syrian refugee crisisa "totaldisgrace,"and made the comparison with Progressive Conservative leaders Joe Clark and Brian Mulroney who McCallumsaid were part of a tradition of Canadian generosityto refugees.

Last month the Conservativespledgedto bring in an additional 10,000 refugeesfromSyria and Iraqifre-elected.

Syrian refugee advocateAlexandra Kotyk, who launched Lifeline Syria this summer,says Canada isn't doing enough.

"Canada has before, and can again, do more," she said.Lifeline Syria is aproject that aims tobring 1,000 Syrian refugees to the Greater Toronto Area over the next two years.

Minister accusesmedia of ignoring crisis

Alexander, who has served as immigration minister since July 2013 and is running for re-election in Ontario,accused CBC News ofignoring the Syrian refugee crisis.

"I'm actually interested in why this is the first Power & Politics panel we've had on this," he said.

Alexanderwent on to say that "thebiggest conflict and humanitarian crisis of our time has been there for two years, and you and others have not put it in the headlines where it deserves to be."

Barton noted later the subject had been discussed at least 32 times on Power & Politics, including in interviews with Alexander. As a minister, Alexander was not allowed to appear on panels.

Watch Chris Alexander debate Paul Dewar and John McCallumin theplayer above.