Students with Syrian ties talk refugee crisis with Hamilton candidates

Students with family and culturalties to Syria, northern Iraq and southern Turkey will ask federal election candidates tough questions about ISIS, the refugee crisis and other foreign policy matters at an all-candidates forum on the Mountain on Sunday.

The Assyrian Chaldean Syriac Student Union of Canada (ACSSU) will hold a meeting at the Assyrian Church of the East at 7 p.m.

The event is called #ShmeeQalee, which translates to Hear My Voice.

About 40 per cent of the meeting will be devoted to foreign policy questions, most of them from attendees, said Ashor Sworesho, debate organizer and the union's vice-president.

Many of the students immigrated to Canada when they were younger andhave family and friends impacted by the refugee crisis, Sworesho said.

Some know people who have been kidnapped by ISIS.

So they have important questions, he said. "It hits very close to home."

So far, nearly all of the Hamilton Mountain candidates have confirmed.

Shaun Burt of the Liberals, Scott Duvall of the NDP and Raheem Aman from the Green party will attend, as will James Enos of the Christian Heritage Party.

The group invited Conservative candidate Al Miles from Hamilton Mountain, butVincent Samuel, Conservative candidate for Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas, will attend instead.

The candidates will also field questions on the economy and education.

The debate is open to the public. The church is located at 63 Stone Church Rd. W. CBC Hamilton reporter Samantha Craggs will tweet from the event. Follow her at @SamCraggsCBC.