Refugee who sheltered Snowden in Hong Kong excited to start life in Montreal

Vanessa Rodel, arefugee who helped shelter whistleblower Edward Snowden in Hong Kong years ago, is finally in Montreal,and she says she's excited to learn French and trymaple syrup.

"There was no hope for me in China. No future for my daughter," said Rodel, 42, who arrived in Montreal Tuesday with her seven-year-old daughter, Keana.

Now, the two are looking forward to their new lives in Quebec.

Rodel said her daughter loves the snow andis hoping to see some huskies.

Rodel had been living in Hong Kong since 2002 after fleeing her home in the Philippines. She applied for asylum there in 2010, but her claim was rejected.

'Snowden's angels' arrive in Canada

6 years ago

Duration 1:07

Vanessa Rodel and her seven-year-old daughter, Keana, arrived in Montreal today. Canada has granted them asylum after they faced persecution in Hong Kong for helping hide whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Now that the mother and daughter are in Canada, school, work and a permanent home are all possible.

Despite the long trip, Rodel told reporters in Montreal that when the plane touched down in Canada she didn't feel tired she was just excited and taken aback by how friendly everyone was.

'Angels' left behind

Rodelsaid she is hopefulfellow members of the group dubbedSnowden's "guardian angels" willbe allowed to join her here.

The "angels" still in Hong Kong have been identified as a couple from Sri Lanka, Supun Kellapatha and Nadeeka Paththini, and their two young children. Rodel said Kellapatha is Keana's father. The fifth "angel"is Ajit Kumara, a Sri Lankan soldier who deserted the military.

"Despite my happiness, I'm still sad. We are a family," Rodel told CBC.

The pair's arrival in Canada brought an end to what her lawyer Robert Tibbo described as a saga dating back to 2013.

The information Snowden leaked exposed the scope of massive government surveillance operations. Snowdennow lives in Moscow and is wanted in the United States on charges related to the leaks.

Tibbo called on Ottawa to extend the same welcome Rodel and Keana received to the rest of the group.

"Canada needs to step forward," he said. "The government of Canada has done the right thing for Vanessa and her daughter, but really what should have been done is all the families should have been brought into Canada at one time."

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland has said the government cannot weigh in on private refugee cases or comment on individual situations.

But Ethan Cox, a spokespersonfor the advocacy group For the Refugees, questioned that claim.

"The government has the ability to intervene and expedite the processing of the private-sponsored refugee claims of the remaining five Snowden refugees," Cox said.

"That is what we are asking today is for the government of Justin Trudeau to finish the job."