Provincial support exceeds Canada's Syrian refugee target: immigration minister

Premiers across the country have indicatedhow many Syrian refugees their provinces will commit to taking in, and the total exceeds the federal government'sgoal of 25,000, Immigration Minister John McCallumsaid Friday.

• Liberals to announce details of Syrian refugee plan
• Refugees to be temporarily housed atOntario sites
• Canada committedto resettling25K Syrian refugees

In Ontarioalone, the goal is to welcome 10,000 Syrians by the end of 2016.

"A commitment doesn't mean those people's feet on Canadian soil, but it's an immensely good start to have such enthusiasm, not only in words, but in numbers," McCallum said.

The minister was speaking at an event in Toronto hosted by Humanity First, an international humanitarian relief organization, where he was joined by other speakers with expertise in the topic of refugee resettlement. All proceeds from the event will go toward assisting with the resettlement of Syrian refugees in Canada.

McCallum did not provide anydetails aboutthe government's resettlement plan, which the Liberalshave promised to release infull on Tuesday. He would onlysaythat Canadawillbring refugeeshere quickly, and make sure to get the programright.

"We will give every possible consideration to concerns based on security," he said.

McCallum also expressedhow proud he is to be involved in the Syrian refugeefile.

"I am an economist and I often deal with what you might call dollars-and-cents or bread-and-butter issues, but this one is different," he said.

"This one is about values, this one is more emotional, and this one leads me to say I have never felt so patriotic as a Canadian as I am today, to be involved in bringing 25,000 people from the direst conditions on the planet here to our blessed country of Canada."

Pressed for more details by reporters after his speech,McCallum standing alongsidea group of recently arrived Syrian refugees said Canadian will have towait until Tuesday to understand the full extent of the plan.

"It will come. It will be clear. Itwill be transparent.Canadians, all members of the media,willknowon that day what our plan is," he said.

Earlier in the week, CBC News learned that the federal government is working with the Armed Forces to prepare for temporary housing at military sites in Ontario and Quebec.