Toronto residents share stories of refugee roots

A Toronto woman wants todispelthe hesitations some Canadians may haveover refugees with an online photo project spurred by the harrowing image of AlanKurdi.

The photograph of the lifeless three-year-old galvanized discussion over the plight of Syrian refugees and how to help them.

MelissaAlvares, mother to a 15-month-old, says the tragic photo "really struck me and really hit me."

"I think it's sad that it took something that horrific to wake people up."

Alvaressays she thought of her mother who fled to Canada as a refugee 43 years agoafter then Uganda president IdiAminordered non-Ugandan Asians to leave within 90 days.

"For everyone seeing this happen, it brought back a lot of memories."

Alvaressays she wanted to contribute somehow to the debatearising fromKurdi'shaunting image.

"People worry: 'What's going to happen if we do let refugees in? How is it going to affect our economy, our employment?'" she said.

"I want to show them that I'm what happened. I'm an example of what happens when a country like Canada opens up its door to refugees."

Alvarestook a photo of her and her son and added a blue banner with the caption: "I'm what happens when you accept refugees."

She coined thehashtag#imwhathappensand has encouraged others in herFacebooknetwork to share their own stories of having refugee roots or coming to Canada as a refugee themselves.

She says she's received several requests from friends and acquaintances to add the caption to their photos.

"A lot of people don't even know what a face of a refugee who lives in Canada looks like."

Alvaressays she hopes these images can help "release some of the red tape."

On Friday, Ontario Health Minister EricHoskinscalled on Ottawa to bring 5,000 Syrian refugees to Canada by the end of the year and Toronto Mayor John Tory joined a group contributing $27,000 to sponsor a refugee family through Toronto-based Lifeline Syria.

"A lot of us have been able to have a great life in Canada because of Canada's refugee or immigration policy," she said.