How do you think Canada was established? It was through immigrants, who came with only dreams of a better life. They came from England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Greece, countries that did not have Canada's winter season. Some of them didn't speak the language, and most had little or no wealth with them. Some of them were given land to build on, but had little time to build a home before the winter set in. Many of us have ancestors who came from these lands. So to make a statement like " . . . I just don't see how people think it's realistic that most of these refugee families are going to have much success at starting a new life here in Canada without perpetual government assistance. " just shows your ignorance of the history of Canada. And shame on you for that!