Rich,
   You, a former hippie, your anti-worker attitudes sadden me more than  conservatives in this forum. I disagree with your every point here. Nabel said,"Before the war, I had many friends and I owned a family bookstore, which my father had passed on to me. The life we lived – my wife, three children and me – was simple, and we were happy."
  He did have an easy middle class life in Syria.  Clearly you too have an easy middle class life. I've been wondering since the Syrian refugee crisis started, why are there no working class refugees? Are they unworthy of saving?
   Many Canadians have had a comfortable middle class life in Canada but lost everything. Businesses go bankrupt every day. Especially after the 2008 economic meltdown. They exist on welfare. Many are thus resentful of refugees, hate the lucrative wars that create refugees, dislike the professionals that profit from them.
   But for you, it's support refugees, dismiss suffering Canadians.  I call that traitorous.