Jacquie Miller, Ottawa Citizen (January 21, 2016)
About 200 government-sponsored refugees are staying at the Radisson because the 100-bed refugee reception centre is full. Kids play video games on the computers and race down the hallways, while meeting rooms have been transformed into a cafeteria and a makeshift schoolroom. Another downtown hotel houses 100 refugees.
The Radisson lobby is buzzing. Guest Diane Lemire passes by to deposit a huge stack of coloring sheets and crayons for the kids. “They have such big smiles!” said the Montreal resident, who said she at first assumed there was a school convention at the hotel.
The newcomers crowd around a visitor, struggling to communicate. A teenage boy holding a cup of Bridgehead coffee announces: “Hi, my name is Hamma, I’m from Syria. School! English!”
