New club History Ottawa is no carbon copy of Toronto location

In February 2023, a devastating earthquake rocked Türkiye, leaving over 50,000 dead and millions displaced. Canada responded by granting temporary residency to around 6,000 affected individuals, but their work permits are set to expire in 2026. Sefika Ozlem Yaman Sahin, a Turkish mother, embarked on a 28-day journey from Toronto to Ottawa to raise awareness about the challenges faced by people like her.

Despite organizing peaceful protests in various Canadian cities and sending numerous emails to the government, they received no response. Determined to make her voice heard, Sahin decided to walk the 500-kilometer distance with her son. Over 6.9 million Syrians were internally displaced by the earthquake, and more than 6.8 million have fled their country since 2011, with 3.6 million of them in Türkiye alone, according to the United Nations.

Protesters gathered in Ottawa's ByWard Market to express their concerns about families being forced to return to their native countries. One participant shared the emotional struggle of explaining the impending return to a child who had spent his early years in Canada. Sahin emphasized the need for the government to extend the temporary status of these individuals, allowing them to finish what they began in Canada and build a safe, stable future for their families.