UNCEDED COAST SALISH TERRITORIES/VANCOUVER- Hundreds of people gathered on the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery today joining people in over 50 cities across Canada calling for immediate action from the Canadian Government to "open its doors to refugees".

A moment of silence was held for the Kurdi Family. Alan Kerim and his mother Tima Kurdi were at the protest at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Tima Kurdi is the sister of Abudllah Kurdi who lost his wife and children this week trying to reach the shores of the Greek Island Kos.

Refugee and migrant rights groups across Canada are demanding that Immigration Minister Chris Alexander and Prime Minister Stephen Harper answer for the deaths of Ghalip Kurdi, five, his three-year-old brother Aylan and their mother Rehanna thirty-five.

Organizers say that Canada urgently needs to welcome refugees. There are almost 60 million displaced people around the globe this year, and over 45,000 people have died crossing borders since 2000.    
The Canadian government assisted 5,790 refugees in 2013 and deported 117,531 people between 2006 and 2014, including to countries with official moratoriums on deportation. The majority of those refused are refugees. See the latest research at www.neverhome.ca.