Article content

Homebuilder Don Neufeld, 53, of Edmonton, is going to have his company donate four new homes to lodge Syrian refugee families for their first year in Canada.

Why take such an action?

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or David Staples: Home builder says assisting refugees 'the right thing to do' Back to video

The day after the terrorist attacks in Paris, Neufeld was reading the news online when he came across a few notions in the comments section that greatly troubled him.

The article was about the Syrian refugee crises and how new homes were required worldwide for hundreds of thousands. At the same time, some folks were worried that Muslim refugees might not hold Canadian values or might harbour violent anti-Western sentiments.

Neufeld has a different view, based on interactions with Muslims he has met around the city and worked with on construction sites.

“You talk to other Islamic people, and they’re a peaceful, loving people, just like Christians and all other religions,” he says.

“Someone was commenting that, ‘It’s too risky to bring in these immigrants at this time.’ The first thing that went off in my mind was, ‘When did we become a society that says we’re only going to help someone if there’s no risk to me?’ I don’t think that resonates with 99 per cent of the people in Canada. I just feel that the majority of people in Canada will want to help all of the Syrians that come. The majority of Canadians are welcoming.”