An entrepreneur in New Brunswick is singing the praises of a pair of Syrian refugees after hiring them to work at his restaurant.
Ehab Radwan is the co-owner of the Taste of Egypt, a Mediterranean restaurant in Saint John. He arrived in the Maritimes six years ago from Egypt.
Ehab Radwan recently hired two Syrian refugees, with experience preparing Arabic cuisine, to work in his kitchen.
“Ehab is from Egypt and you know, they're Arabs, and he feels such a soft spot for them because they are his people and he has been really overwhelmed by what the Canadians are doing and he has actually told me that,” says Paula Radwan, restaurant co-owner.
Ehab Radwan says he is proud to be in Canada.
“I'm proud of that prime minister. I'm proud for Saint John and the Maritimes, because what I see now I never seen in Muslim countries, I've never seen in any country I've been before,” says Ehab Radwan.
Paula and Ehab hope that having new employees will allow them some well-deserved downtime.
“I'm hoping he can replace me, because I haven't had any vacation for four years. I haven't seen my family for six years,” says Ehab Radwan.
“So Canada is rescuing them, but the Syrian chefs are rescuing us,” says Paula Radwan. “So this is a really great opportunity from both sides.”
Local officials say the newcomers will make a difference in the city.
“There's doctors, lawyers, medical practitioners, all kinds of people coming in, and they're gonna enhance the community and they're gonna start paying taxes when they get employed. So it's good, a win-win,” says John MacKenzie, a Saint John councillor.
The Syrian refugees who are working at the restaurant are among a total of 500 refugees expected to arrive in Saint John before the spring.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Mike Cameron
