Federal government likely to hit target of 25,000 refugees this week

As Justin Trudeau's government prepares to bring inits 25,000th Syrian refugee, likelythis week, the minister responsible saysthe operation will get smaller, but not stop.

"It will be a scaled-down operation. Once we get the big target, the remainder will be at a slower pace," said Immigration MinisterJohn McCallum

Thatlikely means an end to Syrians arriving in Canada by the planeload, he added at least on a regular basis.

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Trudeaucampaigned on bringing 25,000 government-sponsoredSyrian refugees to Canada by the end of 2015. Once in office, government officials said it would take more time, pushing back thedeadline to the end of February and saying not all of those who came would be government sponsored.

The Liberals nowseempoised to meet theirrevised target.

"I guess the first thing is we say is 'Isn't this nice we've hit 25,000?'After that there will be more coming but I don't know the precise number," saidMcCallum.

He estimatedthat of the 25,000, about 17,000 will be government-sponsored. The rest come through privatesponsorship.

The remaining 8,000 government-sponsored Syrian refugees required to fulfil the Liberalpledge will be brought in, said McCallum, and "probably more."

In the past, he's talked of bringing in a total of somewhere between 35,000 and50,000 Syrian refugees, though he said that number would have be discussed by cabinet.

On Monday McCallum said he'llreveal how many refugees he intends to bring in as part of a planbeingpresented to Parliament by March 9.