Mum's the Word Re Syrians Flooding Into Fredericton, N.B.

That's a pun, as you'll soon see:

Local officials are restricting journalists’ access to the site, citing privacy concerns. 

Lisa Bamford, executive director of the Multicultural Association of Fredericton, which is in charge of the project, described the refugees as “vulnerable people” whose privacy must be protected.  

“They are not commodities,” she said Tuesday as dozens of men, women and children milled about the lobby of the resort on the Saint John River. “We have to respect and protect their privacy.”  

Bamford declined to say how many refugees were staying at the resort, where they came from, how long they were expected to stay or how many more were expected to arrive. 

Earlier this week, a local media report said that as of last Wednesday, dozens of Syrian refugees were arriving daily at the 14-hectare resort, which is typically experiencing slow business at this time of year.   

General manager Shane Hashemi told the Fredericton Gleaner there were 90 refugees at the resort by last weekend and up to 250 in total were expected to arrive in the days ahead, filling the hotel to capacity.  

Hashemi said extra cribs and playpens were brought in because the average family has an average of five children in tow. ...

Update: Quel mixup! A Syrian refugee refuses to relocate to Winnipeg (he thought it was in another country).