Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
ABC News
ABC News
National

Justin Trudeau meets Syrian baby named in his honour

Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau has met a Syrian baby named in his honour by a refugee couple after they resettled in Canada.

Afraa Hajj Hammoud and Mohammed Belal fled Syria in 2016 and now call the Canadian city of Calgary home, according to CBC News.

When their son was born in May this year, the couple named him Justin-Trudeau Adam Bilal — a move they said was their way of thanking the Prime Minister for welcoming them to the country.

Mr Trudeau was in Calgary for the Parkdale Community Stampede breakfast when his photographer Adam Scotti snapped photos of the encounter and shared them on social media.

Ms Hammoud told CBC it was an amazing experience to meet the man who inspired their son's name and who made their new life possible.

"I can't believe that I met the Prime Minster Justin Trudeau," Ms Hammoud said.

"He said, 'this is Justin-Trudeau,' and then he says, 'I appreciate that you named him after my name'."

Ms Hammoud told CBC, in Syria, boys are usually named after their fathers or grandfathers.

"But now it's by appreciation for Justin Trudeau, we name him like this," she said.

Mr Trudeau has long been known for his welcoming immigration policies.

About 40,000 Syrian refugees have arrived in Canada over the last year, with roughly a third sponsored by Canadian citizens motivated to bring people to safety.

In the midst of US President Donald Trump's immigration ban, Mr Trudeau took to twitter to welcome anyone seeking refuge from war or unrest and offered temporary residency to stranded travellers.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.