Undercurrents - Ep 40 - “We never lose with refugees"

What does it look like to open a door that changes everything? In this episode of Undercurrents, we trace the remarkable story of how Canada became a world leader in refugee welcome — and why that legacy matters more now than ever. Host Ken Ogasawara sits down with Mike Molloy, retired Foreign Service officer and one of the architects of the world's first private refugee sponsorship program, to hear how a small clause buried in a 1976 immigration act became a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the Indo-China wars. And how MCC Canada became a foundational partner in making it all work. We also hear from Kaylee Perez, MCC's Global Migration and Resettlement Strategic Initiatives Lead, who brings both professional expertise and deeply personal roots to this work. Her insight: the antidote to fear is proximity. Together, their stories remind us that welcoming the stranger isn't a radical idea, it's foundational to our faith expression. The data is clear. Refugees strengthen Canada's workforce, arrive ready to contribute, see their incomes grow, and become citizens at remarkable rates. But as Kaylee reminds us — this was never just about economics. It's about who we want to be. Ready to act? Join the We're Better Together campaign at the Canadian Council for Refugees: ⁠⁠https://mcc.org/better-together Explore the Hearts of Freedom project: heartsoffreedom.org Send us a note at ⁠podcast@mcco.ca⁠ — we'd love to hear from you ⁠Transcription is here.⁠ ⁠Discussion guide here.⁠ Undercurrents is sponsored in part by ⁠Kindred Credit Union.⁠ Credits: Production support from Christen Kong Logo artwork by Jesse Bergen Theme song by Brian MacMillan Executive produced by Sandra Reimer.