A Yazidi boy in Winnipeg who wants to share his story to help other Yazidi children held captive by the Islamic State has heard back from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Earlier this year, Emad Mishko and the Yazidi Association of Manitoba made a video to reach out to the Prime Minister with the hopes Emad can become the spokesperson for other Yazidi children he hopes can find refuge in Canada.

Emad reunited with his family in Winnipeg in August, 2017 after being held captive by the Islamic State for three years in Iraq.

Yazidi Association of Manitoba spokesperson Hadji Hesso says they spoke to Trudeau at a town hall meeting yesterday at the University of Manitoba.

“Emad was very welcomed by the Prime Minister even though we didn’t have a lot of time to meet with him,” Hesso says. “We talked about a few things and we want him to move forward with the Yazidi people and to move forward with Emad who wants to be a voice for these kids.”

“He expressed interest in working with us and he mentioned the Immigration Minister will work directly with us as well to see what other needs Yazidi people have.”

The Canadian Government promised to bring 1200 Yazidi people to Canada by the end of 2017 after the United Nations declared the killings of thousands of Yazidis by the Islamic State to be a genocide.

The government didn’t meet that goal but is on track to meet it by March, 2018, according to Hesso.

Hesso says Emad hopes to go to Ottawa to sit down with Trudeau and Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen, but he couldn’t confirm whether or not that meeting will take place.

“Emad has a big vision,” Hesso says. “He’s only a child but he’s very excited about the meeting and is excited to do something for brothers and sisters left behind.”

“He will be a voice for others and if we can bring one child to Canada we’ll consider it a success, but we are looking to do more down the road and hopefully this will be great for Yazidi people and all children.”

Golden West news has reached out to the Prime Minister for comment but has yet to hear back.

Emad is reunited with most of the members of his family but Hesso says his father and older brother are still missing and there is no update on their status.

Hesso says Emad is in good spirits, in school and recovering from injuries he sustained when he was held captive.  

You can watch the Yazidi Association of Manitoba's video here.