When war broke out in the Middle East, these Canadians chose to stay in Qatar

The moments of greatest uncertainty always start with a warning.

A national emergency text message alert sent by the Qatari government sounds just like an Amber Alert or a severe weather warning in Canada.

“The security threat level is elevated,” the message reads. People are told to stay in their homes and away from windows until the threat has passed.

What happens next varies greatly. And sometimes it can be terrifying.

Patricia MacLeod, 56, an Ottawa mom who was on vacation in Qatar with her husband, Hatem Alrefaee, when the war began, describes the experience as “surreal.”

On multiple occasions, MacLeod said, she heard explosions after the alerts and later learned it was the sound of Qatari air defences intercepting Iranian missiles and drones. The explosions were sometimes powerful enough to shake her hotel room.

The first blasts alarmed MacLeod to the point that she decided to get her affairs in order.

“I emailed my last will and testament to my sons,” she said with a bit of nervous laughter. “You’re in the middle of this and hear a big boom. It’s a little scary.”

But the initial shock wore off. MacLeod said she calmed down and decided to continue on with the vacation, adding that she was put at ease by locals who continued on with their lives and that people in Qatar were supportive and welcoming.

“Other than that, it’s been a perfect trip,” she said.

110,000 Canadians in Mideast have registered

MacLeod is one of several Canadians who spoke to CBC News about choosing to remain in Qatar after the war started on Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel attacked Iran. There are still thousands of Canadians across the Middle East, according to Global Affairs Canada. More than 110,000 people have signed up for the voluntary Registration of Canadians Abroad service.

While Qatar is one of several Gulf region countries targeted by Iranian missiles, civilians in Qatar have not faced the same level of violence as people in other parts of the Middle East.

Iran has suffered the highest death toll, with the U.S.-based Human Rights Activist News Agency reporting on Tuesday that 1,455 civilians, including 217 children, and 1,167 military members have been killed.

In Lebanon, where Israeli attacks have been targeting the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah, which fired rockets at Israel two days after the war started, more than one million people are displaced and 1,072 have been killed, according to Lebanese authorities. And Israeli authorities say 18 people have been killed there.

Other Gulf region countries have also faced a much higher volume of Iranian attacks than Qatar. At times, dozens of interceptions are reported daily by Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. All three countries have also reported deaths as a result of the conflict.

In Qatar, 16 people have been injured, and no one has been killed in the war — although a military helicopter crashed in Qatar due to a “technical malfunction” during a training exercise on Sunday, killing all seven people on board.

But there has been significant damage to the country’s energy infrastructure, after the Ras Laffan LNG hub was struck by debris from Iranian missiles.

Canadians say they’re comfortable staying put

“If everybody was getting out, I’d go,” said Kerry Suek, 56, a physics teacher originally from Labrador City in Newfoundland and Labrador who has been living in Doha, Qatar’s capital, for 24 years.

“I don’t consider myself any more special than any other resident of Doha, so if everybody is getting out, then I’d be going. But I don’t see that.”

Suek said in some ways, this experience reminds him of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the first three weeks of the conflict, Qatar imposed a remote work order, some large gatherings and public events were cancelled and Suek shifted his in-person classes to online learning.

He said people generally take the government’s warnings seriously, which adds to the sense of overall security.

“Everybody knows to get indoors and watch out for falling debris,” he said. “The Qatar government has taken every precaution to make sure everybody’s safe.”

Authorities have eased some of the restrictions, which Suek said he’s relieved to see. The remote work order was lifted on Tuesday, and schools are gradually returning to normal.

“They’ve even allowed indoor activities now, so we are playing hockey, which everyone should be happy about,” he said.

Even as some aspects of life return to normal, there is a clear understanding in Qatar that the overall situation remains volatile.

Trish Slade, 52, a teacher originally from Alberta, said since the war started, she now gets startled by loud noises.

“My son started practising his drums one day, and I had a heart attack pretty much,” she said.

Slade said she has no plans to return to Canada any time soon, even though some of her family members have been pleading with her to leave.

She’s been trying to reassure her two sisters, who live in Alberta and Connecticut, telling them that she and her family are doing fine.

“We feel safe here. Full stop. And it’s our home, we love it here,” she said.

“We don’t feel like we’re in imminent personal danger right now,” said Steve Rich, 59, Slade’s husband.

Originally from the U.S., he’s been living in Qatar for 17 years working as a lawyer. He has since become a Canadian permanent resident.

Rich said he’s also comfortable staying in Qatar for now. “Our lives are here, family’s here, work responsibilities are here,” he said.

Multiple flight delays to return to Canada

When Patricia MacLeod decided to continue on with her vacation, she ended up getting stuck in Qatar for a week longer than she had originally planned.

Because of that, she felt the need to apologize to her co-workers at the Canada Revenue Agency.

“I’m sorry for that to my team … waiting on me an extra week,” she said in the most Canadian of ways.

And as for that panicked email she sent to her kids that included her will, MacLeod says they seemed to shrug it off.

Her sons, both in their 20s, responded with a “thanks Mom, but please just get home,” she said.

After navigating multiple flight cancellations and delays, MacLeod and her husband are back in Ottawa.