Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday after a meeting with Premier François Legault that Quebec does not have full authority over which immigrants it accepts.
At a meeting in Montreal, Legault said Quebec can’t take in any more asylum seekers and called on Trudeau to ask the federal government to transfer all immigration powers to Quebec.
But Prime Minister Trudeau later told reporters he had rejected Legault’s request.
“No, we’re not going to give (Quebec) more powers over immigration,” Trudeau said in French. “It’s not a question of jurisdiction, it’s a question of finding solutions.”
But Legault told reporters after Trudeau’s appearance that the prime minister had shown some tolerance for Trudeau’s demands.
Watch | Prime Minister Trudeau says Ottawa is already taking strong measures against immigrants:
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said immigration is an issue Canada is grappling with. His comments came after Quebec Premier François Legault asked Ottawa for full immigration control, to which Trudeau said no.
Legault said Trudeau appears willing to transfer some powers to Quebec, such as accepting some temporary workers, which were previously the responsibility of the federal government.
Showing a graph showing the rapid increase in the number of asylum seekers and temporary immigrants in Quebec over the past two years, Legault said the province is essentially full.
“Our ability to welcome them is stretched thin,” he said. “There is a shortage of teachers, nurses and housing, creating serious problems for the future of the French language in Quebec.”
Quebec and Canada have an agreement that gives the province some control over the number of immigrants admitted. However, the federal government is responsible for national standards for admission and control of immigrants and visitors.
Legault said the surge in asylum seekers in recent years has put undue pressure on Quebec’s ability to integrate and serve newcomers.
The Quebec government has asked Ottawa to repay $1 billion in funds the province says it spent providing services to asylum seekers.
As of December 31, 56 per cent (160,651 of 289,047) of asylum seekers residing in Canada were in Quebec.
Prime Minister Trudeau said he recognizes Quebec is doing “more than its share” with asylum seekers. He said the government had worked with the US government to slow the flow of asylum seekers, including closing the illegal border crossing at Wroxham Road and more recently reimposing visa requirements for visitors to Mexico. Stated.
In parliament on Thursday, Legault faced pressure from Parti Quebecois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon over immigration, saying he would ask Trudeau to give Quebec full control of its immigration system.
Mostafa Henaway, a community organizer with the Montreal-based Immigrant Workers’ Center, criticized the tone from Legault and Trudeau on Friday, saying both levels of government should encourage immigrants to work and participate in Canadian society. He said efforts should be made to reduce the barriers that stand in the way.
“When barriers are removed, whether it is temporary status, the closure of work permits, no status, or unbearably high tuition fees as an international student, that equality will help people You can actually grow and develop,” he said. “Because right now our immigration system wants your labor, but it probably just wants to get rid of you.”
