Quebec premier pitches English Canada for closure of Roxham Road and transfer of migrants

After months of calling for Ottawa to stop the flow of immigrants, Quebec’s premier called for the closure of irregular border crossings popular with asylum seekers and the transfer of him out of state to the English government. Sold to Canada.

In a letter in English published in The Globe and Mail on Tuesday, François Legault wrote that the number of asylum seekers entering Quebec had “exploded” and that the state’s social services were reaching their limits. The sooner the federal government closes Wroxham Road, an irregular border crossing in southern Quebec frequently used by asylum seekers, the better, he said.

“This situation raises some humanitarian considerations as it is becoming increasingly difficult to receive asylum seekers with dignity,” Lego said.

The letter is similar to the one Lego sent to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday. However, unlike the letter to Trudeau, Lego’s message on Earth does not include concerns that the arrival of thousands of asylum seekers is endangering Montreal’s French language. , also fails to mention asking Prime Minister Trudeau to pay more to care for potential refugees.

“We have therefore asked the federal government to settle new asylum seekers in other states where they can support them with dignity,” Lego wrote to The Globe. called for all new asylum-seekers who enter the country irregularly to be transferred to another state while he is dying. Ottawa should issue work permits and process asylum applications more quickly, he added.

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“In the meantime, the Trudeau administration should send a clear message to would-be immigrants not to cross Wroxham Road.”

For months, the Lego government has asked Ottawa to close Wroxham Road and transfer asylum seekers to other states. According to the government, the influx of asylum seekers into Quebec has put a heavy strain on the housing, education and social services sectors.

According to federal statistics, more than 39,000 people applied for asylum in Quebec in 2022 after crossing into Canada outside the official port of entry, mainly through Wroxham Road. About 369 people who migrated irregularly during that period applied for asylum in other parts of the country. In total, approximately 64% of all asylum applications filed in Canada in 2022 were made in Quebec.

In response to Lego’s letter to Trudeau, Federal Immigration Secretary Sean Fraser said on Monday that Ottawa has moved thousands of immigrants to Ontario to relieve pressure from Quebec, while the government is seeking support from other states and municipalities. He added that he was working with the company to find other temporary accommodation.

© 2023 The Canadian Press