(Quebec) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seems “insensitive” to Quebec’s specific immigration needs and its special position within Canada, according to Quebec Immigration Minister Christine Fréchette.
Mme Fréchette was quick to react on Tuesday to remarks made by Mr. Trudeau in an interview with The Canadian Press, declaring that Quebec should examine the possibility of welcoming up to 112,000 immigrants per year, and mainly Francophones. . According to him, Quebec could thus maintain its political weight within Canada. In his eyes, this is “a reflection” that the Quebec government “can and should undertake”.
Except that the Legault government, visibly annoyed by the exit of the Canadian Prime Minister, does not at all share this vision of things.
“It’s up to Quebec, and Quebec alone, to determine its immigration thresholds,” said Minister Fréchette, in a written statement to The Canadian Press aimed at commenting on Mr. Trudeau’s remarks in this area. She was unavailable for an interview on Tuesday.
“Quebec has a double challenge, which is unique in Canada: to reduce the labor shortage, while curbing the decline of French, to which Mr. Trudeau seems to remain insensitive”, according to the minister, who recalls that For some thirty years, Quebec and Ottawa have agreed to an agreement that grants powers to the Quebec government in matters of immigration.
The Legault government therefore does not intend to revise upwards its target for 2023, namely to welcome a maximum of 50,000 permanent immigrants, therefore less than half of the target of 112,000 desired by Mr. Trudeau.
Instead of interfering in the debate on immigration thresholds in Quebec, Mr. Trudeau should rather “address concrete problems, such as tackling the still too high refusal rate of French-speaking African students and compensating Quebec for mass arrivals via Roxham Road,” she said.
Quebec wishes to welcome more and more French-speaking immigration.