The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, did not go out of his way on Thursday to criticize his counterpart in Quebec, François Legault, on the issue of immigration, accusing him of spreading falsehoods and delay in presenting a plan to Ottawa.
“It’s distressing to see the Premier of Quebec share statements on immigration that are downright false. The federal government has been working hand in hand for a long time […] with our counterparts and partners in the Quebec government to address the issue of immigration,” he said during a press conference alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, who was visiting Montreal.
In a press scrum at the National Assembly, Mr. Legault asked all parties in Ottawa to commit to halving temporary immigration to Quebec, estimating that the issue will be decisive in the next federal election.
According to Mr. Trudeau, Mr. Legault “seems to want to politicize at all costs” the issue of immigration.
He recalled several actions taken by his government in recent months to reduce temporary immigration to the country, marked by a sharp increase in recent years. He mentioned reimposing visas for Mexican travelers and adding criteria for admitting temporary workers in an effort to reduce their numbers.
Mr. Trudeau noted in passing that the new measures on temporary foreign workers come into force this Thursday. Quebec also recently announced changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program falling under its immigration powers.
The federal Prime Minister criticizes Mr. Legault for still not having provided Ottawa with a plan to reduce temporary immigration based on the province’s own immigration powers. He emphasized that he had requested such a roadmap last June, after a meeting with the Prime Minister of Quebec.
“It’s September and I’m still waiting for Mr. Legault’s plan,” said Mr. Trudeau.
Mr. Legault has been insisting for months that he wants the federal government to “rapidly” reduce by half the number of temporary immigrants arriving in Quebec.
Statistics Canada estimates that there are 588,000 temporary immigrants currently residing in Quebec, but the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB), which uses a less broad definition and a different methodology , instead numbers 388,959.
Non-permanent newcomers include foreign students and temporary foreign workers who may want to take up residence in Canada in the longer term. There are also all the asylum seekers already established in the country and who are waiting, with long delays, either for a decision from the IRB on their request, or for the conclusion of their appeal after having been refused.