The Legault government is sounding the alarm to reduce the influx of asylum seekers into Quebec. There is a risk of a “humanitarian crisis,” he warns, referring to a breaking point in services to citizens and a threat to Quebec identity.
The CAQ government delegated a group of ministers to a press conference on Tuesday morning in order to increase pressure on the federal government.
This new release follows in particular an open letter sent by Prime Minister François Legault to his federal counterpart, Justin Trudeau, in mid-January.
“We can’t continue like this. I will try to meet Mr. Trudeau soon,” declared François Legault shortly after the press briefing.
The question of border control has been a bone of contention for several years between the Legault and Trudeau governments. Despite the closure of Roxham Road, many people seeking refugee status continue to arrive through Montreal-Trudeau International Airport.
Faced with the pressure exerted on public services, Quebec is calling for a more equitable distribution of asylum seekers on Canadian territory, as well as a tightening in the granting of visas and the reimbursement of sums linked to the reception of asylum seekers. asylum between 2021 and 2023.
$1 billion bill
According to Quebec, the bill demanded from Ottawa now amounts to more than $1 billion (see box).
“The recent federal announcement to reserve 150 million for Quebec for 2023 spending is far from up to par,” declared Immigration Minister Christine Fréchette.
And the pressure on services remains significant, particularly in education. “We have been informed that between 4,000 and 5,000 additional students will be enrolled by the end of this school year,” underlined the Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville.
The situation also jeopardizes the quality of education, both for the children of new arrivals and those already in the territory.
The Montreal School Service Center, for example, is now studying the possibility of increasing the number of children per class. And the situation also affects many other regions, notably that of the Capitale-Nationale, but also Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières and Outaouais.
Last resort help
Even for “social assistance”, requests increased by 11% last month so that the “uncontrolled” increase is driving Quebec “right into the wall”, estimates the Minister responsible for Social Solidarity, Chantal Rouleau .
“We are approaching a crisis that could become a humanitarian crisis, if we were no longer able to provide services,” said the Minister responsible for Canadian Relations, Jean-François Roberge, referring in particular to the crisis housing and the increase in homelessness.
According to him, too large an influx could even jeopardize Quebec identity. “Yes, there are things that are threatened, there are services that are threatened, there is a way of living that is threatened when the numbers are too large, it must be named,” he declared. .
Ottawa analyzes the situation
Live from Vancouver, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau succinctly reacted to the exit of the four CAQ ministers.
The federal government, he recalled, extended “hundreds of millions of dollars.” Quebec instead claims to have received $67 million to date, in addition to the $150 million recently planned by Ottawa to house asylum seekers.
“We are also looking with different countries on the issues of asylum seekers,” Prime Minister Trudeau also assured.
Impacts in figures
disproportionate weight
- 160,651 asylum seekers on Quebec territory
- This represents 55% of asylum seekers in the country
- However, Quebec constitutes 22% of the federation
Welfare
- The bill for social assistance went from $69 million to $370 million in two years
- 23,000 new beneficiaries last year were asylum seekers
- This is practically all of the 24,000 new registrants
Education / francization
- 1,237 reception classes open, “the equivalent of 52 schools”
- Quebec will have to enroll 4,000 and 5,000 additional students this year
- The Montreal School Service Center is even considering increasing the ratios in order to accommodate more children per class.
- The pressure also affects many other regions, including the Capitale-Nationale, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières and Outaouais.
Invoice for services
- $576.9 million spent on reception services in 2023
- $470 million for the years 2021 and 2022
What they said
“We are approaching a point where we will no longer be able to provide services to people who are already on Quebec territory because our resources must be shared between a growing number of children.”
– Bernard Drainville, Minister of Education
“It’s as if the closure of Roxham Road had been replaced by a sieve in our airports. It’s as if the federal government has lost control of its borders.”
– Jean-François Roberge, Minister of Canadian Relations
“The humanitarian crisis, we see that on television, in other countries, then the CAQ is saying that under their leadership, this is what we see in Quebec? Let’s see!”
– Marc Tanguay, interim leader of the Quebec Liberal Party
“What they tell us is: We don’t have the power. And since we don’t have the power […] we will continue to beg on our knees and perhaps we will obtain some shot.”
– Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the Parti Québécois
“[Les demandeurs d’asile] unfortunately often find themselves on social assistance because it takes forever to obtain a work permit from the federal government. Quebec has the power to give its own rapid work authorizations.”
– Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, parliamentary leader of Québec solidaire