Three ministers of the Trudeau government rose in the chamber on Monday to ensure that the reception of migrants in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle is done in a responsible manner and at a reasonable cost. But they did not agree to reveal the secret amount that is paid to a local businessman to house asylum seekers and the officials who care for them.
Press revealed Monday that the federal government has rented for ten years, without a call for tenders, the land from businessman Pierre Guay, in order to manage the flow of asylum seekers who enter the country irregularly by road Roxham. Even though the courts have already ruled that government leases are public information in other cases, Ottawa insists on keeping the cost of that rental a secret.
Mr. Guay is a major contributor to the Liberal Party of Canada. Between 2004 and today, according to Elections Canada, he donated about $ 23,000 to political parties. Her son, who is also involved in the family business, donated around $ 2,500 to the party in 2018 and 2019. The two attended a fundraiser with Minister Chrystia Freeland in 2019.
Pass of arms
The file gave rise to a pass of arms between the Conservative MP Pierre Paul-Hus and the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, Marc Miller, in parliament.
When Mr. Paul-Hus asked the government to disclose the value of the contract signed with “a liberal friend”, the minister replied that the contract was awarded “at fair market value”.
“You should know that the same donor gave to the Conservative Party for eight years …” he added. Elections Canada data shows that Pierre Guay also paid nearly $ 4,000 to the Conservative Party between 2007 and 2015.
“But since 2015, he has been giving to the Liberal Party. What we can see now is that the contract, or the “kickback”, is very important, ”replied Mr. Paul-Hus.
Minister Miller then got scathing, pointing out that the Conservative MP seemed to associate political fundraising with the distribution of favors. “If he talks about ‘kickback’, is he on his conscience, Mr. President? So he should perhaps answer on what he did for eight years, ”said the minister.
The president of the chamber, Anthony Rota, called the elected officials to order after this muscular exchange. “You have to respect each other, but also, you have to remember that when you throw rocks, you get bumps,” he said.
Group shot
The other opposition parties have also hit the nail on the head. The Bloc Québécois MP for Lac-Saint-Jean, Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, pointed out that the signing of a new five-year lease with Pierre Guay suggests that the entrances via Roxham Road will continue for a long time.
“This means that, for five years, the federal government has no intention of closing Roxham Road. Can we still talk about irregular passages when the federal government is making these reception facilities and resources permanent? Why is he legalizing this illegal border crossing instead of dealing with the problem once and for all by suspending the Safe Third Country Agreement? He asked.
The Safe Third Country Agreement with the United States forces migrants to seek political asylum in the first safe country they arrive. Those who are on American soil and wish to continue to Canada cannot therefore go through a border post, where they would be turned back. They must find an irregular way to enter the country in order to be able to make a refugee claim once they are already on Canadian soil.
New Democrat MP Alexandre Boulerice also called on the government to abandon the safe third country agreement, but without qualifying irregular passages as illegal.
“Thousands of migrants are fleeing persecution to find refuge with us. They are not illegal, they are desperate. The Liberals decided to help a Liberal Party donor to make money off these people, ”he accused.
Get the best value
Public Services and Procurement Minister Filomena Tassi replied that the lease was negotiated to arrive at a competitive price. “Our government is delivering a fair, open and transparent procurement process while obtaining the best value for Canadians,” she said.
More than 450 migrants have been welcomed in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle since the reopening of Roxham Road on November 21, according to the regional program for the reception and integration of asylum seekers. Immigration Minister Sean Fraser has said he is working closely with the Government of Quebec to ensure these people are treated properly.
“I will also tell you that I had a very productive call on this and others as recently as last week,” he explained.