Ottawa could announce additional efforts as early as Tuesday to help Quebec deal with the influx of asylum seekers, in a context in which the Legault government is demanding $460 million and managing almost half of the asylum seekers arriving in the country.
“I had a good conversation with the minister [québécoise de l’Immigration, Christine] Fréchette on Friday itself. We are ready to go the extra mile. It is clear that Quebec has done more than its fair share, but we are here to work together,” said federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller during question period on Monday, the first of this new parliamentary session.
“There is some good news this week,” Mr. Miller continued.
Mr. Miller then responded to questions from the bloc's immigration spokesman, Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, who called on Ottawa to “refund” the $460 million requested by the Legault government for the reception and services provided to asylum seekers.
According to information from TVA, the announcement could be made no later than Tuesday and would primarily be of a financial nature.
But beyond the money, Prime Minister François Legault also wants logistical help to better distribute the influx of refugees across all provinces. He also wrote a letter to the federal government on this topic, which was well received.
Remember that Quebec received 65,570 asylum applications in 2023, representing 45.5% of all applications received across Canada.
“Yes, we are working with Quebec and other provinces to ensure better distribution, but also to address the challenges posed by this increase in temporary residents and asylum seekers,” Justin explained. Trudeau.
According to Minister Miller's press secretary, this will be “significant” news for Quebec.