Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is refusing to give Quebec total control over immigration, as tensions between the province and Ottawa deepen over an influx of asylum seekers.
Trudeau met with Quebec Premier François Legault Friday morning in Montreal to discuss the issue.
Legault said in the national assembly that he would push the federal government to transfer all immigration powers to Quebec.
Trudeau was asked whether that’s something he would be open to. He responded in French with a clear “No.”
The prime minister said Quebec already has more powers over immigration than any other province to protect the French language.
Trudeau added it’s not a question of jurisdiction, but about finding solutions.
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“We have had a larger number of temporary immigrants in Quebec but also across the country that we are having to deal with,” Trudeau said at a news conference following his face-to-face with Legault.
The Quebec premier held his own news conference shortly after and said he will keep pushing.
“I won’t stop asking for all the powers on immigration,” he told reporters. “Quebec is a nation. When you have 528,000 people coming to Quebec with 30 per cent or more not speaking French, many in Montreal, it has an impact, a clear impact in the percentage of francophones.”
Last year Quebec took in 160,51 asylum seekers — more than half of all those who enter Canada.
Quebec is asking Ottawa for $1 billion to deal with the increase, saying it’s putting a strain on housing and health care.
Trudeau says his government has already taken “strong measures” on immigration, including closing Roxham Road – the irregular border crossing point between New York state and Quebec – along with reinstating the visa requirement for Mexican nationals.
Quebec has asked for more control over the number of new arrivals for years, but the premier is facing renewed pressure from the opposition.
The leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, is urging Legault to hold a referendum on the issue.
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