Quebec asks feds to close Roxham Road, says province can’t handle influx of refugees

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MONTREAL — Quebec is asking the federal authorities to shut a well-liked, unofficial border crossing south of Montreal as a result of the province can’t deal with the variety of asylum seekers getting into the nation, however refugee advocates are rejecting Quebec’s claims.

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Greater than 100 refugee claimants are getting into Quebec day by day from the US by means of a rural path known as Roxham Highway, Premier Francois Legault informed reporters Wednesday.

“It’s unacceptable,” Legault mentioned on the legislature. “It’s not possible as a result of we don’t have the capability.”

The federal authorities takes 14 months to review an asylum declare and within the meantime, Quebec has to accommodate and take care of would-be refugees and college their youngsters, the premier mentioned.

“We can not afford to provide companies,” Legault mentioned, including that if the present tempo continues, Quebec won’t have ample housing for 36,000 new arrivals.

Refugee advocates, nevertheless, say they don’t settle for the premier’s declare.

“What’s Quebec’s capability for compassion? For justice? It’s perhaps not limitless, however the capability is there,” Paul Clarke, interim government director of Motion Refugies Montreal, mentioned Wednesday in an interview.

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Clarke, whose group sponsors and provides companies to refugees, mentioned that whereas it may be troublesome for asylum seekers to seek out shelter in Montreal, he doesn’t suppose the state of affairs is any higher in different Canadian cities.

Janet Dench, government director of the Canadian Council for Refugees, mentioned that through the pandemic, many individuals who had crossed the border at Roxham Highway discovered work in Quebec’s long-term care properties.

“We not solely have the capability, however we even have the necessity, actually, for extra folks,” she mentioned in an interview Wednesday.

A part of the issue, she mentioned, is the size of time it takes the federal authorities to subject work permits to asylum seekers.

“The federal authorities might alleviate issues tremendously just by giving work permits shortly after folks arrive, in order that they’ll get to work, and there are a lot of jobs that they might very usefully fill,” Dench mentioned.

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The irregular border crossing at Roxham Highway reopened in November after it was closed through the pandemic. For the reason that starting of the yr, the RCMP have intercepted 7,013 asylum seekers who’ve crossed irregularly into Quebec from the U.S. That quantity is up from 4,246 final yr.

In 2019, greater than 16,000 asylum seekers have been intercepted by the RCMP after crossing irregularly into Quebec.

Legault mentioned lots of those that cross irregularly are finally not capable of keep in Canada.

“It’s important to perceive, the issue is that many of those persons are not likely refugees,” the premier mentioned. “A refugee is somebody who’s bodily in danger of their nation. However the majority usually are not refugees; ultimately, when the file is analyzed, they’re refused, returned again house.”

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Clarke mentioned it’s not attainable to find out which refugee claimants can be profitable. “To say half of those folks aren’t going to make it, properly, which half, Mr. Legault?

“If he’s saying that, then he’s acknowledging that persons are coming to Canada they usually do want safety. So how do you determine which half?”

Below the 2004 Canada–United States Secure Third Nation Settlement, refugee claimants who enter Canada exterior an official port of entry have to be processed in Canada and can’t be instantly returned to the U.S. Claimants who come by means of official entry factors of entry, nevertheless, are despatched again to the U.S.

Dench mentioned closing the Roxham Highway entry level would merely push folks to cross at different factors of entry — which might make it harder for the federal authorities to course of asylum seekers.

“The explanation they’re concentrated in Quebec is solely a matter of geography, as a result of there’s a giant land border between the U.S. and Canada that individuals can cross over,” Dench mentioned.

Federal Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino informed reporters Tuesday {that a} stability must be discovered.

“Assets have been supplied for that exact subject on the border,” he mentioned. “We’re additionally in discussions with the U.S. to manage the actions of any asylum seekers. That is a part of the technique with a purpose to each defend the rights of refugees whereas on the identical time defending Quebec residents.”