Quebec, Ontario ready to accept 16,000 Syrian refugees, as Saskatchewan balks
OTTAWA—The federal Liberals are still days away from revealing their plans to bring in 25,000 Syrians by the end of the year, but Canada’s two largest provinces say they’re ready to bring in 16,000 refugees.
Quebec is pressing ahead with a plan to accept nearly 6,000 refugees despite the public’s “legitimate worries” about security, Kathleen Weil, the province’s immigration minister says.
Weil, Minister of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusiveness, says Quebec’s plan is to resettle about a quarter of the refugees the newly elected federal Liberal government has committed to bringing into the country by year’s end.
That works out to about 5,750 people, all of whom will undergo a criminal background check and health checks, in addition to being screened by Canada’s national security agencies.
Ontario, meanwhile, is expected to receive some 10,000 refugees by the end of 2016. Health Minister Eric Hoskins said that Queen’s Park is working closely with federal counterparts to determine where and when the refugees will be settled.
Not all provinces are on board with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s plans.
Quebec Immigration minister Kathleen Weil says Quebec’s plan is to resettle about a quarter of the refugees the newly elected federal government has committed to bringing into the country by year’s end. That works out to about 5,750 people.
In a letter to Trudeau posted on Twitter Monday, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall called on the prime minister to “suspend” efforts to bring in the refugees by the end of the year. Wall cited security concerns, notwithstanding federal Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale’s assurances that Canada’s security agencies are up to the screening task.
“I understand that the overwhelming majority of refugees are fleeing violence and bloodshed and pose no threat to anyone,” Wall wrote.
“However, if even a small number of individuals who wish to do harm to our country are able to enter Canada as a result of a rushed refugee resettlement process, the results could be devastating.”
Wall invoked last week’s terrorist attacks in Paris as justification for slowing the intake of refugees fleeing Syria’s civil war.
Quebec’s Weil also addressed the concerns in the wake of the attack, but said it is important that Quebecers understand the “profile” of those the government will be bringing in.
“They are people who are fleeing violence. They are people who are fleeing the exact same acts of terrorism that we saw in Paris,” she said. “They are people who are very vulnerable, who are worried, who are searching for a haven of peace.”
The two opposing views fill a vacuum in the federal government’s plans. Health Minister Jane Philpott, who chairs the cabinet committee working on the refugee file, said Ottawa’s plans have not been formalized, and likely won’t be until the next full cabinet meeting.
“The specifics of the plan, in terms of how many will come and how fast, are still not entirely decided upon,” Philpott told reporters at Ottawa City Hall Monday morning.
“We will be having further meetings this week to discuss the timeline.”
OTTAWA—The federal Liberals are still days away from revealing their plans to bring in 25,000 Syrians by the end of the year, but Canada’s two largest provinces say they’re ready to bring in 16,000 refugees.
Quebec is pressing ahead with a plan to accept nearly 6,000 refugees despite the public’s “legitimate worries” about security, Kathleen Weil, the province’s immigration minister says.
Weil, Minister of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusiveness, says Quebec’s plan is to resettle about a quarter of the refugees the newly elected federal Liberal government has committed to bringing into the country by year’s end.
That works out to about 5,750 people, all of whom will undergo a criminal background check and health checks, in addition to being screened by Canada’s national security agencies.
Ontario, meanwhile, is expected to receive some 10,000 refugees by the end of 2016. Health Minister Eric Hoskins said that Queen’s Park is working closely with federal counterparts to determine where and when the refugees will be settled.
Not all provinces are on board with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s plans.
Quebec Immigration minister Kathleen Weil says Quebec’s plan is to resettle about a quarter of the refugees the newly elected federal government has committed to bringing into the country by year’s end. That works out to about 5,750 people.
In a letter to Trudeau posted on Twitter Monday, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall called on the prime minister to “suspend” efforts to bring in the refugees by the end of the year. Wall cited security concerns, notwithstanding federal Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale’s assurances that Canada’s security agencies are up to the screening task.
“I understand that the overwhelming majority of refugees are fleeing violence and bloodshed and pose no threat to anyone,” Wall wrote.
“However, if even a small number of individuals who wish to do harm to our country are able to enter Canada as a result of a rushed refugee resettlement process, the results could be devastating.”
Wall invoked last week’s terrorist attacks in Paris as justification for slowing the intake of refugees fleeing Syria’s civil war.
Quebec’s Weil also addressed the concerns in the wake of the attack, but said it is important that Quebecers understand the “profile” of those the government will be bringing in.
“They are people who are fleeing violence. They are people who are fleeing the exact same acts of terrorism that we saw in Paris,” she said. “They are people who are very vulnerable, who are worried, who are searching for a haven of peace.”
The two opposing views fill a vacuum in the federal government’s plans. Health Minister Jane Philpott, who chairs the cabinet committee working on the refugee file, said Ottawa’s plans have not been formalized, and likely won’t be until the next full cabinet meeting.
“The specifics of the plan, in terms of how many will come and how fast, are still not entirely decided upon,” Philpott told reporters at Ottawa City Hall Monday morning.
“We will be having further meetings this week to discuss the timeline.”
