Ottawa Considers Ending Federal-Provincial Asylum Seekers Group Amid Political Tensions.
Ottawa is weighing the dissolution of a federal-provincial working group on asylum seekers, accusing three Conservative premiers of using the refugee issue for political gain.
On Wednesday, Immigration Minister Marc Miller criticized Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs, and Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston. These premiers are either facing re-election or leadership reviews.
The premiers have claimed that the federal government is pressuring them to accommodate thousands more refugee claimants without providing adequate financial support. They argue that they need funds to effectively manage the influx of newcomers.
Since international borders fully reopened in 2022, the number of new refugee claims has surged from 60,168 in 2022 to 137,947 in 2023. In the first half of this year alone, the refugee board received 97,465 new claims, bringing the total number of pending cases to 218,593.
The working group, created this summer, was intended to help distribute the responsibility of supporting asylum seekers. Most of these individuals settle in Ontario and Quebec.
Miller stated, “At no point did anyone say the federal government would force thousands of asylum seekers on provinces that were unprepared.” He made these remarks towards the end of a press conference about study and work permits.
He accused the three premiers of misusing the working group for their own political purposes. Miller claimed that provincial officials were given a clear understanding of their expected share of asylum seekers based on demographic levels. However, the premiers allegedly used outdated data to create a “theoretical number” of asylum seekers.
“There’s money available,” Miller added. “We have committed over $1 billion to ensure a functioning system.”
During the press conference, Miller referred to the three premiers using a derogatory French term, which was translated as “knuckleheads” by Miller himself after initial mistranslation by an interpreter.
Miller also noted ongoing efforts to address issues within the asylum system, such as improving visa processing to detect fraud. He emphasized the need for due process and preventing system abuse.
Additionally, Miller highlighted that the new visa requirement for Mexican travelers, introduced in February, has led to an 80% drop in claims from Mexico, decreasing from 1,997 claims in February to 434 in June.