Quebec ready for refugees, Moreau says

As the country awaits details on the federal government’s plan to welcome 25,000 Syrian refugees here over the next few weeks, Quebec’s minister of public security and municipal affairs, Pierre Moreau, met Sunday with the caucus of the Union de municipalités du Québec representing large cities.

With the federal plan expected to be unveiled on Tuesday, Moreau told the media after the meeting that Quebec is prepared financially and logistically to accept its share of refugees — 3,625 in 2015 and as many in 2016.

Last week he told CBC news that there was too much preparation to do to welcome refugees by the end of the year and that he had no intention of forcing any municipality to welcome the refugees.

On Thursday, the UMC said in a news release that an intergovernmental committee is being established to help co-ordinate the arrival of thousands of Syrian refugees.

The municipalities emphasized the importance of being involved in the action plan because local governments will be intricately involved in the operation.

“We want to be adequately supported to ensure the integration of these newcomers,” said Caroline StHilaire, president of the caucus cities and mayor of Longueuil.

Last week, Raymond Louie, president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and cochair of the Task Force on Refugee Resettlement, said in a statement that, after meeting with John McCallum, the minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship, he believes the government views municipalities as “essential partners” in any plan to settle and successfully integrate refugees.