National Post

Plan needed for refugees

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Re: Illegal border crossings triple, Aug. 4 The recent influx of border crossing which is likely to continue, sends a very clear message to those who want to come to Canada, get to the U. S. and then simply walk across. Forget the applicatio­n forms, the waiting for years, take a taxi to a border point and the friendly Mounties will look after the rest. Yes there is always the chance they may not be allowed to stay, however looking at the data from Border Services as to who gets to stay and who is deported, their chances are good to excellent that they will remain here.

As to those who state that Canada is a big country and underpopul­ated, therefore we have lots of room, they are right on all counts. Except the people coming in don’t head out into the rural countrysid­e, they head to the cities where the jobs are. Over the last year the media have been consistent in the reporting of the difficulty of finding affordable housing in our major cities. Our government­s have yet to reveal a plan as to how to accommodat­e thousands of asylum/refugees, other than at some point turn them loose and let them fend for themselves. Government­s knew this was coming, yet did nothing to prepare. Jeff Spooner, Kilburn Ont. Watching TV, I wonder at the sight of agents of law enforcemen­t, namely RCMP officers, abetting dodgers of the law by handshakin­g and portering them into Canada through the back door, courtesy of U NO WHO. What if all applicants for asylum were met at the front gate, with those eligible being greeted welcome and the others handed an applicatio­n form with a return envelope?

And letting this be widely known well in advance, of course. André Desrochers, Brossard, Que.

 ?? RYAN REMIORZ / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES ?? An RCMP officer in March warns a man to cross at the legal border crossing or he will be arrested at the border from New York into Canada.
RYAN REMIORZ / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES An RCMP officer in March warns a man to cross at the legal border crossing or he will be arrested at the border from New York into Canada.

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