Doug Ford and migrants at our border

What will Ontario’s approach to refugees mean for Quebec?

The election of Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives in Ontario has changed the political landscape in our neighbouring province. It’s also raising questions about what his government’s approach to refugee claimants might mean for Quebec, where the vast majority of irregular migrant crossings into Canada are still occurring.

It’s a good time to take stock. The first weekend of August last year was the peak influx for refugee claimants in Quebec entering the country irregularly at Roxham Rd. in Lacolle. It prompted Premier Philippe Couillard’s government to open the Olympic Stadium for temporary housing.

At the time, Coalition Avenir Québec Leader François Legault criticized the “Liberal discourse” and called the government’s approach “irresponsible.” He took a hard line with Ottawa, expressing concern about the influx of “illegal” refugee claimants straining provincial resources, and calling for tighter border control.

A year later, the number of irregular crossings into Canada is slowing. The political debate surrounding the situation, however, shows little sign of abating.

Last week, the Ford government charged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with creating a “mess” by welcoming “illegal border-crossers.” He said the stress placed on local resources was the federal government’s fault, and that it should have to foot the bill for all costs.

In turn, Trudeau suggested Ford didn’t fully understand Canada’s legal responsibilities under the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees. On Monday, federal Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen also criticized Ford’s approach, saying his vocabulary around “illegal” migrants was inaccurate.

For the record, they’re right. Under both Canadian and international law, it is legal to enter a country irregularly between designated ports of entry, provided that migrants go without delay to an official border entry to claim asylum. While there is no guarantee that asylum seekers will be allowed to stay in Canada if their claims do not meet the legal requirements, they do have the right to procedural justice.

This is the sticking point between the federal and provincial governments.

Managing borders is first and foremost a federal responsibility. But the bulk of day to day settlement challenges — housing, education, health care and social assistance — falls on municipalities and provinces to address.

On June 1, 2018, Ottawa announced $50 million in new funding to go toward temporary housing for asylum seekers in Canada. Quebec will receive $36 million, Ontario $11 million and Manitoba $3 million.

But temporary housing for asylum seekers in Montreal and Toronto is stretched to the limit. As of July 9, 773 asylum seekers are being temporarily housed in the Greater Montreal area. In Toronto, shelters are at capacity, and college dorms — where hundreds of claimants and their families are being housed for the time being — have set an Aug. 9 deadline to vacate.

It is notable that Ford did not appoint a minister responsible for immigration to his new cabinet. The expectation is this portfolio will fall to Lisa MacLeod, the new minister of Children, Community and Social Services and minister responsible for women’s issues. She recently represented the Ford government at a meeting of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Irregular Migration.

It’s not clear yet what impact, if any, Ford’s approach might have on refugee claimants’ decisions to settle in Quebec or Ontario. What is clear is that Ontario’s political swing to the right has hardened debate in a way that might set the tone for the CAQ’s approach during Quebec’s election campaign, and possibly beyond.

In April, Legault outlined his position that the number of asylum seekers received by Quebec should be adjusted in line with its demographic weight. This would mean that instead of accepting 50 per cent, Quebec would receive a maximum 23 per cent of the Canadian total. Polls suggest the CAQ has strong support among the electorate ahead of the Oct. 1 election.

Regardless of who is in power, let’s hope that Ontario and Quebec continue to co-operate with Ottawa to find a long-term solution to the migrant challenge.