PQ calls for Roxham Rd. to be closed, citing immigration `chaos'

The Parti Québécois is calling for the shutdown of Roxham Rd., a focal point for irregular immigration into Canada.

A record number of entries have been reported since the road was reopened in November.

“We were, for the first three months of the year, at 7,000 entries and we can soon expect 10,000,” PQ MNA Pascal Bérubé told reporters on Tuesday. “That's more than 90 per cent of the illegal entries into Canada. It can't go on.”

Standing beside Bérubé, PQ Leader Paul St-pierre Plamondon maintained that the federal government deliberately reopened the road knowing that Quebec does not have the resources to deal with such a large number of arrivals.

“It's chaos and it's probably intentional,” said St-pierre Plamondon. “It's intentional insofar as the Quebec government has asked for a completely different management of Roxham Rd.”

Bérubé asked the federal government to open another irregular immigration point in Ontario.

“Why is this happening in Quebec? Clearly there is no understanding (on the part of the federal government) concerning the capacities for integration and French (training). Ottawa doesn't care.”

The debate continued in the National Assembly during question period, with the Coalition Avenir Québec and Liberals arguing over numbers.

Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade said she would reveal later what level of immigration her party considers acceptable, but she noted employers' groups have demanded 70,000 per year.

Premier François Legault noted that the current limit is 50,000, but there are 18,000 people who were added to make up for a shortfall in 2020. He said the government wants to limit immigration to 50,000 a year for several years.

By virtue of the Safe Third Country Agreement reached in 2004, Canada and the United States consider each other to be “safe” countries in which to apply for refuge or protection. In practice, this means Canada can send asylum seekers who try to enter from the U.S. back to that country to have their claim processed.

However, the agreement applies only to attempted crossings at official entry points on the border. Those crossing into Canada from an unofficial entry point like Roxham Rd. must have their claims processed in this country.