WE’RE COMING FOR YOU FASTER THAN YOU EXPECTED.

Contrary to the received wisdom, Quebecers are warming to Scheer’s party. It is the only province where they have made gains over their unsuccessful 2015 reelection bid and, at current levels of support, they could add to their seat count of 11. Hence Deltell’s delight that Trudeau attacked the Tories, and hence the Conservatives’ recent focus in the House of Commons on the issue of asylum seekers from the U.S., an issue that impacts Quebec disproportionately.

Is this a moment in time, similar to the Stephen Harper speech on open federalism during the 2006 election campaign that helped deliver 10 seats for the party?

Deltell played down any direct comparisons to what had been a period of flux in the province after 13 years of Liberal rule and the sponsorship scandal. But he said the other parties’ travails have created an opportunity for the Tories.

“We saw that in 2015 in ter a country. Such a move would, the Conservatives say, end the irregular entry of asylum seekers looking to circumvent the Safe Third Country agreement with the U.S. That deal forces people to apply for refugee status in the first safe country in which they arrive — meaning those who first arrived in the U.S. would have to claim asylum in that country, not Canada. Currently, those crossing from the U.S. to Canada outside regular checkpoints — such as at Canada’s busiest irregularentry site, Quebec’s Roxham Road — do not have to abide by the agreement.

The Liberals say the Conservative suggestion is “not a serious proposal” and would incentivize people to cross at more dangerous and remote locations. But Deltell said his party just wants to see people follow the rules and not flout the signs at Roxham Road that point out it is illegal to cross the border at any place other than a port of entry.