A highly-anticipated meeting between Premier François Legault and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took place in Quebec City late this afternoon. Legault had been demanding Ottawa take measures to reduce the number of temporary immigrants arrive in Quebec, saying the province has reached its capacity to welcome asylum seekers.
Ottawa announces a $750 million allocation to Quebec to address the influx of temporary immigrants. Alongside, it vows to expedite asylum proceedings and evenly disperse potential refugees across Canada.
Trudeau and Legault met to discuss Quebec's plea for reduced immigration and financial assistance for immigrant-related expenses. Legault, who sought $1 billion, received three-quarters of the requested amount but awaits clarity on the reduction of asylum seekers and temporary immigrants.
Stressing the urgency to alleviate pressure on social services and preserve the French language, Legault aims to halve asylum claims in the province. Trudeau insists on a comprehensive plan from Quebec before setting immigration reduction targets, cautioning against blaming immigrants for societal challenges.
In addition to the financial aid, Ottawa plans to accelerate asylum processing and collaborate with provinces to redistribute refugees. Since 2017, Quebec has received over 230,000 asylum seekers, prompting Ottawa's commitment to expedite processing and enhance the visa system's integrity. The government aims to issue work permits to asylum seekers within 30 days by October, compared to the current processing time of over 100 days. Trudeau highlights ongoing efforts to ease Quebec's burden, including faster asylum processing, interprovincial transfers, visa system enhancements, and expedited removals for unsuccessful claims.
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