UPDATED April 24, 2018 4:55pmET
Conservatives have an opposition day to introduce a motion in the House of Commons. Today’s debate is on the latest wave of asylum seekers crossing the U.S. border into Canada between ports of entry.
Nearly 6,400 people have crossed as “irregular migrants” between Jan. 1 and Apr. 15, mostly at the Roxham Road opening in Quebec, according to federal officials who briefed journalists last week. Many of those crossing in 2018 have been Nigerian nationals who obtained U.S. visas.
Watch the debate:
Here is the full motion:
That, given the government’s failure to address the crisis created by the influx of thousands of illegal border crossers travelling across our southern border between ports of entry, that the agencies responsible for dealing with this crisis have found gaps in security screening for newly arrived refugee claimants, as well as a backlog in both scheduled hearings and carrying out deportation orders, and that this trend is expected to increase over the summer months; the House call on the government to:
(a) ensure the agencies responsible for our borders are properly equipped so that they can continue to do their jobs effectively and that those arriving at Canadian borders go through the appropriate processes;
(b) admit the Prime Minister’s irresponsibility of tweeting #WelcometoCanada to those seeking to enter Canada through illegal means;
(c) take responsibility for the massive social services costs burdening the provincial governments; and
(d) table in the House no later than May 11, 2018, a plan to (i) stop the influx of people illegally entering Canada from the United States, (ii) take appropriate measures to handle those who have already claimed asylum.
Conservative MPs Michelle Rempel and Pierre Paul-Hus discussed the motion with reporters this morning:
The February federal budget proposed $173 million for border security and processing resources over the next two years.
Conservative and NDP MPs used today’s question period to press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the issue:
#QP 2/ @AndrewScheer Border crossings: What was PM doing that prevented him from addressing this crisis for a whole year?@CanadianPM System needs to be compassionate & ensure only those who should be in Cda can stay…Conservatives cut $390M from CBSA…created backlogs & delays pic.twitter.com/N4jexqk0GR
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) April 24, 2018
#QP 3/ @AndrewScheer Border crossings: Families waiting to be reunited w/ loved one & refugees facing danger must wait longer. Why?@CanadianPM Conservative cuts left us w/ significant backlogs…We invested to ensure robust system that can handle asylum seekers & irreg. arrivals pic.twitter.com/i295AxoRwM
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) April 24, 2018
#QP 4/ @AndrewScheer Border crossings: Why is this govt prioritizing those who skipped the line?@CanadianPM We’ll take no lessons from Conservatives. We’ll continue to ensure integrity of immigration system, refugee system & our borders pic.twitter.com/8wSV1GdF6X
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) April 24, 2018
#QP 5/ @AndrewScheer Border crossings: Why is govt doing nothing after this situation’s been building up for over a year?@CanadianPM Families that are waiting are waiting largely b/c of Harper cuts…We’ve made significant investments…Ensuring we live up to int’l commitments pic.twitter.com/AoZs27rAOA
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) April 24, 2018
#QP 9/ @JennyKwanBC Safe third country agreement: Will PM stop trying to look like a global humanitarian and just act like one?@CanadianPM Cdns can have confidence in capacity of immigration system, border agents & security agencies to ensure Cdn safety while remaining open pic.twitter.com/v2lKViDdDv
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) April 24, 2018
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MPs also consider Andrew Scheer’s private member’s bill on a tax credit for new parents. The Conservative leader’s bill (C-394) would exempt EI maternity and parental benefits from federal income tax.
-Andrew Thomson
TOP PHOTO: An RCMP officer, standing in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Que. in August 2017, advises migrants that they are about to illegally cross from Champlain, N.Y., and will be arrested. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Charles Krupa