Council of the Federation: Legault wants to discuss asylum seekers

Quebec Premier François Legault wants to take advantage of the Council of the Federation meeting to raise awareness among his provincial and territorial counterparts about the situation of asylum seekers.

Legault arrived in Halifax on Sunday for the three-day event, chaired by Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston.

Houston told reporters after a cabinet meeting last Thursday that premiers would focus on “key issues” such as affordability, housing and infrastructure.

But in a press scrum Monday morning, Legault indicated that he would address the situation of asylum seekers so that other provinces put pressure on the federal government to reduce their number by half.

“Obviously, we would like to move some to other provinces. There are provinces that are open, others that are not. But basically, we have to reduce the number of people who are accepted,” he told journalists.

Legault said he had already started discussing the subject with his colleagues on Sunday evening.

“There are certain prime ministers who have a certain openness to looking at the possibility of transferring asylum seekers home, but it is not simple,” he added, refusing to name the provinces in question.

Moreover, the Nova Scotia premier said last week that he also expected to have conversations on relations between the provinces and the federal government.

A statement from the Newfoundland and Labrador executive council says premiers should continue discussions on “revitalizing cooperative federalism” in Canada.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews