Quebec premier, PQ leader warn of possible influx of migrants following Trump’s election

Quebec Premier François Legault is raising concerns about the prospect of a wave of migrants coming to the province following Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election.

Legault says he wants to be sure that Canada’s border and airports are well-protected, and he plans to follow up with the federal government every week about the number of new arrivals in Quebec.

“And, if needed, I will make sure to have some of our people making sure of that,” Legault told a news conference Wednesday morning in Quebec City.

Trump has promised to deport millions of undocumented immigrants from the United States as one of his top priorities.

Legault says the province has done its part in taking in asylum seekers.

Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon warned earlier in the morning that 20 million people might consider moving north following Trump’s election.

“I think we are dealing with serious issues here, because there will be migration. I don’t know to what level, it’s to be verified,” St-Pierre Plamondon said.

He says Canada has one of the most porous and poorly managed borders in the western world, and that Legault and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have a disastrous record on immigration.

Frantz André, a coordinator for the Action Committee for People Without Status, says the CAQ and PQ leaders are using Trump’s election to talk about immigration.

“I think Mr. Plamondon and Mr. Legault are very opportunistically using what’s happening to keep on nailing on asylum seekers that are invading Quebec,” André told CityNews. “This is not the case. Mr. Trump, they’re talking about 20 million people that will be deported. They’re not going to come here.”

Though André confirms he has already received some calls from people wanting to immigrate to Canada from the U.S. and live in Quebec.

“This morning, I had so many calls of people that were not planning to come to Quebec or Canada before, but today is day one of Mr. Trump that won, and they are already calling me to see if they are eligible,” he said.

André adds that currently in Quebec, many asylum seekers do not feel comfortable as they face a toxic environment, increased levels of racism and that some have already expressed a desire to return to their countries.

“We have to be very careful because the narrative that we’ve been having for the past month has created a very toxic environment for people that currently are in Canada seeking protection,” he said.

Meanwhile the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) called for caution, with MNA André Morin saying there are mechanisms in place to control entry points and that law enforcement monitors the borders.

For its part, Québec solidaire (QS) recognized that if deportations take place in the United States, this could have consequences in Quebec. According to parliamentary leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, the election of Trump poses a threat to the rights of women, migrants, and other minorities.

Nadeau-Dubois added the rise of authoritarianism in the world is worrying. He noted that Quebec is not immune, but that Quebecers are lucky to be light years away from the polarization underway in the United States.

–With files from La Presse Canadienne