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House Hansard - 109

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
October 6, 2022 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 109 - Oct/6/22
Hon. Sean Fraser (Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Lib.)
  • Oct/6/22 2:41:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our system for asylum seekers must be robust and humane. There is no magic solution, and closing Roxham Road is not a realistic solution. Suspending the safe third country agreement would likely have the opposite effect of what we are looking to do. What we need to do is modernize the safe third country agreement, and that is what we are doing. We are working with the United States on a permanent, sustainable solution.
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Context: House Hansard - 109 - Oct/6/22
Hon. Sean Fraser (Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Lib.)
  • Oct/6/22 2:44:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite knows very well, the Canada-Quebec accord gives Quebec the exclusive authority to select the majority of its immigrants. We have always respected Quebec's jurisdiction with respect to immigration, and we will work closely with Quebec to support its objective of welcoming the immigrants it needs to deal with the shortage and ensuring the development of businesses and the vitality of the French language. Here, we will work with the Province of Quebec today and in future.
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Context: House Hansard - 109 - Oct/6/22
Hon. Sean Fraser (Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Lib.)
  • Oct/6/22 2:58:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, closing Roxham Road is not a solution for our borders. It would not solve the overall problem. As the member opposite knows, Canada shares the longest demilitarized border in the world. Roxham Road gives officials an opportunity to obtain identification documents from these asylum claimants and prevent dangerous crossings. We need to modernize the safe third country agreement, and that is what we are doing.
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Context: House Hansard - 109 - Oct/6/22
Hon. Sean Fraser (Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Lib.)
  • Oct/6/22 2:59:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is important. The solutions proposed by the Bloc Québécois would simply move the problem from one place to another. The safe third country agreement is an important bilateral tool for managing refugee claims at the land border between Canada and the United States. Contrary to what the member opposite believes, the agreement is a bilateral one. It is essential to work with our partners in the United States, and we will continue to support those who are very vulnerable.
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