Couillard accuses political rivals of neglecting human rights of asylum seekers

QuebecPremier Philippe Couillard fought back Tuesday against criticism of his government's handling of the recent wave of asylum seekers crossing illegally intoQuebec from the United States.

Couillardquestionedthe human rights commitments of both the Opposition Parti Qubcois and the Coalition Avenir Qubec, pointing to recent comments by their leaders, Jean-Franois Lise and Franois Legault.

He accused both men of showing "either ignorance or the perception of ignorance about fundamental human rights" that Quebec has a legal responsibility to respect and uphold.

• Watch aerial video of the Quebec border where asylum seekers are crossing

"Canada signed the 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugees that manages the flow of people between countries who want to claim asylum," he said.

"Apparently, Mr. Lise might prefer that [Quebec] pull out of the Geneva Convention. If so, he should make that clear."

Couillard was referring to a tweet by Lise on Monday that noted a new poll showing that 51per cent ofQuebecers were infavour ofpreventing illegal border crossings. Lise also claimed an independent Quebec would make people respect its border.

• CAQ calls for tighter borders, hardline approach to asylum seekers

Couillard said people who were claiming asylum in Canada were not in the country illegally, despite the impression that he insistedLise and Legault were creating.

"It's wrong to say they're here illegally," he said. "What's illegal is preventing them from staying and claiming asylum."

He invited both Lise and Legaultto"get reacquainted with theconventions, and the law" andsaid such claims by his political opponents will only fuel anti-immigrant feelings and anxiety in the province.

• Half of Quebecers want to prevent illegal crossing at Canada-U.S. border: new poll

When asked by a reporter about signs by an anti-immigrant far-right groupthat have been popping up around Quebec City in recent days, Couillardwas equally unhappy, but noted the importance of free speech.

"I've said before that free speech allows for nonsense," he said. "It falls to us to reply with wisdom, balance and truth."

Liseaccuses Couillard of twisting words

Lise, meanwhile, issued a lengthy Facebookpost Tuesday in which he accused Couillard oftwisting his words.

He said an independent Quebec would force people to respect the border in accordance with international treaties that oblige it to "welcome asylum seekers and process their claims."

"However, contrary to Canada, Quebec would welcome them at regular border crossings, not in the woods."

Lise was referring to the argument he's been making recently that Canada should pull out of its Safe Third Country Agreement with the United States. The agreement means most asylum claims made at regular border crossings are turned down.

"It's pure intellectual dishonesty," he said ofCouillard'scriticism.

• Parti Qubcois wants to nix Safe Third Country Agreement amid asylum seeker boom

However, asylum claims made after crossing illegally into Canada still have to be heard.

Both Couillard and representatives of the federal government have said pulling Canada out of the Safe Third Country Agreement which deems both Canada and the U.S. safe for refugees would damage diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Couillard has made clear that he disagrees with theproposal.

Lise wants a wall, Couillardsays

On Tuesday, Couillard said Lise's claim that an independent Quebec would keep people from crossing illegally into the province would leave little option but to build a wall.

"It sounds like he wants a wall when you look at it, because it's a long border and how are you going to prevent people from crossing between official border crossings? It would take a wall."

Canadian Army assembles tents at Quebec border

7 years ago

Duration 0:17

Canadian Army assembles tents at Quebec borderThe exchange comes amid new concerns voiced by the president of Canada's border guards union, Jean-Pierre Fortin, about the situation at Quebec'sSaint-Bernard-de-Lacolleborder crossing, whereasylum seekers crossing illegally nearby are taken for processing.

• 'No guarantees' asylum seekers will get refugee status, Quebec premier points out

In an interview Tuesday, Fortin said conditions there are deteriorating despite the establishment of twoCanadian army-built temporary camps and a third that is underway.

"Yesterday, there were 300 people sleeping on a loading dock and another another 150 to 200 people sleeping inside in difficult circumstances," he said.

"These people are ultimately our responsibility and the logistics around this are extremely complicated."

Fortier said 480 asylum seekers crossed the border illegally on Monday alone, but the CBSAand immigration officialsonly have the capacity to treat 200 claims a day "at best."

"So, each day the lists get longer, the wait times get longer, and the difficulties remain," he said, warning that the wait times are threatening to explode.