(Ottawa) The federal government, which took months before agreeing to compensate the Quebec government for welcoming asylum seekers, is now accusing the opposition parties of blocking the sending of a check for 581 million dollars in Quebec.
Posted at 5:06 p.m.
“It is imperative that this pass,” insisted the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marc Miller, before a committee on Monday afternoon.
The check cannot be sent to Quebec without the adoption of the supplementary estimates tabled a few days ago by the President of the Treasury Board, Anita Anand.
“This would have quite devastating consequences in several circumstances,” warned Minister Miller at the table of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration of the House of Commons.
“It’s crucial, and it would be cruel not to [envoyer l’argent] “, he also underlined in response to the question from a Liberal MP from Ontario.
The paralysis of the House of Commons, which has lasted for almost two months, is preventing the adoption of the supplementary estimates.
This contains the envelope of 581.3 million aimed at compensating Quebec for the services offered to asylum seekers in terms of accommodation.
In total, it totals spending of 21.6 billion, which must be approved by December 10.
If it is not adopted, government services would suffer — starting with those in the smallest ministries, which would be affected “disproportionately,” according to Minister Anand.
“We will be OK for the next three to four weeks,” she nevertheless predicted last Tuesday.
On the Quebec side, Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge urged federal elected officials to step up their efforts. “The vote to confirm this payment must take place as quickly as possible,” he declared.
PHOTO GRAHAM HUGHES, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Quebec Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge
Initially, Quebec demanded a sum of 1 billion.
After months of negotiations, the Trudeau government agreed to pay him compensation of 750 million.
A first payment of 169 million was given to him, and the rest of the amount to be collected was inserted in the supplementary expenditure budget.
The work of the House of Commons is paralyzed by a motion from the Conservative Party demanding the disclosure of documents related to a green fund which was abolished by the Liberals.
The Trudeau government seemed to hope for an unblocking by offering a GST holiday and a $250 check to nearly 19 million Canadian workers, but nothing has yet been achieved.
with the collaboration of Joël-Denis Bellavance, The Press
