Pallister wants more federal help with migrant influx

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This article was published 08/03/2017 (2752 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Premier Brian Pallister implored Ottawa not to wait for a death before giving Manitoba and Emerson the help they need to deal with a flood of asylum seekers.

We’ve just seen 20 people crossing a field from North Dakota in the middle of a blizzard, said Pallister — risking their own lives, risking the lives of anyone who has to go out and rescue them.

“It shouldn’t take a death to get us to understand this,” Pallister told a news conference after speaking in the legislature Thursday.

“In four or five weeks time, we’re at significant risk of a spring flood” when it will become even more dangerous for everyone involved,” the premier said. “It is so unfair to stand by and watch while others are at-risk and doing the heavy lifting.”

Pallister called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to make U.S. President Donald Trump aware of what’s happening at his northern border.

“Take this to the highest levels and place a call to the president of the United States,” Pallister said. “This is a Canadian probleme need Team Canada.”

The premier is seeking additional support from the federal government to deal with a flood of asylum seekers crossing into Manitoba from the United States.

In a statement to the legislature on Thursday, Pallister did not place a dollar figure on the request. He said he wrote to Trudeau two days ago to update the prime minister about the situation. Pallister later told reporters that Manitoba’s costs have doubled over last year in dealing with asylum seekers, but it’s “a moving target” that goes up all the time.

“We are requesting additional support for housing, along with reimbursement of health care costs, employment income assistance payments and labour market training costs,” Pallister said.

“We are seeking a comprehensive bilateral partnership agreement, similar to the existing model for government-assisted refugees.”

He said the province has also requested a two-year extension of the existing support arrangements in place with the federal government regarding government-assisted refugees.

Pallister said he is asking Ottawa “to revisit the recently announced reductions and redeployment in funding support levels” for English language assistance funds for post-secondary institutions in Manitoba.

“We are waiting to receive the federal government’s response to these requests. We hope they will be responded to quickly, and with generosity,” he said.

“Manitoba has always pulled above its weight. We’re helping, we’re ready to help.”

Pallister said he has a phone call lined up with the governor of North Dakota next week, noting Minnesota’s governor is unavailable because of health problems.

The premier said Manitoba has not talked to Ottawa about the possibility of another Manitoba community becoming the entry point for asylum seekers if Emerson floods, but is aware that a couple of people recently crossed at Gretna.

More than 200 asylum seekers have crossed into Manitoba since Jan. 1, often at risk of freezing to death in the severe cold.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca