Illegal immigration in Canada in six questions

Archival Photo Pierre-Paul Poulin

QMI agency

Saturday, 22 July, 2017 13:15

UPDATE
Saturday, 22 July, 2017 13:15

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Four migrants arrived this week in the Port of Montreal’s hidden in a container, and dozens of people crossing illegally the land border to seek refuge in the country.

The spokesperson of the royal Canadian mounted police, Camille Habel, summarized the situation during his time with the Quebec morning, on CTV, Saturday.

What procedures are provided for in the arrival of illegal immigrants?

“People arrive by land or by sea, it is an illegal entry. For the RCMP, and the CBSA [canada border services Agency of Canada], it is treated the same way. It first ensures that people are treated well, if these are people who have need of hospital care. Then, in accordance with our respective mandates, the CBSA doing its job and so are we.”

Is it that illegal immigrants are entitled to different treatment?

“We get legally or illegally to Canada, applications of statutes are treated the same way. On the side of the RCMP, it ensures that the people who come are not a threat to our national security. It ensures that there is no link with organized crime, if people arrive with children, we ensure that it is well their. We don’t want there to be trafficking of person. Once one is assured that these people are not a threat to Canada, the CBSA supports. The immigration process begins.”

We had not seen immigrants arrive in containers since 2008. Is it that we expect a resumption of this kind of immigration?

“We can’t really confirm [if it’s a trend that] for the time being. There are too many missing information. Is it that it’s four people who knew a person at the port of departure? Is it a network? Is it that it is human traffic? These are things that we need to investigate more to find out exactly.”

We have seen in the last year, an increase in the number of refugees. What has been the situation for the spring?

“There has been a slight decrease from April to may, a hundred people, for an increase of slightly more than 200 in June. It is equivalent, and it continues to increase.”

From which countries these immigrants?

“At this time, we really see people from all over the world. There are people from all continents who cross illegally.”

Why are they all roughly the same route?

“There are networks of information sharing, social networks, internet via sites. We are told that in the country of origin, the information is shared on the best way to get to Canada as quickly as possible.”