Liberals must provide resources needed for asylum-seekers at our border

Ottawa - Liberals must move quickly to address the lack of resources at our border in the face of increased numbers of asylum-seekers. They can begin by restoring the several thousand jobs that were cut from Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) under the Conservative and support organizations that provide shelter, including medical and psychological support services.

"We need more front-line officers at the border. The Minister of Public Safety says that resources are sufficient, but clearly for those in the field, such as Canadian customs officials, the situation is changing rapidly," said Public Safety Critic Matthew Dubé (Belœil–Chambly).

While Conservatives try to spread fear about refugees coming to Canada, the NDP is calling on the government to provide the necessary resources to these border communities to help with this situation. Additionally the NDP has called for the suspension of the Safe Third Country Agreement, which prohibits refugees in the U.S. from applying legally and crossing safely into Canada.

"Every day, refugees try to cross the Canadian border from the United States. The Prime Minister said everyone is welcome in Canada, but his government refuses to suspend the Safe Third Country agreement and he refuses to deploy the resources to meet the growing demand," said NDP Immigration Critic Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East).