New Brunswick premier's comments about asylum seekers spark controversy
Shortly after 6 p.m. on Wednesday, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs took to social media with a big claim.
“Provincial officials were invited to the conference call in which it was shared by the federal officials in Ottawa that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is considering a plan to send 4600 asylum seekers to New Brunswick without providing any financial assistance […],”Higgs said on a video he posted to X.
Higgs says the information, and the number of asylum seekers, came from a document called the Distribution of Open Asylum Claims in Humanitarian Volume, which gives the breakdown in every province.
"They've put this information out there. There should be a plan to go with it,” said Higgs on Thursday. “When I look at, you know, statements being made and how it impacts right across this country, you're going to hear more than just from New Brunswick. You’re going to hear from every province."
Higgs says the province’s health care and education system cannot handle this influx.
His social media post sparked backlash, with many claiming the information he shared isn’t accurate.
“When he announced that, I couldn’t believe my ears. I mean, it was a boldfaced lie the way he presented it,” said Green Party leader David Coon.
Federal Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Marc Miller responded online, calling Higgs’ comment “highly irresponsible” and said “nobody said we’d force New Brunswick to take 4,600 Asylum Seekers.
“The New Brunswick Government has shown very little interest in doing its fair share, even with a commitment of federal financial support.”
On Thursday, Higgs remained defiant, saying the data he’s working with comes from Miller’s departments.
“There has been no confirmation of any sort of resources following this at all and there hasn't been any indication or work with us to figure out how do we manage these numbers, how do we add 5,000 more people,” said Higgs. “All we’re asking for is, let’s map this out and plan it and judging by what we’ve seen in the last three years – a tremendous volume increase – it does not appear to be a managed process.”
While an election in New Brunswick hasn’t been called yet, other parties are critical of what they call Higgs’ strategy.
“The premier’s misrepresenting facts and creating fear, trying to use this as a distraction from the fact that he has failed New Brunswickers with the health care and the housing that they need,” said Liberal leader Susan Holt in Moncton on Thursday. “I think we’re struggling right now to provide New Brunswickers with the access to the health care and the housing they need and I wish that Premier Higgs was focused on that as much as he’s focused out of province.”
“His strategy in this election seems to be to further divide New Brunswickers and create boogeymen to instil fear,” said Coon. “People who are addicted to drugs, people who are refugees, who’s next? I don’t know, but it’s appalling and I denounce that kind of tactic.”
For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prime minister faces mounting pressure to step aside from inside caucus
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will face mounting pressure from his caucus this week to step down from the leadership of the Liberal party.
Bloc won't hold Liberals 'hostage' over seniors' benefits: cabinet minister
Liberal cabinet minister Steven Guilbeault says the Liberals will not be 'held hostage' by the Bloc Quebecois' demand to expand Old Age Security to more seniors.
What's open and closed this Thanksgiving in Canada
Thanksgiving Day is a federal statutory holiday in Canada, and falls on Monday, Oct. 14 this year. Here's what to know about what is open this Monday.
How psilocybin, the psychedelic in mushrooms, may rewire the brain to ease depression, anxiety and more
Small clinical trials have shown that one or two doses of psilocybin, given in a therapeutic setting, can make dramatic and long-lasting changes in people suffering from treatment-resistant major depressive disorder, which typically does not respond to traditional antidepressants.
What's behind the northern lights that dazzled the sky farther south than normal
Another in a series of unusually strong solar storms hitting Earth produced stunning skies full of pinks, purples, greens and blues farther south than normal, including into parts of Germany, the United Kingdom, New England and New York City.
Parents across GTA warned by some private daycares that they may pull out of $10-a-day program
Parents at some private, for-profit daycares across the GTA are being warned that their fees could soon be doubling as operators consider pulling out of the national $10-a-day child-care program.
Government spending on flights for Canadians fleeing the Middle East unpopular, Nanos survey finds
Amid escalating violence in the Middle East, a majority of surveyed Canadians say they don't believe the costs associated with Canadians fleeing the region should be funded solely by the government.
Suspect threw coffee at woman’s vehicle then shot at her windshield: police
Police are looking for a suspect who allegedly threw a coffee at a woman’s vehicle and then shot at her windshield following some sort of dispute that began at a Tim Hortons in Pickering on Friday morning.
Children and adults transported to a Pennsylvania hospital after ingesting 'toxic mushrooms'
Children and adults were transported to a hospital in Pennsylvania Friday night after being sickened by mushrooms, authorities said.