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Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Manitoba chiefs demand Trudeau rescind Charles Adler’s senate appointment

By
Quinn Patrick, True North Wire
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Source: Facebook

A group of First Nations chiefs are calling for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to rescind his recent appointment of Charles Adler to the Senate over past comments he made about Indigenous leaders on his radio program. 

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs released a statement on Monday saying that they were “disappointed by the recent appointment of Charles Adler to the Senate of Canada” over his “grossly offensive language.”  

The group said that they were “alarmed” because of Adler’s past comments towards Indigenous people, in particular, when he referred to Indigenous leaders as “uncivilized boneheads.” 

“These are not just passing remarks. They were and still are hurtful, but they also perpetuate harmful stereotypes and misconceptions about First Nations now that this is once again being brought to light because of this appointment,” reads the statement.

Adler made the comments back in 1999 during a radio show in Winnipeg, where he also said Indigenous people were “intellectually moribund,” among other comments.

“The appointment of Charles Adler to the Senate is a grave insult to all First Nations in Manitoba and across Canada,” said Grand Chief Cathy Merrick.

“Senators are supposed to be accomplished Canadians from various professional backgrounds. They introduce bills, propose new laws, suggest amendments to legislation passed by the House of Commons, review public policy and debate issues.  His racist comments do not indicate a modicum of respect, equality, and justice that are supposed to guide our society.”

“How can any First Nation feel that his reviews of legislation impacting reserves, treaties, and inherent rights would be even remotely favourable to the original peoples of these lands?”

The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council dismissed a complaint that had been filed against Adler in 2000 over those comments, saying that it was “fair political commentary.” 

The council said in its decision at the time that “those who occupy positions of power on the reserves may legitimately be described, on account of the decisions which they make, as ‘boneheads’ or ‘intellectually moribund’ by opinion-holders in the media.” 

The decision also noted that if Adler had made such comments about ordinary Indigenous people, then “the attitude of this Council would likely have been different.”

Adler did not respond to True North’s request for comment, however, in a statement released on Tuesday, he said “I’ve reached out to the grand chief and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, to request a face-to-face meeting. I look forward to hearing from them.” 

However, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, who is himself a First Nations member congratulated Adler on his appointment in a post to X. 

“Congratulations to Charles Adler on this appointment. Wishing him all the best in his important role representing Manitoba in the Senate,” it said. 

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak also criticized the decision, calling it hurtful to see someone like Adler appointed to the Senate. 

However, she said that she hopes he will uphold his offer to meet with and learn from communities.

“We have to come to a better way in this country,” said Nepinak. “But at the same time, when things like that happen it sets us back just a little bit.”

Adler’s appointment has not only drawn criticism from Canada’s Indigenous community but also from within Trudeau’s Liberal cabinet as well, like Minister of Northern Affairs Dan Vandal.

“There are many eminently qualified Manitobans who are better suited to represent our province than Charles Adler,” said Vandal in a statement released on Monday. 

The Prime Minister’s Office did not respond to True North’s request for comment. 

“The AMC calls on the Governor General and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to reconsider this appointment and to prioritize individuals who truly represent the values of inclusion, respect, and reconciliation,” reads the AMC statement. “We also urge the public to stand with us in condemning this appointment and to hold our leaders accountable for the decisions they make in shaping our country’s future.”

Toronto celebrated “Undocumented Residents Day” with radical panel discussion

By
Noah Jarvis, True North Wire
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Source: Noah Jarvis

On Tuesday, the City of Toronto celebrated Undocumented Residents Day with a panel of radical pro-illegal immigration activists. 

Undocumented Residents Day is part of a years-long concerted effort to make Toronto a “sanctuary city” for people who overstay their visas or arrive in Canada illegally, first launched by former mayor John Tory in 2017. 

So-called undocumented residents are mostly those who have come to Canada legally but continue to remain in Canada after their legal status expires. They also include those who entered Canada illegally. 

To celebrate illegal immigration, the City of Toronto organized an event at the city council chambers in their honour and to discuss how activists can urge the federal and provincial governments to accommodate them in Canada. 

The panel featured co-director of the FCJ Refugee Centre Loly Rico, executive director of Migrant Workers Alliance for Change Syed Hussan, and city bureaucrat and social justice advocate Denise Andrea Campbell. 

The three discussed how federal, provincial, and municipal governments can further extend government entitlements to illegal immigrants and how they can influence public opinion to achieve their goals.

Hussan says that he would like to see the federal government grant illegal immigrants permanent residency, as has been done by the European Union and the United States.

“People stay here undocumented because there is nothing better, but that does not make this good,” said Hussan.

“And so what has been happening around the world and in Canada is a campaign for regularization, which is to say that undocumented people should be able to get permanent residency.”

Hussan says that despite promises made by the Trudeau government in the past to grant legal status to illegal immigrants, the feds need to make tangible steps to achieve that goal.

“Because of our collective effort, the federal government in December 2021 promised Canada a regularization program. And yet we sit here in August 2024 where this program is not being brought in,” said Hussan

“But regularization is possible, its been promised in this mandate, there’s still at least 14 more months of a Trudeau government and I think we can collectively win the rights of undocumented people as we have been fighting for for decades.”

The panelists spent a great deal of time lamenting the current state of Canada’s immigration system for being too strict, while also blaming racism and white supremacy for the problems with the immigration system.

Campbell lamented the fact that Toronto and other municipalities do not have the power to confer legal status to illegal immigrants.

“At the end of the day…the city doesn’t have the ability to confer status onto people. We’d love to be able to – well I, Densie would love to be able to do that. I think the city would love to be able to do that, I think that’s consistent with council policy. I think I can say that definitively,” said Campbell through laughter.

Hussan bemoaned Canada’s media coverage of the affordability crisis and its link to immigration, claiming that there is no connection between the two.

Hussen claims that the Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated that the affordability crisis is driven by bankers and bosses and not working class migrants.

“We understand suddenly who is actually essential and it is not the bankers and it is not the bosses, it is working class people,” said Hussan.

“Now fast forward to the present. And what do we hear? We hear that those migrants that we were celebrating are responsible for that housing crisis. How is it that within four years we have all forgotten about the billionaires, the bosses and the bankers and suddenly the people who are responsible are the people who are supposed to be our champions.”

Hussan says that the media’s strategy is to blame immigrants for the affordability crisis instead of blaming austerity and a lack of government “investment” for the crisis.

“The promise of shutting down the border isn’t going to fix the economy, it is going to be the bankers, the billionaires, and the bosses responsible. This is our moment!”

Hussan says that he is not only concerned with liberalizing Canada’s immigration system but that he is also concerned with a variety of other left-wing priorities like climate change and queer rights.

“It isn’t just about migrants. You can’t win on anything, you can’t win on any working class issue, you can’t win on women’s issues, on queer issues, on any issue when people believe that the only problem is migrants and immigrants,” said Hussan. 

“This distraction serves to limit our collective power. You can’t win action on climate change right now because people are out there thinking the biggest problem is immigration.”

Rachel & The Republic | Trump or Kamala? Americans react to presidential election

By
Rachel Parker
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Source: True North

Today on Rachel and the Republic, Rachel travels across the border to Niagara Falls, New York to gather America’s thoughts on the ongoing election.

Rachel talks to a number of voters who are voting for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris only because they don’t want to vote for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. One voter says Harris is a good choice to improve “race relations.”

Other voters express disgust with the Democratic National Convention, which offered free abortion and vasectomies this week.

Tune into Rachel and the Republic now!

“Stop hating Jews”: Ontario labour minister confronts CUPE president Fred Hahn

By
Clayton DeMaine, True North Wire
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Source: Facebook

Prominent Canadian conservatives and Jewish community organizations are praising Ontario labour minister David Piccini after he confronted Ontario CUPE president Fred Hahn over his past anti-Israel comments. 

In a video Piccini posted on X, which now has over 700,000 views, the Ontario Progressive Conservative minister confronted the union leader and admonished him for a series of comments made by Hahn that Jewish groups have called antisemitic. Hahn denied the allegations and claimed that his criticism lies with Israel.

“As a labour leader, you’ve got to represent your members, and what have said about Jews is antisemitic, and your members reach out to me,” Piccini said.

“I am not antisemitic. I am representing my members – I am not talking about Jews; I am talking about the state of Isreal,” Hahn responded. “I represent 290,000 workers!”

Piccini argued that the CUPE president was isolating many of its members through his divisive actions.

“My door will remain open to your members, but you have to stop hating Jews,” Piccinni said. “You are a labour leader, and your members deserve better, Fred.”

Hahn retorted by saying that CUPE members re-elected him to continue to represent them.

Piccini’s video attracted the praises of several prominent conservative voices and Jewish community groups in Canada.

“Watch David Piccini hold CUPE Ontario’s Fred Hahn to account over his antisemitic obsession and failure to represent Jewish union members while they report unprecedented levels of racism, hostility, and discrimination within the Union,” the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs posted on X. “Thank you, Minister!”

Hahn is currently embroiled in a lawsuit on behalf of Jewish CUPE members who claim that they faced antisemitism at the hands of the union. 

Hahn’s latest controversial rhetoric came during the Olympics. In a post on X that has since been deleted, Hahn posted a video of an AI-generated Israeli olympian with a Star of David tattooed on his arm diving off a diving board. Instead of hitting the water, the video depicts him exploding over Gaza.

In another instance, a day after the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks, Hahn posted a comment on X saying he was thankful for “the power of resistance around the globe,” calling such acts “fruitful” and progressive. During its massacre, Hamas killed an estimated 1,400 Israelis and kidnapped over 200 hostages, including babies, women and the elderly.

Former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole, renowned psychologist and author Jordan Peterson, Conservative MPs Michelle Rempel Garner and Melissa Lantsman and most of the other 1000 comments praised Piccini for confronting Hahn. 

CUPE Local 2977, from Vineland, Ontario, released a statement Tuesday night distancing itself from Hahn’s “divisive” social media post about an AI Israeli diver. 

“The Executive of CUPE Local 2977 would like to acknowledge how harmful, hurtful and divisive it was. President Hahn’s stance on the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine does not reflect opinions of our local nor the spirit of the union,” it said. “CUPE Local 2977 believes in respect, safety and justice for all. We also fully support the right to free speech but believe it can be delivered in a way that’s  respectful and humane to all.”

CIJA recently condemned a statement of regret that Hahn posted Sunday on his social media, arguing that the “apology” was used as another opportunity to double down on what it views as antisemitic statements.

“I understand (the video) caused pain for some who viewed it. I have removed it from my feed because I deeply regret any such reaction,” Hahn Posted. “My intention in posting it was to call attention to the reality that, while the Russian Federation was barred from participating at the Paris Olympics, the state of Israel was permitted to participate – which appeared clearly to me to be a double standard.”

Israel’s war against Hamas started after the terrorist entity and its partners invaded Israel, while the Russia-Ukraine conflict officially started with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

Hahn did not respond to True North’s requests for comment.

Jewish institutions across Canada targeted in coordinated bomb threats

By
Isaac Lamoureux, True North Wire
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Queensway Carleton Hospital - Ottawa - Source: Facebook

Authorities across Canada are responding to a coordinated series of bomb threats that targeted over 100 Jewish organizations, synagogues, and some hospitals early Wednesday morning. 

The threats came via identical emails delivered on Wednesday morning. The Centre of Israel and Jewish Affairs provided True North with a copy of the email titled “Bombs in the Building.”

“We placed many explosives inside your building. They are placed in black backpacks. The bombs are set to go off in a few hours,” reads the email. “You will all end up in a pool of blood; none of you deserve to keep living. Everyone inside the building will lose their lives.”

The email sender claimed to represent a group that was behind the threats and asked that the group‘s name be shared with the media. True North has decided not to accede to this request while law enforcement authorities investigate the incident.

B’nai Brith Canada said that authorities are treating the threats as a hate crime and taking immediate action.

“This is not just an attack on our safety — it’s an attack on the fabric of Canadian society,” wrote B’nai Brith Canada in a post to X. “In a country where all citizens should feel safe, these cowardly threats aim to terrorize our communities and erode our Canadian values.”

The Jewish advocacy group said that the incitement of terror taking place across the country on streets and campuses has “created this permissive environment.” 

“Enough is enough! Canada must not bow to terror. We must restore safety to our cities and ensure that every Canadian can live free from fear,” said B’nai Brith Canada. “Make Canada safe again! Make our cities safe again! Make our streets safe again! Make our campuses safe again!”

B’nai Brith Canada’s Director of Research and Advocacy, Richard Robertson, told True North that while the Jewish community must take every precaution to stay safe, they must not be intimidated.

“We hope that a thorough and comprehensive immediate investigation will bring the perpetrator or perpetrators to justice. What is clear is that this did not occur in a vacuum,” said Robertson. “For months, radicals have been allowed to spew inflammatory rhetoric without sufficient consequences. This atmosphere has emboldened hatemongers of all stripes to harass and target Jewish Canadians. Such unfettered hate is an attack on the values and freedoms held sacred by all Canadians.” 

Eta Yudin, the vice president of Quebec’s division for the Centre of Israel and Jewish Affairs, told True North they were in contact with law enforcement. 

“There is no imminent threat. Jewish Canadians will not be intimidated — we will continue to take part in Jewish life. We will stay vigilant, but we will never be intimidated,” said Yudin.

The CIJA told True North that the RCMP is leading the investigation.

“You’ll note that the threats were generic and apparently sent to a number of religious institutions and hospitals. No mention of Jews, Israel, or Zionists were included in the threats,” said a spokesperson for the CIJA.

A spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service told True North that the TPS attended buildings on Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue for bomb threats, evacuating the buildings as a precaution. No further updates are available, but any updates will be provided on X or via a press release, said the Toronto Police Service.

The RCMP told True North that the Federal Policing National Security Program is investigating the source of the threats and that the safety and security of Canadians remains the federal police agency’s top priority.

“The RCMP is aware of threats made today to a number of institutions, including Synagogues and hospitals, across Canada. We are working with local law enforcement, who are actively responding to ensure locations are safe and secure,” a RCMP spokesperson told True North.

CIJA pointed to similar bomb threats sent from the same group to at least 100 hospitals and shopping malls in India on Tuesday.

According to The Pioneer, the emails included the same wording as those sent in Canada.

Despite making up less than 1% of Canada’s population, Jewish people were subject to 70% of all religiously motivated hate crimes in 2023, according to Statistics Canada.

Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lantsman said that 125 synagogues received a threat.

“Antisemitic hatred is spreading like a plague across our country and Trudeau is silent… It should never become normal for any worship services to be disrupted and evacuated from threats,” she said. “Canada is not the free country we know and love if the right to worship freely and safely needs to be protected… We will not back down in the fact of intimidation — it’s time for a government that takes these threats seriously.”

This is a developing story….

Poilievre promises to end both parts of the consumer carbon tax if elected

By
Isaac Lamoureux, True North Wire
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Source: X

Editor’s note: A previous version of this article mistakenly equated the Clean Fuel Regulations with the industrial carbon tax. The article has been updated with a correction.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has vowed to eliminate another component of the consumer carbon tax, the Clean Fuel Regulations, which still affects provinces that have an independent carbon pricing system, if his party wins the next election. 

In an interview on Tuesday with CBC Radio-Canada’s Patrice Roy, Poilievre confirmed that his plans extend beyond his long-standing promise to abolish the federal carbon levy for consumers. He also plans to abolish the Clean Fuel Regulations, the second component of the consumer federal carbon tax that applies to all provinces, which Poilievre said will add 17 cents a litre to the cost of fuel by 2030.

“The Bloc and the Liberals want higher gas and diesel prices. The Conservatives want to cut taxes,” said Poilievre. 

A spokesperson for Poilievre told True North that while Quebec isn’t directly affected by one part of the carbon tax, they are affected by the Clean Fuel Regulations, the second aspect of the consumer carbon tax that Poilievre plans to eliminate.

Roy asked Poilievre how companies who invested in carbon reduction might feel.

“In my plan, all companies in Canada will pay less. I’ve never met a company that wants to pay more,” said Poilievre.

Poilievre also bashed the Bloc for supporting the capital gains tax, which he said would take money away from farmers, small businesses, and entrepreneurs in Quebec while giving it to the federal government.

“Only the Conservative Party voted against it, and we intend to make a major reform of the tax system to simplify, reduce, and make taxes fairer — to bring back production and bigger paycheques to Canada,” said Poilievre.

He added that the Bloc had abandoned Quebecers by siding with the Liberals and supporting Trudeau by banning hunting firearms, taxing gasoline, and abandoning the forestry sector by placing a decree on caribou. 

The carbon tax will cost the Canadian economy $11.9 billion in 2024, an average of $295 in lost GDP per person. By 2030, this cost will rise to $30 billion, or a $678 loss in GDP per Canadian, according to calculations by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

Approximately 70% of Canadians and 70% of provincial premiers previously called on Trudeau to “spike the hike.” 

Despite a Conservative opposition motion calling on Trudeau to convene an emergency meeting on the carbon tax passing with unexpected NDP and Bloc Québecois support, no such meeting was held.

A previous Fraser Institute report showed that even if the Liberals’ 2030 emission target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 40% below 2005 levels is achieved, the global average temperature would fall only 0.007°C by 2100 compared to if Canada did nothing.

By 2030, the cost of the Liberals’ climate policies will rise to $6,700 per Canadian annually in 2019 dollars, according to the report.

Boissonault’s company received $30K federal contract this year

By
Quinn Patrick, True North Wire
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Source: Facebook

The “Other Randy” scandal took another turn this week after news broke that Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault’s company was awarded a federal contract worth nearly $30,000 in 2024. 

Boissonnault, who is currently embroiled in a conflict of interest scandal for allegedly continuing to operate a private company after taking office, will now have to answer for Global Health Imports being awarded a contract from Elections Canada for $28,300.

The federal contract was given to the medical supply company that Boissonnault co-founded in 202o before taking office, although the minister has insisted that he stepped away from its operations upon being elected to office the following year. 

Elections Canada, a non-partisan government agency responsible for administering general elections and byelections, paid GHI to supply it with disposable gloves.  

While cabinet ministers are permitted to retain shares in private companies that they previously held before taking office, said companies may not receive federal contracts. 

According to Elections Canada, the contract began on Jan. 5 2024 and will run until the end of the year, and presently remains active. However, the agency said it has yet to make an order for the products. 

Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett called for an independent investigation, saying he planned to refer the information to Canada’s ethics commissioner Konrad von Finckenstein.

“We need that independent investigation,” Barrett told Global News. “Randy Boissonnault should not be serving in the federal cabinet if he is found guilty of breaking Canada’s ethics laws.”

Boissonnault said that as of late June of this year, he no longer holds a 50% share in GHI due to the “politicization of his shareholder status.”

The Edmonton Centre MP is already in hot water over a previous GHI deal after a string of text messages surfaced from 2022 which led to three ethics probes into his relationship with the company.

When text messages referring to “Randy” were presented to the investigating committee last month, Stephen Anderson, Boisonnault’s GHI co-founder, not only claimed that they were not referring to him, but that they were a series of accidental text messages about someone with a different name. 

While Anderson would not provide the identity of who the “autocorrected texts” were referring to, he repeatedly stated that it was not Boissonnault.

Initially, the defence was that there are many “Randys” in Canada and that the text messages would have likely just been referring to another Randy employed at the 121-person company.

von Finckenstein initially looked into Boissonnault in May of this year regarding the possibility that he had still been actively operating the company while in office. 

Then a second preliminary probe occurred in June after text messages surfaced referring to someone named “Randy” asking for a “partner call.”

In both cases, von Finckenstein didn’t think it was necessary to launch a formal investigation.

However, while the committee was discussing the ArriveCAN probe on Thursday, Barrett asked von Finkenstein if he had watched Anderson’s recent testimony regarding the newly surfaced texts.

“Does this new information require a further look into the matter by you?” asked Barrett.

The commissioner responded by saying that while he was initially satisfied with Boissionault’s claim, the new text messages were a problem. 

“We looked at all of that, and there was absolutely no way that there was contact between him and Mr. Anderson. Now this new stuff has come up,” Von Finckenstein said.

Boissonnault did not respond to True North’s request for comment, however, he is expected to testify before the ethics committee in September.

The Daily Brief | CBC’s Kamala-mania

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-
Source: Facebook

A True North exclusive reveals the CBC reported 68 stories on Kamala Harris’ campaign despite its mandate to cover predominantly Canadian content.

Plus, Justin Trudeau’s newly appointed “independent” Senator donated to the Liberals over 220 times.

And the Toronto Police Association are demanding answers from all levels of government after a repeat violent offender with a warrant for his arrest and a deportation order injured three police officers.

Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Isaac Lamoureux!

Ford government cracks down on “safe” injection sites, shifts focus to recovery

By
Isaac Lamoureux, True North Wire
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Source: Facebook

The Ontario government is banning hard drug consumption sites near schools and daycares and plans to implement legislation to distance itself from the Liberals’ decriminalization agenda.

The policies were confirmed in a news release issued Tuesday, which said that supervised drug consumption sites would be prohibited from being within 200 metres of schools and daycares. Any remaining sites will be required to implement new safety and security plans, including policies to discourage loitering and promote conflict de-escalation and community engagement. 

The ban on injection sites will result in the closure of nine provincially-funded sites and one self-funded site by Mar. 31, 2025. 

“In order to restrict access to dangerous and illegal drugs moving forward, the government will also introduce legislation this fall that would, if passed, prohibit municipalities or any organization from standing up new consumption sites or participating in federal so-called ‘safer’ supply initiatives,” reads the release.

If the legislation passes, municipalities will also be prohibited from requesting the decriminalization of illegal drugs from the federal government.

Police in Ontario previously announced that “safe supply” drugs were flooding Canadian streets.

London deputy chief Paul Bastien said the London police had seized 12,000 hydromorphone tablets in 2024. At least 11,325 of them were from the “safe supply” system.

The province is investing an additional $378 million for 19 new homelessness and addiction recovery hubs. The hubs will add up to 375 supportive housing units and treatment beds to help residents transition to long-term housing. The latest investment is in addition to the existing $3.8 billion Ontario is investing over ten years through its Roadmap to Wellness and the nearly $700 million for supportive housing.

The ban follows Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s pledge to ban “safe” injection sites near schools and playgrounds.

“They’re drug dens, and they’ve made everything worse,” said Poilievre. “Everywhere they’ve been done, they’ve made everything worse.”

The drug consumption sites not only bring drugs near communities but also contribute to crime.

Reports of assault were 113% higher, and robbery was 97% more common in neighbourhoods near consumption sites in 2023. 

“Near the Hamilton site, reports of violent crime were 195% higher compared to the rest of the city, and the crime rate near the Ottawa site was 250% higher than the rest of the city,” reads the report. “The government’s new direction is also informed by reports from police services in Ontario and across Canada that hydromorphone distributed at consumption sites is being diverted and trafficked, increasing the supply of dangerous and illegal drugs in communities where these sites operate.”

The announcement was made during the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference in Ottawa.

Mayor of Brampton Patrick Brown was one of many mayors to express their gratitude.

“Grateful for the Ford government’s focus on treatment for addictions and not band-aid solutions. I share their concern about the proliferation of safe injection sites in areas close to families and children. This needs to stop,” said Brown. 

Ontario’s announcement follows the mayors of Ontario’s major cities previously calling for funds to tackle homelessness and drugs.

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens echoed Brown’s comments.

“Today’s announcement is a real game changer. This major investment will truly support people to get their lives back on track through needed treatment and recovery, while ensuring that neighbourhoods in Windsor and across Ontario remain safe,” said Dilkens. 

British Columbia tried to implement similar legislation, banning drug use in public and recreation spaces. The B.C. Supreme Court ruled that the legislation could not come into effect until at least Mar. 31, 2024. Supreme Court Chief Justice Hinkson argued that public consumption was sometimes the safest and healthiest place for people to consume drugs. 

British Columbia rolled back its drug decriminalization project in April after the province saw a record at least 2,511 suspected deaths from illegal drugs despite the project being active.

Quebec announces temporary foreign worker freeze for Montreal 

By
Quinn Patrick, True North Wire
-
Source: X

Quebec Premier Francois Legault announced a six-month freeze on the intake of new temporary foreign workers for low-wage jobs in Montreal beginning in September. 

News of the freeze is in response to the influx of temporary immigrants that the province has received over the past two years, increasing from 300,000 to 600,000 since 2022.

The Quebec government is now calling for a “significant and rapid” reduction to the province’s  immigration, which Legault said has “clearly surpassed its capacity of integration.” 

The premier said after several talks with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that he felt it was time for his government to lead by example.

“We’re putting a lot of pressure since almost a year on Justin Trudeau to reduce the 420,000 temporary immigrants controlled by the federal government,” said Legault in a press conference on Tuesday. 

“Few times Mr. Trudeau and (Immigration Minister) Mr. Miller said ‘but what about your program?’” he said. “So we only have about 12,000 workers in Montreal in Quebec’s program. So we take action today. I hope they won’t use this argument anymore and finally make a move to reduce the number of immigrants.”

Legault said the additional 300,000 temporary foreign workers in the last two years has had “a major impact on services like education, like healthcare and a major impact on housing.”

“When we talk about an additional 300,000, it means more than a 100,000 additional houses that are needed,” said the premier. “No way we can build 100,000 places within two years, so it has a major impact.”

Legault also lamented how many temporary foreign workers that arrive in Quebec through federal programs do not speak French, which he feels is putting the province’s language at risk.

Additionally, the premier said that when it comes to asylum seekers, he finds it unfair that “Quebec received 50% of them coming to Canada, while we represent only 22% of the population.”

During the announcement, Legault confirmed that he has requested the Trudeau government reduce its two federal immigration programs by 50% “as soon as possible.”

“I would say that at least the last six, eight, ten months, we have been asking that, and so far they haven’t taken any major action. So it’s about time they make a move because even Quebecers suffer regarding housing, regarding services,” said Legault. 

“It puts a lot of pressure on French, especially on the island of Montreal.” 

When asked why he was blaming these problems on temporary immigrants, Legault responded by saying, “It’s facts.”

“I think we are, in Canada, in Quebec, the place that is welcoming the highest number of immigrants,” he said. “Come on, it’s a question of facts. You cannot accept an additional 300,000 people in two years without (an) impact on the number of teachers you need, nurses you need, the number of houses you need and the future of French.”

According to provincial officials, the freeze, effective this fall, will also apply to application renewals from current temporary foreign workers in Montreal.

“There will be exceptions,” Legault said. “Obviously we need teachers, we need nurses, so there will be exclusions.”

Other sectors like food processing and construction will also be exempt from the freeze, as well as temporary foreign workers who earn more than $57,000 a year, the province’s median salary.

Federal Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault confirmed his approval of Quebec’s proposal to freeze applications in Montreal.

“Our government will closely monitor this policy change as it makes its own determinations about future changes to the TFWP,” said Boissonault in a statement.

Legault also announced that his government will table a bill in the fall to cap the number of international students at select educational institutions.

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