OTTAWA—Facing new opposition at home and heightened fears in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks, the Liberal government is forging ahead with its plan to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of the year.

Ottawa will have help from Ontario and Quebec, where some 16,000 refugees are expected be resettled as part of the Liberals’ ambitious goal. But some political leaders are expressing concerns with the Liberals’ plans, and urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to reconsider the time frame for resettlement.

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall publicly released a letter to Trudeau Monday, urging him to “suspend” the refugee plan.

“I am concerned that the current date-driven plan could severely undermine the refugee-screening process,” Wall wrote in the letter, which the premier posted to Twitter.

“I understand that the overwhelming majority of refugees are fleeing violence and bloodshed and pose no threat to anyone . . . . However, if even a small number of individuals who wish to do harm to our country are able to enter Canada as a result of a rushed refugee resettlement process, the results could be devastating.”

Wall’s concerns run counter to assurances from Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, who told reporters Canada’s national security agencies indicated they’re up to the task of screening the refugees.

Wall also finds himself offside with Quebec’s government, which announced the province is moving forward with a plan to resettle nearly 6,000 refugees by the end of the year.

Quebec Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil acknowledged some “legitimate concerns” about security in the wake of the deadly attacks in Paris. But the refugees will be subjected to criminal record checks, health checks, as well as additional screening from Canada’s national security agencies for any links to terrorist organizations.

Weil urged Quebecers to understand the “profile” of those the government will be bringing into the province.

“They are people who are fleeing violence. They are people who are fleeing the exact same acts of terrorism that we saw in Paris,” Weil said Monday. “They are people who are very vulnerable, who are worried, who are searching for a haven of peace.”

It was a sentiment echoed by Eric Hoskins, Ontario’s health minister. Speaking to reporters at Queen’s Park, Hoskins said the attacks in Paris have not shaken Ontario’s resolve to settle 10,000 refugees by the end of 2016.

“Not at all and I don’t think it changes the public’s resolve either,” the minister said, noting three-quarters of refugees are women and children.

“I believe that the security concerns are important ones . . . but at the same time I don’t want to underestimate the outpouring of support by Ontarians. I don’t believe that’s changed.”

Hoskins said it is too soon to say where in Ontario the refugees will be resettled, but said it is likely many will be in the Greater Toronto Area.

Friday’s terrorist attacks in the French capital spawned a new wave of fear around Western countries’ acceptance of Syrian refugees fleeing both the so-called Islamic State and the murderous regime of Bashar Assad. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks, which killed 129 people in central Paris.

In the wake of the attacks, numerous outlets reported a Syrian passport was found near the body of one of the terrorists. The passport is suspected to be a forgery — British newspaper the Independent reported another man was arrested in Serbia with the exact same passport, and an unnamed U.S. intelligence official told CBS it may be a fake. The attacker’s fingerprints match those of someone who passed through Greece last month, according to the Paris prosecutors’ office.

The terrorist attacks again turned the international refugee crisis into a domestic political football in North America. Ben Carson, the frontrunner in the race to become the U.S. Republicans’ presidential candidate, called for an end to all public public funding for programs to assist Syrian refugees. Several U.S. governors, including in Texas, Massachusetts, Louisiana, Ohio, and Arkansas, announced they don’t want refugees fleeing Syria in their states.

Speaking at the G20 summit in Antalya, Turkey, Trudeau sought to reassure Canadians about the influx of refugees about to enter the country. Trudeau said Canada’s “first and foremost” concern is the safety of the public.

“We have a cabinet committee that is leaning in directly on these issues of how to do what Canadians expect Canada to do, which is welcome in refugees fleeing a terrible, terrible conflict in Syria but to do so in a way that keeps Canadians and their communities safe,” Trudeau said.

“That’s exactly what we’ll do.”

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With files from Bruce Campion-Smith and the Star’s wire services

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