OTTAWA — Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel said Tuesday that the Trudeau government is misleading the public about the number of illegal immigrants deported from Canada.

Rempel accused Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale of hiding the number at a meeting of the House of Commons immigration committee, where Goodale and Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen were asked to explain exactly how many illegal immigrants are denied refugee status and sent back.

At a news conference two weeks ago, Goodale and Hasson confirmed that less than one percent of asylum seekers are deported. Rempel asked Goodale for an exact figure of those deported over the last 18 months — or roughly since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared “Welcome to Canada” in a tweet to the refugees of the world.

Goodale said that he didn’t have that information.

“I wouldn’t have numbers with me today. But I would be more than happy to examine the question in the record of the meeting and provide the answer.”

Rempel wasn’t buying it.

“I would suggest he has it. I would suggest he’s hiding it,” she said.

The minister responded, “Obviously, she’s only interested in disinformation.”

When asked how long “irregular” border crosses will be waiting in Canada for their refugee claims to be assessed, both Goodale and Hussen insisted the Liberal government had provided more funding for the Canadian Border Security Agency to more quickly process the claimants.

Since January 2017, almost 30,000 illegals have entered Canada at an unofficial New York-Quebec border crossing. Thousands more are now appearing in Toronto and crowding homeless shelters. While they wait for their refugee claims to be decided, the would-be refugees are entitled to accommodation, health care and legal aid — all at taxpayer expense.

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