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While claims are being processed, asylum seekers are cared for by the Canadian taxpayer

And at considerable cost. Provincial governments have spent hundreds of millions already. Social services in Montreal and Toronto have been overwhelmed by the influx. The federal government has spent hundreds of millions more to provide at least basic levels of security screening, which is important, but hasn’t been able to address the root of the problem — the irregular arrivals. Until the government gets on top of that problem, everything else is just damage control.

And how’s that going? Badly, as it turns out. The United States has thus far proven uninterested in helping us firm up the border — and no wonder. Every person entering Canada from the U.S. is one less person for the U.S. to worry about. Likewise, Ottawa has also proven incapable of meaningfully speeding up the claims process, which would be one of the best ways of reducing the incentive to enter Canada illegally in the first place.

Photo by Ryan Remiorz/CP

So with securing the border or expediting removals apparently beyond the government’s ability, Ivison notes the federal government now seems to be roadtesting an entirely new approach. The irregular arrivals, Canadians are now expected to accept, are in fact a blessing in disguise! When asked about the irregular arrivals in a year-end interview shortly before Christmas, the prime minister replied, in part, “The fact that we have extremely low unemployment, we’re seeing labour shortages in certain parts of the country, (means) it is a good time to reflect that we are bringing in immigrants who are going to keep our economy growing.”