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Scheer told the crowd he believes Canadians have lost confidence in the fairness of the immigration system thanks to the influx of irregular migrants. Since the beginning of 2017, over 43,000 asylum seekers have arrived in Canada through unofficial entry points.

He placed the blame squarely on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, accusing him of undermining not only the integrity of the border but of causing a growing number of Canadians to believe that immigration levels should be reduced.

A number of polls over the last year have shown a growing concern among Canadians over the numbers of newcomers Canada accepts each year.

Scheer said he has heard these concerns most often voiced by new Canadians who have “played by the rules and arrived in Canada fair and square.”

“They are the most offended at Trudeau’s status quo, where some are able to jump queues, exploit loopholes and game the system.”

Scheer said he is confident he can restore Canadians’ trust in the immigration system with his own approach to immigration policy — changes that would include: improved language training, better recognition of work credentials and refocusing the government-sponsored refugee program on victims of atrocities.

He also pledged to work toward reuniting survivors of genocide who have already resettled in Canada, such as Yazidi women and girls, with their families and promised to promote more private sponsorships of refugees.

He further reiterated his intention to bring back the office of religious freedom, a unit in Global Affairs Canada that advocated for threatened religious minorities.