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The Couillard government is accusing Coalition Avenir Québec leader François Legault of needlessly stirring up fears about immigrants with his recent remarks about the influx of asylum seekers in Quebec.

In a strongly-worded statement issued Thursday, the Couillard government ripped into Legault, saying Quebecers expect their politicians to show leadership in times of crisis and avoid alarmist remarks such as those made by the CAQ leader Wednesday.

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“Mr. Legault has again failed the test and is proposing nothing concrete to improve the situation,” the statement said. “It is a flagrant lack of leadership.”

In a message published on his Facebook page Wednesday, Legault said he was very worried about the recent influx of refugees at Quebec’s borders and said the province “must not become a funnel” for new arrivals.

He said the Liberal government is sending a “bad signal” in opening its doors wide to illegal immigrants while those who follow the rules are waiting in line, “frustrated.” Legault repeated his view that Quebec should reduce the number of immigrants it welcomes annually from 50,000 to 40,000, including refugees because, as things stand, it is unable to properly integrate them.