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At issue was a rumour that Markham was about to agree to house as many as 5,000 asylum seekers in unused buildings, after Toronto asked for help accommodating an overflow.

“Say NO to Mayor Frank!” read several signs in identical red lettering. Others played off the recent shooting rampage in Toronto: “Do Not Let Tragedy Happen In Markham.”

“MARKHAM SAY NO TO ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSERS,” another read. “ILLEGAL FREE RIDER NOT INVITED.”

Many of the opposing, pro-refugee signs were branded with the logo of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

A woman spoke to the crowd in Mandarin, rhetorically addressing the government as she described the question of Canada’s response to asylum seekers as one primarily of public safety.

“It should not be this way,” she said, seemingly on the verge of angry tears. “You (the government) have to make sure that we’re safe.”

It was an illustration of the truism that all politics is local, and that even global crises can become ballot questions in municipal council races.

The day before, the nomination period had closed on the mayoral election in Markham, in which the incumbent Scarpitti is being challenged by four candidates who signed up at the last minute.

One of those challengers, Steven Chen, a real estate agent, said in an interview he was not at the protest and knew nothing about it until he saw the news.

“Everything illegal, that’s a problem. Not just refugees,” he said in an interview.