Legault asks Trudeau to redirect migrants to other provinces

In a letter sent Sunday to his federal counterpart, Quebec Premier Francois Legault called for all migrants arriving at Roxham Road to be redirected to other provinces. Last week, Quebec Immigration Minister Christine Frechette was pleased that about 380 migrants had been brought to Ontario.

In a letter sent Sunday to his federal counterpart, Quebec Premier Francois Legault called for all migrants arriving at Roxham Road to be redirected to other provinces.

Last week, Quebec Immigration Minister Christine Fréchette was pleased that about 380 migrants had been brought to Ontario.

In his letter to Justin Trudeau, Legault went further, saying that Quebec's capacity to receive migrants is now "far exceeded."

He is calling for all asylum seekers arriving in Canada via Roxham Road to be redirected elsewhere in the country.

"It is essential... that all asylum seekers who enter irregularly be redirected to other provinces, as Quebec has done more than its share of work in recent years," he wrote. "I ask you to take, as a matter of urgency and on a permanent basis, all necessary measures to distribute asylum seekers (...) to other provinces, regardless of the profile of the applicant."

Legault said that Quebec has a long tradition of welcoming refugees but that "this influx cannot continue," adding that "it is becoming increasingly difficult to welcome them with dignity."

"These people are struggling to find adequate housing, and more of them are becoming homeless. The community organizations that help them are stretched to the limit," the premier said.