Mediaboss Marketing

Manitoba and Manitobans are at the breaking point dealing with asylum-seekers and need immediate help from Ottawa, Premier Brian Pallister implored Friday.

"We need a national plan, because it's not going to go away," Pallister told reporters Friday afternoon. "We've all heard the noise from the U.S."

Pallister wrote to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Feb. 21 asking for help. Pallister could not say Friday how much money and other resources Manitoba is seeking; his staff said details will not be available until next week.

"It's a moving target," said the premier. "It's escalating."

At least 190 people have crossed into Canada near the Emerson border crossing just this year, including 21 overnight Thursday.

Energy and resources are running out, said Pallister: "That's what people are telling me, who are working on the front lines."

The premier said the ongoing and overwhelming influx is putting a heavy burden on housing, social services, education especially English as an additional language and Legal Aid Manitoba, which handles all the paperwork and legal processes for the newcomers to Canada.

Because asylum-seekers are crossing from the U.S. in only three or four provinces and because it may not be seen as a large problem on a national scale, Ottawa may be treating it as a Manitoba problem rather than a Canadian one, Pallister acknowledged.

The federal government announced Friday that two senior cabinet ministers will be in Emerson Saturday morning.

Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Ralph Goodale and Natural Reources Minister Jim Carr will visit Emerson "to meet and thank the officials, workers, volunteers, and agencies on the ground, who have been dealing with the recent increase in irregular border crossings. The ministers will hold a brief media availability during their visit," said Ottawa officials.

The premier spoke Friday morning to Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard, whose borders are increasingly receiving asylum-seekers. "He shares those concerns," said Pallister, adding the number of asylum-seekers hits Manitoba most disproportionately than of any province.

Pallister has directed provincial officials to identify provincial resources being diverted to deal with the ongoing issue, and to identify from which other front line services those staff and resources are being moved.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca

Here is the original post:
Pallister to Ottawa: Manitoba at breaking point in migrant crisis - Winnipeg Free Press