St. John’s, NL (September 12, 2024) – This week, Prime Minister Trudeau demanded that New Brunswick accept ten times more asylum seekers without any additional federal financial support to cover the significant added costs. In light of this, PC Leader Tony Wakeham urges Premier Furey to be transparent about whether Newfoundland and Labrador faces a similar demand from Ottawa and whether financial aid is being provided to cover the extra strain on housing, healthcare, education, and services.

In July 2024, Premier Furey stated that Newfoundland and Labrador are “more than happy” to do their part in assisting with the influx of asylum seekers arriving in Ontario and Quebec, but only “within our limits.” At the same time, Prime Minister Trudeau offered additional financial support to Quebec to manage their increased costs.

However, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has publicly stated that Ottawa is demanding New Brunswick accept a significant increase in asylum seekers without any accompanying financial support. A recent report from the National Post disclosed a federal briefing document indicating that Newfoundland and Labrador, which currently has 291 asylum seekers, could see that number jump to over 3,000 under the Trudeau Liberal plan.

“To be clear, our Party strongly supports welcoming immigrants and asylum seekers from around the world and offering them a safe home here in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Wakeham.

“But under the Furey Liberals, our healthcare, education, and housing systems are already overburdened with growing waitlists. Premier Furey has consistently failed to secure our fair share of federal funding, and his lack of planning is hurting the people of our province and short-changing those who come here seeking a better life. Where is the federal funding to expand capacity for these asylum seekers?”

A Wakeham PC government would work to ensure that Newfoundland and Labrador remains a welcoming place for immigrants and asylum seekers. He would demand that Ottawa fairly share the financial burden of essential services. The province would also proactively plan to guarantee that services and professionals are in place when needed.