Haitian-Canadian MP headed to Miami to try to address would-be asylum seekers
OTTAWA — Haitian-Canadian MP Emmanuel Dubourg will travel to Miami on Wednesday to try and counter misinformation which has driven thousands of Haitian asylum seekers to Canada in recent months.
His trip comes as both the prime minister and Liberal cabinet ministers have sought in recent days to more forcefully address the major spike in illegal border crossings this summer, which has strained public resources and tested traditionally widespread support for Canada’s immigration system.
Dubourg, a Liberal MP for a Montreal-area riding, was appointed last week to a newly established federal-provincial task force focusing on how to handle upwards of 7,000 people who’ve been stopped illegally crossing into Canada since June, the vast majority intent on seeking asylum.
In the last two months, many have been Haitian and Dubourg sees himself cast in the role of ambassador. He’s already used his extensive connections with the Haitian diaspora and fluency in Creole for outreach there, he said.