Border Security Minister Bill Blair has defended the government's sudden overhaul of asylum laws as a measure to prevent "asylum-shopping." During an end-of-year interview, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the Conservatives were trying to stoke fears over refugee claimants. And yet now, a few months later, Border Security Minister Bill Blair has defended the government's sudden overhaul of asylum laws as a measure to prevent "asylum-shopping." What's noteworthy about the timing of the planned changes is that the number of asylum-seekers crossing into Canada at unofficial points of entry is actually on the decline. In 2018, 1,517 people were intercepted by the RCMP crossing into Canada during the month of January.

Source: CBC News April 11, 2019 08:02 UTC