Canada will now turn back asylum-seekers attempting to enter the country outside of official border points, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Friday — part of a set of extreme new measures meant to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Canada will now turn back asylum-seekers attempting to enter the country outside of official border points, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Friday — part of a set of extreme new measures meant to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Asylum seekers were already barred from entering Canada at official border points under the Safe Third Country Agreement, but migrants have continued to arrive by foot at Roxham Road in Quebec in a steady flow due to an exception for non-official crossings under the agreement.
Another agreement to close the Canada-U.S. border to all but essential travel, trade and commerce will kick in at midnight.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says all asylum seekers coming from the United States will be turned over to authorities. 0:56
Trudeau described the measures as part of an unprecedented but necessary response to an emergency that many are comparing to wartime and the Great Depression.
In Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada has encouraged people to work from home where possible, to self-isolate if experiencing any symptoms, and to practise social distancing to stop the spread of the virus.
Asked if those measures will be enough to meet the threat, Trudeau said nothing is off the table and the government will consider all possible responses, including lockdowns.
“We know there is always more to do and we will encourage people to stay home, to practise social distancing, not just to protect themselves but also to protect our health care workers and the system that is working so hard to keep Canadians safe and healthy,” he said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canadians are adhering to social distancing measures during the COVID-19 crisis, but he doesn’t rule out taking further steps if needed. 1:22
The reciprocal agreement on irregular migrants, which Trudeau called an “exceptional” and temporary measure, was signed earlier today. The development comes just one day after the government announced all border-crossers would be under quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, and that the federal government was looking for space to shelter the arrivals.
Measures to control border
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said asylum seekers do not represent a higher public health risk, but monitoring and isolating them would present a challenge in unprecedented circumstances.
“It’s part of a larger suite of measures that we are putting in place to have better co