The Trudeau government has condemned conservative premiers for "weaponizing" immigration, following contentious Council of Federation meetings in Halifax.

"They took a theoretical number of asylum seekers, based on the last year's number … divided it up by the population … and assumed the federal government would impose asylum seekers on them," claimed Immigration Minister Marc Miller.

"There was no point in time … that the federal government was going to impose thousands of asylum seekers on unprepared provinces," he added.

Alberta, one of three provinces to oppose the resettlement of more migrants, says it would not budge. The flow of asylum seekers to the province has more than tripled to 3,740 claimants, according to federal data. 

Immigration Minister Marc Miller accuses the Conservative premiers of Alberta, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia of "weaponizing" the issue of taking in asylum seekers.

"I think it's really irresponsible," he says. https://t.co/TXq29qhTJo pic.twitter.com/xdRsT3YZhf

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) September 18, 2024

On Tuesday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith opposed the federal government’s "unrestricted" immigration policies, citing housing shortages and growing demand for essential services.

"The Trudeau government’s unrestrained open border policies, permitting well over a million newcomers each year into Canada, is causing significant challenges," she said, during a primetime televised address.

Cabinet’s current Immigration Levels Plan sets quotas at 485,000 people this year, another 500,000 next year, and 500,000 more in 2026. These figures exclude the additional 1,040,985 foreign students and 766,250 migrant workers let into Canada last year.

Alberta’s population grew by more than 200,000 people in the last fiscal year, leading Canada in year-over-year population growth (4.41%).

Minister Miller contends most provinces are not taking in their "fair share" without naming Alberta. "Let me restate that Ontario and Quebec are doing more than their fair share and the other provinces need to step up," he said.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller praises the Liberals' immigration policies but concedes that they've "allowed certain aspects of this to get overheated, and probably for too long." https://t.co/TXq29qhTJo pic.twitter.com/WbfU7AoodP

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) September 18, 2024

Data shows Québec has accepted 300,000 more migrants, not including permanent residents, over the past two years. As of January 1, 2024, the province housed 54% of all asylum seekers in Canada.

Housing asylum seekers is a provincial responsibility, according to the Department of Immigration. 

Minister Miller earlier said the number of asylum claimants "aren't going down drastically anytime soon," despite 60% of Canadians saying immigration levels are too high. 

While Alberta has had fewer asylum claims, this class of newcomer has increased by roughly double or more, during the first five months of the year, compared to the same period last year.

Premier Smith earlier declined to welcome more migrants into the province, reported the Globe and Mail. 

Alberta's ongoing housing crisis and lengthening queues at social services has prompted Premier Danielle Smith to decline welcoming more migrants to the province. https://t.co/5j0lo2Oyq1

— Rebel News Canada (@RebelNews_CA) July 26, 2024

On July 17, she said her province is in a "very similar position" to their eastern neighbour. At the time, the premier told reporters that Alberta takes in 22% of newcomers despite having 12% of Canada’s population.

During the Council of Federation meetings, Smith complained Alberta was not privy to extra federal dollars to aid the resettlement of asylum seekers, while Ontario and Quebec received considerable funding.

"There's money on the table," Minister Miller said. "There's over a billion dollars that we've committed," he added.

The Trudeau government earlier pledged $750 million to Quebec after heralding concerns from Premier François Legault. Similarly, Toronto and Ottawa received $162 million and $32 million earlier this year, respectively.

"Alberta’s government has received nothing," confirmed a spokesperson for Alberta’s Ministry of Immigration and Multiculturalism.

'Canada will become a third-world country': Maxime Bernier sounds alarm on mass immigration

'I said it and it's part of our platform, we need to deport the illegals,' said Bernier.

People's Party of Canada (PPC) leader @MaximeBernier discussed how unsustainable mass immigration… pic.twitter.com/2Mp4VF0GlN

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) September 3, 2024

Minister Miller contends the premier has "decided to weaponize the issue." Smith clarified Alberta has "always welcomed newcomers who possess our shared values."

"There are countries in Europe that have a system that makes sense and indeed the European Union … are facing different challenges than us," Miller said, noting their concerns “at least [make] some semblance of sense."

With the Trudeau government at risk of failing a non-confidence vote in the coming weeks, Smith said her government will support any government that would roll back immigration to match controls under the last Conservative prime minister. 

"I am joining with other premiers across our country in calling on the current federal government to immediately reintroduce sensible and restrained immigration policies similar to levels we saw under Stephen Harper," the premier said.

"So that all provinces have some time and resources to sustainably catch up with growth and to ensure those coming here are closely aligned with our country’s economic needs and our core values," she added. 

"And if the current federal government won’t make these changes, our government will certainly support anyone that will."