Growing number of Canadians want refugee ban

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Ontario

Canada’s reputation as a beacon for refugees dimmed somewhat as a new poll showed one in four Canadians believe the Liberal government should impose a Trump-like travel ban, local media reported Monday.

As well, 41 percent of respondents to the Angus Reid Institute survey think Canada’s target of accepting 40,000 refugees in 2017 is too high, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

But as if to highlight the division regarding refugees in the country, Montreal declared itself a sanctuary city Monday, guaranteeing services to undocumented immigrants without fear of deportation, the Montreal Gazette newspaper said.

The Angus Reid poll, however, demonstrates Canadians are worried about the influx of refugees.

“There has been a growing number of Canadians expressing concern over both the speed and refugees being resettled in Canada,” said Shachi Kurl, executive director of the institute, as reported by the Huffington Post.

The 25 percent who want a ban is significant.

“We tend to, when we are looking at numbers, look at the majority view,” said. “But the fact that one in four Canadians are of the mind that we should be looking to our own travel ban is significant and is part of a red flag that is starting to emerge in terms of refugee policy.”

The Angus Reid Institute used a random sampling of 1,508 adult members of its Angus Reid forum to conduct an online survey between Feb. 6-9. There is no margin of error because it was an online survey.

The number of Canadians backing the resettlement program as opposed to U.S. President Donald Trump’s ban still favors refugees.

Approximately 57 percent of those polled said the Liberal government made the right decision not to follow Trump’s lead, which includes a travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries. That ban was overturned by a panel of three judges but Trump has promised a new executive order as early as this week that would address immigration policies.

And 18 percent said the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should admit more refugees.

As for the target of 40,000 refugees to enter Canada this year, 47 percent said that is the right number.

Mayor Denis Coderre said the designation of Montreal as a sanctuary city, as voted by council, is but does offer protection and assistance to undocumented immigrants.

It comes at a time when hundreds of undocumented immigrants are fleeing the United States and crossing the border into Quebec.

Toronto, Vancouver, and London, Ontario, are already sanctuary cities.