NDP urges Libs to do more to fill gaps left by U.S. travel ban, refugee policy
OTTAWA — The Liberal government is holding the line on its immigration and refugee policy in the wake of the U.S. travel ban, but leaving the door open to future adjustments as they continue to study the far-reaching — and fast-changing — implications.
“We have a very robust and welcoming refugee system,” Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen said Tuesday.
“We don’t develop policy on the fly. We have to make sure that we understand all the implications, to make sure that we stick to our numbers and make sure that we develop policy after careful consideration of all the implications.”
The Liberal cabinet minister was responding to calls — including from the New Democrats — to do more to fill the gaps left by U.S. President Donald Trump’s temporary immigration ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries and his indefinite bar to Syrian refugees.