Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre asked cabinet to reinstate visa requirements for Mexican visitors, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. “They must take action to fix it,” said Poilievre in a statement.Poilievre said cabinet should “reintroduce the visa requirement in order to prevent further abuse of the asylum system.”“In 2016, the [Justin] Trudeau government lifted visa requirements on Mexico that the previous Conservative government introduced, leading to increasing fraud and abuse in the asylum system, straining Canada’s ability to provide services and creating long processing delays for legitimate asylum seekers,” said Poilievre.Immigration and Refugee Board figures published in September show refugee claims by Mexicans alleging persecution in Mexico numbered 22,875. Mexico has the highest number of refugee claims from any country, including Haiti (16,693), Colombia (9,754), Turkey (9,515), India (7,910), Pakistan (3,424), China (1,093), and Russia (360). Mexican refugee claims peaked at 9,511 in 2009, prompting cabinet to impose visa requirements. Claims fell to as few as 120 per year once the visa requirement was enacted. Cabinet repealed the visa requirement in 2016. “We do welcome Mexicans to Canada,” said former immigration minister John McCallum. “We welcome the tourists.”Of course, McCallum acknowledged cabinet understood there were risks. He said there are risks when it enacts any measure. At the time, he said Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada was “working with the Mexican government to minimize those risks.” He did not elaborate. Immigration Minister Marc Miller said at a House of Commons Immigration Committee hearing in October it appeared Mexican drug cartels were involved with the uptick in new refugee claims. “There are certain facts I can’t disclose publicly, but we are looking into them,” said Miller.Bloc Quebecois MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Lac-Saint-Jean, QC) asked if changes should be made to visas for Mexicans. Miller said the Canadian government is “always very much aware of potential criminality.” When it comes to Mexican cartels, Brunelle-Duceppe asked if concerns at the border were about them. “There are concerns about all forms of criminality at the border,” he said. Since he avoided Brunelle-Duceppe's question, she said Mexican cartels at the border were part of them. “Yes, among others,” he said. Edmonton Police Service (EPS) Chief Dale McFee confirmed in September Mexican drug cartels were present on city streets, which was adding to the violence and social disorder.READ MORE: WATCH: EPS chief says Mexican cartels have been present in Edmonton for years“Do they have a presence in Edmonton?” said McFee. “You bet they do.”
