Quebec's National Assembly asks Ottawa to act faster in welcoming Ukrainian refugees

The National Assembly is calling on the federal government to speed up procedures for welcoming Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion in Quebec.

A motion to this effect was adopted by parliamentarians from all parties Tuesday afternoon.

News reports have indicated that Ukrainians seeking refuge in Canada face complex and cumbersome procedures.

The motion tabled by Prime Minister François Legault calls on Ottawa to make it easier for them to come to Canada and to speed up the process.

"We must do our part," Legault said in the Quebec legislature. "Quebec is ready to do its part with the federal government to welcome Ukrainian families in Quebec."

The leader of the official opposition, Dominique Anglade, recalled that Quebec has a "long humanitarian tradition" and has welcomed waves of Vietnamese, Afghan and Syrian refugees.

"We have a role to play as Quebecers, as Canadians," she said. "We also have a role to play at the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, which has not yet made a decision. We also have a role to play in the humanitarian reception of people who come here."

Quebec must "continue to put pressure on Ottawa to ensure that these people are received quickly," she concluded.

"We are asking for it in an insistent way, not a small request like on the corner of the table: it is necessary that it moves, then that it moves more quickly," said Manon Massé, of Québec solidaire.

"In Quebec, I hear we are ready to welcome, and we, too, must lighten the load so that it happens faster, that it happens better."

The PQ parliamentary leader, Joël Arseneau, stated that this solidarity with the Ukrainians is the only position that is morally, even humanly, admissible and decent.

He added that "the reception of refugees, the reunification of families must be facilitated, must be further accelerated now."

According to reports, more than 2.5 million Ukrainians have fled their country since the beginning of the Russian invasion three weeks ago.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on March 15, 2022.