OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is defending his treatment of a Quebec woman he accused of racism, calling hate speech and the politics of division a “dangerous path” for Canada.

At a news conference today outside Ottawa, Trudeau was asked whether he went too far when he told a woman heckling him at a rally Sunday in Quebec that her “racism has no place” in Canada.

During the rally, the woman was shouting questions in French at Trudeau, asking him when the federal government would repay Quebec for costs it has incurred as a result of an influx of “illegal immigrants” coming over the Canada-U.S. border.

The prime minister responded by accusing the woman of intolerance and racism, saying such sentiments were not welcome.

Trudeau says he fears a rise in extreme populism and a polarization in the political discourse, particularly around immigration, with some feeding fear and intolerance using partial truths and “outright lies.”

He says he intends to continue to call out such behaviour. </s> OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is defending his treatment of a Quebec woman he accused of racism, calling hate speech and the politics of division a "dangerous path" for Canada.

At a news conference today outside Ottawa, Trudeau was asked whether he went too far when he told a woman heckling him at a rally Sunday in Quebec that her "racism has no place" in Canada.

During the rally, the woman was shouting questions in French at Trudeau, asking him when the federal government would repay Quebec for costs it has incurred as a result of an influx of "illegal immigrants" coming over the Canada-U.S. border.

The prime minister responded by accusing the woman of intolerance and racism, saying such sentiments were not welcome. </s> Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shut down a woman who heckled him about illegal immigration, telling her that “racism has no place” in Canada.

Trudeau was at a rally on Thursday in Sabrevois, Quebec, when a woman began shouting at him in French. The incident was caught on video and later reported by Vice News.

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“I want to know when you are going to refund the $146 million we paid for your illegal immigrants,” the woman yelled, according to Vice's translation.

“OK, madame,” Trudeau responded in French. “This intolerance towards immigrants has no room in Canada.”

Trudeau continued with his speech, talking about how Canada was built by groups of immigrants, as the crowd erupted into cheers.

The same woman then approached Trudeau as he was stepping off the stage.

She asked him if he was tolerant toward Québécois.

Trudeau, flanked by security guards, told her that he was a proud Québécois. “Racism has no place here,” the prime minister told her, according to the translation of the video.

The Trudeau's office did not immediately provide a response when asked for a comment from Vice News on Sunday.

Trudeau has been quick to condemn racism in the past, offering support to Charlottesville, Va., last year after the deadly white supremacist rally there.

"We know Canada isn't immune to racist violence & hate. We condemn it in all its forms & send support to the victims in Charlottesville," Trudeau said in a tweet.

President Trump Donald John TrumpTrump awards Medal of Valor, civilian honors to responders in Dayton and El Paso shootings Texas Democrats unveil 'path to victory' plan for 2020 The Hill's 12:30 Report: Congress returns with gun violence, funding atop agenda MORE’s crackdown on illegal immigration has reportedly led to a wave of immigrants crossing the northern border into Canada.

More than 20,000 people, many fearing that the Trump administration would deport them, crossed the border into Canada in search of asylum in 2017, Reuters reported in March.

Following Trump’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy, the number of irregular border crossers spiked in July, Vice News reported.

There were 1,634 people intercepted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in July, up from 1,263 people who crossed in June, according to government numbers.

The Canadian government has responded to the influx of asylum seekers by budgeting an additional $173 million for security along the U.S.-Canada border, the outlet noted.

That funding will also provide temporary housing and assist the Immigration and Refugee Board with the influx of cases. </s> Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has defended himself after accusing a woman at a political event of "racism".

Mr Trudeau was speaking at a corn roast about 50km (30 miles) south of Montreal when he was interrupted by a heckler.

A woman repeatedly shouted questions at the prime minister about costs relating to an influx of asylum seekers entering the country.

Critics have accused Mr Trudeau of going too far with his response.

The prime minister did not respond directly to the criticism on Monday, but said he will "be very clear when people are trying to push politics of fear and indeed, intolerance".

"That's something Canadians expect of me," he said.

The Canadian Press reported that Ontario's Immigration Minister, Lisa MacLeod, said on Monday that the prime minister "debases the debate that we're having" on asylum seekers in responding to critics by calling them racist or un-Canadian.

A video of the altercation, which took place last Thursday, has been widely shared online.

The clip shows a woman yelling from the back of the crowd at Mr Trudeau.

She asks whether the federal government will pay back the province of Quebec for the millions of dollars it has spent to handle thousands of asylum seekers that have crossed into the province over the past 18 months.
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Since 2017, some 30,000 migrants have crossed the border illegally into Canada, where they turn themselves over to police in order to make asylum claims.

Both the provinces of Quebec and Ontario are asking the Trudeau government to foot the entire bill for the costs related to the asylum seekers.

The woman, speaking in French, repeatedly asks Mr Trudeau when he will refund "your illegal immigrants".

He responds: "Madame, one of the important things in politics to listen."

The woman, who has not been identified, says he has not answered her question.

The back and forth continues before the prime minister snaps that "intolerance towards immigrants has no place in Canada".

She then asks whether he is tolerant of the "Quebecois de souche" (old-stock Quebecers), and approaches the prime minister as he wades through a crowd of supporters.

There, he tells her that "your racism has no place here".

She is soon approached by a police officer who asks her whether she has identification and briefly grabs her arm.

She tells him to let go and says she has the right to ask questions of the prime minister.

The woman refuses to identify herself to police and eventually walks away.

She also interacts repeatedly with the man behind the camera who is filming the entire interaction.

He is heard asking police for their badge numbers.

Unconfirmed reports online suggested members of an anti-immigrant group were planning to disrupt the event.

Mr Trudeau's comments garnered some backlash online among critics who felt he mishandled the incident.

Others were supportive of his reaction. </s> Some world leaders are hesitant to unequivocally denounce racism. Others are much more forthcoming in their fight against it and consistently so. During a rally in Sabrevois, Quebec, the prime minister of Canada was recorded responding to a heckler who kept interrupting his speech, according to The Hill. The video captured Justin Trudeau telling the heckler "racism has no place," and his general message soared: the crowd cheered loudly in response against the heckler's questions about illegal immigration.

The interaction was in French, and according to Vice News' translation, the woman shouted, “I want to know when you are going to refund the $146 million we paid for your illegal immigrants."

“Madame,” Trudeau answered in French. “This intolerance towards immigrants has no room in Canada.”

Amid the heckler's efforts to interrupt, Trudeau went on with his speech about the strength of Canada and how immigrants helped to build its foundation as the majority of the crowd clapped in support.

After Trudeau finished his speech, the woman from the crowd approached him, with many in the crowd telling her to "shut up." repeatedly asking “Mr. Trudeau, are you tolerant towards Quebecois?" Trudeau responded that her “racism has no place here” and that he’s a “proud Quebecois,” according to Vice News.

The video also captured an interaction between the heckler and an official in plain clothing, who tried to question the woman. He holds her by the arm, and the woman pushes back, accusing him of bruising her arm and breaking her bones.

“I have the right to say my opinion to Mr. Trudeau,” the woman told the officer, before yelling that she was not threatening anyone and demanding that he let her go.

Trudeau has been clear in his role as a civil rights advocate and a leader quick to denounce racism, shown in his response to the Charlotesville rally last year. According to USA Today, Trudeau had tweeted, “We know Canada isn’t immune to racist violence & hate. We condemn it in all its forms & send support to the victims in Charlottesville.”

This time around, the heckler's point of contention came from the country's more recent problem of undocumented immigrants crossing from the United States into Canada. The Trump administration's zero-tolerance policy on illegal immigration has reportedly resulted in an influx of migrants traveling across the border up north, according to The Hill. Fearing deportation under Trump, Reuters reported that upward of 20,000 people searching for asylum crossed the border illegally into Canada last year. In June, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police caught 1,263 people crossing the border, and that number grew to 1,634 people for the month of July, according to Vice News, though the overall number has been in decline for 2018.

Because of the extra costs in handling the wave of undocumented migrants — which include temporary housing and assisting the Immigration and Refugee Board with the flood of cases — the city of Quebec is sending the bill on to its federal government, asking for $146 million, the same figure that the heckler asked Trudeau about. The figure includes an estimate for associated future costs. Part of the heckler's anger may be from what's currently budgeted; according to Vice News, the province is only set to receive $36 million at this point.

Outside of Quebec, the country does have money going toward the issue in an attempt to alleviate the overwhelmed system: Canada has allowed an overall extra $173 million to bolster border security, more temporary housing, and to help with backlogged caseloads. </s> OTTAWA — Hate speech and the politics of division are creating a "dangerous path" for Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday as he vowed to steer clear of such roads and to continue calling out those who rely on "extremist" methods to make their voices heard.

Trudeau made the comments when asked whether he went too far in accusing a Quebec woman of racism and intolerance as she heckled him Sunday during a rally in Quebec.

During the rally, the woman was shouting questions in French at Trudeau, asking him when the federal government would repay Quebec for costs it has incurred as a result of an influx of "illegal immigrants" coming over the Canada-U.S. border.

The Quebec government has demanded Ottawa pay the full costs of social services provided to so-called irregular migrants who have crossed into Canada between established border crossings over the past couple of years — costs the province says have reached $146 million so far.

The prime minister responded to the woman by accusing her of intolerance and racism and saying her sentiments were not welcome.

At a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for a new Amazon distribution warehouse east of Ottawa, Trudeau said he fears a rise in extreme populism, particularly surrounding immigration issues, with some feeding fear and intolerance using partial truths and "outright lies."

"There has been a polarization in our political discourse," Trudeau said as construction machinery clattered in the background.

"And there are people who are trying to feed fears and intolerance for a broad range of reasons.... I will remain positive and remain pulling people together, pulling communities together right across this country."

Ontario's minister responsible for immigration, Lisa MacLeod, was on hand Monday for Trudeau's news conference. It's the prime minister who is creating divisions by shouting 'racism' at those who question his government's immigration policies, she said.

"I think when the prime minister, when confronted with some of the problems his government has created, turns around and fearmongers and calls people un-Canadian or racist, (he) really debases the debate that we're having." </s> Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to heckling about irregular border crossers by telling a woman, “Your racism has no place here.”

Trudeau made the remarks after the woman interrupted him during an event in Quebec on Thursday to ask when the federal government would repay the province for the $146 million that Quebec says it has cost to handle an influx of asylum seekers.

READ MORE: Ottawa to give $50M to Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba for asylum seeker costs

Although the event happened Thursday evening, it was captured on camera and is now picking up steam online, with one of the original Facebook posts racking up more than 303,000 views.

In it, the woman can be heard asking in French about when Quebec will get the money. The province has been the entry point for the majority of asylum seekers to Canada so far this year. Ottawa has said it will give the province $36 million, while Ontario will get $11 million and Manitoba will get $3 million.

In response, Trudeau lectures the woman about political etiquette.

“One of the important things in politics is to listen,” he tells her. Shortly after, he remarks repeatedly on her “intolerant” views.

READ MORE: Reality check: Is Canada facing an asylum seeker ‘crisis?’

After the event, the woman approaches Trudeau while he’s mingling with the crowd and asks if he’s tolerant of Quebecois. To that, the prime minister says he is “proud Quebecois.”

Trudeau addressed the comments at an Ottawa event on Monday morning, speaking about intolerance and immigration.

“I will not flinch from highlighting when the politics of division, of fear, of spreading misinformation is actually harming the fabric of this country,” he said.

“The fact is, we have a situation where there are irregular arrivals coming across our border into Canada,” Trudeau said, noting each person is being processed in a way that is “100 per cent consistent” with the country’s existing immigration system.

For months, debate has been raging over whether asylum seekers who cross between designated checkpoints should be referred to as “illegal” or “irregular.”

READ MORE: ‘Illegal’ or ‘irregular’? Debate about asylum-seekers needs to stop, experts warn

While some politicians, including Lisa MacLeod, Ontario’s minister responsible for immigration, use the term illegal, experts have made it clear that Canada’s own Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) allows for such crossings.

“There’s nothing illegal when you come and you cross an international border to claim asylum,” Jean-Nicolas Beuze, a representative from the UN High Commission on Refugees, told Global News last month.

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The latest figures show the number of irregular border crossings went up in July following two straight months of decline. Federal data indicates the RCMP apprehended 1,634 migrants between official crossings in July, 371 more than they apprehended in June. However, overall, the numbers are still lower than they were in the spring and much lower than the totals for July 2017.

“While these [latest] numbers are promising, Canadians expect all levels of government to work together to live up to our international and humanitarian obligations,” said Mathieu Genest, spokesperson for Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen.



— with a file from The Canadian Press </s> Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's spokesman on Thursday denied Trudeau had "negative interactions" at a 2000 music festival when an editorial resurfaced accusing Trudeau of sexual harassment at the event.

Trudeau's press secretary Matt Pascuzzo said in a statement to BuzzFeed News that Trudeau has always respected women and that he "doesn't think he had any negative interactions" at a music festival in Creston, British Columbia.

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The allegation was first published in an editorial by the Creston Valley Advance in August 2000.

Trudeau was accused of groping one of the publication's reporters, in an editorial that includes a reported apology from Trudeau.

“I’m sorry. If I had known you were reporting for a national paper, I never would have been so forward,” he reportedly said at the time.

Trudeau was a 28-year-old at the time and best known for being the son of former liberal Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

The editorial, which has been resurfaced semi-frequently over the past 18 years, was brought to light most recently by conservative news outlet Breitbart on Thursday. </s> Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized in parliament on Wednesday for Canada's refusal to admit Jewish asylum seekers fleeing Nazi Germany just months before the outbreak of World War II.

On May 15, 1939 the ocean liner MS St. Louis departed Germany and crossed the Atlantic with 907 German Jews aboard, desperate for refuge from persecution.

The passengers were barred from disembarking at Cuba, and then denied entry in the United States and Canada due to the discriminatory immigration policies of the time.

Forced to return to Europe, many were sent to concentration camps, and 254 died in the Holocaust.

Their emotional journey would later inspire the 1974 book "Voyage of the Damned" and a movie of the same title.

"While decades have passed since we turned our backs on Jewish refugees, time has by no means absolved Canada of its guilt or lessened the weight of its shame," Trudeau said in a speech.

"Today, I rise in this House to issue a long overdue apology to the Jewish refugees Canada turned away," he said.

"We are sorry for the callousness of Canada's response," he said. "We refused to help them when we could have. We contributed to sealing the cruel fates of far too many at places like Auschwitz, Treblinka, and Belzec."

Earlier the prime minister sat down in his office with one of the survivors of that tragic voyage, Ana Maria Gordon, and her family to discuss the need to continue fighting anti-Semitism.

"We had a tragic reminder just a few weeks ago that we need to continue to work together," Trudeau told reporters, alluding to the massacre of 11 people at a synagogue in the US city of Pittsburgh on October 27.

The attack was believed to be the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in recent American history.

In Canada, incidents of anti-Semitism -- including harassment, vandalism and violence -- reached a record high in 2017, doubling from the previous year to 1,752, according to the Jewish advocacy organization B'nai B'rith.

In parliament, Trudeau called on all Canadians to "stand up against xenophobic and anti-Semitic attitudes that still exist in our communities, in our schools, and in our places of work."

"Holocaust deniers still exist. Anti-Semitism is still far too present," he said. "Discrimination and violence against Jewish people in Canada and around the world continues at an alarming rate.

"Sadly, these evils did not end with the Second World War." </s> On Wednesday, the Canadian Senate passed bill C-210, which aims to change the lyrics in “O Canada,” the Canadian national anthem, to make it gender-neutral. The bill had first been introduced in the Senate in June 2016.

The bill was introduced as a private member’s bill by member of Parliament Mauril Belanger; he is no longer a member of the Canadian Parliament as he died in 2016 after fighting Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The bill stipulates that the lyric, “True patriot love in all thy sons command” be altered to “True patriot love in all of us command.” – READ MORE

With renewed pressure brought to bear by President Donald Trump on illegal aliens in the U.S., Canada is warning immigrants here that illegally crossing into Canada is not a free ticket to permanent residency and they can still be deported back to their point of origin if they steal across America’s northern border.

With many illegal immigrants becoming uneasy over their status in the U.S., some are eyeing a trip northward to a country many are told will accept everyone and give them lots of free stuff to boot.

But Ahmed Hussen, Canada’s immigration minister, recently warned illegals that they shouldn’t waltz into Canada and necessarily expect to get cradle to the grave freebies, according to the New York Times.

Hussen, who was an immigrant to Canada himself, warned illegals that while Canada is a welcoming country, they won’t take everyone who illegally crosses into the country.

“We don’t want people to illegally enter our border, and doing so is not a free ticket to Canada,” Hussen said . “We are saying, ‘You will be apprehended, screened, detained, fingerprinted, and if you can’t establish a genuine claim, you will be denied refugee protection and removed.’” – READ MORE

When President Trump issued a travel ban on citizens from seven Muslim terrorist hotbeds shortly after taking office, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was incensed.

“To those fleeing persecution, terror and war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength,” Trudeau wrote on January 28, 2017.

But in 2018, the young prime minister is singing a different tune.

The Canadian government, worried that Salvadorans will flood across the border into Canada to avoid deportation, is now trying to discourage them from crossing into the country — as thousands of Haitians did last year after they were threatened with the loss of similar protection.

“The government announced that it was planning to send Pablo Rodriguez, a Spanish-speaking member of Parliament, to California in the coming days to speak to community groups, lawyers and Spanish-language media,” the Miami Herald reported. “His message is simple: If you don’t qualify for refugee or asylum status, don’t try to cross into Canada.” – READ MORE
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shuts down a woman who heckled him about illegal immigration, telling her that “racism has no place” in Canada.