Thank you.
I would say that, in Quebec, we also had the benefit of lessons learned over the past 30 years. As I mentioned earlier, the fact that I worked extensively in the immigration sector for 15 or so years no doubt gives away my age.
Having gone through a number of immigration waves, Quebec had to draw some important lessons. One wave, in particular, left quite an impact on me. It was back when I began working at the Maison internationale de la Rive-Sud, a settlement and support service for immigrants and refugees. At the time, Montreal was coping with a surge in refugees, or claimants, from Romania; they would stow away on shipping containers. The stories we heard were awful. Many of them died in transit from Europe. Not to mention, those who did survive the journey arrived in poor condition, placing an immediate and considerable strain on the health care system. They needed not just physical care, but also psychosocial services. As you can imagine, they were scarred by the journey.
Back then, the late 1980s and early 1990s, Quebec was on the receiving end of a rather massive influx of people crossing into the country irregularly, so the province was forced to adapt. I'm very proud to see that the province not only kept up its capacity to receive newcomers, but also increased that capacity by working with the federal government. That was thanks, however, to the Quebec government sitting down with the federal government. As I see it, the key lies in coming to the table and working together to find the best possible solutions.