I had the opportunity to go on location in Florida with the team from the program Enquête. We did learn that some people are taking advantage of the situation and there are actually significant amounts of money involved. Well before arriving in the United States, people will already have spent unbelievable amounts —$8,000, $10,000, even $12,000. One woman who was refouled to Chile three times had even spent $37,000.
Their dream of getting to a welcoming country like Canada is so big that these people are prepared to give everything, even their lives; you can feel it. Smugglers take advantage of these people's vulnerability, but their dream is so big that they are prepared to do anything. If not the people we met, there will be other people who spend even more money.
I'm not saying not to criminalize the smugglers' activities. Nonetheless, the choice is simple: admit people here with respect and dignity. That is how we will show that Canada is much bigger than that country to the south that removes people in such a discriminatory way.