The federal government and the Government of Quebec have witnessed significant disputes over the past years regarding various issues, including immigration.

The head of a major business group reported that the recent dispute between the Quebec government and the federal government regarding immigration is based on policy rather than on the reality of the labor market.

Carl Blackburn, the president and CEO of the Quebec Employers Council, said: “In some ways, it is unfortunate.”

His comments come at a time when Quebec Premier François Legault is threatening to hold a referendum on immigration if the federal government does not take swift action to stop the increasing number of temporary immigrants, which include foreign workers, international students, and asylum seekers.

Legault said last week: The majority of Quebec residents believe that 560,000 temporary immigrants is far too many and that it harms our healthcare system, we do not have enough teachers, and we do not have enough housing.

Christine Frechette, the regional immigration minister, noted that the province's demands include stronger French language requirements in the immigration programs run by the federal government and a reduction in the number of asylum seekers and temporary workers.

While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rejected the province's attempt to take full control of immigration—a responsibility currently shared—Legault stated in March that his federal counterpart showed openness to some of the province's demands, agreeing on the need to reduce the number of temporary immigrants.

However, Blackburn disagrees with the view that there are too many temporary workers, stating that they work in our companies that produce goods and services, adding that their numbers reflect the needs of the labor market and the aging community.

He expressed support for Legault's call to reduce the number of asylum seekers in the province, as Quebec has received a disproportionate share in recent years, but he criticized the hasty decision made by the federal government to suddenly reinstate entry visas for some Mexican citizens earlier this year, a measure that Quebec advocated for as a means to reduce asylum applications.

He clarified that this has already had “direct effects” on businesses by restricting their ability to bring in workers.

He stated that any subsequent measures to reduce the number of temporary workers will further harm Quebec's economy as well as consumers who will no longer have access to the same goods and services.

Blackburn added: It seems as though our governments intentionally agreed to cause businesses to lose contracts for political party reasons rather than based on economic growth, which is somewhat illogical.

He emphasized that politicians unfairly blame immigrants for the lack of housing, daycare spaces, and teachers, while the real problem is the government's failure to invest in those areas.