Quebec’s premier told reporters he will raise the issue in order to have the other provinces pressure Ottawa to reduce their number by half.
Legault arrived in Halifax on Sunday for the three-day meeting, which will be presided over by Nova Scotia premier Tim Houston.
Houston told reporters last Thursday that this week’s meeting will concentrate on “key questions such as affordability, housing and infrastructure.
But on Monday, Legault told reporters he will raise the issue of asylum seekers in an effort to have the other provinces pressure Ottawa to reduce their number by half.
“Clearly, we would like some to move to other provinces,” said Legault. “Some provinces are open, others are not. But basically we have to reduce the number of people who are accepted.”
Legault said he started raising the issue with his colleagues on Sunday evening.
“There are some premiers who have a certain openness to look at the possibility of having some asylum seekers transferred (to their provinces). But it isn’t simple.”
Meanwhile the Nova Scotian premier said last week he expected to have conversations on the issue of relations between the provinces and the federal government.
A statement from the executive council of Newfoundland and Labrador said the premiers should continue discussions on the “revitalization of co-operative federalism” in Canada.