Conservatives calling for probe into asylum seekers’ access to health care

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/02/2026 (219 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA – The Conservatives plan to put a motion before the House of Commons on Tuesday aimed at reviewing health benefits provided to asylum seekers and restricting who has access to those services.

The proposed motion also includes language calling for the immediate deportation of foreign nationals convicted of a crime in Canada.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre shared his party’s position in a social media video Monday morning.

“Enough is enough. We can’t allow foreign criminals to take advantage of our system, false refugee claims to overwhelm the services that you pay for,” Poilievre said in his video.

He cited a recent report from the parliamentary budget officer about the cost of the interim federal health program, which provides a host of medical services to asylum seekers, refugees and other protected persons.

Those services include routine medical treatment, hospital visits and lab work, and supplementary coverage for services like urgent dental procedures, some vision care, psychological therapy and prescription drugs.

The PBO projects the program’s cost will reach $1.5 billion annually in 2028-29.

The Conservative motion calls for a review of the benefits provided to asylum claimants to find savings, and for asylum seekers appealing a rejected claim to be covered only for emergency, life-saving care. 

The motion also calls for an annual report to Parliament on program usage, with a specific focus on supplementary benefits, which generally aren’t covered for Canadians.

The PBO report says about 624,000 people were beneficiaries of the interim federal health program in 2024-25, up from about 200,000 people in 2020-21. Most of those beneficiaries are asylum claimants.

The Immigration and Refugee Board has about 300,000 pending asylum claims in its inventory.

Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada data shows asylum claims decreased by about a third in 2025 compared to 2024 — dropping to almost 108,000 claims from about 190,000.

Immigration Minister Lena Diab cited those figures in question period when she faced questions from the Conservative benches on Monday afternoon.

“We are also making significant changes and have introduced (Bill) C-12, which will curb the misuse of asylum,” she said.

“We will control costs and we will truly protect those that are vulnerable.”

Bill C-12, which was introduced in the House of Commons in November, looks to improve processing of asylum claims. Among other measures, it would make certain people ineligible to claim asylum, including those who have been in Canada for more than a year and people who claimed asylum more than 14 days after they entered the country via the land border with the U.S.

It also proposes to ensure the Immigration and Refugee Board only decides claims when the claimant is in Canada, and would make removal orders effective the same day a claim is withdrawn.

The federal government is also introducing a co-pay for supplementary coverage and prescription drugs covered by the interim federal health program, starting May 1.

This measure was first introduced in the November federal budget as part of IRCC’s attempt to find 15 per cent savings over the next three years.

A notice published by IRCC last month says claimants will pay 30 per cent of the cost of services under supplemental coverage, including dental care, vision care, counselling and assistive medical devices. There will also be a $4 charge for each eligible prescription filled or refilled under the program.

The PBO did not include these measures in its report on the interim federal health program due to time and data limitations.

Former prime minister Stephen Harper’s government restricted supplementary coverage under the program for privately sponsored refugee claimants and those who made claims after arriving in Canada.

In 2014, the Federal Court ruled those changes violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Conservatives appealed, but the Liberals dropped that appeal after forming government in 2015, and restored the program.

On the crime front, Poilievre said the Conservative motion would ensure judges give “the full sentence” to foreign nationals and provide for the “complete” deportation of non-citizens convicted of crimes. 

Canada has laws on the books allowing for the deportation of foreign nationals and permanent residents convicted of crimes with maximum sentences of 10 years — even if the individual’s sentence is less than 10 years — and for people sentenced to more than six months in prison.

People facing removal under these laws have access to appeal options.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 23, 2026. 

— With files from Sarah Ritchie