Canada prepares welcome mat for American ‘asylum seekers’

Predictions of an American exodus under a Donald Trump presidency were largely viewed as tongue in cheek during the campaign.

Canadians greeted the prospect of American refugees with their typical quirky humor, eagerly touting the country’s healthcare system, poutine, maple syrup and “the good side of the Niagara Falls.”

But as it became clear late Tuesday that Trump was on a sure path to the White House, interest in moving to Canada spiked and crashed the country’s immigration website.

“I think it’s an emotional reaction. I don’t know if they’ll follow through,” Ottawa immigration lawyer Julie Taub told AFP on Wednesday, hours after Trump was declared the president-elect.

“It’s unlikely that a flood of Americans would arrive at the border seeking asylum.”

However, Taub and other immigration lawyers said they received several inquiries from Americans as they arrived at the office in the morning.

Over the past year, Canadian real estate agencies and regions with sparse populations used the US election to launch marketing campaigns to attract newcomers.

“Move to beautiful Nunavut,” said a Twitter message on Wednesday, hyping the Arctic territory’s pristine environment and “10 months of winter each year.”

The island of Cape Breton in Nova Scotia on Canada’s east coast welcomed Americans under the slogan, “Cape Breton if Donald Trump wins.”

— AFP