Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other lawmakers suggested Canada would be willing to take refugees affected by the White House crackdown on entry into the U.
Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen told a news conference he did not know how many people might be eligible, but said only a small number of passengers trying to fly to the United States from Canada had been denied boarding.
Mr Trump’s abrupt decision, which also affects refugees, left people around the world uncertain of whether they would be allowed to enter the United States.
“Let me assure those who may be stranded in Canada that I will use my authority as minister to provide them with temporary residency if they need it, as we have done so in the past,” Mr Hussen said.
The government of Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has so far refrained from criticising the United States, which takes 75 per cent of all Canadian exports, preferring instead to stress Canada is open to refugees.
The Canadian Council for Refugees called on Ottawa to pull out of its so-called Safe Third Country agreement with the United States, under which Canada returns asylum seekers crossing the US border.
Such a move would be diplomatically insulting and Mr Hussen said the pact would remain unchanged for now.
Local and national politicians in Canada have already condemned Mr Trump’s ban. On Sunday, the opposition New Democrats called for an emergency debate in the federal parliament.
Earlier in the day, more than 200 Canadian technology company founders, executives and investors called on Ottawa to immediately give temporary residency to those displaced by Mr Trump’s order.
