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This week on Focus Montreal: April 7

In this file photo, a homeless man holds out a cap in downtown Montreal. Marcos Townsend/AFP/Getty Images

Focus Montreal introduces Montrealers to people who are shaping our community by bringing their stories into focus.

It airs Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and Sunday at 7:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and midnight.

Take a look at who we’re meeting this week on Focus Montreal:

Click to play video: 'Focus Montreal: Illegal border crossings'
Focus Montreal: Illegal border crossings

Illegal border crossings 

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Once again, asylum seekers are steadily pouring over the border from the United States into Canada.

Over the last few months, there has been an increase of migrants illegally crossing the Lacolle border from New York into Quebec.

Nearly 3,000 people crossed in the first two months of 2018.

READ MORE: Trump policies have caused turmoil within Canada’s immigration system

With more than 500 people illegally entering Canada over Easter weekend alone, border guards are growing increasingly concerned over what the warmer weather will bring.

To get a full scope of the situation, Global National correspondent Mike Lecouteur sat down with Jean-Pierre Fortin, president of the Customs and Immigration Union in Ottawa.

Click to play video: 'Focus Montreal: Doing away with sandbags?'
Focus Montreal: Doing away with sandbags?

Doing away with sandbags?

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Heavy rains that hit the province this past week had many reliving memories of the historic floods of last spring, and residents continue to worry about the province’s response.

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Some have told Global News they’re furious and accuse the government of lowballing their compensation.

Others, like residents from L’Île-Bizard, said they worry about the confusion between government departments. They were meant to attend a flood prevention meeting this week but it never happened due to a miscommunication.

READ MORE:Île-Bizard flood prevention meeting doesn’t come off as planned

One local engineer has his own unique solution to protect homes from future flooding.

Dr. Amar Sabih, a mechanical engineering professor at McGill, joined senior anchor Jamie Orchard earlier this week and explained that sandbagging is neither efficient, nor effective as a flood control tool.

His method? A plastic tarp and crowd control barriers.

Click to play video: 'Focus Montreal: Meet #GreatMtler Matthew Pearce'
Focus Montreal: Meet #GreatMtler Matthew Pearce

Meet Great Montrealer Matthew Pearce

Global News continues its special series profiling Great Montrealers — people in our community who are making a difference in remarkable ways.

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This week we introduce Matthew Pearce, the president and CEO of Montreal’s Old Brewery Mission.

Over his decade of working with the homeless in the city, Pearce has made a significant change in how we approach the issue and his vision is having a very real impact.

There are so many Great Montrealers around us. If you know someone who should be profiled as part of Global News’ Greater Montreal campaign, don’t forget to nominate them!

You can send us a private message on Facebook, tweet at us on Twitter or by e-mail:

WATCH BELOW: Meeting some great Montrealers

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