Maple Leaf

Thursday May 22, 2024

A survey points out a concerning decline in Canada's reputation as a welcoming destination for international students due to governmental missteps, commercialization of education, and the exploitation of legitimate criticisms for xenophobic purposes.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday May 22, 2024

Addressing the Worrisome Public Backlash Against International Students in Canada

Canada is dealing with more immigrants while also facing a shortage of doctors and healthcare workers, emphasizing the need for solutions to keep skilled professionals and help newcomers settle in.

February 6, 2024

Recent findings from the 2023 international student survey, as highlighted in the Toronto Star, reveal a troubling decline in Canada’s reputation as a welcoming destination for foreign students. Larissa Bezo, President of the Canadian Bureau for International Education, points out that Canada is losing its image as a safe and supportive environment. This shift is due to government ineptitude and the commercialization of international education, but these criticisms are also being exploited for xenophobic and nativist purposes, intensifying the backlash against international students.

The Canadian dream for immigrants has turned into a harsh reality, prompting growing pressure to reassess immigration policies in the face of economic challenges, housing struggles, healthcare complexities, and cultural clashes.

January 19, 2024

The government’s recent policy changes, including capping study permits and limiting post-graduation work permits, were intended to address housing and economic pressures but have instead caused unintended harm to students and educational institutions. Visa processing delays and bureaucratic inefficiencies further erode trust in the system, compounding the problem.

Educational institutions, relying heavily on international students for revenue, have been criticized for prioritizing financial gain over educational quality and support services. Some have even been labeled “diploma mills,” damaging the sector’s credibility. Institutions like Ontario’s Fleming College face financial strain, cutting programs and staff due to reduced enrolments, which fuels public resentment.

News: International student survey shows worrying signs for Canada’s image, education group says

August 30, 2023

Amidst these issues, nativist and xenophobic sentiments are rising. Legitimate concerns are being twisted to promote anti-foreigner narratives, unfairly blaming international students for housing shortages and job competition. This scapegoating ignores the complex nature of these problems and fosters discrimination.

May 19, 2022

To restore confidence in Canada’s international education program, a nuanced approach is needed. The government should implement targeted policies and engage stakeholders in the policymaking process. Transparent communication about policy changes is crucial to manage public perception and reduce misinformation. Strengthening support systems for international students, such as housing assistance and integration programs, can mitigate backlash by addressing root causes of discontent. Public campaigns should highlight the value of diversity and the contributions of international students, countering xenophobic attitudes and reshaping public narratives.

July 28, 2023

The challenges revealed by the 2023 survey and the public backlash they reflect pose a significant threat to Canada’s reputation as a global leader in education. By refining policies, enhancing support systems, and promoting inclusivity, Canada can restore confidence in its international education program and reaffirm its commitment to being a welcoming destination for students worldwide. (AI)

Thursday May 19, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday May 19, 2022

‘Canada is not immune,’ leading Black voices say in response to Buffalo mass shooting

Members of the Black community in Canada on Monday are warning this country is also vulnerable to hate crime as they react with shock and horror to Saturday’s bloodshed in Buffalo that left 10 Black people dead.

October 30, 2018

“Canada is not immune to it,” Velma Morgan, the chair of Operation Black Vote Canada, told CBC News Monday. 

“We’ve seen what happened at different places of worship, we see what happens in London, Ont., we’re definitely not immune to it at all.”

Payton Gendron, 18, is accused of a racist rampage after he crossed the state to target people at the Tops Friendly Market in one of Buffalo’s predominantly Black neighbourhoods. He had talked about shooting up another store as well, Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia told CNN.

Authorities in Buffalo are working to confirm the authenticity of a 180-page manifesto posted online, which identifies the accused by name as the gunman. It cites the “great replacement theory,”‘ a racist ideology that has been linked to other mass shootings in the United States and around the world.

Saturday February 12, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday February 12, 2022

Flying the Maple Leaf

After the first full week of Winter Olympic competition in Beijing, Team Canada has won a total of 12 medals: one gold, four silver and seven bronze. (The Globe & Mail) 

July 22, 2021

Meanwhile, an expected protest at the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie, Ont., has police, border services, public health and politicians watching closely, fearing it could endanger people or further business woes.

Social media posts show people opposed to continued pandemic mandates have plans to bring transport trucks and crowds of people to the border crossing that connects southern Ontario to Buffalo.

Currently, protests are ongoing in border cities like Coutts, Alta., Emerson, Man., and Windsor, Ont., as rallies that started in Ottawa two weeks ago continue. (CBC) 

Nobody is threatening gridlock or shutting down the U.S.-Canada border as groups are in Ottawa and at northern crossings over the past few days.

Wednesday June 9, 2021

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday June 9, 2021

Muslim family in Canada killed in ‘premeditated’ truck attack

The attack took place in the city of London, Ontario province. A boy aged nine, the family’s only survivor, is in hospital with serious injuries. 

A 20-year-old Canadian man has been charged with four counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.

The attack was the worst against Canadian Muslims since six people were killed in a Quebec City mosque in 2017.

“It is believed that these victims were targeted because they were Muslim,” Det Supt Paul Waight told a news conference on Monday. 

Police are weighing possible terrorism charges, he said, adding that it is believed to be a hate crime.

Two women – aged 74 and 44 – a 46-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl were all killed. They have not been named, in accordance with the wishes of the family. A nine-year-old boy was in hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, said police.

Police named the alleged attacker as Nathanial Veltman, 20, of London, Ontario. He was arrested without incident at a shopping centre about 6km (4.8 miles) from the crime scene. 

It is not yet known if the suspect has ties to any hate groups, said Det Supt Waight.

“There is no known previous connection between the suspect and the victims,” Det Supt Waight said, adding that the suspect was wearing a vest that appeared to be “like body armour”. 

Police said Mr Veltman had no previous convictions.

Officials added that there was good weather and high visibility conditions when the black truck was seen mounting the kerb on Hyde Park Road at around 20:40 local time on Sunday.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford was among those who paid tribute to the victims, tweeting: “Hate and Islamophobia have NO place in Ontario.” 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted that he was “horrified” by the news.

“To the loved ones of those who were terrorised by yesterday’s act of hatred, we are here for you,” he wrote.

“This was an act of mass murder, perpetrated against Muslims, against Londoners, and rooted in unspeakable hatred,” said London Mayor Ed Holder.

In a statement, Mayor Holder said he was speaking “on behalf of all Londoners when I say our hearts are broken”. 

“We grieve for the family, three generations of whom are now deceased.”

Nawaz Tahir, a London lawyer and representative of the Muslim community, said during the police news conference: “These were innocent human beings who were killed simply because they were Muslim.”

“We will stand strong against Islamophobia. We will stand strong against terror with faith, with love, and a quest for justice,” he continued. 

“Hate will never overshadow the light of love.”

It is not the first time members of the Muslim community in Canada have come under attack.

In January 2017, a Canadian man fatally shot six worshippers at the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre, and seriously injured five others. The perpetrator was sentenced to life in prison. 

Canada’s deadliest vehicle-ramming attack happened in 2018, when a self-described “incel” (involuntary celibate) ploughed his van into a group of pedestrians in Toronto, killing 10 people. (BBC) 

 

Tuesday June 8, 2021

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday June 8, 2021

‘No more crocodile tears’: Residential school survivor demands action from feds

A residential school survivor says she is sick of talk, and is demanding action from the federal government on reconciliation between Canada and residential school survivors.

June 3, 2015

“Canada, no more talk! No more promises. No more crocodile tears. It’s time to take action,” said Evelyn Korkmaz, speaking at an NDP press conference Thursday.

Korkmaz said that survivors like herself have known that children’s remains were buried across Canada even before 215 bodies were found last week at the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C.

The federal government should fund the investigation of the 139 residential school sites across Canada, Korkmaz said, calling them “crime scenes.” She’s also urging Ottawa to identify the missing children and notify their families, complete the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, honour the residential school settlement agreement and stop fighting settlement cases in court.

Korkmaz was speaking at a press conference on a motion put forward by NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh that calls on Ottawa to drop a pair of Federal Court appeals he says represent a “belligerent” approach to justice for Indigenous children.

June 2, 2021

Singh says symbolic gestures are not sufficient and that the moment demands action, accusing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of hypocrisy in sympathizing with Indigenous communities while fighting them in the courts.

The Liberal government is appealing a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruling ordering Ottawa to pay $40,000 each to some 50,000 First Nations children separated from their families by a chronically underfunded child welfare system.

It is also fighting a tribunal decision that widened the applicability of Jordan’s Principle, a rule stating that when governments disagree about who’s responsible for providing services to First Nations children, they must help a child in need first and argue over the bills later.

Trudeau said earlier this week that “an awful lot” of work remains before reconciliation can be achieved, stating that residential school survivors need more support amid profound intergenerational trauma.

Singh is also asking the government for faster implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action, trauma resources for survivors and a progress report to be tabled in 10 days.

June 3, 2021

Korkmaz would also like to see the Catholic Church account for its role in residential schools.

“The Catholic Church also needs to acknowledge and take ownership to repent and pay for their sins,” she said.

Last week, the Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS) called on Pope Francis to address the atrocities that happened at residential schools, days after the remains of 215 children were found on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.

The Catholic Church was responsible for operating up to 60 per cent of residential schools in Canada and is the only church involved in residential schools that hasn’t made a formal apology.

Korkmaz said that it’s past time for Canada to take concrete steps toward reconciliation.

“The time has come to act. No more talk. We’re tired of talk. We need action and we need action now. Today.” (Global News)