Ottawa, Ontario June 10, 2024
MEDIA RELEASE
Time to Enforce Study Permit Conditions
It is the practice of Canadian universities to enroll foreign students to study here. This is of benefit to the universities for financial reasons, and also a benefit for the students to later enable them to better assist in the development of their home countries. Such students are issued Study Permits (student visas) temporarily to study in Canada. Study Permits come with terms and conditions, including obeying the law and staying in school—studying!
Unfortunately, in recent months, some of these students, although only guests in this country, have become engaged in political activity, and in doing so are breaking the law, no longer in class studying and thus violating the terms of their Study Permits! Their demands include Canada, and the educational institutions at which they are studying, acknowledge and accept their cultural political “norms”, such as hatred of Jews, the genocide of Jews living in Israel, and the delegitimization, isolation, and destruction of the Jewish state.
Study Permit Not a Protest Permit
A student visa does not extend any rights to foreign students to participate in political unrest in Canada, let alone break the law in doing so. Nonetheless, these students are engaging in unlawful activity at a number of levels: by participating in antisemitic protests on the streets; intimidating Jewish establishments and communities; and participating in the closing of classrooms and buildings at their universities, denying other students the ability to pursue their education for which they have paid tuition. Further, these foreign students have trespassed on university campuses by erecting antisemitic encampments, and harassed, threatened and intimidated Canadian students of Jewish faith who have a right to attend these universities in a safe environment.
Foreign students who abuse their student visas by provoking political unrest in Canada and violate Canada’s Criminal Code by provoking hate and engaging in the harassment and intimidation of Canadians, no matter what their faith affiliation might be, and calling for genocide against Israel, should be suspended from the universities, their student visas revoked, and they should be deported. Canada does not need their intimidating and lawless provocations that express views that are so antithetical to Canadian values and the safety of so many of our fellow citizens.
Further, such students should not, under any circumstances, be granted permanent resident status in Canada, which is the usual backdoor entry to Canada made by foreign students after graduation.
Peace, Order and Good Government
To date, it would appear that only university officials in Alberta and at York and McGill University have come forward to restore civility and safety on their campuses. Yet in other provinces, university officials appear to be unwilling or unable to protect their campuses from damage or their students from harm.
It is clear that Canada can no longer tolerate student guests in our country who are not endeavouring to adopt, or at least respect, Canada’s civic values of respect for law and peaceful assembly. This is an important teaching opportunity to show foreign students, as well as others, a lesson about the consequences of bringing their sectarian hatred and violence to Canada.
In the absence of university action, it is time for good government to return peace and order to campuses by enforcing the terms and conditions of Study Permits. If foreign students are not in the classroom studying, then they have no business being in the country. That is merely stating the obvious, as the only reason they are allowed into Canada is to study. It is high time that the federal government became serious about ensuring the rules around Study Permits are followed, not only for the benefit and safety of universities but more importantly for the benefit of those foreign students who come to Canada and legitimately want to study.
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For further information contact:
Pauline Guzik
National President
REAL Women of Canada
Cathy Smith
Western Canada Board Member
REAL Women of Canada
Email: info@realwomenofcanada.ca
Web: www.realwomenofcanada.ca