Will evaluate each case: Trudeau on Indian students facing deportation
Darpan News Desk IANS, 08 Jun, 2023 11:02 AM
New Delhi/Ottawa, June 8 (IANS) Assuring the 700 Indian students who are facing deportation from Canada over fake admission letters, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said they will evaluate each case and the victims of fraud will have an opportunity to demonstrate their situation and present evidence to support their case.
The remarks came as hundreds of Indian students, mostly from Punjab, have been taking on to the streets in Canada saying they were cheated by their immigration consultation agency in India that provided them fake documents, of which they were unaware of.
"We are deeply aware of cases of international students facing removal orders over fraudulent college acceptance letters. To be clear, our focus is on identifying the culprits not penalising the victims," Trudeau said during a parliament debate on Wednesday.
"Victims of fraud will have an opportunity to demonstrate their situation and present evidence to support their case," the Prime Minister said, while responding to Sikh-origin NDP leader Jagmeet Singh's concerns on the state of defrauded students, who are set to be deported his month.
"We recognise the immense contributions international students bring to our country, and we remain committed to supporting victims of fraud as we evaluate each case," Trudeau said.
Singh's NDP is reportedly preparing to introduce a unanimous consent motion in Parliament to cancel removal orders to support these students while also facilitating a pathway to permanent residency for them.
It will also assist students who could face deportation due to bogus enrollment offers.
"So my question is... will the Prime Minister stay the deportation of all these students that are impacted and provide a pathway to permanent residency for these students?" Singh asked Trudeau, presenting the case of victims.
According to the Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA), more than 700 Indian students are reportedly facing deportation after finding that their educational institution's admission offer letters were fake.
Most of these students had come to the country to study in 2018 and 2019.
The fraud was discovered when the students applied for permanent residency in Canada.
Brijesh Mishra, a Jalandhar-based agent, was responsible for providing fake admission letters, charging students thousands of dollars.
He charged more than Rs 16 lakh per student in addition to admission fees claiming to get them to prestigious colleges.
Meanwhile, students have been continuing with their sit-ins since May 29 at Airport Road of Mississauga, outside the CBSA's head office, holding banners saying, 'Unite against deportation', 'Stop deportation' and 'We want justice'.
Trudeau is in Kigali, the capital, where he will gather beginning Thursday with the heads of government from the other 53 countries in the Commonwealth for the first time since 2018.
Special weather statements now cover the inner south coast, east to the Alberta boundary and north to Fort St. John, raising concerns that daytime heat and modest overnight cooling will rapidly melt still-heavy snowpacks, adding to flood risks.
He will first fly to Kigali, Rwanda, Tuesday night to meet with the heads of the Commonwealth nations for the first time since 2018. Canada is planning to promote support for Ukraine and condemnation of Russia at the meetings. The trip also takes Trudeau to Germany for the G7 Summit and then on to Madrid for a NATO Summit.
Ken Fenton was convicted of crashing into Const. Sara Beckett's cruiser after running a red light in April 2016 near Victoria and was sentenced to five and a half years in prison.
If the Biden administration follows through on that plan, it would make Canada the only remaining G7 country not to have recently cut gas excise taxes or offered a subsidy to help lower pump prices.
To ensure this work is completed safely, northbound bridge lane closures, and a full closure of the Bridge Connector under the Royal Avenue overpass in New Westminster will be in place from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. The bridge will remain open to pedestrians, cyclists, and first responders in both directions at all times.
