Canada’s Oppn Leader Extends Support To Indian Students At Risk Of Deportation; What’s This Crisis About | Explained

JE News Desk: Pierre Poilievre, Leader of Opposition in Canada and conservative party lawmaker, has extended support to Indian students at the risk of deportation after getting duped by fraudsters. Moreover, Poilievre has pinned the blame of this crisis on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

He urged the Trudeau-led Liberal government to prevent the students from getting deported. Further, he urged the government to “prosecute fraudsters” and “let honest students stay and work and contribute to Canada.”

Also Watch:

"The Trudeau government failed to protect international students from crooked scam artists. Now, Trudeau is punishing the victims by deporting the students--even those that acted in good faith & have been working & paying taxes here for years. Prosecute fraudsters. Stop the deportations. Let honest students stay, work & contribute to Canada," Poilievre, said in a tweet. In that tweet the conservative leader posted his images with the families of students facing deportation.

The Trudeau government has already halted the deportation of as many as 700 Indian students in Canada after they held protests. The decision to halt these deportations came after a request from the President of World Punjabi Organisation, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, who is also an Aam Aadmi Party MP in India. 

ALSO READ: Canada Temporary Halts Deportation Of 700 Indian Students Days After PM Trudeau's Assurance

Ever since the protests began, political parties across the spectrum in Canada have extended their support to the students. 

But Why Are The Students Facing The Risk Of Deportation?

Most of the students at risk of being deported had entered Canada between 2017 and 2019. Some of them have even obtained work permits now while others have continued to pursue higher education. 

These 700 Indian students, and there could be more, were threatened with deportation after it was found that their admission letter were fake. Vikramjit Singh Sahney had reportedly explained to the Canadian government that these students were duped by unauthorised agents in India who handed them fake admission letters and payment receipts. Furthermore, he said that Canada’s immigration department had issued them visas without proper verification and allowed them to enter the country. 

A Canadian Parliamentary Committee, which was formed to probe the matter, found that the students were in fact fooled by unscrupulous education consultants and urged the government to take steps to prevent their deportation, the Indian Express reported.

This whole matter had come to light when some of these students had applied for the permanent residency status in Canada. The process to get permanent residency is quite elaborate and the scrutiny of applications is stringent. 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had repeatedly raised this matter with his Canadian counterpart, ANI reported. Jaishankar on June 8 while addressing a press conference in New Delhi had said that India will continue to press the case of Indian students stating that is unfair to punish a student who undertook their education in good faith and action should be taken against the culpable parties who misled them.

Immigration Minister Sean Frasier has indicated that Canada is actively pursuing a solution for international students who are facing uncertainty. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the need for fair treatment of students.

(With agency inputs)