Worldwide college students in Canada sleeping in a tent as a ‘publicity stunt’

Article content material

Canadore School President George Burton answered 20 minutes of questions Thursday morning from native media in hopes that what he needed to say would set the file straight.

Whereas the Canadore School assembly room on the Aviation Campus was bustling with celebratory occasions marking the fiftieth anniversary reunion, inside it was a distinct story.

Article content material

Burton didn’t mince his phrases when he spoke to the media for the primary time as what he mentioned was only a “publicity” ploy to attract consideration to the housing state of affairs within the metropolis. Final month, 20 to 25 worldwide Canadador college students claimed they have been pressured to sleep in a roadside tent as a result of there was no inexpensive housing out there to them.

Article content material

Associated tales

“The tent was arrange on campus by a gaggle that determined to make an announcement,” Burton mentioned. “Our college students weren’t driving it they usually arrange their tent, they usually requested the volunteers to remain in that tent all evening. If you happen to look inside there was no lodging. “They left the subsequent day. “The scholar housing state of affairs at Canadore has obtained district-wide consideration. When requested if he thought Canadore’s fame had been broken, Burton mentioned: “We took among the hit, however I believe we took among the hit for the improper causes. If we do not do one thing nicely, we need to hear about it and we’ll make it proper. If not we might love the chance to kind out the state of affairs and take care of the information.

Burton mentioned there are not any college students residing in tents or in automobiles.

International students in Canada
About 20 to 25 college students sleep inside a tent exterior the faculty. Photograph by Jennifer Hamilton-Charles, The Cluster

Burton confirmed that there are 17 college students residing in momentary housing — accommodations with small kitchens — till October when they are going to transfer into Canador housing, referred to as “The Greens.”

Article content material

Worldwide college students spoke to native media in early September about having to pay tuition charges of about US$14,000 and housing prices of between US$700 and US$1,600 per 30 days.

They organized an indication exterior the Industrial Courtroom, demanding that their issues be heard and an answer discovered. Manpreet Kaur, a member of the Montreal Youth Scholar Group, or MYSO, confirmed later that day that the faculty agreed with their factors. Textual content messages despatched to Kaur weren’t returned by deadline. Burton mentioned Canador will not be seeking to scale back the variety of worldwide college students it accepts.

This 12 months 1,600 worldwide college students are finding out in Canadore.

Burton confirmed that there was not a single worldwide pupil who withdrew from Kendor as a consequence of housing points. “We can have pupil housing for everybody who wants it,” Burton mentioned.

Burton acknowledged that the “stunt” introduced consideration to the housing problem, which he says will not be distinctive to the North Bay.

President of Canadore College
Canadore School President George Burton speaks to native media Thursday morning concerning the housing state of affairs for worldwide college students. Photograph by Jennifer Hamilton-Charles, The Cluster

“This was not the place or group to take action. Our college students have the fitting to specific their opinions, and actually we encourage it as an establishment of upper schooling. Nevertheless, we don’t want teams from exterior the group to mediate with our college students. We take care of them immediately. This may result in Community partitioning.

Our web site is the place to get the most recent breaking information, unique scoops, lengthy reads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and subscribe to our every day e-newsletter revealed right here.

Share this text in your social community

  • September 29, 2023