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'.
They released surveillance footage of a man pouring flammable liquid on the front door of a home before setting it on fire around 3 A-M on March 27th. Police say a 23-year-old resident of the home was able to extinguish the fire, leaving the home with what they say was relatively minor damage.
The B-C Conservation Officer Service says three rifles have been seized and four people are under investigation after the carcass of a grizzly bear was found near Quesnel. The post says there is an open season for black bears but there is no such season for grizzlies.
Starting in June, rebates on an approved e-bike will be available to B-C residents older than 19 and will be based on income. Rebates will range from 350 dollars to a maximum of 14-hundred dollars.
Eby, cabinet ministers Josie Osborne and Brenda Bailey, and minister of state for trade, Jagrup Brar, will travel to Japan, Korea, Singapore and Vietnam. Meetings are set with government and economic leaders in all four countries.
Canada's total residential mortgage debt has climbed six per cent in the past year to 2.08-trillion-dollars. But Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation says the rate of growth has actually slowed compared with recent years.
Four people have been arrested and about 13-million-dollars in drugs have been seized as part of an ongoing investigation by Vancouver Police. Police say the drug seizures happened in March, when officers executed search warrants at various downtown locations.
