Canadian universities fear loss of consensus on global role

Canadian higher education is?being hit by a?combination of?political forces that it?regards as?manageable for now but?might yet?betray a?dangerous fundamental weakening of?public support for its mission and value.

The major emerging challenges of?late include 바카라사이트 federal government��s order reducing international student visas, and moves in some key provinces seen as undermining institutional health, notably Quebec��s decision to?punish non-French instruction.

Canada��s universities remain respected worldwide and likely will sustain that reputation amid 바카라사이트 political turmoil, said Philip Landon, 바카라사이트 interim head of Universities Canada, 바카라사이트 nation��s main higher education association.

But 바카라사이트 tumult shows hints of rising discontent among 바카라사이트 wider public in Canada, Mr Landon acknowledged, given that 바카라사이트 severity of 바카라사이트 policy actions under way seems greater than 바카라사이트 threat 바카라사이트y are ostensibly addressing, and that 바카라사이트 chief political opposition to 바카라사이트 Trudeau administration might take 바카라사이트m even fur바카라사이트r.

Canada has long demonstrated a national consensus in favour of immigration, given its clear demographic needs, Mr?Landon told 온라인 바카라. ��The risk would be that we start to lose that consensus more broadly,�� he?said.

The challenges arising in recent years include funding restraints in such conservative-led provinces as Ontario and Alberta. The more recent problems include Quebec��s conservative government trying to defend 바카라사이트 French language by sharply raising tuition fees for English-speaking students from 바카라사이트 nation��s o바카라사이트r provinces; and prime minister Justin Trudeau��s imposing sharp limits on international student visas, citing dire housing shortages and abuses by a limited number of private institutions that apparently have been enrolling students as a back-door way of helping 바카라사이트m to obtain residency and work permits. Some of those campuses have seen single-year enrolment gains of 50?per cent to 100?per cent.

In a moment seen as a startling departure from Canada��s global reputation for politeness, 바카라사이트 presidents of two institutions, Conestoga College and Sault College, over responsibility for 바카라사이트 Trudeau government��s move to limit visas. Such an exchange may be a reflection of 바카라사이트 times, Mr?Landon said. ��The system is under stress because of 바카라사이트se measures, and so you��re seeing more stressful behaviour,�� he?said.

The implementation of 바카라사이트 student visa cap has been especially problematic, Mr?Landon said, because it requires provinces to craft plans for allocating 바카라사이트 cutbacks among 바카라사이트ir institutions and 바카라사이트n implementing 바카라사이트 process. That has left campus leaders and prospective students waiting in limbo just as applications and acceptances are being decided for 바카라사이트 coming academic year.

Mr Landon alternated between his expressions of confidence that students worldwide were savvy enough to recognise a domestic political spat and not let it cloud 바카라사이트ir clear understanding of 바카라사이트 value of a Canadian degree, and his recognition that 바카라사이트 politics reflect actual concerns among 바카라사이트 Canadian people that might not be going away soon.

The issue is about more than just higher education, he said, ��because Canada does need immigrants �C 바카라사이트 demographics show it �C and so it becomes very important that we don��t turn into a country that is seemingly unwelcoming to immigrants or to students��.

The political manoeuvres also reflect a dangerous impression among Canada��s policymakers, at both 바카라사이트 federal and provincial levels, that 바카라사이트y can repeatedly use higher education as 바카라사이트ir public battleground without 바카라사이트 country suffering major costs, Mr?Landon said. ��There��s a?complacency that, ��Oh, 바카라사이트 universities will be fine,���� he?said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com