Last week I learned of the cancellation of the very program that has led me to Africa. I was very dissapointed to learn of this event as was the Polytechnic of Namibia and the Commonweatlth of Learning in Vancouver. The program has enabled me with invaluable tools for cross cultural communication and management. I have learned and shared so much about Africa, quite a mysterious place for some, and in turn raised awareness of Canada. (No my friend it is not a state in America!) As simple as it is this cut is a huge blow to Canada’s international presence and appeal.
Seems this cut is not widely known, this is the only article I could find in the press.
Edit: Although this does affect the program I was a part of, it does not directly affect me or my terms with the Polytechnic of Namibia. The funding no longer remains for any more students to undertake a similar venture.
Embassy, September 27th, 2006
FEATURE By Geoff Regan
Cutting Scholarships Not a Welcoming Sign
It has become a cliché to say that our governments must equip Canadians with the tools necessary to thrive in our interconnected, ever more globalized world. Unfortunately, this is not as obvious as one might think–at least not in the Canada of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Under his minority Conservative government, Canadians are having to scratch and claw to keep alive any and all international education programs that we have, or once had, under the former Liberal administration.
On July 28, the Conservative government announced its refusal to renew two of this country’s most prestigious international scholarship programs, the Fulbright and the Commonwealth scholarships, for their five-year term. Furthermore, contributions from CIDA to scholarships at Canadian universities, including Dalhousie and Rimouski, have also been quietly cut. And on Monday, the Youth International Internship Program was eliminated.
It simply makes no sense for the government to make these choices. These cuts are not a necessity when the finance minister is sitting on a $13 billion surplus.
As well, there are increasing signs that the Conservative government won’t take the steps necessary to ensure new Canadians can practice their professions in Canada. Actual spending on programs to recognize foreign credentials is markedly down since the Conservatives took office.
None of this would have happened, of course, had the New Democratic Party not decided to bring down the government for the sake of a handful of extra seats. This new and unfortunate attitude towards international education comes compliments of that decision. As a result, at a time when Canada should be simultaneously reaching out to the world and welcoming its expertise, we are instead retreating from it and building firewalls.
In contrast, during the last federal election, the Liberal Party of Canada promoted the expansion of international education scholarship programs. To create new opportunities for Canadians to study abroad and encourage more foreign students to come to Canada, the Liberal party committed to providing $150 million over five years to assist with the extra financial cost that international study entails for Canadian students.
This initiative would have helped to increase Canada’s influence and stature abroad, and provided young Canadians with a valuable international learning experience.
A country’s domestic economy cannot survive by looking only inward. Expansion of trade and the development of strong international links are as much the building blocks of an advanced economy today as having a large industrial workforce was 30 years ago.
Without strong international links, no country can expect to build a modern economy. Programs such as the Fulbright and Commonwealth scholarships integrate top Canadian students into the international milieu. The value of fostering that expertise in Canada cannot be underestimated.
In fact, not only must Canada have the expertise to stay competitive in the international marketplace, we must also recognize that the labour market is becoming increasingly mobile. We can’t assume that there will be enough professionals in Canada to meet our needs. The need for medical professionals in Canada is a perfect case in point. There are doctor shortages across the country. To meet this need, we must be a player in the international labour market for doctors. Not only does this mean providing competitive salaries, benefits, and good working conditions, but it also requires that we make it easier for quality doctors to have their credentials recognized in Canada.
During the last federal election, Mr. Harper made a promise to new Canadians. He told them “the biggest barrier to newcomers is the frequent failure of Canada to recognize legitimate foreign credentials.” He vowed to do more to ensure that foreign-trained professionals meet Canadian standards and promised to speed up the process so that they could put their skills to work. Instead of honouring the previous Liberal government’s commitment, the minority Conservative government committed only $18 million, over two years, to establish a Canadian Agency for Assessment and Recognition of Credentials.
The Liberal budget of 2005 provided $75 million to help with the recognition of credentials for foreign trained doctors alone. And a total of $283 million to help foreign trained workers from all fields. This was part of a comprehensive $2.4 billion package to increase immigration to Canada and significantly speed up the integration process. All told, more than $1.9 billion was cut from immigration programs by the Conservative government in their last budget. This is no way to support Canada’s need for immigration or to support international education.
If we are to succeed, Canada needs to effectively engage the international community. Slashing funding for immigration programs and cavalierly jettisoning prestigious international scholarships clearly shows that the Conservatives do not understand this fact of modern life in our interconnected world.
Geoff Regan is the official Opposition critic for Human Resources and Social Development.
Source
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Last week I learned of the cancellation of the very program that has led me to Africa. I was very dissapointed to learn of this event as was the Polytechnic of Namibia and the Commonweatlth of Learning in Vancouver. The program has enabled me with invaluable tools for cross cultural communication and management. I have learned and shared so much about Africa, quite a mysterious place for some, and in turn raised awareness of Canada. (No my friend it is not a state in America!) As simple as it is this cut is a huge blow to Canada’s international presence and appeal.
Seems this cut is not widely known, this is the only article I could find in the press.
Edit: Although this does affect the program I was a part of, it does not directly affect me or my terms with the Polytechnic of Namibia. The funding no longer remains for any more students to undertake a similar venture.
Embassy, September 27th, 2006
FEATURE By Geoff Regan
Cutting Scholarships Not a Welcoming Sign
It has become a cliché to say that our governments must equip Canadians with the tools necessary to thrive in our interconnected, ever more globalized world. Unfortunately, this is not as obvious as one might think–at least not in the Canada of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Under his minority Conservative government, Canadians are having to scratch and claw to keep alive any and all international education programs that we have, or once had, under the former Liberal administration.
On July 28, the Conservative government announced its refusal to renew two of this country’s most prestigious international scholarship programs, the Fulbright and the Commonwealth scholarships, for their five-year term. Furthermore, contributions from CIDA to scholarships at Canadian universities, including Dalhousie and Rimouski, have also been quietly cut. And on Monday, the Youth International Internship Program was eliminated.
It simply makes no sense for the government to make these choices. These cuts are not a necessity when the finance minister is sitting on a $13 billion surplus.
As well, there are increasing signs that the Conservative government won’t take the steps necessary to ensure new Canadians can practice their professions in Canada. Actual spending on programs to recognize foreign credentials is markedly down since the Conservatives took office.
None of this would have happened, of course, had the New Democratic Party not decided to bring down the government for the sake of a handful of extra seats. This new and unfortunate attitude towards international education comes compliments of that decision. As a result, at a time when Canada should be simultaneously reaching out to the world and welcoming its expertise, we are instead retreating from it and building firewalls.
In contrast, during the last federal election, the Liberal Party of Canada promoted the expansion of international education scholarship programs. To create new opportunities for Canadians to study abroad and encourage more foreign students to come to Canada, the Liberal party committed to providing $150 million over five years to assist with the extra financial cost that international study entails for Canadian students.
This initiative would have helped to increase Canada’s influence and stature abroad, and provided young Canadians with a valuable international learning experience.
A country’s domestic economy cannot survive by looking only inward. Expansion of trade and the development of strong international links are as much the building blocks of an advanced economy today as having a large industrial workforce was 30 years ago.
Without strong international links, no country can expect to build a modern economy. Programs such as the Fulbright and Commonwealth scholarships integrate top Canadian students into the international milieu. The value of fostering that expertise in Canada cannot be underestimated.
In fact, not only must Canada have the expertise to stay competitive in the international marketplace, we must also recognize that the labour market is becoming increasingly mobile. We can’t assume that there will be enough professionals in Canada to meet our needs. The need for medical professionals in Canada is a perfect case in point. There are doctor shortages across the country. To meet this need, we must be a player in the international labour market for doctors. Not only does this mean providing competitive salaries, benefits, and good working conditions, but it also requires that we make it easier for quality doctors to have their credentials recognized in Canada.
During the last federal election, Mr. Harper made a promise to new Canadians. He told them “the biggest barrier to newcomers is the frequent failure of Canada to recognize legitimate foreign credentials.” He vowed to do more to ensure that foreign-trained professionals meet Canadian standards and promised to speed up the process so that they could put their skills to work. Instead of honouring the previous Liberal government’s commitment, the minority Conservative government committed only $18 million, over two years, to establish a Canadian Agency for Assessment and Recognition of Credentials.
The Liberal budget of 2005 provided $75 million to help with the recognition of credentials for foreign trained doctors alone. And a total of $283 million to help foreign trained workers from all fields. This was part of a comprehensive $2.4 billion package to increase immigration to Canada and significantly speed up the integration process. All told, more than $1.9 billion was cut from immigration programs by the Conservative government in their last budget. This is no way to support Canada’s need for immigration or to support international education.
If we are to succeed, Canada needs to effectively engage the international community. Slashing funding for immigration programs and cavalierly jettisoning prestigious international scholarships clearly shows that the Conservatives do not understand this fact of modern life in our interconnected world.
Geoff Regan is the official Opposition critic for Human Resources and Social Development.
Source
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