Head rips Trudeau's 'ridiculous' plan to curb international student entry amid housing crisis
New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh has publicly criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over Canada's escalating housing crisis, arguing that it should not be blamed on the influx of international students.
Singh took on social media, saying that the housing crisis has left students struggling to find a home.
“Instead of blaming students, we must implement immediate solutions," he wrote on X.
The NDP's stance differs from the Trudeau-led Liberal government, which has proposed limiting the entry of international students as one potential measure to address the housing shortage.
"Let's be clear, there is no blame that should be attributed to international students for the housing crisis we are in," Singh said in a video message.
Singh proposed that educational institutions should develop plans to house their students and that study permits should be issued only to universities or other schools that can demonstrate they have such plans in place. The suggestion aims to address some of the immediate pressures on housing availability.
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Canada's affordable housing crisis is a growing concern, significantly impacting young people, low-income households, and the government's overall popularity. The shortage has been particularly difficult for the country's large population of Indian students, with some student groups organizing protests to demand suitable accommodations.
Currently, Canada hosts over 2.5 million temporary residents, representing 6.2% of its population. The government seeks to reduce this number to 2 million or 5% of the population.
"This will help strengthen the alignment between immigration planning, community capacity and labor market needs and support predictable population growth," immigration minister Marc Miller said in a statement.
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