Citizenship and Immigration Committee on June 19th, 2023

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Is that a government superintendent or is that self-regulating? Do the colleges and universities themselves choose someone to be that superintendent?

[Anna Boyden]

No, the superintendent is at arm's length of government but works within my division.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

So when you say it's at arm's length of government, who makes the selection of that superintendent to do this task?

[Anna Boyden]

Of the superintendent? That falls to the public servants in the Ontario public service.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

So the process of that investigation is done within government, that is to say maybe not within the ministry itself but it's within government. Am I right to understand that?

[Anna Boyden]

It is within government but there is a very clear line between political involvement and the role of the superintendent.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Okay, I think I understand. Maybe I'll search it up.

Previous to this panel, we had a representative from the federation of students, Mr. James Casey, who advised the committee that international students—of course we know this—pay five times the tuition fees of their domestic counterparts. He also advised that the tuition fee for international students is slated to increase by another 12% in Ontario.

Is that correct?

[Anna Boyden]

Institutions in Ontario, publicly funded colleges and universities, are established by acts of legislature, and there are separate legal entities that are responsible for the academic, operational and administrative matters of their organizations. This includes responsibility for administrative process and operational policies, including charging, collecting and reimbursing international student tuition and fees. It rests with the individual institutions to determine the fees that are charged to international students.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

What's the average comparison, then, between the international student fees and those of domestic students for Ontario? Can you give us a broad figure?

[Anna Boyden]

I'm sorry, but I don't have that information at hand.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Is there something you can provide to the committee at a later time?

[Anna Boyden]

I'd have to follow up.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Thank you very much. I would appreciate that. I think that's an important piece to look into.

Also, in terms of the tuition fee increase, I understand that it's up to individual institutions to make that decision.

With respect to, I guess, follow-up information, if you can also provide the committee with information on the anticipated potential increases, on average, that might be taking place with international students.... Is that something you can provide us with by way of information?

[Anna Boyden]

Again, to reiterate the province's role, the tuition rates set for international students are done independently at each respective institution. It wouldn't be information that I would have easy access to any more than a member of the committee would.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

The Ministry of Colleges and Universities has no idea whether the tuition fees are increasing or not. That's a little bit disturbing.

I think an issue here that was raised by the Federation of Students, and that is impacting international students, is that this whole fraudulent scam is also related to the tuition fees they pay. I just want to flag that as a major concern.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Thank you, Ms. Kwan. Your time is up.

We can have 90 seconds for each party. Anyone can take it for the Conservatives.

Mr. Redekopp, who will take it from your side?

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Madam Chair, I'm wondering if we would all agree to bypass the 90 seconds and end this committee.

[Fayçal El-Khoury, Liberal, Laval—Les Îles, QC]

I agree.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

I need unanimous consent for that.

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

Does everyone have all the answers they were looking for? Okay.

With that, I really want to thank all our witnesses for appearing before the committee today. I know that it has been a late evening.

This is our last meeting before we adjourn for the summer break.

On behalf of all the members of the committee, I really want to thank our clerk, Keelan Buck. Thank you for the service you provide to us in this committee.

Thank you to our amazing analysts, Julie Béchard, Andrea Garland and Philippe Antoine Gagnon. Thank you for your service to this committee.

Thanks to all the interpreters and to the support staff.

This session has been a good one. We did a lot of work. I especially want to thank all the members for their work on Bill S-245.

We have been in many meetings, and many long meetings. All of us are supported by an amazing staff. Let's give a big hand to all our staff. Jeff Jedras does an amazing job. He really provides a lot of service to this committee.

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Surrey—Newton, BC]

So does mine, but I don't have a budget to give him a raise. Maybe I can take it out of—

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

It's the same problem here.

I want to thank all of the staff who provide us support every day.

Thank you to all the staff from the whips' offices and the House leaders' offices.

It has been a great session. I hope all of you are looking forward to spending time in your ridings. I know there is a lot of work waiting for us in our respective ridings, but I hope all of you will take some time to spend with your families.

My boys have a long list of all I have to cook when I am home. I am really looking forward to connecting with my constituents in the riding. Many amazing things are happening in my riding starting with Canada Day and our community barbeque. All of you will be busy. Maybe we will see each other sometime in the summer somewhere.

I hope all members will take some time to rest also and connect with their constituents.

Have a great summer.

With that, the meeting is adjourned.