I obviously wasn't in the IRCC offices or that of Mr. Miller during the discussions and so can't determine whether he did. What we know, however, is that a review of the policies and measures pertaining to the international student program has been in the pipeline since last summer.
Together with our partners in the post-secondary education sector, we actively participate in many consultations that IRCC conducts on various measures. The aim is to improve the integrity of the international student program and to maintain Canada's reputation as a premier destination.
That's why measures have been taken in recent months, such as the introduction of a new system for verifying letters of acceptance prepared by post-secondary educational institutions and the development of a framework for trusted institutions to expedite the processing of study permits where institutions are considered good actors. The minimum necessary income was recently increased for people wishing to enter Canada and study at an institution here.
Many things were already happening, and some measures are now being developed, while others are being rolled out. However, we haven't been able to gauge the impact of those measures. We had heard that a cap might be introduced, but we didn't know what it actually might be or the scope it might take. If the cap had been set for September 2023, the situation would have been different, but that wasn't the case. The result is a cap and a 35% reduction.
I admit we had neither heard nor anticipated that before the announcement last Monday.