VOA教育报道2023--As Tensions Rise, Canadian Colleges Confirm Indian Students Welcome

As Tensions Rise, Canadian Colleges Confirm Indian Students Welcome

Canadian universities are confirming the safety of their Indian students and providing resources after a diplomatic crisis between the two countries.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly accused the Indian government of being involved in the killing¹ of an Indian separatist leader in Canada. India deplores² the accusation³.

As Canadian colleges prepare to open classes, some students are considering delaying their studies. Others are wondering whether higher education could be damaged in the current crisis.

India by far supplies the most students to Canada's fast-growing international education business. About 40 percent of study permit holders⁴ are from India. International students provide over $14.6 billion to the Canadian economy each year.

Estimates by professionals in India show that over 100,000 students are preparing for an English language test and organizing financing to study in Canada next year.

Top universities offer programs costing up to $29,000 a year. Colleges provide short-term, less costly⁵ programs. They are connecting with students to confirm the diplomatic disagreement does not damage one of Canada's better-known exports.

Reporters from Reuters news agency spoke⁶ to numerous universities and professionals in Canada and India who said they were taking measures to reduce students' questions or fears.

Joseph Wong is vice⁷ president of the University of Toronto. He said the university has reached out to many partners in India to confirm they are committed to continuing cooperation. The University of Toronto had more than 2,400 international students from India in 2022-2023.

Canadian universities say the diplomatic disagreement may only be temporary. But Ashok Kumar Bhatia, President of the Association of Consultants⁸ for Overseas Studies, said many Indian students have become concerned about their safety.

Companies like IDP Education have been sending video messages in an effort to calm nerves.

John Tibbits is president of Conestoga College in Ontario. He noted⁹ about a hundred students out of the thousands that register every year were asking about delaying their study. Some current students were also seeking to attend classes online.

"Our biggest concern is the uncertainty¹⁰. What might the Indian government do as far as visas and how might people react," Tibbits said. "We are spending $36 million a year for college on just support for students."

International education has seen strong growth in recent years, helping¹¹ the industry become one of Canada's biggest exports. Education tops auto¹² parts, building materials and airplanes.

York University's President Rhonda Lenton was in India when news of the dispute broke. She said she is sure the two governments will be able to eventually resolve the situation.

But in the Indian state of Punjab, families and hopeful students are worried. An estimated 25 percent of families in the state have a member studying or preparing to study in Canada. Over 5,000 students from one city in Punjab moved to Canada last year.

Taxi-driver Jiwan Sharma is considering whether his son should complete his recent travel plans to Canada.

"I have put my lifelong savings¹³ worth over 250 million rupees ($4 million) for sending our son to Canada, hoping he would settle there, and help us in old age."

Tensions do not seem to be decreasing. After a report that India's government asked Canada to withdraw 41 diplomats¹⁴, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said Canada wants private talks with India to resolve the diplomatic dispute.

Gurbakhshish Singh, a student in Punjab, told Reuters he is sad that India's relationship with a welcoming country like Canada has worsened.

"The government has put our future in jeopardy," the student said.

Words in This Story

uncertainty–n. unknown, not knowing for sure

 

jeopardy–n. danger of loss, harm or failure

1 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

2 deplores   

v.悲叹，痛惜，强烈反对( deplore的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He often deplores his past sins. 他经常痛悔自己过去的罪恶。 来自辞典例句
• Regretting the lack of spontaneity and real sensuousness in other contemporary poets, he deplores in Tennyson. 他对于和他同时代的诗人缺乏自发性和真实的敏感，感到惋惜，他对坦尼森感到悲痛。 来自辞典例句

3 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

4 holders   

支持物( holder的名词复数 )； 持有者； （支票等）持有人； 支托（或握持）…之物

参考例句：

• Slaves were mercilessly ground down by slave holders. 奴隶受奴隶主的残酷压迫。
• It is recognition of compassion's part that leads the up-holders of capital punishment to accuse the abolitionists of sentimentality in being more sorry for the murderer than for his victim. 正是对怜悯的作用有了认识，才使得死刑的提倡者指控主张废除死刑的人感情用事，同情谋杀犯胜过同情受害者。

5 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

8 consultants   

顾问( consultant的名词复数 )； 高级顾问医生，会诊医生

参考例句：

• a firm of management consultants 管理咨询公司
• There're many consultants in hospital. 医院里有很多会诊医生。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

11 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

12 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

13 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

14 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》