MNA told Rimouski-Negate-Tmiskwata-Not Basque, Maxime Blanchett-Goncas, he was appalled to see the discrimination Canadian immigration is practicing against French-speaking students from Africa. New data shows that these applicants face a much higher rejection rate than English-speaking applicants and that regional higher education institutions suffer collateral damage.
Since Immigration Canada has put in place an artificial intelligence system aimed at speeding up application processing, there has been systematic discrimination against French-speaking African applicants. It’s scandalous! Over the past three years, applications to Quebec universities from many French-speaking African countries have shown a rejection rate of over 80%, while this rate was 37% in British Columbia and 47% in Ontario. for 2020,” explains Representative Blanchett Juncas.
Last year, the University of Quebec in Rimouski faced a rejection rate of 71% out of a total of 2,064 study permit applications. The consequences of this injustice are manifold, and you feel the harshest in our regions! In 2021 alone, the federal government expelled nearly 1,500 handpicked youths, accepted by the university, accepted by the Quebec government, and sometimes even scholarship recipients. Studies are over. How ridiculous! Do they realize, in Ottawa, that this is exactly what we want, that they stay? “These professionals are an integral part of solving the problem of labor shortages,” said Representative Maxime Blanchett Juncas.
Alexis Brunel Ducep, MP for Lac-Saint-Jean and spokesperson for the Quebecoa Block on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship points out that these shocking discoveries are just the tip of the iceberg. “The House of Commons committee I’ve been sitting on has been highlighting the situation for three weeks. Every day, we’re discovering more of its ramifications. I’ve even had a government employee admit that artificial intelligence, used to sort files, is a risk and that IRCC is comfortable with it. This is unacceptable, we will continue to chase the government. ‘ Promised the block.
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas argues that the Canadian immigration computer system “whose lack of transparency is flagrant and alarming” should be highlighted. He believes that the fate of thousands of young Africans as well as the survival of the French in Quebec should not be done through a “discriminatory algorithm”. Bloc Québécois also suggested appointing an immigration ombudsman to ensure independent and objective oversight. This political party maintains that Ottawa should transfer to Quebec management of the process of selecting and receiving temporary residents, as it did in the process of permanent residence.
