Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): The hunger strike launched by international students from Portage College in Calgary has come to an end after Alberta MLA Parmeet Singh met with the protesting students and assured them that he is working to help resolve their concerns. According to the students, the MLA informed them that he has contacted the federal immigration authorities and is making efforts to find a positive resolution to their immigration-related issues.
Despite the end of the hunger strike, the crisis remains far from over.
The protesting students allege that nearly 2,000 international students have been left facing an uncertain future due to what they describe as failures by the college administration, provincial authorities, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). They say their academic, financial, and immigration futures are now hanging in the balance.
Many students expressed deep anxiety about their future, saying they do not know what lies ahead. They described living under constant mental stress, with uncertainty increasing every day and no clear path forward.
Throughout the protest, members of Calgary’s Indian community stepped forward to support the students by providing food and other essential assistance, demonstrating solidarity during what many participants described as one of the most difficult periods of their lives.
Several students also voiced disappointment with the response from elected representatives. They alleged that, apart from MLA Parmeet Singh, many elected MPs, MLAs, and other public figures have not actively engaged with their concerns or publicly advocated for their cause.
“We feel abandoned. Thousands of students are struggling, yet most of our elected representatives have remained silent. It seems our future is not a priority for them,” several protesting students told National Times.
The students are urging all levels of government to work together to find an immediate and compassionate solution, warning that prolonged uncertainty could have severe academic, financial, and mental health consequences for thousands of affected international students.
As the protest enters its next phase, students say they will continue their fight through peaceful and democratic means until concrete action is taken to address their concerns.
