Students in Etobicoke-Lakeshore and across Ontario can now apply to get 30 per cent off the cost of their tuition.

“In difficult economic times, it is essential that as many students as possible are able to get the education and skills they need to succeed in a changing job market. This grant will be particularly helpful to our degree students who, like their university counterparts, must finance four years of postsecondary education. We applaud the Ontario Government for this initiative and remain committed to providing a quality educational experience that will prepare all our graduates for the jobs of the future,” stated John Davies, President, Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning

To help keep the cost of postsecondary education affordable the government is taking 30% off the average tuition for families – that means $800 for undergraduate degree students at Humber College and $365 for diploma and certificate students at Humber College this semester.

Students could be eligible, if:

• They are a full-time student at a public college or university in Ontario
• It’s been less than four years since they left high school
• They are in a program that they can apply to directly from high school
• Their parents’ gross income is $160,000 or less

This September, the permanent 30% Off Ontario Tuition grant will apply to the full school year.  Students in a university or college degree program will save $1,600, while students in college diploma and certificate programs will save $730.

Helping Ontario students with the price of tuition is part of the McGuinty government’s plan to keep postsecondary education within the reach of all families, while building the best-educated workforce in the world. That leads to a stronger economy, and creates good jobs

In an area as rapidly expanding as Brampton, there are bound to be implications to all the new properties being built. The Gore Road and Castlemore area just outside Springdale has been growing at a fast rate since the early 2000’s, and is continuing to do so. Along with the new strip malls, Sikh and Hindu temples, and countless pizza shops, there are several new schools that have been built and are in the process of being built. Opening new schools to go along with the population growth in the Brampton area seems like a great idea on the surface, but people seem to overlook the effect it has on the school children.

Established in 1972, Chinguacousy Secondary School is one of the oldest high schools in Brampton. With the growing population in Brampton in the 2000’s, the enrollment in Chinguacousy Secondary School skyrocketed. When the number of students attending the school became too high, new schools were built. Sandalwood Heights Secondary School was built and opened in 2007. Students were moved from Chinguacousy to Sandalwood. Students had to say goodbye to the familiar halls, their school friends and their beloved teachers.  These two high schools are not the only ones that have gone through the process of transferring students; Catholic schools and elementary schools are also going through the same transformations.

The major issue here is the boundaries that are being instilled for new schools. Students who had previously gone to Chinguacousy Secondary are now at Sandalwood Heights. Students from Sandalwood Heights have been moved this year to Louise Arbour Secondary School, opened in 2010. Since the year 2000, four new public high schools and over twenty elementary schools have opened in the City of Brampton. The expansion does not stop here. There are both elementary and high schools; public and Catholic schools, still in the process of being built.

With all the new schools opening in different locations across the city, there is bound to be some confusion about which students will be going to which schools. To accompany all of the new learning establishments, there are boundaries being placed to designate the students to particular areas.

Like the shift from Chinguacousy Secondary School to Sandalwood Heights, students all around Brampton are being transferred to different schools that are more appropriate to their locations. There is growing frustration with all of the moving and transfers of the students. Students are becoming agitated as they are forced to move from a school within walking distance from their homes to places that are several bus rides away. The boundaries enforced are becoming increasingly conflicting to students who are coming close to their graduating years, students who have to wave goodbye to the place where they began their high school careers, only to go to a place with unfamiliar students and staff, and more importantly, an unfamiliar curriculum.

The number of new schools coming into the Brampton area is rising to cater to the growing population. People are supporting the growth, believing that it is in the best interest of the city as it will heighten its appeal. The students seem to be the only ones adversely affected by all the changes. Although their new schools may be of a more convenient commute to them, the students do go through a difficult process of being pulled away from a place where they may feel at home. Does anyone really think about the way this might interfere with a student’s performance at school?

Think of it in terms of work; after working somewhere for years, being forced to move to a different place that is new to the industry, a place where you are introduced to new people, new buildings, a new atmosphere and most importantly,  new guidelines. Initially, it is likely for one’s performance to be affected by all of the new surroundings. It is the same concept for students who are being moved to new schools. It takes time for people to adjust to their new environments.

Since the area is still expanding and there are more schools in the process of being built, the real question that must be asked is if anything can be done to prevent or lessen the impact of moving on the students. If not, we can hope that students will be able to adjust to their surroundings quick enough to not have it affect their grades.

By Gagan Batra

How can you help your child understand their math homework and achieve their potential?   Few parents can afford hourly tutoring, some are unable to personally coach students in individual concepts and searching online for math help can become overwhelming.  The Ontario government has created an exciting online resource to help students in Grade 7 to 10 learn math skills through interactive tutorials and real-time tutoring with Ontario teachers.

Homework Help at ontario.ca/HomeworkHelp is a unique website funded by the Ministry of Education that will help your child do better in math.  Homework Help provides free 24/7 resources and live one-on-one tutoring every Sunday to Thursday from

5:30 p.m.– 9:30 p.m. EST to support Ontario math students in grades 7 to 10.

Homework Help offers interactive discussion rooms where math teachers work one-on-one with students to help with specific math questions. Each room has a shared whiteboard where both the tutor and the students can draw and write as they work together to develop a solution. Sessions are open to all registered users to watch and learn, including parents/guardians who can create guest accounts. All sessions are recorded, creating a safe online learning environment.

This website is the best thing ever! I think that teachers should really push this website on their students because it is a great help especially for high school students!

Homework Help is a safe, anonymous environment

We all need assistance to learn – but asking for help isn’t always easy.   At ontario.ca/HomeworkHelp students register and create a username which protects their identity.  All discussions with tutors are visible and math related.  Neither student users nor tutors have access to personal information about students using Homework Help.  This anonymity provides a safe environment where students can feel comfortable asking questions and parents have peace of mind knowing their child’s privacy is protected.

I love this website because usually I feel a bit embarrassed asking my teacher questions so many times. The people don’t know who I am and they can’t see me. It’s way better Thank you so much

On the website, students can work independently through interactive tutorials to build their skills and confidence.   In the ‘Ask A Tutor’ Chat Rooms, students can ask questions and get help solving math equations.  Students ‘chat’ directly with teachers, not with each other, which helps keep the focus on math. With the experience of certified teachers, Homework Help provides exceptional support in a safe and accessible environment.

Program helps students understand math

Homework Help is developed with the Ontario curriculum, guaranteeing students will have access to resources that meet their current and future learning needs, accessible outside the classroom. In addition, Homework Help tutors are familiar with the math text books used by students across the province.

Over 250 certified Ontario teachers have been trained to work as math tutors for the Homework Help program. As Ontario teachers, every tutor is passionate about helping students achieve academic success.  Math tutors employ a variety of different strategies to engage students and help them develop a better understanding of math.  Homework Help tutors recognize that providing the answers might get homework done faster, but will not foster long-term learning. Enabling students to understand the solutions to their math questions is what makes Homework Help a great resource.

Amazing experience! The teachers are so nice and didn’t give me the answer… but helped me understand each step and I actually understood…so overall, an awesome experience… now I feel prepared for tomorrow’s lesson as well

Have questions?  Contact us at homeworkhelp@tvo.org or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Have you ever thought why is it that tuition is so high? What would you think if tuition costs could be lowered? Well Generation Next’s Aabida Dhanji and Saurabh Agarwal got a chance to speak to some current university students about high tuition fee.

We asked students from different universities in Ontario to respond to these three questions:

• How do you feel about higher tuition fees?
• If you were told that there is going to be a 30% reduction in tuition fees starting next year, how would you and your family feel?
• And lastly who pays for your tuition?

Here’s what some of them had to say:

Weixi Wu goes to The University of Toronto and is a third year student in the Commerce – Accounting Specialist program. She says that tuition is a very sensitive topic for her and brings out anger within her. She says, “My tuition this year is $13k, so if that goes up 30% I will go on a murder spree, no lie. It would be nice if it went down, it would make me happy. I have to pay for the majority of it cause OSAP doesn’t do anything”

Wilfred Laurier University student, Zeeshan Mukhida is in his fourth year in the Business Admin program. He says” I think that the current tuition fees are very high for a student. It is one of the main things that discourage potential students from going to post-secondary institutions. Many bright students are forced to take breaks in the middle of their studies and take up full-time jobs just so they can afford their studies. I would be excited if the tuition fees dropped by 30%. Reduction in tuition fees will also reduce student stress as they work part-time and scrap every penny to pay their tuition fees and debt. I rely on OSAP to assist me in paying my tuition. The difference between the tuition fees and OSAP amount is usually covered by my parents or myself if I have some saved.”

Irfan Savani is a second year Information Technology student at York University. He says “Higher tuition fees would not be good for me because I pay my own tuition, when I can, or rely on OSAP. If the fees get higher, OSAP will not be able to support the tuition and then I wouldn’t be able to go to school. If it was going to get reduced I would be extremely happy but wonder why it got reduced. Is there something that is not included in the tuition and I won’t realize it?”

Nailla Jiwa, a second year student at McMaster University in the Life Science Program says, “I think the tuition fees are already high, and don’t need to be increased. If there was to be a reduction in the tuition fees I would be extremely happy. I am an international student so my tuition is double and I pay a ridiculous sum of money already. And my parents pay for my tuition.”

Numair Shaikh, a Wilfred Laurier student in his second year majoring in Criminology and minoring is psychology says, “The high tuition fees tend to cripple the student especially if the family does not make enough money. And the OSAP makes it worse for the students in the future. Yes reduction in fees will be beneficial not only to the students but parents too. OSAP pays my tuition.”
Preethi Ledchumykanthan is in her third year at the University of Waterloo studying Arts and Business, Legal studies major. She says, “I’m in Arts so if I feel like students in engineering, accounting, etc. already pay higher tuition fees compared to the majority of other faculties. If there was a 30% reduction in tuition fees, myself and my family would be much happier, especially because it’s a fee we must pay one to three times a year. Just knowing the total cost decreased would be more money saved and could go to other things within the household. Currently I have an RESP that my parents created since childhood which pays for my tuition. However, in my first year at college I took out a government loan.”

Nabil Khandaker is a third year student at the Schulich School of Business at York University. He is doing his BBA. He says, “Relative to other business programs, I am comfortable with the tuition I am currently paying at York. Generally speaking I believe any tuition increase should be matched with access to better resources, and an improvement in the quality of education. I pay approximately 20% of my tuition, and the rest is paid for by OSAP and my parents.”

Psychology student at McMaster University,  Aishwarya Rawat says that any higher fees and she will quit her education “because it makes me feel like I’m paying to get a degree.” If there was a 30 per cent break on tuition fee, “we would be able to save money and I would go to school with less pressure of money and finances on me.” Her parents, OSAP and RESP pay for her tuition.

“ The higher tuition fees has put more pressure on me and I have to be very careful about the money I spend on my other expenses. I have to go to a part-time job to ensure I have enough money for textbooks and transportation,” says Bachelors in Commerce student at UTM, Shilpa Venkatraman. Her father pays for her tuition and she says that 30 per cent break on tuition fee would be very helpful to her and her parents. “I will not have to worry about managing my time between my job and university work,” she says.

“My family and I would greatly appreciate it if there were to be a reduction in tuition as I have never taken OSAP and pay full payments in the start of the school semester. My parents pay my full tuition,” says Kavita Sharma, Honours Finance student at York University.

Jasmitaa Chhabra, Business Management student at Ryerson University student says “Tuition fees are already high enough. Most students cannot afford going to school without taking out multiple loans, and if fees were to increase any more, education would be unaffordable.” Jasmitaa said “ I would feel very relieved if there was a reduction in tuition fees. Being a student, I look to save money in every possible way that I can and knowing that tuition fee has been reduced would make things easier.” Her parents pay her tuition fee, however  “I cover related expenses like textbooks etc.”

Adedayo Omiyale, 2^nd year Chemistry student at Queen’s University says “I believe that the tuition fees I’m paying is high enough already and would be extremely disappointed if the fees were to be raised.” “My family and I would feel ecstatic if the tuition fees were reduced by 30%. It would greatly reduce the financial burden of the entire family,” he responded. OSAP pays for his tuition fee with some support from his parents.

Chemical and Physical Sciences’ student at UTM, Simile D’ Souza says “My parents pay for my tuition, and it’s ridiculous considering these days it’s easier to get a job coming out of college, where you pay half the amount for an entire year. 30 per cent reduction sounds like it’ll make it possible for more people to go to school, which is great. It would encourage students to go to class rather than work long hours to pay off OSAP.”

Shannon Pais, York University student says “of course” tuition break will help us. Her parents pay for her university expenses.

Saad Madhani, a third year student at Wilfred Laurier University in the Economics Honours program says, “I feel like the fees are already too high, they should be lowered. Some professors don’t even care about the fact that we paid for the class.

If tuition was lowered then that would be great cause. We wouldn’t have to worry about paying so much. My fees are paid by OSAP and my parents.”

Amee patel who is graduating from school next year feels that tuition fee is just absolutely ridiculous. The fact that universities charge differently in different faculties is also not right.

That says it all!

You have just heard from many Ontario University students about how they feel about tuition costs. They all seem to be on similar tracks. Most of them say that the tuition is too high. If the tuition fee was to be reduced they would all be a lot happier. Now let’s hope that these tuition costs do get lowered so we, University students and our parents don’t have to worry about paying so much money!

By Aabida Dhanji and Saurabh Agarwal

Ontario’s Political Parties’ on Postsecondary Education

Liberal Plan for Postsecondary Education

To make sure there’s a space for every student who is willing and qualified, we’ll create 60,000 more spaces in addition to the 200,000 new spaces we already created. To help more students get a great education close to home, we’re going

to build three new, leading-edge undergraduate campuses. To reduce postsecondary costs, we already provide grants for lower-income Ontario families. As a result, postsecondary education has become more accessible for low-income students.

We’re going to support all middle-class Ontario families with a 30% across-the-board postsecondary undergraduate tuition grant. That means – every year – the families of five out of six students will save $1600 per student in university and $730 per student in college.

We’ll continue to help cut student debt through our Ontario Student Opportunities Grant (OSAP). We’ll keep the cap on student debt at $7,300 for each year of undergraduate study.

PC Party plan for Postsecondary education

To tackle post-secondary education issues, the PC propose to improving access and the credit transfer as well as the financial aid system. The party laid out plans to spend $2 billion on education funding for post-secondary education issues, including the creation of 60,000 new spaces for students within Ontario’s colleges and universities. Hudak stipulates that the different institutions will have to compete for these new spaces and find new ways to ensure access, affordability, and excellence in our post-secondary institutions. The Ontario PC party promises to create more than 200,000 new apprenticeship spaces over the course of four years.

NDP Plan for Postsecondary education

NDP leader Horwath said: “Every year the cost of education keeps climbing. Ontario is now the most expensive province for post-secondary education. We need change.” The NDP plans will freeze the tuition fees for college, undergraduate, and graduate university students over the next four years and will eliminate the interest on the provincial portion of student loans.

Dr. Tarlochan Sidhu, Dean of Faculty of Engineering & Applied Sciences

The University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) proudly announces that Dr. Tarlochan Sidhu will become the new dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (FEAS) effective January 1, 2012. Dr. Sidhu comes to UOIT from the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario where he is currently professor and chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

“I am excited to be a part of UOIT’s bold vision as well as its innovative approach to teaching and research,” said Dr. Sidhu. “I look forward to collaborating with students, faculty, staff and other stakeholders to build upon the considerable accomplishments that the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science has achieved in a very short period of time.”

Dr. Sidhu’s distinguished track record in the field of engineering includes working for the Regional Computer Centre in Chandigarh, India; the Punjab State Electricity Board in India; and for Bell-Northern Research Ltd. in Ottawa, Ontario. From 1990 to 2002 he served as professor and subsequently graduate chair with the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan.

Dr. Sidhu earned his bachelor’s degree from the Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology in Patiala, India in 1979. He moved onto postgraduate studies at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon where he received his Master of Science degree in 1985 and a PhD in 1989.

“Over the years, Dr. Sidhu has demonstrated impressive personal and professional qualities as an engineer, student mentor, researcher, chair holder and university administrator,” said Dr. Richard Marceau, provost and vice-president, Academic, UOIT. “He brings depth and breadth of experience to UOIT thanks to a career path which has taken him through different universities, in different provinces and countries. His commitment to excellence is matched only by his commitment to student success. We are absolutely thrilled that Dr. Sidhu will be pursuing his career at UOIT.”

Dr. Sidhu is the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)/Hydro One Networks Senior Industrial Research Chair in Power Systems Engineering. He regularly contributes to the activities of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Power Systems Relaying Committee and served as chair of its Relaying Practices Subcommittee from 2007 to2009. He has published more than 200 papers in various journals and conferences, some of which have won major awards. He is regularly invited to give lectures/tutorials around the world on the subject of power system protection, automation and monitoring. He has served regularly as a consultant to power system industries both nationally and internationally.

More than 50 graduate students have completed their thesis work under his supervision/co-supervision. He serves as the editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Emerging Electric Power Systems, an editor of the IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery and that of IEEE Power Engineering Letters. He is on the editorial boards of Electric Power Systems Research, Electric Power Machines and Components, and Relay (China).

Dr. Sidhu is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers (India), a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (UK), a Fellow of the Engineering Institution of Canada, a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (USA).

Starting this September, Sheridan will offer a range of language training programs for newcomers to Canada at our new Hazel McCallion Campus in Mississauga through the Sheridan Centre for Internationally Trained Individuals (SCITI). This will be welcome news to newcomers who have chosen to settle in Mississauga and would like to benefit by enhancing their English language skills under the instruction of Sheridan’s professional and qualified faculty.

Three types of language training will be available, all designed to facilitate the newcomer’s settlement and integration into Canadian society and the workforce. Thanks to funding generously provided by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, there is no cost for these programs to eligible newcomers.

LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) classes will be offered in LINC levels 5 and 6 on weekdays beginning September 6. Sheridan has been delivering LINC training since the program began more than twenty years ago, and has built a solid reputation for the quality of its program and the faculty teaching in it. In the words of Kulwinder Dhaliwal, a former LINC student, “The teachers at Sheridan are motivated, friendly, caring and professional. They want to know about our goals and help us to achieve them.”

For internationally trained professionals, participating in either an Occupation Specific Language Training (OSLT) program or an Enhanced Language Training (ELT) program can bridge the gap between just getting a job, and getting a job in their field or a related occupation. Evening OSLT classes in the Business occupational cluster will be starting in September at the HMC campus, while daytime ELT classes for a variety of occupational backgrounds will be offered starting in both September and October.

The OSLT program offers courses in which participants will develop the language and communication skills needed to understand workplace culture in their occupation and sector, and to interact effectively with their colleagues, clients and supervisors. The courses also help them learn how to give and receive information by email and telephone and to interview and network effectively. Our OSLT offerings at the HMC Campus reflect the Campus’ business focus, and will be geared to Business, Accounting and Finance professionals.  For other professionals, OSLT programs in Health Sciences, Technology and Human Services are available at our Davis (Brampton) and STC (Oakville) campuses.

In addition to earning a Sheridan certificate, graduates of the full time ten week ELT program have the opportunity to benefit from an unpaid eight week work placement following the program to gain valuable Canadian work experience in their field. The effectiveness of the ELT program is captured in the words of Karla Liera, a former ELT student, “I am pleased with the education I have received at the College. The unpaid work placement helped me to get a job offer which is exactly what I was looking for.”

With hundreds of employer contacts that continue to grow by the day on the popular LinkedIn social network site, Sheridan’s Career Support Specialists, who work collaboratively with their faculty colleagues and the students to prepare students for their job search, are able to market our students to a wide variety of employers in a range of employment sectors.

Sheridan’s CIC-sponsored language training programs are also offered at our Davis Campus in Brampton and our Skills Training Centre campus in Oakville. With the launch of these new programs in Mississauga, the College is now able to offer convenient and accessible service to newcomers across Peel and Halton. “We are delighted to be able to expand our language training programs to better serve residents of Mississauga, and continue to value our excellent partnership with Citizenship and Immigration Canada, which enables us to provide these vital programs for newcomers in our communities,” says Sheridan President Jeff Zabudsky.

“If we are disturbed by the fact that certain parts of society are willing to work hard to get ahead then a message between the lines is that we need to do something about it, to reduce the competition from this part of the society, to work hard and get ahead. I think there is something wrong with our society if that’s the way we are thinking” – Dr. Deep Saini, Principal of UTM

“I went to the University of Toronto and yes, there are clearly groups that are culturally or ethnically based. And just because they socialize in a different way and they experienced university in a different way, doesn’t make it any less valuable” – Toronto City Councillor Mike Layton

Multiculturalism, diversity, tolerance. These are some of the most common words that get thrown around when the topic of Canadian culture is discussed. But do we, as Canadians really know the value of diversity? Do we even care what it might entail or is it just another label that we place on ourselves?

In January, Maclean’s published an article titled “Too Asian”, and as expected the article drew up its share of controversy with city councils and politicians getting involved. The article discussed a few different things. The first, and perhaps the one that irked Canadian public the most, was the labelling of certain schools as “too Asian”.

It was an investigation of why some students prefer certain WASP dominated universities vis a vis universities that have a diverse community of students. One of the schools mentioned was the University of Toronto, which was seen by many students as too competitive, and not enough “fun”.

Unlike UofT, Queen’s University and McGill University are highlighted as schools where students have more “fun” (read: party hard and go clubbing). The article then talked about how students socialize within their groups at post-secondary institutions. Citing Asian students as being too absorbed in academics and not having enough social skills, the article effectively managed to stereotype all Canadian students of Asian background. The article went on to say that some students had become ghettoized and are in need of being pried out of those ghettos to interact with everyone. While the article did not openly racially profile Asian students, it definitely came very close to it. And that is where the Canadian public’s outcry over the article comes in.

Needless to say, many people found this article offensive and Mr. John Milloy, Ontario Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities questioned the “public interest value of an article that serves little purpose beyond singling out innocent young people of Asian heritage”.

Councillor Mike Layton of the City of Toronto was a little more direct in an interview with Generation Next, saying “I looked at the title and it seems to me that are trying to incite some kind of controversy. Clearly it was meant to sell papers than report on an actual issue. I think they saved face by changing the title and the name of the article. But the damage has been done, and it is insinuating that a campus of a particular..of an overly ethnic persuasion is a problem”.

But if the composition of the student body does indicate a dominant group, as Asian students at UofT, is it wrong to talk about it and examine the situation?

Councillor Layton answers, “If it’s about groups socializing a certain way, I think the problem is being blown out of proportion because of a couple of kids in a private school in North Toronto didn’t want to go to a school because they thought the students worked too hard. I don’t think that’s an issue, I think that those students didn’t want to work hard enough. I went to the University of Toronto and yes, there are clearly groups that are culturally or ethnically based. And just because they socialize in a different way and they experienced university in a different way, doesn’t make it any less valuable”.

When asked about what he thought of the article, Dr. Deep Saini, vice-president and principal of University of Toronto, Mississauga answered “I thought the article raised an important issue, but its emphasis was in the wrong place. The issue is not how many Asians, blacks, whites are getting to university and excelling. The issue which was embedded in there, but they miserably failed to raise it is how well are we doing in creating a society in which people from different cultures mix and create a common culture in a university setting. With that said, I think it is very unfortunate that there are people in society that get upset by people getting ahead in society through hard work, in Canada especially. If young Asian men and women are working extremely hard and rising to the top of society there is a message to the rest of the society that the rest of us should pull up our socks and do the same. And it seems ridiculous, that they used the term Asian in such a wrong way. It used to be, way back when I came to Canada we used to be referred to as east Indians, and I found it ridiculous. I’m from the west of India. It is basically ignorance and the same kind of ignorance that is displayed by our national magazine. They were essentially referring to the Chinese and people from East Asia. But they were using the word ‘Too Asian’, I mean, are you referring to Bangladeshi, and Turkish and Pakistanis and so on? Asia is a very large continent. More to the point, if we are disturbed by the fact that certain parts of society are willing to work hard to get ahead then a message between the lines is that we need to do something about it, to reduce the competition from this part of the society, to work hard and get ahead. I think there is something wrong with our society if that’s the way we are thinking”.

And Deep Saini has good reason to be concerned if the work ethic of Canadians is becoming a problem, however it seems as though the problem is deeper than that.

Canadians are quick to raise the banner of multiculturalism but it still remains that there are racial undercurrents in our society- the Maclean’s article has only brought it to the fore.

Different communities in Ontario are characterized based on the dominant race of people that inhabit them. It’s no secret that Brampton is the “brown community” and Scarborough is “Tamil territory” and so on. We all know this, but the problem lies not in ethnicities having their own communities, but when these communities become distant from the larger society and the larger society perceives them with antagonism reserved for “outsiders”.

As Dr. Saini puts it, ghettoization would be a major problem “where a large number of people from a certain community move to a community and they live unto themselves, they don’t want to come out of their little shell and talk to their neighbour and stick strictly to the ways of living from another country. And some of them may fit, others may not fit. That is a problem. If that prevents certain people from living there, including people who want to mix and want to bring other cultures then that is not that different than on campus when there are groups of students. If that’s happening on a campus that’s not a good thing, it’s ghettoization.” And when it comes to the question of students at post-secondary institutions, Councillor Layton says that “there’s over a 100,000 students in the city of Toronto, they should feel at home here, not threatened.”

So what role does an academic institution has in ensuring that students do feel like they are part of the Canadian society and are not forced to retreat into small isolated groups?

According to Mr. Saini, “A University is nothing but a reflection of the society in which it exists. In that it plays a role. It is a place of open conversation and inquiry and a place of rational thinking, at least we assume that. It’s a place where formation of future citizens comes. We are a country of immigrants; the type of immigration that is happening now is different from what it was 50 years back. That is undeniably going to alter the mix of society. In that society if we are creating isolation in the name of multiculturalism, I think that’s a huge problem. I’m not saying its happening but if we perceive that’s happening then it’s a problem. I spent four years in Waterloo; never heard the campus mentioned in the harsh words that Maclean’s brought it up as. But if it is happening that there are two buildings where only Chinese students hangout, it needs to be addressed now because that’s going to go through into society. My idea of multiculturalism is that cultures come together, mixing and creating a new culture that is drawn from a multiplicity of cultures. So that is the issue that is more important, than bright people rising to the top. We in Canada actually value people of competence rising to the top and then to have somebody come out and say, we have to do something about it, that is nonsense”.

Both Saini and Layton agree that the issue (that was perhaps unnecessarily amplified by Maclean’s) would definitely need to be addressed if it were the case. That’s why Layton says we need to do more than just talk about multiculturalism,” you [have to] respect all individuals no matter what their ethnicity, background etc. You’ve got to respect that diversity and you can’t allow one magazine to allude that it’s a bad thing”.

So where does that leave us? Are we a hypocritical society living under the façade of harmonious diversity or are Canadians truly aware of the importance of the many threads in the fabric of our society? Basil Guinane, Professor at Humber College believes that “everything is worthy of examination. And that’s one of the strengths of our society. There are issues that come up and we are able to discuss it and have meaningful debate. We don’t sweep things under the carpet or we don’t say you can’t write about that, its taboo. We are a multicultural society and these issues constantly come up and we talk about it and we move on from it. I don’t see it as a negative , I see it as being part of a very vibrant culture”. (Mr. Guinane had worked with Maclean’s several years ago.) Mr. Saini agrees, saying that he thinks better of Canada and he thinks it is “basically ignorance” and not deliberate racial profiling.

Nonetheless, Dr. Saini also shared a personal experience with Generation Next. Years ago, he was at an event in Montreal. He was the only South Asian to sit at the front row among the privileged group. He distinctly recalls that one individual at the table addressed him to ascertain that he was indeed seated at the right table.

Whether the Maclean’s article struck up controversy to sell magazines or whether the writers truly were concerned about the fate of universities that were being stripped of all the “fun” by Asian students, it reminds us that Canadian diversity is not only a flowery concept. Behind this one word are a lot of controversies that could surface and a great many conflicts that could arise. But at the same time, diversity allows for the collective Canadian identity to be strengthened as many different people bring their strengths to the society. So, while Maclean’s sold quite a few magazines and a lot of debates got fired up all over Toronto, it affirmed that there are such tangible things as diversity and multiculturalism, these are not just words to pepper political speeches with. They are driving concepts of the Canadian society.

By Nazifa Islam

Mississauga

Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning is the recipient of $64.1 million from the Ontario government for a $91.5 million development project at its North Campus that will be the new gateway to the rest of the campus.

The Learning Resource Commons and Student Services Centre will help Humber handle growth of more than 2,200 additional students. The new four-storey, 160,000 square foot welcoming point to the college will feature group and independent study spaces along with enhanced library and customer services. It will also be the on-campus transportation hub and connection to the University of Guelph-Humber.

Humber is the fastest growing Ontario college with the highest applicant demand in the province. This reflects the quality and economic responsiveness of our programs and services. It also reflects the growing importance of the pathways between our many credentials which provide options and choices to our students at any point along their educational path,” said John Davies, president, Humber.  “We are extremely pleased by the Ontario government’s significant investment that will help us to continue to provide our students with a high quality educational experience that prepares them their future careers.”

Dr. Shafiq Qaadri, MPP, Etobicoke North announced the investment, which is part of the province’s Putting Students First program. Humber’s allocation culminates investments made by the Ontario government in colleges and universities this spring and summer.

“The demand for postsecondary education is growing at rapid pace in Ontario, especially in the GTA. Humber College, by virtue of its location and diverse program offering, is in a strong position to help meet the needs of future students,” said John Milloy, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. “This infrastructure investment in Humber’s North campus is the start of a new period of growth and opportunity for students to learn in a modern facility, engage in all aspects of campus life, and develop the skills needed to begin their careers.”

The project is anticipated to break ground in early 2012 with completion expected in September 2014, in time for the start of the school year. More than 900 jobs will be created over the course of the three-year project. Humber is contributing the balance of $27.4 million to the new facility.

“Our government’s investment in Humber College adds to both the local and provincial economic success,” said Dr. Shafiq Qaadri, MPP for Etobicoke North. “Humber’s job-ready graduates go on to work in the community and throughout the province, helping to meet the current and future needs of Ontario’s knowledge economy and diversified workforce.”

“Opposition is narrow minded.”

Minister Haridner Takhar

“Ontario’s the only province that doesn’t give grants to foreign graduates.”

David Naylor, President of UofT

“There won’t be interruption of classes while UTM renovates.”

Deep Saini, VP of UTM

The Liberal Government of Ontario will be investing $52.5 million in renovating University of Toronto, Mississauga campus. The project requires $75 million in total to replace a 43-year-old temporary building to a state-of-the-art academic environmentally friendly and sustainable building.

Making this announcement, Mr. Harinder Takhar, the Ontario Minister of Government Services, said “it’s a very important investment for Mississauga. The campus is expanding, as the region is growing. The funding will help in replacing a 43-year-old building into a new environmentally friendly and sustainable building..we need to replace the old infrastructure with the new infrastructure.”

The project is expected to create about 525 construction-related jobs.

Lavishing high praise on the Government of Ontario’s investment in UTM, Dr. Deep Saini, Vice Principal of UTM, said “my hope is that shovels will be in the ground within months rather than years…we’ve a track record of building buildings within 18 months at UTM.”

” As the University of Toronto Mississauga continues its exciting expansion, the Government has partnered with us again to ensure that students will have the leading-edge facilities they need for an exceptional educational experience. We are grateful that our students will now have even better opportunities to make to a brighter tomorrow for themselves and our province,” stated Mr. David Naylor, the President of University of Toronto,” stated Mr.  David Naylor, President of University of Toronto.

Minister Takhar said the government of Ontario has done a remarkable job in making postsecondary education accessible to Ontarians.

“We’ve said to Ontario students that if you want to go with postsecondary education, we’ll help you..we’ve added 60,000 spots in Ontario colleges and universities,” said the MPP from Mississauga-Erindale.

Speaking to Generation Next, Mr. Naylor agreed with Minister Takhar. He noted that the issue of affordability of postsecondary education is evergreen.

“If you look at the numbers..there have never been as many students involved in higher education in Ontario as there are now..there has been huge expansion of undergrad and grad slots in colleges and universities…the question of affordability of education is an evergreen question. The government has also expanded student aid..expanded funding to all colleges and universities to put aside funds so that students have access to education,” he said.

Both the PC Party and the NDP have questioned the government’s logic in offering scholarships to foreign students when the education is unaffordable to Ontario students.

“Foreign students are covering their costs fully. When they come to us for undergrad education they do not get government’s loans, government grants or bursaries. They provide diversity and energy to our campuses and we welcome them in Toronto and Mississauga..which are very multicultural. Ontario must continue to attract outstanding foreign students. It’s not zero-sum-being at all. Moreover, one has to ask oneself why six provinces provide government grants to foreign graduate students. That’s because we didn’t have to pay for their education from kindergarten to grade 12 and we didn’t have to pay for their undergrad. These foreign students are a cheaper source of the world talent that this country can ever access. Ironically Ontario is the only province that doesn’t provide grants for graduate students. In my opinion that should be changed immediately. The low grade xenophobia that we don’t want international students is regrettable. And I am a big fan of seeing more international students.”

Responding to Opposition’s claims of unaffordability of postsecondary education and attracting international students, Minister Takhar said “The opposition has a very narrow view…we want more international students to settle in Ontario. They are good for our economy and bilateral trade and they are our best ambassadors moving forward. We have to get them from whereever we can.”

Mr. Naylor applauded South Asian students in three University of Toronto campuses, saying “we wish more and more South Asians will choose to come to our campuses.” He also said that there are almost 25 per cent South Asian students studying at UofT.

While there will be renovations at UTM, students will be moved around however the classes will go on smoothly said Mr. Saini.

What’s more, York University’s Schulich school of Business will open up a campus in Hyderabad soon.  The process, though, has not fully come into fruition.  A bill is put forth to the Indian parliament that would allow for York University to set up its campus.

Education is a key ingredient for the rise of fortunes of any country.  A country that is growing at a rapid rate can be better sustained, if the level of education in its citizenry can keep up with the growing change. Such is the case with India.  “Education can no longer be considered a goal in itself, but rather should be considered a powerful driver of socio-economic change,” says Dr. Daggubati Purandeswari, Indian Minister of State for Human Resource Development.

Education in India, though, has a few issues.  For one, the type of education that many Indians receive, rote learning, is problematic.  This form of learning emphasises lot of memorization, while downplaying a focus on critical thinking.

Plaguing this problem is that only a small percentage of the population receives higher education.  Higher education can serve to better the knowledge and skills for students, but not all can receive it.

Recently, Delhi University reported that admission requirements for some of its programs would require marks in the high 90s, with some requiring marks of a 100 percent.  This has not only resulted in great outrage from many students and parents, but also more stress, given the exceptionally high requirement.

But, even these high requirements have been met by many students.  Writers Samanth Subramanian and Suryatapa Bhattacharya of The National write that “Even as these cut-offs were debated on television and in newspapers, however, the colleges found more than enough students who qualified…The rapid response to even these steep admission requirements had indicated a wide gap between the demand and the supply of quality higher education.”

Given these factors, a need has risen for foreign based universities and colleges to establish campuses within India.  In addition, more partnerships between universities and colleges in India and other countries are needed.

Canada has taken great strides within the last year to meet these demands for Indian students.  It began with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding concerning higher education in June of 2010, which allows for greater partnerships with educational institutes in the two countries.

It has taken off with the Education Summit that took place in Carlton University this month.  It included delegates from the India, Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute.

What’s more, York University’s Schulich school of Business will open up a campus in Hyderabad soon.  The process, though, has not fully come into fruition.  A bill is put forth to the Indian parliament that would allow for York University to set up its campus.

Even while this is taking place, plans are underway by the University of Regina, Carlton University, Simon Fraser University, and the University of Winnipeg to set up educational ties with India.  Canada-India educational ties are growing stronger.

What, one might ask, are the benefits of such a venture to Canada or India?  Canada, for one, will benefit from deepening its ties to India, a move that could better bilateral relations.  It could also lead to greater returns down the road.  Those students on exchange programs with Canada could return to help feed the Canadian economy.

India will clearly benefit from having students garner education abroad, if they are not able to do so in India.  A greater and crucial benefit to India would be that the knowledge and experience that we are so privy to in Canada will be shared with Indians.  Canadian knowledge in dealing with mental health, for example, could be used and applied by Indians.

Education is a tool that has far reaching capabilities. Its ability to build the mind can help bring a society that is growing rapidly to not only maintain its growth, but also help turn it into a super-power of the 21^st century.

BY Meureen Martines

Mississauga