An international student organization that tried to support and lobby for Canadore College international students struggling to find housing in North Bay, is alarmed by comments made recently by Canadore College President George Burton who claimed tents set up in front of the Commerce Court campus were just part of an elaborate publicity stunt.
Khushpal Grewel, a member of the Montreal Youth Students Organization (MYSO) was shocked that Burton is speaking out since Grewel says he never took the time to speak to the students directly about the housing situation.
See related: 'Give us a chance' says international student living in a motel
MYSO officials told BayToday as many as 20 students camped out overnight in the tent in front of the bus stop at Canadore College's Commerce Court campus where international students began protesting on September 6. A resolution with Canadore was announced the next day.
Dozens of homeless international students, with their belongings in tow, were seen that week in the community, milling around shops in the McKeown Avenue corridor, asking strangers to rent them a room so they could go to school at Canadore.
"He couldn’t spare time to listen to the student's problems and to focus on possible solutions," said Grewel in a text to BayToday.
"But he just worried about his college reputation, which is why he wrote to people of North Bay that students did a publicity stunt to ruin his college image."
Another international student, who did not wish to be named, echoed Grewel's sentiments.
"We are not here this far from our homes to do a publicity stunt," the student stated via text.
"We are not here to get the publicity by sleeping in the tents or we are not here to stand in the elections. We are here to study and make our careers. Mr. President should understand this."
Burton addressed the community with an open letter to North Bay and held a media conference on Thursday to give his side of the issue.
See: Students sleeping in tents 'publicity stunt' says Canadore prez
"They asked for volunteers to stay in a tent overnight, the tent was set up. If you looked inside the tent, there were no living accommodations in there," Burton stated on Thursday during the media conference at the Aviation Campus.
"There were refreshments provided by the group - I appreciate them feeding those students - and of course, the next day they left. It did bring attention to the housing issue which is not unique to North Bay."
Burton, finger-pointed interference by outside groups who he believes spurred the initial controversy which he says included unreasonable housing demands such as dropping rental rates for international students down to as low as $250 per month.
"Mr. Burton has to understand that it’s not the students who did a public stunt but it’s himself who is just trying to escape from all the problems," added Grewel.
"Students still don’t have permanent accommodation. Instead of focusing on real problems like affordable student accommodation, full refunds to students as soon as possible so they can start their education in other colleges. Their college faculty members signed and promised all the students to solve their problems."
See related: Burton elaborates on International Student Housing controversy
Burton added the whole situation created a bad look for Canadore College and the entire community He added that Canadore had access to accommodation for all students who wished to be housed and claimed no student was required to sleep in a car, tent, bus shelter, bus depot, or air terminal unless they chose to do so.
Grewel believes Canadore College needs to do more for international students since they are contributing a large portion of Canadore's tuition revenue.
"Being an educational institution president he should lower the college residence charges which right now they are charging approximately $650 to $750 monthly," Grewel stated.
