Protesters deplore the elimination of English classes for immigrants

In several educational establishments, the Language Courses for Immigrants to Canada (CLIC) program will no longer be funded by the federal government. As a result, Vancouver Community College (VCC) will no longer be able to offer it. On Wednesday, staff and students expressed their discontent.

All newcomers need English language. If you don’t know English, how can you get a job?asks Ali Aldwooki, an Iraqi student for two years at VCC.

I feel a little sad because I want this program to continueshares Christina Karatnyk, Ukrainian student. We are very comfortable here, because the teachers try to help us and [prennent le temps] to explain everything to usshe adds.

Maureen Kalbert, department director CLIC at Vancouver Community College, talks about a settlement program for newcomers when describing the program. It’s not just language trainingshe maintains, they learn to [mieux] know Canada at the same time.

Au VCCthe program provides students with access to counseling services, as well as on-campus resources, such as a library where students can rent laptops for the semester.

Currently, nearly 800 students are registered in the program, and the department director CLIC believes that 20 to 25 instructors teach them English.

Prepare for a new reality

The program CLIC is funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. At the end of November, we received news that our contract proposal was not accepted for April 2025, and that we will no longer receive fundingsays Maureen Kalbert.

As the federal government plans to reduce its immigration targets, it is limiting funding for certain immigrant and refugee support programs in British Columbia, including the CLIC.

After the announcement of these cuts, the president of the teachers’ association of VCCTaryn Thompson, sent a letter to Marc Miller (in English) (New window).

In it, Ms. Thompson indicates that the college did not have prior notice before the announcement of the loss of federal funding. At VCCthe program CLIC will end on March 31, almost 60 years after its beginnings.

If it was a gradual cut, I could understand because of the immigration cuts. But the students who are here right now need support now.

For substitute teacher Cynthia He, the future is uncertain. I am very shocked and worried for the students, as well as myselfshe admits. I think it’s very important work, and it’s a shame to see this program end like this.

Franc Cosco, union leader of the teachers’ association of VCCfeels disappointed, too. The college will have a big void. For the college, it’s automatic recruitment: we have nearly 1000 students registered that we didn’t have to look for.he explains.

Mr. Cosco would have appreciated a more gradual approach from Ottawa. If you no longer want to support the program, that’s okay, but take the time to plan how it will be donehe says.

If we don’t know English, we no longer have the opportunity to integrate into Canadian societyconsiders Hang Wai, retired teacher at VCCit’s a shame. You have to fight, you have to make a lot of noise. It’s a strugglesaid the protester.

With information from Pinki Wong