Quebec government vows to maintain out-of-province tuition hike
MONTREAL - The Quebec government is promising to maintain a university tuition hike for out-of-province students despite a court ruling that found the existing policy is not justified.
'We are sticking to our decision,' Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry said Tuesday on social media. 'We firmly believe that it is not up to the Quebec government to guarantee financial accessibility to education for non-Quebecers.'
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Winnipeg Free Press
12 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Trump administration gives personal data of immigrant Medicaid enrollees to deportation officials
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's administration this week provided deportation officials with personal data — including the immigration status — on millions of Medicaid enrollees, a move that could make it easier to locate people as part of his sweeping immigration crackdown. An internal memo and emails obtained by The Associated Press show that Medicaid officials unsuccessfully sought to block the data transfer, citing legal and ethical concerns. Nevertheless, two top advisers to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ordered the dataset handed over to the Department of Homeland Security, the emails show. Officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services were given just 54 minutes on Tuesday to comply with the directive. The dataset includes the information of people living in California, Illinois, Washington state and Washington, D.C., all of which allow non-U.S. citizens to enroll in Medicaid programs that pay for their expenses using only state taxpayer dollars. CMS transferred the information just as the Trump administration was ramping up its enforcement efforts in Southern California. California Gov. Gavin Newsom 's office said in a statement that it was concerned about how deportation officials might utilize the data, especially as federal authorities conduct immigration raids with the assistance of National Guard troops and Marines in Los Angeles. 'We deeply value the privacy of all Californians,' the statement said. 'This potential data transfer brought to our attention by the AP is extremely concerning, and if true, potentially unlawful, particularly given numerous headlines highlighting potential improper federal use of personal information and federal actions to target the personal information of Americans.' U.S. Health and Human Services spokesman Andrew Nixon said the data sharing was legal. He declined to answer questions about why the data was shared with DHS and how it would be used. 'With respect to the recent data sharing between CMS and DHS, HHS acted entirely within its legal authority – and in full compliance with all applicable laws – to ensure that Medicaid benefits are reserved for individuals who are lawfully entitled to receive them,' Nixon said. DHS officials did not respond to requests for comment. Besides helping authorities locate migrants, experts said, the government could also use the information to scuttle the hopes of migrants seeking green cards, permanent residency or citizenship if they had ever obtained Medicaid benefits funded by the federal government. A targeted review of millions of immigrant Medicaid enrollees CMS announced late last month that it was reviewing some state's Medicaid enrollees to ensure federal funds have not been used to pay for coverage for people with 'unsatisfactory immigration status.' In a letter sent to state Medicaid officials, CMS said that the effort was part of Trump's Feb. 19 executive order titled 'Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders.' As part of the review, California, Washington and Illinois shared details about non-U.S. citizens who have enrolled in their state's Medicaid program, according to a June 6 memo signed by Medicaid Deputy Director Sara Vitolo that was obtained by the AP. The memo was written by several CMS officials under Vitolo's supervision, according to sources familiar with the process. The data includes addresses, names, social security numbers and claims data for enrollees in those states, according to the memo and two people familiar with what the states sent to CMS. Both individuals spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share details about the data exchange. CMS officials attempted to fight the data sharing request from Homeland Security, saying that to do so would violate federal laws, including the Social Security Act and the Privacy Act of 1974, according to Vitolo's memo. 'Multiple federal statutory and regulatory authorities do not permit CMS to share this information with entities outside of CMS,' Vitolo wrote, further explaining that the sharing of such personal data is only allowed for directly administering the Medicaid program. Sharing information about Medicaid applicants or enrollees with DHS officials would violate a 'longstanding policy,' wrote Vitolo, a career employee, to Trump appointee Kim Brandt, deputy administrator and chief operating officer of CMS . Vitolo and Brandt could not be reached for comment. The legal arguments outlined in the memo were not persuasive to Trump appointees at HHS, which oversees the Medicaid agency. Four days after the memo was sent, on June 10, HHS officials directed the transfer of 'the data to DHS by 5:30 ET today,' according to email exchanges obtained by AP. Former government officials said the move was unusual because CMS, which has access to personal health data for nearly half of the country, does not typically share such sensitive information with other departments. 'DHS has no role in anything related to Medicaid,' said Jeffrey Grant, a former career employee at CMS. Beyond her legal arguments, Vitolo said sharing the information with DHS could have a chilling effect on states, perhaps prompting them to withhold information. States, she added needed to guard against the 'legal risk' they were taking by giving federal officials data that could be shared with deportation officials. A 'concerning' development All states must legally provide emergency Medicaid services to non-U.S. citizens, including to those who are lawfully present but have not yet met a five-year wait to apply for Medicaid. Seven states, along with the District, allow immigrants who are not living legally in the country to enroll — with full benefits — in their state's Medicaid program. The states launched these programs during the Biden administration and said they would not bill the federal government to cover those immigrants' health care costs. The Trump administration has raised doubts about that pledge. Nixon, the HHS spokesman, said that the state's Medicaid programs for immigrants 'opened the floodgates for illegal immigrants to exploit Medicaid – and forced hardworking Americans to foot the bill.' All of the states — California, New York, Washington, Oregon, Illinois, Minnesota and Colorado — have Democratic governors. Due to his state's budget woes, Newsom announced earlier this year he would freeze enrollment into the program; Illinois will also shut down its program for roughly 30,000 non-U.S. citizens in July. The remaining states — New York, Oregon, Minnesota and Colorado — have not yet submitted the identifiable data to CMS as part of the review, according to a public health official who has reviewed CMS' requests to the states. State health officials from the District, Washington and Illinois did not respond to requests for comment. Newsom's office said in its statement that the data sharing has 'implications for all Californians, but it is especially concerning for vulnerable communities.'
National Observer
13 hours ago
- National Observer
Leaders on Canada's expanded G7 guest list will tackle climate, economy and security
Canada is bringing the world to Alberta for the G7 leaders summit in Kananaskis. As summit host, Prime Minister Mark Carney can invite any leaders he chooses — even those from countries outside the G7 club — as he attempts to shape Canada's foreign policy and global geopolitics. When asked on June 7 to explain how Canada decided on the list of non-G7 leaders to invite, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said the government was seeking a discussion of "very serious issues that affect the global economy and the geostrategic environment." Here's a closer look at the names on Carney's guest list. Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is a willing partner for Canada as it tries to shore up its trade and defence links across the Indo-Pacific. Both countries have shared values and small populations, and depend on a global rules-based system of trade to export large amounts of resources. In March, Carney announced a deal was in the works to have Ottawa partner with Australia on an early-warning radar detection system to use in the Arctic and across the US border. Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has tried to partner with countries across the Global South while advancing democracy and environmental protection. He'll be taking those themes to the COP30 summit in the Amazon this November. His office claimed this week that Carney will be attending that summit — Ottawa has yet to confirm. Brazil's president, widely known as Lula, has echoed Canadian concerns about online misinformation since a foiled coup plot in 2022. India Carney's most controversial invitation has been to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is arriving in Canada less than a year after the RCMP accused agents of his government of playing a role in "widespread violence" in Canada. Sikh separatist groups note that this month marks two years since the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, which Canada has linked to New Delhi. India insists these claims have no substance. Sikh groups have promised to stage large protests during the G7 summit. But regional experts argue Canada should advance trade relations with the world's most populous country and commit to structured talks on security instead of derailing the entire relationship. Canada has promised to raise transnational repression at the summit, and the Asia Pacific Foundation has argued Ottawa and New Delhi should commit to law-enforcement talks on both that issue and India's concerns about violent extremism. Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto will attend the summit after years of Ottawa pursuing deeper ties with Indonesia — a demographic and economic giant in the Indo-Pacific. Canada and Indonesia signed a free-trade agreement last year and Ottawa aspires to sell small-scale nuclear technology to the island nation as it helps to develop small reactors for northern Canadian communities. Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum deliberated for more than three weeks before accepting Carney's invitation to attend the G7. Sen. Peter Boehm, who has played a key role in numerous G7 summits, noted that Sheinbaum does not travel abroad often and might have chosen to come based on the likelihood of a meeting with Trump and Carney or to make progress on the tariffs issue. "There's the possibility of having a short trilateral on the side," he said. The ideal outcome would be a clear timeline for the coming review of the North American trade deal known as CUSMA, Boehm said, along with some immediate progress. For example, "if we can make a deal that will allow everyone to step back and say, 'well, we got something out of that and, tariffs are coming down.'" South Korea President Lee Jae-myung is eager to present South Korea as a stable, democratic country following a turbulent period that started with the former president declaring martial law last December. The country has since maintained the rule of law and elected a leader who promised to reverse policies that sought to end gender-equality programming. South Korea has long aspired to join the G7 and argues that its economic and regional clout is similar to that of G7 member Japan. Ottawa and Seoul have pledged deeper co-operation on maritime security, critical minerals and the environment. In November, South Korea will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum, and Canada's prime minister has attended every APEC summit over the past two decades. South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa will host the separate G20 summit in November — a much larger and more diverse group than the G7 that also tends to see less consensus. Boehm said the G20 host can act as a bridge to the G7 by making the topics and outcomes at the smaller summit more relevant to the needs of developing countries. Ramaphosa has attended previous G7 meetings and was in the room when Canada sought action on oceans protection at its 2008 summit. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy might get another chance to speak with US President Donald Trump in Alberta, as Washington continues to push for an end to the war that started with Russia's 2014 seizure of Crimea and escalated to a full-scale invasion in 2022. Ottawa and its peers fear the US is too obliging to Moscow and that a bad deal will only create more instability in Europe. Ukraine has credited Canada with trying to advance Kyiv's cause at the G7. Canada has been leading efforts aimed at forfeiting Russian assets held in Western countries to help finance Ukraine's defence, with limited success. United Arab Emirates The Canadian Press has learned that Carney invited the United Arab Emirates to attend the G7 summit, which could mean UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan comes to Alberta. But as of Thursday evening, Abu Dhabi had not said whether it had accepted Canada's invitation. A readout Thursday from Carney's office said the two leaders spoke and discussed "opportunities to deepen bilateral collaboration in these sectors," and committed to remaining in contact. Canada has described the wealthy Gulf country as "a critical partner" in humanitarian efforts such as foreign aid projects and the resettlement of vulnerable Afghans. Sudanese groups have ccriticized Canada for not publicly calling out the UAE for its role in arming the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary the US has accused of carrying out a genocide in Sudan. The UAE has strenuously denied involvement in the conflict. Not coming: Saudi Arabia Carney also invited Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the G7 summit, but Canadian officials said Thursday morning the country will not be attending. "The attempt will be for the prime minister to meet with as many of the leaders as possible," said an official briefing media on background, who said there was no complete list of invitees as of Thursday morning. Ottawa and Riyadh restored full diplomatic ties in May 2023, five years after the Liberal government's public comments on women's rights led Saudi Arabia to expel Canada's ambassador. The US Central Intelligence Agency says the Crown prince ordered the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Saudi Arabia is among Canada's largest export destinations for military equipment. International organizations Canada could welcome NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and World Bank President Ajay Banga to the summit, Boehm said, and possibly even the secretary general of the United Nations or leaders of the World Trade Organization and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. A federal official said Thursday that Canada's G7 presidency has involved work with other groups, including the African Union and the Gulf Co-operation Council. It's not known if leaders of those groups will be present.
Montreal Gazette
15 hours ago
- Montreal Gazette
As Trump turns U.S. inward, Quebec is missing chance to attract international students, study says
Applications from international students to Quebec universities dropped by 46 per cent for 2025-26 — a decline a new study links to recent restrictions it calls ill-timed, warning the province is missing a chance to attract talent deterred by U.S. policies under Donald Trump. Students from other countries are essential to the 'vitality and viability' of Quebec's universities and play a major role in the province's economy, spending $4.2 billion and supporting 48,000 jobs annually, according to the study by the consulting firm Volume 10. Since 2020, there have been 10 changes to international student admission policies in Quebec, according to the report, titled Knowledge Without Borders. The most recent involved major cuts to international admissions. 'The repeated changes to the system regulating international students, both in Quebec and Canada, have created confusion in student networks,' the study said. 'In a context where word of mouth plays a central role, this uncertainty is detrimental to Quebec's image at a time when global competition is becoming more intense.' In addition, Quebec's English universities complain that the Legault government has alienated many potential international recruits by suggesting non-Quebec students who don't speak French are a major threat to the province's majority language. There are 57,000 international students in Quebec universities, making up 17 per cent of the student population. These students 'help keep many programs, weakened by demographic stagnation, afloat,' the study said. 'Their presence is especially decisive at the graduate — mainly doctoral — level, where international students represent almost half of all PhD students in Quebec. These students contribute to research in strategic fields such as artificial intelligence, engineering, and health sciences.' In areas such as engineering and engineering technology, international students make up 72 per cent of those pursuing Master's and doctoral degrees. In mathematics, computer science, and information science, they account for more than half of graduate students. 'There just aren't enough Quebecers pursuing graduate studies in science,' Rémi Quirion, Quebec's chief scientist, told the study's authors. 'When I was a researcher, my lab would never have achieved such international success without the work of international students.' Quirion, a former vice-dean in the faculty of medicine at McGill University, advises the Quebec government on science issues and promotes Quebec research in Canada and around the world. International students cost a lot less to educate if you account for the fact that their pre-university studies were undertaken elsewhere. The Quebec and Canadian governments spend $337,000 to take young people from birth through CEGEP, the study said. That expense is not required for students brought up elsewhere. Upon graduation, about 31 per cent of international students remain in Quebec. 'Among those who choose to stay, 86.6 per cent quickly integrate into the job market,' the study found. 'Those who leave become scientific, economic, and cultural intermediaries for Quebec on the world stage. In both cases, international students contribute to the growth of Quebec's economy and the expansion of international markets.' The study suggests Quebec can benefit from turmoil in the research and university sectors in the U.S. since Trump began his second term as president in January. His administration has cut the budgets of major government agencies, restricted research funding in some scientific sectors and blocked specialists from some countries from entering the U.S. 'This hostile climate has made researchers and academics question their future in the U.S., creating a brain drain other countries are working hard to capitalize on,' the study said. 'For Quebec, this is a unique opportunity to show the world that it is a destination of choice for the brightest scientific minds.' The study was sponsored by several major Quebec foundations.
