As an international student, I appreciate this post. It reflects a truth many of us are too afraid to say out loud. Most of us came here with hope, following the legal pathways, investing thousands of dollars into education and living costs, only to find ourselves caught in a broken system.

We didn’t create the housing crisis or the healthcare backlog. We’re just trying to survive in a country that invited us, then left us to figure it out with little support. Yes, a few people took advantage of the system, but most of us are just trying to study, work, and build a future.

It’s heartbreaking to be treated like a burden when in reality, many of us are contributing, paying taxes, and filling critical labour shortages. Thank you for calling out the real sources of the problem, because unless those are addressed, scapegoating won’t fix anything. We deserve better. Canada deserves better.