This is the story of a graduating school dream that is in danger of being shattered by federal bureaucracy. It’s also the story of dedicated teachers who move heaven and earth to make sure that doesn’t happen.
There’s been a lot of talk about yelling teachers lately.
Much less has been said about the teachers in the shadows who, quietly, fight for their students on a path strewn with pitfalls.
Teachers of heart like Laurence Caron, French teacher at Henri-Bourassa secondary school, in Montreal-North, who gives without counting so that the dream of two brilliant teenagers does not run aground on the rocks of the heavy bureaucracy Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Rita Ufuoma Esinyade, 18, flanked by professors Guillaume Boucher and Laurence Caron
The dream is that of Rita Ufuoma Esinyade, 18, and Mikaï-Yann André, 17. They are part of a group of Secondary V students who have been preparing for a graduation trip to Italy since last fall. The departure is scheduled for May 5. With the collaboration of the teachers and the school, they and their parents worked very hard to raise the approximately $3,000 needed to pay for the trip. We also made sure to apply well in advance to IRCC to obtain the necessary travel documents.
But now, despite all these efforts, if the trend continues, because of abnormally long processing times from IRCC, Rita and Mikaï-Yann will not leave and will lose the $3,000 they have swallowed up in this dream.
“As a teacher, it breaks my heart to know that after all this hard work, it was bureaucratic red tape that got the better of the dream of two incredible, sweet and brilliant teenage girls who are just trying to raise and discover the world, ”wrote Laurence Caron in a poignant letter sent Wednesday evening to the federal deputy for the riding of Bourassa, Emmanuel Dubourg, who is himself a former student of the Henri-Bourassa school. His constituency office contacted the students and their parents on Thursday to see how they could be supported.
Tuesday, M.me Caron also spent three hours on the phone with the insurer to plead the cause of his students and to try to see if the families could at least obtain reimbursement in the event of cancellation due to too slow bureaucracy. It would be unlikely, he was told.
To be able to offer her trip to Mikaï-Yann, her mother, Julia André, tells me that she had to make many sacrifices. Auxiliary at home, this mother, head of a single-parent family of Haitian origin, has worked overtime. For the past two days, she has worked from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Of course she’s exhausted. But the exhaustion is worth it, she told me, telling me of her desire to offer this trip to her daughter at all costs.
“It’s not to brag, madam, but my daughter, she is a star, pedagogically. This trip, she deserves it. »
Arrived in the country in 2012, after the earthquake in Haiti, Mme André has permanent resident status in Canada. She applied for citizenship nearly two years ago. She successfully passed the citizenship test over a year ago, in February 2022. But 14 months later, she is still awaiting her citizenship ceremony. “I have called several times for months. I am always told: “Your case is in progress.” But ongoing for how long? His citizenship – and therefore that of his daughter – not being formalized, it is impossible for Mikaï-Yann to obtain a Canadian passport.
Mme André never got an answer. So two weeks ago, she reluctantly told her daughter that the trip would have to be cancelled.
“She said to me, ‘I understand.’ But deep down, I’m sure she’s sad. »
The mother begs IRCC to make an effort so that her daughter’s dream does not fall through. ” Please ! My daughter is my pride. She loves school. She is the future of this country. I would like her to take part in this trip. »
One week before the start, Mikaï-Yann is trying to keep hope alive. “I really hope that people will take notice of the situation. »
Even though time flies and the civil servants’ strike further slows down an already very slow bureaucracy, Rita also tries to believe it. “I just want my papers before leaving! »
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Rita Ufuoma Esinyade, graduate of Henri-Bourassa high school
A Nigerian refugee, Rita took care to take the steps to obtain her refugee travel document from November 2022, her status not yet allowing her to obtain a passport. “I knew it was going to take time. But not that long! I was told that I would receive a response 30 days before the travel date. »
She took many steps. She was finally told that her case was in order, but that it was no longer certain that she would receive her travel document in time.
Like Mikaï-Yann, Rita and her family worked hard to raise the $3,000 needed for the trip. His mother is toiling away in a hospital. His father, in a food assembly factory. Losing that money without even being able to take that trip she’s been dreaming of for months breaks her heart. “It will hurt me if I don’t leave. »
What can be done so that the dream of these graduates is not shattered?
Is there an expedited procedure possible in such a case? Or at the very least compensation for families for whom $3,000 is a fortune?
To my questions posed on Wednesday, IRCC responded with an automated message indicating that due to the strike, I might receive a “late response”.
As of this writing, I am still waiting. As if my questions had landed on the same rock as Rita and Mikai-Yann’s dream.