Mike Burton

Advocate for place-based solutions to Canada’s biggest challenges, which support the region-specific mandates of public colleges and ensure local training needs are considered in policy development. Increase support to developing countries and other partner countries to build technical and vocational training capacity, strengthen skills development and education systems, and enhance Canada’s global education brand. Advocate for support for college-led research as a core component of federal research and innovation funding and policy. Discuss how colleges can support immigration programs, such as foreign credential recognition or international students, to meet Canada’s labour market needs, and share with officials impacts of policy changes on the college sector. Share with officials how colleges can support Canada’s training and workforce development needs to meet Canada’s biggest challenges. Share with officials the role of colleges and institutes in delivering high quality education for Canadians, and ensuring access to education for Canadians. Advance reconciliation through partnerships with Canada’s public colleges, institutes, CEGEPs, polytechnics, and Indigenous Institutes of Education. Promote the role and expertise of colleges in deepening Canada’s relationships with other countries. Promote the value of educational fair dealing in supporting colleges and institutes in their mandate to provide advanced skills and to enable them to better respond to the skills shortage. Increase investments and support to address colleges’ infrastructure needs to increase Canada’s training space and access in key high-demand fields that align with federal priority areas. Enable post-secondary institutions to obtain grants and loans to develop student housing projects, with additional supports for housing that supports students from vulnerable populations. Ensure Canada’s colleges and institutes have the necessary federal support to provide high-quality training for future healthcare professionals. Ensure the specific needs of institutions, including French institutions and those in minority linguistic communities, are taken into account when federal policies and programs are designed and delivered.

Communications regarding federal housing policies and government initiatives to support student housing development. Communications with various designated public office holders regarding health programming and investments to further health research and population health outcomes. Federal Research Granting Councils (NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR): 1) Communication with various designated public office holders to inquire on the status research funding programs; and 2) Communications to various designated public office holders to advocate for continued and increased granting council funding for the sector. Communications with various designated public office holders regarding jobs, creating skills development and work-integrated learning. Communications with various designated public office holders regarding investment in science and technology Communications with various designated public office holders regarding international education and to discuss policy changes to immigration that impact students and faculty. Communications with various designated public office holders regarding adaptation and mitigation of climate change, and other environmental policies. Communications with various designated public office holders for increased investment in sector infrastructure. Communications with various designated public office holders for increased funding to the Research Support Program of SSHRC, NSERC and CIHR.

Global University Systems would like to bring to the attention of the Federal Government the contribution they make to Canada and discuss the policy relating to Student Visas. Create awareness of a documentary series created by Global University Systems.

Seeking government support through repayable or non-repayable contributions towards the First Nation's acquisition of a company.

Exchange information regarding Canadian citizenship uptake; increase awareness on Institute for Canadian Citizenship programming; building capacity for Institute for Canadian Citizenship; and creating opportunities.

Discussion regarding international student study permit and study permit extension approval process and timelines. Discussion regarding marketing education and learning opportunities. Discussion regarding international student recruitment and retention as a key driver of regional economic development and competitiveness across Canada. Discussion regarding Canada's International Education Strategy, sharing data and comparative analysis related to international students in Canada and abroad. Discussion on Designated Learning Institution approvals for university partners.

Bill C-12- Parts- 5-8 related to sweeping new powers and ineligibilities for Canada's refugee and immigration system Bill C-2, concerns with proposed changes to the Immigration and refugee protection Act, and to new authorities for data sharing, lack of consultation Refugee Claimant System Legislation as it relates to new reforms being proposed by the Government post Bill C-69 Temporary Foreign Worker Program- with respect to the need to end closed work permits and create open work permts Temporary Foreign Worker PRogram- Need for pathways to Permanent status for migrant workers Safe Third Country Agreement with the US, with respect to its current application ensuring the availability of the safety valves the Supreme Court referred to (this could be a regulation and is also shaped by policy( Safe Third Country Agreement - Seeking its termination Regularization of non status people- Need for a broad and comprehensive program with simple application process Refugee Resettlement- Timely and Equitable processing and effective support services Refugee Claimants- Need for a National Plan to address claimant needs and rights Immigration response to global crises- Need for an equitable policy framework to guide these responses. Immigration Refugee Board- policies and processes affecting refugee rights Immigration Levels - Increasing the levels for Resettled refugees and Protected Persons Federal Budget - Funding for refugee support Services, resettlement, eligibility and determination processes. Family Reunification- Timely and Equitable processing for protected persons and refugees CBSA- The need to seek alternatives to Detention and work with community based organizations to find them CBSA Removals - Seeking a moratorium on removals ahead of the regularization program CBSA Removals- ensuring that changes to the fee structure does not harm rights of vulnerable migrants CBSA- Guidelines on Gender based violence and gender considerations Canadian Border Service Agency- Processing of refugee Claimants at the Border Bill C-20 concerning oversight of CBSA and the need to ensure third party access for raising a complaint as well as need for recourse and redress in relation to removals where a complaint has been made Anti Trafficking- Use of Temporary Resident Permits to support rights of trafficked migrants

Advocacy regarding the Government of Canada’s innovation and economic development agenda, including policies, programs and regulations developed by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and other relevant departments and agencies that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary education sector. Advocacy regarding the Government of Canada’s health research and life sciences agenda, including policies, programs and regulations developed by Health Canada and other relevant departments and agencies that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary education sector. Advocacy regarding immigration policies, programs and regulations related to international students, faculty, and highly qualified research personnel developed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and other relevant departments and agencies that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary education sector. Advocacy regarding housing strategy issues, policies and programs that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary education sector. Advocacy regarding Government of Canada training, employment and skills policies or programs, developed by Employment and Social Development Canada and other relevant departments and agencies, that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary education sector with respect to their research and education activities. Advocacy regarding Canada’s research and development agenda, including research funding administered through the granting agencies and other federal departments and agencies, program design, and regulatory concerns related to research, including research security. Advocacy to ensure that proposals to develop or amend federal legislation, regulations, policies or programs that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary system reflect the needs of universities and support research and education activities, including communication with public office holders in the House of Commons of Canada, the Senate of Canada and relevant departments and agencies. Activities related to the operation of U15 digital initiatives including Cognit.ca and SecureScholar.

Working with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to improve visa processing times, the Study Direct Stream program, and lower refusal rates for international students accepted to Canadian universities Lobbying to maintain fair dealing for education. Lobbying for an explicit exception for charities, not-for-profits and/or educational institutions to Canada’s Anti-Spam Law (CASL). Increased supports for Indigenous students seeking to access post-secondary education. Harmonization of immigration policies with regard to the improvement of study and work permit processing to identify areas where policies and procedures could be strengthened. Engaging with reviews of existing legislation covering charities to clarify how they apply to educational institutions. Engage with Statistics Canada regarding postsecondary education and research data collection and analysis with particular attention to the University and College Academic Staff System survey and labour market information. Engage with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada regarding the role of universities in supporting innovation through the full suite of innovation initiatives (eg. Superclusters, economic sector tables, Innovation Canada, knowledge mobilization, digital research infrastructure etc.) Engage with Global Affairs Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and ESDC on the implementation of the government’s International Education Strategy – including the targeting and recruitment of international students and the design of the outbound student mobility program for Canadian students to study abroad. Engage with Department of Status of Women and Statistics Canada regarding data collection and policies/frameworks regarding student safety on campus. Discussions with Employment and Social Development Canada concerning international student mobility and internship programs. Discussions concerning federal budget priorities. Priority topics include: federal government's support for university research through the federal granting agencies and other government programs; support for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows; changes to the Canada Research Chairs program; university infrastructure; international research collaboration; knowledge mobilization; equity diversity and inclusion; cybersecurity; and expanding university education opportunities for Indigenous Canadians. Discuss effective strategies and programs to support student transition to the work place and access to upskilling and reskilling programs for mid-career Canadians with Employment and Social Development Canada, including the Student Work-Integrated Learning Program (SWILP) and the Canada Training Benefit.

Discussions about financial sustainability measures for universities. Discussions about shared priorities related to universities including workforce, talent, and employment. Discussions on the Canada-India Talent and Innovation Strategy. Government of Canada - Universities Working Group roundtable discussion on research security. Discussions about artificial intelligence (AI) funding as it relates to universities. Student housing and community enabling campus infrastructure programs. Working group meeting to discuss academic contributions to the Defence Industrial Strategy. Immigration policies and programs related to international students and affecting universities. Discussions of education and international relations opportunities. Engaging in discussions on research priorities for Canadian universities. Discussions about research policy and programs, Canada-US relations, and their impacts on the post-secondary sector Discussions about international students, the workforce, and the benefits of a university degree. Discussions about the Global Excellence Initiative (GEI) and future funding commitments. Meeting to discuss science policy and programs, impact of Canada-US relations Recent policy changes and development of other policy tools including the Recognized Institutions Framework.

Working with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to improve visa processing times, the Study Direct Stream program, and lower refusal rates for international students accepted to Canadian universities Engage with Global Affairs Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and ESDC on the implementation of the government's International Education Strategy - including the targeting and recruitment of international students and the design of the outbound student mobility program for Canadian students to study abroad Discussions with Employment and Social Development Canada concerning international student mobility and internship programs Discussions concerning international students, immigration, visa processing times and a recognized institutions policy Discussions concerning international students, immigration, visa processing times and a recognized institutions policy Discussions concerning federal budget priorities, particularly the Global Skills Opportunity Program

Work with government to promote and support Canada’s digital economy, including ensuring the availability of a high-skilled tech workforce. Work with government to facilitate the process of selling goods and services online, and delivering them to consumers.