A new online petition penned by a nurse working at the McGill University Health Centre alleges there could be terrible consequences if medical students from Saudi Arabia are forced to leave Canada.
“It would be catastrophic if all the Saudi medical residents were to leave as it would strain our health system, which is already struggling with patient volumes,” reads the petition written by Megan Shelton. So far, the petition has over 1,300 signatures.
Because of a diplomatic spat between Canada and Saudi Arabia, the Saudis have told all their citizens studying in Canada they need to return to their homeland by Aug. 31.
READ MORE: Canada will ‘engage’ with Saudi Arabia but won’t change position on human rights: Trudeau
Among the students being told to immediately leave Canada are 225 post-graduate residents and fellows working at the MUHC. The petition writer says her Saudi colleagues are among the best she’s worked with and that their departure may have negative effects on patient care.
A spokesperson for the Quebec Health Minister told Global News there are enough medical students to staff the province’s hospitals, even if the Saudi students have to leave.
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David Birnbaum, parliamentary assistant to the Quebec Higher Education Minister, commented on the petition at a MUHC research announcement Thursday.
“On the ground, we have some serious potential consequences of that Saudi announcement,” he said. “I know our government is working with others and with our medical institutions to see how we protect everyone and deal with those problems.”
READ MORE: EU seeks details on human rights arrests in Saudi Arabia amid Canadian spat
Concordia students are also feeling the effects of the Canada-Saudi Arabia conflict. The university held an information session for Saudi students on Thursday.
None of the attendees agreed to speak with Global News as they left.
The MUHC told Global News they still hope a solution can be found and that the medical students will be able to stay. If the medical residents are forced to leave, the institution said: “Our clinical teams are actively working to minimize its effects on patient care.”
The federal Health Minister’s office said: “We value the contributions these medical students and residents make to the Canadian health system, and we will always welcome them here. We continue to engage with provinces, territories and other partners like the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons and support them as they work to address this issue.”
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