But members of Palestinian Students and Scholars at Risk, PSSAR, say the interview process for these students is more like a “witch hunt,” with interviewers pressing the students on their reasons for attending state-funded universities in Gaza under a Hamas government.

“The line of reasoning was, ‘Explain why you went to this school. Does this not mean that you’re affiliated with Hamas?’ And the students say, ‘We went to the state-run schools.’ This couldn’t possibly have been a political choice on our part but that appears not to have been accepted,” Terezia Zoric, president of the University of Toronto Faculty Association, told a Tuesday press conference.

“The students have shared with us other lines of questioning that are all premised on the idea that you’re guilty until proven innocent, with gotcha-type questions.”

These students are masters and PhD-level students who have been accepted to research roles at Canadian schools, according to PSSAR.

Amer Shalaby, a University of Toronto engineering professor and PSSAR board member, said while the group is not aware of any of the students being approved for visas at this point, some have withdrawn their applications.

"They have lost hope in the possibility of receiving a favourable response from Canada, or at least a transparent process that they can understand,” Shalaby told a House of Commons news conference on Tuesday.

From the Globe article linked to in that report. Shameful. I hope they get visas from other countries to further their research and contributions elsewhere if Canada’s not going to give them a fair shake.