WATERLOO, ON. (CUP) Last Thursday, Paul Martin announced that the Liberal party plans to inject $2.2 billion into post-secondary education through what he calls the “50/50” plan.
The proposed funding scheme, which Martin unveiled while speaking at the University of Waterloo, calls for the government to pay for half the tuition cost in a student’s first and fourth years of studying their first degree for up to $3,000.
One of the most hotly debated topics in this year’s federal election has been education, something that Liberal cabinet minister Belinda Stronach believes is a key issue that is stirring voters.
“Education is really an investment in the future prosperity of our nation – it’s what gives young people an opportunity at the end of the day to acquire the skills they need to make a good living, to get a good job,” said Stronach.
“Education, I really believe, is what’s going to give us a competitive advantage in this really fast-paced global economy. We’re a nation that’s blessed with great natural resources but education is what’s going to really differentiate Canada …”
Jen Mitchell, WLU Students’ Union Vice-President of University Affairs, and has worked closely with the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance over contentious issues like tuition deregulation and the need for increased funding toward post-secondary education.
She appreciates the new plan believing that by focusing on grants instead of tax cuts, the Liberals are attending to “the real source of the problem of access.”
Mitchell is encouraged that the issue of funding “finally resonated with politicians” but is somewhat dismayed that things “had [to get] so bad” first.
George Soule, National Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students, is not as optimistic as Mitchell. Soule feels that Martin’s plan will likely be an exercise in futility because it fails to address rising post-secondary tuition rates. Tuition fees have tripled since 1991.
“In the absence of a plan to regulate tuition, this plan is incomplete,” said Soule. Soule pointed out that in provinces such as Nova Scotia, where the average tuition is $6281 this year, even a grant of up to $3000 will not be enough to cover half the cost.
Minister Stronach feels differently.
“Tuition is set by the provinces and the universities,” said Stronach. “I do believe this will go a long way to offset tuition … along with the other improved debt measures we’re talking about and the income tax measures that are available to us, I think it goes a long way to address those issues of access for students.”
She noted that the Liberal government has promoted several policies in recent years to help alleviate the financial stress faced by students, including the Canada Access Grant, an increase in the ceiling of student loans and an increase in the income threshold used to determine eligibility for student loans.
“Look, we didn’t want to waste a lot of time reviewing and spending. We wanted to make sure we put forward a program that addressed access, [something] that we’ve identified as a big issue,” said Stronach.
Dr. David Docherty, Laurier’s Dean of Arts, believes that whether or not Martin’s plan will make a real impact, what remains truly important is that the issue of post-secondary education is being discussed.
“Anytime we can make it more affordable for students to get to university, or more kids to get to university and graduate with less debt, is something that all of us both in the education sector and outside should applaud,” said Docherty.
-With files from Erika Meere CUP Qu
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