Many Canadians have been dissatisfied by the Liberal Party in the wake of last year’s sponsorship scandal. The president of the Quebec Young Liberals of Canada believes this year’s election campaign will be an opportunity for her party to restore lost confidence.
The Liberals will dedicate “$7 billion dollars over five years in order to help low income students who are struggling with tuition,” said Brigitte Legault.
The money will go towards two endeavors introduced by the Liberals in this year’s campaign. In order to increase access to post-secondary education the “50/50” plan will cover half of an undergraduate’s first year tuition and half a student’s graduating year tuition, to a maximum of $3000. At a cost of $110 million a year they will also expand Access Canada Grants to cover up to four years of undergraduate study for eligible students.
Low income students are eligible for both the “50/50” plan and grants but when asked what constitutes low income, Legault was unable to give a clear answer. She said there are, “no guidelines right now and I don’t know what range will be used.”
Students concerned with an increase in crime and violence in Canada will be happy to hear that Liberals promise to ban handguns completely. This bold approach to crime prevention also consists of a 250 officer RCMP unit dedicated solely to fighting gun related crimes, 75 new officers at Canadian borders to combat illegal handgun imports and tougher sentences on gun related crimes. The RCMP will also get $325 million for an anti-gang squad to counter increases of violence in many Canadian cities.
Fear of corruption sprouting from the sponsorship scandal may be a major disadvantage for the Liberals this election, but Legault ensured that, “this party listens to people.” As member of the Liberal party for the past five years, she said she is proud of the way that the Prime Minister has handled the situation and believes Canadians should recognize his efforts.
For those who want to know what steps will be taken to prevent government corruption Legault said, “we are waiting for the second report from Gomery to determine guidelines for ensuring that this doesn’t happen again.” The report will be out a week after the election on February 1st. Legault said the Liberals “will put everything from the report into action.”
Another substantial part of the Liberal campaign is a commitment to improving the daycare system. Liberals will dedicate $11 billion to provinces over 11 years for daycare.
When asked about environmental policies Legault shared that $10 billion was dedicated to environmental protection in the last budget and the Liberal party will continue their commitment to the Kyoto Accords in order to establish Canada as an environmental leader.
“Liberal values reflect what Canadian values are,” said Legault ,and this is why she stated Canadians should vote Liberal.
For more information on the Liberal platform visit liberal.ca, election.ctv.ca or canada.com.
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