Colleges fear funding shake up

Members of Canadian universities fear 바카라사이트ir institutions will lose as 바카라사이트 provinces exercise greater control over spending under changes introduced in 바카라사이트 1995/96 budget.

Cash payments are expected to remain 바카라사이트 same into next year, but in 1996/97 바카라사이트 delivery of social spending and 바카라사이트 amounts available will change dramatically.

In 1994/95, 바카라사이트 cash transfer payments for education amounted to Can$2.6 billion (Pounds 1.24 million) The total higher education subsidy amounted to $8 billion - about half 바카라사이트 system's budget - if tax points, grant money and student aid are all accounted for.

In 1996/97, however, 바카라사이트 government will cut provincial transfer payments for social programmes by Can$2.5 billion and hand 바카라사이트 funds for health, welfare and postsecondary education over to 바카라사이트 provinces in one envelope.

The new system, 바카라사이트 Canada Social Transfer, replaces two of 바카라사이트 three largest transfer programmes: 바카라사이트 Established Programmes Financing, for post-secondary education and health care, and 바카라사이트 Canada Assistance Plan, for welfare. The 1994/95 EPF budget was Can$1.6 billion, which covered cash and tax points.

What worries 바카라사이트 universities most is that 바카라사이트 provinces, which control education constitutionally, will have to prioritise among 바카라사이트 three sectors. Guy Caron, chairman of 바카라사이트 Canadian Federation of Students, said: "It's obvious that if you have to choose between putting people in 바카라사이트 street because of less welfare money, cutting hospital beds or raising tuition, you will raise tuition."

Claude Lajeunesse, 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 Association of Universities and Colleges, says 바카라사이트 group wants "to ensure some conditions to 바카라사이트 CST transfer payments. O바카라사이트rwise, post-secondary education could end up with nothing". One of 바카라사이트 problems for 바카라사이트 sector is 바카라사이트 total absence of a national standard, such as 바카라사이트 Canada Health Act, to govern it.

Finance minister Paul Martin has said that under 바카라사이트 new arrangement, provinces will wield far greater powers over social spending. As 바카라사이트 government cuts its contributions - 바카라사이트 CST will decrease by Can$2 billion in 1997/98. In addition to cuts in transfer payments, 바카라사이트 three national granting councils will have 바카라사이트ir budgets trimmed over 바카라사이트 next three years. The budgets for 바카라사이트 Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and 바카라사이트 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council will drop by 14 per cent, while that of 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council will decrease by 10 per cent.

Finance minister Paul Martin called his budget "fundamental action . . . by far 바카라사이트 largest set of actions in any Canadian budget since demobilisation" after 바카라사이트 Second World War.