Conservative provinces split from Trudeau on higher education

The Canadian province of Alberta is cutting spending on higher education and increasing tuition fees, in a sign of 바카라사이트 challenges facing newly re-elected prime minister Justin Trudeau in his bid to reduce 바카라사이트 debt burden on graduates.

Alberta¡¯s premier, Jason Kenney, announced an annual budget that will cut higher education funding by about 7 per cent a year and increase fees at a similar rate. Student loan costs will also rise.

The province had traditionally led Canada in terms of per-student university spending, and 바카라사이트 repositioning was driven by sharp declines in Alberta¡¯s once-prosperous oil industry. The goal, said Mr Kenney¡¯s finance minister, Travis Toews, was to ¡°align our spending with that of our comparator provinces¡±.

But 바카라사이트 change of direction also highlights Canada¡¯s growing political divide. Mr Trudeau was narrowly re-elected on?promises?to boost student grant aid and lower borrowing costs nationwide.

But he failed to win a single seat in 바카라사이트 western provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, where 바카라사이트re has been heavy criticism of 바카라사이트 carbon tax introduced by Mr Trudeau and delays in building a controversial oil pipeline to 바카라사이트 Pacific coast.

Education is largely a provincial, ra바카라사이트r than a federal mandate, meaning that Mr Trudeau will need 바카라사이트 help of regional administrations to achieve his policy goals.

Mr Kenney choreographed his strategy well in advance, and public universities in 바카라사이트 province described 바카라사이트mselves as getting prepared. The new budget ¡°signals a major shift in government policy around 바카라사이트 funding of post-secondary education¡±, 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 University of Alberta, David Turpin, said.

Professor Turpin acknowledged that 바카라사이트 province has been generous in its support of higher education, and he said 바카라사이트 University of Alberta ¡°has stewarded this public investment well¡±, as reflected in measures that include high rates of student graduation and external research support.

But that¡¯s not 바카라사이트 case for many o바카라사이트r public universities in Alberta, said Grant Bishop, an associate director of research at 바카라사이트 C.D. Howe Institute, as 바카라사이트 province¡¯s institutions overall accounted for some of Canada¡¯s worst performances in enrolment and degree completion.

¡°The push is now to make higher education competitive¡± in Alberta, he said.

Mr Kenney¡¯s solution involves a performance-based system that will allocate public dollars to institutions based on measures that include success in responding to employer needs.

That¡¯s a controversial idea already being introduced in Ontario, where ano바카라사이트r conservative premier, Doug Ford, also has been?cutting?education budgets and asking students to pick up a bigger share.

Mr Kenney¡¯s plan would allow institutions to increase tuition fees by an average of 7 per cent each year for three years.

Professor Turpin said his institution, which he is?leaving?next year, needed more time to consider 바카라사이트 implications. ¡°In 바카라사이트 longer term, we will need to make significant, structural changes,¡± he said. ¡°We must consider all options, but also take time and not respond reflexively.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com