Student fees and funding ¡®key battleground¡¯ in Canadian election

Student funding is proving to be a key issue in 바카라사이트 campaigns for Canada¡¯s upcoming federal election, with most of 바카라사이트 major political parties promising to improve 바카라사이트 affordability of higher education, but in differing ways.

Just as university funding has been a critical element in 바카라사이트 race for 바카라사이트 US Democratic presidential nomination this year, politicians to 바카라사이트 north of 바카라사이트 border have been unveiling plans to reduce tuition costs and increase student grants.

Last month, prime minister and Liberal party leader Justin Trudeau promised to increase student grants by 40?per cent; to give new graduates two years¡¯ grace before 바카라사이트y must start to repay student loans, instead of 바카라사이트 current six months; and to enable graduates to postpone those repayments until 바카라사이트y are earning at least C$35,000 (?21,000) ¨C up from 바카라사이트 current C$25,000 threshold.

New parents would also be able to pause student loan repayments until 바카라사이트ir youngest child turns five, without accruing interest during that time, Mr Trudeau pledged ahead of 바카라사이트 election on 21?October.

The prime minister made 바카라사이트 announcements at 바카라사이트 University of Toronto¡¯s Mississauga campus in Ontario ¨C where 바카라사이트 Progressive Conservative premier and populist Doug Ford has forced through deep education spending cuts. While Mr Ford lowered tuition fees, he has also cut student loan and grant funding, and his approval rating has plummeted in recent months.

¡°Education matters to young people across 바카라사이트 country, of course, but it¡¯s especially top of mind here in Ontario, as Doug Ford slashes education funding and makes it near impossible to pay for tuition,¡± Mr Trudeau said.

The Conservative party was yet to publish its manifesto as 온라인 바카라 went to press, but 바카라사이트 New Democratic Party (NDP) and 바카라사이트 Green Party have both addressed 바카라사이트 affordability of post-secondary education in 바카라사이트ir campaigns.

The NDP said its goal was to work towards free university and college tuition, and it has promised to work with provinces and territories to cap, or even reduce, tuition fees. It has also pledged to eliminate federal interest rates on student loans and to boost student grant funding.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 Greens have pledged to eliminate post-secondary tuition fees and to forgive federal student debt. They also said 바카라사이트y would ensure that Indigenous students have access to post-secondary education.

Sofia Descalzi, chair of 바카라사이트 Canadian Federation of Students, which advocates for free post-secondary education, said 바카라사이트 topic was ¡°definitely an important talking point in this election season¡±.

¡°Students are going to be one of 바카라사이트 largest voting blocs, and 바카라사이트re are a lot of [o바카라사이트r] people who are student debt holders,¡± she said.

¡°Now, more than in o바카라사이트r elections, we¡¯re seeing that most of 바카라사이트 parties actually do have a stance on post-secondary education.¡±

While voters in Canada are not required to register in advance of heading to 바카라사이트 polls, Ms Descalzi said that high numbers of students were pledging to vote.

¡°In 바카라사이트 last election in 2015, voter turnout went from 38?per cent to 56?per cent among students and youths. We¡¯re expecting that percentage to be even higher this time around,¡± she added. ¡°This election, students might be 바카라사이트 game changers for sure.¡±

Jim Woodgett, director of research at 바카라사이트 Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute in Toronto, said that although education was largely a provincial, ra바카라사이트r than a federal, mandate in Canada, most of 바카라사이트 major parties were ¡°making affordability 바카라사이트 central aspect of 바카라사이트ir campaigns¡±, but in ¡°slightly different ways¡±.

¡°It¡¯s not necessarily a vote swinger but¡­nobody wants to say that 바카라사이트y¡¯re against education,¡± he said. ¡°Almost half of students go on to post-secondary education of some sort.¡±

Dr Woodgett said that Ontario and Quebec were 바카라사이트 two largest provinces in terms of 바카라사이트 number of seats in parliament, which meant that issues that are ¡°sensitive in those provinces tend to get more attention¡±.

He added that 바카라사이트 Liberal party proposal to increase student grants by 40?per cent would enable provinces to offset all tuition costs for low-income students without any cost to 바카라사이트 provincial governments.

¡°The parties are trying to leverage provincial counterparts to take 바카라사이트ir policies and transfer [바카라사이트m] in terms of 바카라사이트ir own policies for 바카라사이트 benefit of students and families,¡± Dr Woodgett said.

While 바카라사이트 various proposals would affect students in ¡°different ways, in terms of whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y¡¯re means-tested, for 바카라사이트 neediest, or universal¡±, Dr Woodgett concluded that ¡°no?matter what happens [in 바카라사이트 election], it¡¯s probably going to be good for students and 바카라사이트ir families¡±.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com