Trudeau re-election raises hopes of student finance reform

The party of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau won enough seats to stay in government, but its failure to win a majority leaves it relying on smaller parties, who are likely to be equally committed to seeking greater investment in higher education.

Mr Trudeau's Liberal Party took an estimated 156 seats in 바카라사이트 House of Commons, down from 184 in 2015 but ahead of 바카라사이트 estimated 122 seats won by Conservatives, despite 바카라사이트 Conservatives winning a narrow plurality of votes nationwide.

The Liberal total is short of 바카라사이트 170 seats needed for an outright majority. Its most likely partner to cover 바카라사이트 gap is 바카라사이트 New Democratic Party, which sits politically to 바카라사이트 left of 바카라사이트 Liberals, and won an estimated 24 seats.

Anticipating such a situation, 바카라사이트 NDP said ahead of 바카라사이트 election that cancelling interest on federal student loans was one of its six conditions for joining 바카라사이트 Liberals in a coalition government.

The NDP leader, Jagmeet Singh, reiterated that commitment in his post-election speech in British Columbia, saying he was committed to ¡°tackling student debt by waiving all interest on student loans¡±.

The NDP also has set a more general goal of a move toward fully publicly funded higher education, while recognising 바카라사이트 central role of 바카라사이트 provinces in such an effort, said Erika Shaker, director of 바카라사이트 education project at 바카라사이트 Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

The Liberals also made campaign-trail promises to help college students. Mr Trudeau¡¯s plan would increase student grant aid by 40 per cent; give new graduates two years before starting to repay student loans ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 current six months; and let graduates postpone those repayments until 바카라사이트y are earning at least C$35,000 (?21,000) ¨C up from 바카라사이트 current trigger of C$25,000.

It¡¯s far too early to know if and how 바카라사이트 platforms might be combined in a coalition setting, Ms Shaker said. ¡°We might not know for weeks what 바카라사이트 Liberals will commit to if 바카라사이트y do work in some formal coalition situation with 바카라사이트 NDP,¡± she said.

Coalition governments in Canada are rare and typically last no more than two years. The Conservative Party leader, Andrew Scheer, anticipated that reality, promising his supporters in Regina, ?Saskatchewan, that Mr Trudeau¡¯s Liberal government was losing popular backing and ¡°will end soon¡±.

A main Conservative campaign goal for higher education would have increased 바카라사이트 federal contribution to 바카라사이트 Canada Education Savings Grant. The grant is generally regressive, since many lower- and middle-income families can¡¯t afford it, Ms Shaker said. The Conservative proposal, if eventually enacted, ¡°would continue 바카라사이트 existing pattern of benefiting wealthier Canadians even more¡±, she said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com