Quebec Premier Jean Charest proposes an end to province's tuition freeze
MONTREAL (CUP) -- Quebec's Liberal party have announced they intend to complement increased federal education funding with tuition hikes. Later this year, Premier Jean Charest will bring forth a policy paper that might end the tuition freeze that Quebec students have been enjoying since 1996.
These comments made by Education Minister Jean-Marc Fournier came after the conclusion of the two-day education summit hosted by Charest and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty. Provincial leaders met in Ottawa from Feb. 23 to the 24 in hopes of securing a funding increase of $4.9 billion towards post-secondary education from Stephen Harper's Conservative government.
The projected increase would see a cash flow to the provinces similar to pre-1995 levels before then-Finance Minister Paul Martin slashed social spending to balance the federal budget.
The Ministry of Education was unavailable for further comment.
"I think [the Liberals] are playing with fire," said Tim McSorley, research and communications coordinator of the Quebec chapter of the Canadian Federation of Students. "It seems like the government already made up their mind before the debate has even started," he said.
He believes that the Liberals are "lacking in creativity" when it comes to finding solutions to funding problems for universities. McSorley said that maintaining the progressive tax system instead of forcing students to take on debt will alleviate the burden that many graduates face.
As a political move, around 500 students boarded buses destined for Ottawa to demand that Harper's government keep its election promise to address the fiscal imbalance and increase funding for post-secondary education.
CFS-Q deputy chairperson Bianca Mugyenyi believes that it is actions like student lobbying and pressure that will keep the tuition freeze in place. She said that the freeze will last as long as the Quebec student lobby can maintain pressure. The rights and accredited statuses that student unions are given help ensure that this pressure is sustained.
"I'm sitting on the fence on this issue," said Tristan Borys, a first-year communications student. "Debt is bad, but [raising tuition] will weed out the students who attend university just because they can and it's cheap and leave room for students who really want to be there."
Mugyenyi scoffs at the idea that Quebec's tuition is too low compared to the rest of Canada, and that students should pay what the rest of the country's universities charge.
"In [wealthy countries] such as France and Germany, university tuition is basically free. So the question is, why isn't our education free too?" she said. It's a matter of Canadian universities' students paying too much rather than Quebec getting off easy, Mugyenyi added.
Neither McSorley nor Mugyenyi are certain whether Charest and the Liberals will keep their promise on not raising tuition fees before the next election. But they both agree that a fee hike will have a dramatic effect on Quebec students, especially those in the lowest income brackets.
Concordia Student Union President Mohamed Shuriye said that the entire country benefits by low tuition rates. He mentioned that many politicians on the federal and provincial level have benefited from Quebec universities' low tuition—including Charest.
"If tuition is high, Canada doesn't grow," he said.
These comments made by Education Minister Jean-Marc Fournier came after the conclusion of the two-day education summit hosted by Charest and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty. Provincial leaders met in Ottawa from Feb. 23 to the 24 in hopes of securing a funding increase of $4.9 billion towards post-secondary education from Stephen Harper's Conservative government.
The projected increase would see a cash flow to the provinces similar to pre-1995 levels before then-Finance Minister Paul Martin slashed social spending to balance the federal budget.
The Ministry of Education was unavailable for further comment.
"I think [the Liberals] are playing with fire," said Tim McSorley, research and communications coordinator of the Quebec chapter of the Canadian Federation of Students. "It seems like the government already made up their mind before the debate has even started," he said.
He believes that the Liberals are "lacking in creativity" when it comes to finding solutions to funding problems for universities. McSorley said that maintaining the progressive tax system instead of forcing students to take on debt will alleviate the burden that many graduates face.
As a political move, around 500 students boarded buses destined for Ottawa to demand that Harper's government keep its election promise to address the fiscal imbalance and increase funding for post-secondary education.
CFS-Q deputy chairperson Bianca Mugyenyi believes that it is actions like student lobbying and pressure that will keep the tuition freeze in place. She said that the freeze will last as long as the Quebec student lobby can maintain pressure. The rights and accredited statuses that student unions are given help ensure that this pressure is sustained.
"I'm sitting on the fence on this issue," said Tristan Borys, a first-year communications student. "Debt is bad, but [raising tuition] will weed out the students who attend university just because they can and it's cheap and leave room for students who really want to be there."
Mugyenyi scoffs at the idea that Quebec's tuition is too low compared to the rest of Canada, and that students should pay what the rest of the country's universities charge.
"In [wealthy countries] such as France and Germany, university tuition is basically free. So the question is, why isn't our education free too?" she said. It's a matter of Canadian universities' students paying too much rather than Quebec getting off easy, Mugyenyi added.
Neither McSorley nor Mugyenyi are certain whether Charest and the Liberals will keep their promise on not raising tuition fees before the next election. But they both agree that a fee hike will have a dramatic effect on Quebec students, especially those in the lowest income brackets.
Concordia Student Union President Mohamed Shuriye said that the entire country benefits by low tuition rates. He mentioned that many politicians on the federal and provincial level have benefited from Quebec universities' low tuition—including Charest.
"If tuition is high, Canada doesn't grow," he said.
