Statement made on 25 October 2007 by Senator Catherine Callbeck
Hon. Catherine S. Callbeck:
Honourable senators, this week representatives from the Canadian Federation of Students, which speaks for more than half a million students from every province in this country, met with parliamentarians on the Hill. I had the great pleasure of meeting with two young graduate students, Faiz Ahmed, P.E.I. representative, and Ben Lewis, National Treasurer, who ably outlined the major concerns and challenges facing post-secondary students today.
Rising tuition costs and increasing debt loads have an effect on whether Canadian youth are able to pursue their studies. As honourable senators may know, Statistics Canada released the average tuition costs for the 2007-08 academic year earlier this month. Tuition rose by 2.8 per cent this year, an even faster rate than inflation. The average tuition for an undergraduate student is $4,524, up from $4,400 the year before. More and more post-secondary education is an option available only to those from high income families or to students who end up with overwhelming personal debt upon graduation.
We all know how important post-secondary education has become in the 21st century. It is not only absolutely necessary to the success of individual Canadians but also vital to the country's overall success on the world stage.
Despite the increasing importance of ensuring that young people receive a top-notch post-secondary education, the Conservative government's approach has been wholly insufficient. The one mention of post-secondary education in the recent Speech from the Throne stated only that families worry about the rising costs of higher education. The speech itself offered no measures or initiatives to dispel that worry.
Over the past 20 months, we have seen no direct assistance to students, just two small tax measures that will have little impact on our young people. These small tax credits on a future income tax return provide nothing for a student who needs assistance up front to pay their tuition.
Honourable senators, post-secondary education should be accessible, regardless of income, for all young Canadians capable of attending. All Canadians will benefit from the work of these graduates. The federal government must do all it can to ensure that our young people can effectively participate in an increasingly competitive global economy. In doing so, they will help to ensure the success of the country.