Leonard in the House
A Question from Wednesday July 5:EDUC.: - TUITION FEES - INCREASES
MR. LEONARD PREYRA: Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of
Education. The constituency of Halifax Citadel is home to four of Nova
Scotia's universities and nearly 60 per cent of our university students.
These students are coping with the highest tuition in Canada - fees that are
more than $2,000 higher than the national average. In May, in the last
Throne Speech, this government committed to bringing tuition in Nova Scotia
in line with the national average within five years, and in the recent
election they amended this commitment to reducing tuition by $250 a year
over the next four years.
Nevertheless, this Fall, the government will allow universities to increase
tuition by another 3.9 per cent at a minimum. How are tuition fees supposed
to get lower if her government keeps forcing it higher?
HON. KAREN CASEY: Mr. Speaker, to the member opposite. Our government, as
has been suggested, does recognize that tuition costs in our province need
to be reined in. We need to come more in line with the national standard,
and we are making attempts to do that. One of the things that I would
suggest to you is those attempts are being made within a balanced budget and
they will be gradual.
MR. PREYRA: Those promises were made with one eye on the ballot box and not
on the balanced budget, I suggest. Students and their families were hopeful
following the government's May Throne Speech because it represented a
significant departure from this government's approach to post-secondary
funding - or so they thought. It's a triumph of hope over experience, Mr.
Speaker.
Despite our experience, we took the government at their word that they would
cut tuition to the national average. Within days after the election writs
were issued, they backed away from this commitment. Why would the minister
make a promise to cut tuition for students and their families that they
clearly had no intention of keeping?
MS. CASEY: Mr. Speaker, to the member opposite, we were talking and will
continue to talk about a five-year plan to make that a gradual reduction.
MR. PREYRA: Mr. Speaker, the students want more than talk, they want
concrete action from this minister. Despite the government's contention that
halting this year's tuition hikes would be too difficult, they went ahead
and quietly renegotiated the MOU this Spring to suit their own interests,
and without consulting with families, students and other stakeholders. When
it comes to the interest of students and their families, the government
denies that they have any role to play. Why does the minister's government
refuse to do the right thing and stop tuition from increasing yet again,
this year, right now?
MS. CASEY: Mr. Speaker, we do have a number of debt reduction programs that
are in place. We have a graduate tax credit, we have the millennium access
grants, there are a number of things being done to assist students with the
debt load.
