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SOURCE Canadian Federation of Students
OTTAWA, March 21, 2013 /CNW/ - Today's budget takes no steps to make
post-secondary education affordable for Canadians despite record levels
of student debt.
"Continuing to download the cost of post-secondary education onto
students is a short-sighted policy that will harm Canada's economic
recovery," said Adam Awad, National Chairperson of the Canadian
Federation of Students. "The 2013 budget is not an economic action plan
for students and recent graduates."
Despite widespread public concern about steadily declining affordability
of post-secondary education, the federal budget fails to address the
student debt crisis. If the current trend continues, student debt is
expected to surpass $19 billion before 2016. At the same time, the
federal government has written off over $700 million in unpaid student
loans in the last three years. The 2013 budget contains no new student
financial assistance measures to address the increasing student debt
loads burdening students and their families.
"Canada should be addressing skills shortages by reducing the up-front
costs of post-secondary education and training programs," added Awad.
"Reallocating wasteful investments in tax credits and savings schemes
into upfront grants for students would greatly improve Canada's labour
market by increasing access to the skills training required for global
competitiveness."
The Canadian Federation of Students is Canada's largest student
organisation, uniting more that one-half million students in all ten
provinces. The Federation and its predecessor organisations have
represented students in Canada since 1927.
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