On the tangibles of advocacy…

As outlined in the Post Secondary Learning Act of Alberta, the mandate of all student unions/associations in Alberta is to advocate on behalf of their constituents, to the University administration, and to the three levels of government. This year the ULSU has done this through its membership in The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), The Council of Alberta University Students (CAUS), attendance at City Council meetings, as well as on numerous committees at the University level (including the Board of Governors, the Senate, General Faculties Council, and University Budget).

Of these groups, the federal and provincial advocacy tends to be the most contentious when it comes to the student body. The ULSU pays approximately $26,000 in membership fees to CASA and CAUS. As you may have guessed, the money for these membership fees comes from YOUR SU fees. A common question we receive, and rightly so, is “What are the benefits of being part of these organizations?” People frequently want to see the tangibles for the money they have contributed, so how do we justify spending all this money to be part of these organizations?

The answer is quite simple – access.

March was home to the Lobby Conventions for both CAUS and CASA, which were both weeklong events during which members from the ULSU go to the respective capital cities and advocate on behalf of the students here at the University of Lethbridge.

For CAUS, President Adam Vossepoel, VP Academic Jenn Prosser, and VP Academic Comissioner Kendall Yamagishi spent several days in Edmonton lobbying MLA’s and Ministers. During that week, CAUS had 51 meetings with members of the Legislative Assembly, including meetings with the Minister of Advanced Education and Technology, Doug Horner. 

For CASA, Adam Vossepoel, President Elect Jeremy Girard, and I spent a week in Ottawa running around Parliament Hill. During that week, CASA had over 160 meetings with MP’s, Senators, and parliamentary aids. Some names you might recognize are: Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Opposition Leader Michael Ignatieff, Jack Layton, Elizabeth May, Gilles Duceppe, Stéphane Dion, Speaker of the House Peter Milliken, local MP Rick Casson, and local Senator Joyce Fairbairn. That’s right; we were able to meet with all five party leaders, a first for the organization. Also, I was invited to attend a special meeting with the top dogs at Elections Canada, were we had the opportunity to discuss the “Lethbridge Incident,” as well as future plans to increase accessibility for student voters.  

So all of these meetings are fine and dandy, but the follow-up question is do they accomplish anything?

If any of you were watching CPAC during the last week of March, you would have probably noticed a few questions during question period about Post Secondary Education, questions that were formulated directly from CASA policy. During the 2008 Federal Election, many of the main political parties had policy almost word-for-word from CASA in their PSE plans. Both the new Canadian Student Grant Program and Repayment Assistance Program introduced by the government address policy presented by CASA; policy that was contributed to by the ULSU. The ~$2 Billion in funding for deferred maintenance announced by the federal government was not just a victory for CASA, but also the University of Lethbridge, as we recognized this as a major issue on our campus. When teamed up with CAUS, we are able to secure $145 million of that for the U of L. Last year CAUS succeeded in lowering interest rates on student loans in Alberta, something that many of us here are quite appreciative of. Elections Canada said they want the ULSU to be one of their main partners in formulating a student strategy for the next election. Elizabeth May said the Green Party wants to use CASA as their main source of information and policy on PSE. The Prime Minister Stephen Harper talked positively about CASA in caucus (he is not frequently known for mentioning advocacy groups in caucus). If you noticed that now when you apply for an Alberta Student Loan, they no longer consider the value of your car as income, that’s another CAUS victory. The increase in funding for university residential spaces across the province? Check mark CAUS!

While these victories may seem small compared to the dozens upon dozens of policies presented by CASA and CAUS, you really need to look at the system in which they are working. If you ask for 30 things, you might only get two, and it could take a year or two to implement. That’s the nature of the bureaucracies of the provincial and federal government. However, that is MAJOR progress. It’s the needs of students being addressed, and both CASA and CAUS are attributed levels of success that many similar organizations could only dream of. Not many organizations can say they get meetings with the head of every political party, or have its members on a first name basis with the Minister of Advanced Education and Technology. But we can, and that’s worth something.

Brodie Pattenden

VP Admin

The 2008/2009 CAUS Membership

ULSU VP Admin Brodie Pattenden with Stephane Dion

ULSU President Adam Vossepoel with Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff

 

 

 

 

“Huzzah Minister!” – Lobbying Day 1

As part of our ongoing news feed from Ottawa, we are officially concluding our first real day of lobbing. The membership has already conducted 34 individual meetings with Senators, MPs, and key staff. The ULSU got to meet with the following:

Myself

• Ed Komarnicki, MP: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour 
• Rodger Cuzner, MP: Official Opposition Whip

 

From Left to Right: Rodger Cuzner: MP, Derek Krywvj: Red River College, Kyle Steele: Acadia University, Brodie Pattenden: ULSU

 

 

Jeremy

• Mike Savage, MP: Official Opposition Critic for Human Resources and Skills and the Chair of the Liberal Caucus Committee on Post-Secondary Education and Research
• Rick Norlock, MP

Adam

• Paul Calandra, MP
• Martha Hall Finley, MP: Platform Outreach Chair for the Liberal Party of Canada

These meetings so far have been incedibly exciting, with reception of CASA’s priorities, as outlined in Adam’s previous post, being quite positive. The pragmatic solutions we are proposing are not requiring huge capital injunctions (something that tends to be a hard sales pitch during a recession), but rather a more efficient and effect use of current funds. Also, initiatives such as the Removal of the Textbook Importation Tax and Fair and Balanced Copy-write Law, have little to do with funding to and from government coffers, but rather adjustment to policy that enhances innovation, affordability, and accessibility in the PSE environment. 

There are still three more days and ~120 lobby meetings to go, with highlight meetings such as Elections Canada and Stephane Dion for myself, and Michael Ignatieff for Voss. Meetings are being added daily, so stay tuned!

Brodie Pattenden

VP Admin, CASA Fanboy

The current financial crisis – Calvin & Hobbes Style

With an almost clairvoyance on how we got to the wonderful little situation that we are currently in, a 15 year old Calvin & Hobbes comic strip breaks today’s financial situation into its most basic form:

 

 

Courtesy of reddit.com, here is an alternative dialogue:

Calvin (to Susie): Look at this glass of lemonade. You’ll be able to sell it for 50 cents tomorrow, but I’ll sell it to you for 25 cents today.

Susie: I don’t have the money.

Calvin: That’s okay, I’ll loan you the money because you’ll be able to pay me back with some interest… say… 35 cents. The lemonade will surely be worth 50 cents tomorrow… You can even drink part of it and sell the rest and you’ll still be able to pay me back.

Susie: Well, I guess… you’ve been selling lemonade for so long, you should know

Calvin: Here ya go.

Random kids: wow, what an easy way to make dough… we’ll take some of your lemonade too on exactly those terms.

Random kid: If I can get another kid to loan me money against the value of this lemonade a week from now, I can invest it in lemons today and be a millionaire by the time the day is through. Who knew getting rich is so easy?

(meanwhile just in eyeshot)

Moe 1 to Moe 2: I bet Susie and those kids won’t be able to sell that lemonade tomorrow.

Moe 2: You’re on.

Calvin to Moe 2: Say Moe 2, I just sold a bunch of glasses of lemonade and will get paid at least 35 cents tomorrow after they sell part of it to pay me back, can I borrow some money to buy more lemons. I sure am glad lemonade’s a fungible commodity.

Moe 2: Sure, I’ll be making some dough when Susie and them won’t be able to pay you back, so I feel comfortable loaning you more money now.

Mom: Geez, look how much lemonade Calvin is selling… and if the Moes are still lending him money, it must be a good model. If I want to sell any lemonade I better do like he does or I’ll lose my market share.

(next day)

Susie: Gee, I drank only a sip of that lemonade, and now no one wants to buy it. I won’t be able to pay Calvin back all the way. at least I got a sip… I’ll pay him for that.

Calvin: Where’s my money?

Susie: I couldn’t sell your lemonade. But here’s 15 cents… it’s all I can pay.

Calvin: WHAT!?! But it’s so valuable… it’s worth at least 50 cents.

Susie: sorry, I know… I thought I would be able to make a fortune.

Calvin: Crap, me too. Well I’ll have to take back what’s left.

Susie: I don’t think anyone else will want it.

Moe 2 (to Calvin): Where’s my money?

Calvin: I don’t have it. Here’s some lemonade.

Moe 2: Don’t have it? day-old lemonade? yuck.

Moe 2 (to Moe 1): see he doesn’t have it, pay up.

Moe 1: I don’t have any money, I was betting with those other kids that they’d be able to sell their lemonade, that was the only way I’d be able to pay you.

Moe 2: no money?

Moe 1: no money?

Calvin: Well I’d have some if you let me borrow some more.

Moe 2, Moe 1 and Calvin fall into a dust storm of fighting… Calvin narrowly escapes the fray

Mom: Geez things are looking hairy out there. I sure loaned out a lot of lemonade… crap, I don’t think I’m ever getting paid back from those kids. and now they’ll all come whining to me about how they didn’t get money or lemonade… Maybe Calvin’s system isn’t working out so hot, but If he has to shut down his lemonade stand, nobody will have lemonade ever.

Mom (to Calvin): Here, Calvin… this is 2 dollars. Buy some lemons and sugar.

Susie: I lost all my lemonade too, and my quarter, now I can’t buy anything.

Mom (to Susie): Here Susie, this is 2 dollars, you should be able to plant a lemon tree with this, and you’ll have all the lemonade you want. You can help me with chores if you want more.

(Mom continues paying out to all the neighborhood kids and the bullies for the blunder she and Calvin made.)

Mom: What the hell am I gonna do with all this day-old lemonade?

Dad: Where’d all our friggin money go? and What’s with all this day-old lemonade. And why are you in the lemonade business to begin with?

Mom: What matters is that all the neighborhood kids have been made whole.

Dad: WTF, sweetie… made whole. They bought lemonade for free and then treated it as if it was worth a fortune and created an intricate web of bets and loans and ran the neighborhood economy into the ground.. and your answer is to dole out the cash?

Mom: Well, we have to keep them occupied somehow or else they’ll be in their houses bugging their parents and breaking things.

Dad: Well I guess you’re right. We can’t just do nothing

Calvin: MONEY MONEY MONEY MONEY!

Hobbes: Maybe you should try to just.. you know.. sell lemonade.

Calvin: But how am I supposed to make money doing that? I’m gonna sit on this wad of cash until Mom gets out of my hair, and then take Susie for all she has.

 

Brodie

VP Admin

Help the ULSU – Win a free iPod Touch!

The ULSU needs your help!

While the elected members of the ULSU that are expected to run the organization are students, sometimes the needs and wants of the student body are not properly addressed. To combat this, the ULSU has put together a student survey aimed at collecting the opinions and satisfaction levels of its constituents. By having a concrete database of actual opinions, not just assumptions, this can help the people in charge of the ULSU make clear and accurate decisions that are most likely to have a positive impact on the student body.

This survey will ask you to rate your level of satisfaction on a number of questions, covering all the major areas of ULSU operations that affect YOU!

The bonus: By helping make the ULSU better for you, you can be entered to win an iPod Touch, or one of 3 Zoo gift certificates.

To enter, please visit www.ulsu.ca

Deadline for entry is midnight on January 30th, 2009.

Any questions or concerns, please contact myself at 329.2292 or su.admin@uleth.ca

Thanks,

Brodie
VP Admin

the 2008 swimming naked awards

NOTE: If you don’t care about the current financial situation and are not an economics nerd, you may not find this article interesting. Otherwise, welcome my brethren!

Yesterday The Economist announced their winners of the swimming naked awards for the year. The term swimming naked is derived from the famous observation by Warren Buffet, “You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out.” So, needless to say, as the financial tide receded quite far this year (farther than anyone was expecting), leaving many people precariously exposed.

So, without further ado, here are The Economist’s picks:

 

Scoundrel of the year:Too many contenders to mention, but the last minute entrant has won by a landslide: Bernie Madoff, who is providing a helpful demonstration of the difference between a financial collapse due to management incompetence (most of this year’s banking failures) and a genuine 100% fraud.

 

Outstanding Public Relations: No question, the decision of the bosses of Detroit’s shrinking Big Three car makers to fly in separate corporate jets to appeal to Congress for a bail-out. What better way to tell the public that the leaders of corporate America are out of touch? Runner up: John Thain, boss of Merrill Lynch, who looked like a hero for saving his firm, only to blow it by demanding his bonus.

 

Greatest sovereign risk: In a year of meltdown, Iceland is a fitting winner.

 

Rumble in the jungle: Dick “the Gorilla” Fuld versus Lehman “Nameless” Employee. The boss who presided over Lehman’s demise was allegedly knocked out with a single punch in the investment bank’s gym, by an angry employee.

 

Gift horse: Mr Fuld wins again, for reportedly turning down multiple offers of life-saving investment in Lehman. Honourable mentions to the bosses of Deutsche Bank, Barclays and Ford, who all publicly said they did not need an injection of state funds, but may live to regret it.

 

The Andrew Mellon award for incompetence as Treasury Secretary: Hank Paulson, whose lack of strategy and catastrophic decision to let Lehman Brothers fail made a bad situation far worse.

 

Best letter: Runner up, for its undisguised Schadenfreude, was Congressman Henry Waxman’s letter to the heads of Wall Street firms after the government bought some of their shares, demanding to know the salaries of their top earners, their bonuses and how these were calculated. But the lifetime achievement award goes to the letter A, as in “triple-A rating”, which is now entering long-overdue retirement.

 

Most convincing Jekyll-and-Hyde impersonation: Scary sovereign-wealth funds were going to buy up the world. Then they were heroically going to rescue the banking system. Now they are in hiding, counting their massive losses and wondering where all their money went. In second place, and closely related, oil: expensive one moment, cheap the next.

 

Most dismal scientist: Nouriel Roubini and George Soros battled it out for the role of scarily-accented Dr Doom in the next James Bond movie, “A Quantum of Funds”, but nobody put the dismal science into economics more effectively than the Republican vice-presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, during her unforgettable interview with Katie Couric. As she explained: “That’s why I say I, like every American I’m speaking with, we’re ill about this position that we have been put in. Where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy. Um, helping, oh, it’s got to be about job creation, too. Shoring up our economy, and putting it back on the right track. So health care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions, and tax relief for Americans, and trade — we have got to see trade as opportunity, not as, uh, competitive, um, scary thing, but one in five jobs created in the trade sector today. We’ve got to look at that as more opportunity. All of those things under the umbrella of job creation.” Indeed. Perhaps best enjoyed in the Tina Fey version from Saturday Night Live.

 

Client of the Year: Client Number Nine, aka Eliot Spitzer. Wall Street had little to cheer about in 2008, but the fall of its former persecutor in a sex scandal was one of them. Happily for former New York Governor Spitzer, America’s tradition of giving failures a second chance is alive and well. Starting soon, he will write a regular column in Slate, an online magazine.

 

Best supporting abbreviation: Last year, it was SIV (structured-investment vehicle). This year, the winner is TARP, which stands for troubled asset relief programme—better known as a blank cheque for Mr Paulson. Runner up: IOU.

 

Most oligarchic oligarch: Two strong entries: Mikhail Frydman, Len Blavatnik and Viktor Vekselberg (collectively), for driving out Robert Dudley, the boss of the joint-venture between TNK and BP; and the winner, Oleg Deripaska, for embarrassing first Britain’s government and main opposition by inviting two leading members onto his yacht, and then himself by falling foul of the credit crunch.

 

Party of the year: The $86,000 partridge-hunting trip funded by AIG, a government-rescued insurance firm, for some top clients. They had fun, but the public outcry was such that lots of other firms cancelled their holiday parties lest they be accused of wasting money in tough times. Cheers!

 

Badly-timed nickname: Awarded jointly to Whole Foods Market and Starbucks. Being known, respectively, as Whole Paycheck and Fourbucks is fine when the going is good, but not when consumers are obsessed with value for money. Both of these pricey retailers have had a miserable year. Whole Foods’ shares are down by 75% so far in 2008, and shares in Starbucks are down by over half.

 

VS.

In memoriam: A posthumous award for this year’s notable departures. Contenders include Alan Greenspan’s reputation as a great central banker; investment banks; the newspaper industry; sport-utility vehicles; fiscal prudence; the inexorable rise of BRIC economies and the theory that BRICs had “decoupled” from rich world economies; pay increases; and capitalism. But the winner is economic growth—gone, though one hopes not forever.

 

Flash Gordon award for saving the universe: Gordon Brown, Britain’s prime minister, would have won, but the self-proclaimed mastermind of the great global banking bail-out claims only to have been saving the world. The winner is Warren Buffett, whose timely investments seem to have rescued both General Electric and Goldman Sachs, home of the financial Masters of the Universe.

 

Comeback kid: Not everyone had a bad year. Some of the business winners in 2008 include the value-shopper’s favourite, Wal-Mart, whose chief executive Lee Scott is leaving on a high; Ken Lewis, boss of Bank of America, which now has enough of the country’s money to deserve its name; Paul Volcker, who has replaced Alan Greenspan as everyone’s favourite ex-central banker; bankruptcy lawyers and corporate restructuring experts; sucking up to your boss to keep your job; and nationalisation. But the winner is cash, which once again is king. Hot favourite for next year’s comeback kid award? The Great Depression.

 

Brodie

The Effectiveness of Course Evaluations – Forum!

Hello lovely informed peoples….

 

How do you feel about course evaluations? Think they are a big waste of time and that no one reads them? Maybe your frustrated that you can access course evaluations when you are trying to assess which professor you want to take a class from….

 

Well fear no more!

 

On Tuesday, November 18th 2008 from 3 – 5 PM in AH100, the Centre for the Advancement of Excellence in Teaching and Learning and the ULSU presents:

This forum will start with a quick introduction of the currently known issues from students, both undergrad and graduate, faculty members, and University Administration. Then the discussion will break off into groups where every audience member will have a chance to provide input or concerns with the current course evaluation system. These groups will be facilitated by presenters, who will be responsible for recording notes. All of these notes will then be put in a  package and “presented” to Deans, University Administration, and all those other people who can make changes to the system.

 

This is a great opportunity for you and your peers to have their concerns or critiques heard and recorded!

 

The event is free to attend, and there will be beverages and food available.

 

I hope to see as many people out there as possible for this, as this is a huge step forward in address issues that a lot of students have had with the current system.

 

Peace & Love,

 

Brodie

Talking About Teaching: Course Evaluations

vote out of spite

As you have probably heard, Elections Canada has changed their mind about having the on-campus polling station open to all students. Now, if you are like one of the many people of the Facebook group that is absolutely disgusted by this move, I hear you loud and clear. For an organization that says they WANT to get students out voting, Elections Canada just took two massive steps backwards.

So what am I going to do about it? Just what Mr. Mercer said, vote out of spite.

 I’m well aware the system doesn’t give a crap about me as a student voter. I’m aware that the PSE portion of most platforms is lip service. I’m aware that Elections Canada caters to other voter groups, such as mobile polling stations for the elderly. I’m aware the technology is available to allow people to vote at any station within their riding. I remember when I was told by a member of Elections Canada that it is “too much paperwork and time” to get polling stations on campus.

But I’m going to vote anyways.

I’m going to show that I don’t care if you make it more difficult for me to vote. I’m going to show that, at least for my part, that the youth of today is not a bunch of apathetic whiners that couldn’t care less about the democratic process. I’m going to show that I care about this great country of ours, and the sacrifices people have made for me to have this right.

I hope that you do the same.

 

Brodie

wag the dog?

Taken from The Real news Network (http://therealnews.com):

While debate over the Paulson bailout package dominated the headlines, the US Congress quietly passed a landmark $615 billion defense spending bill. One of the few people to comment on the measure was Chalmers Johnson, in his article “We have the money.” Chalmers explains to Real News Network’s Senior Editor Paul Jay how the military-industrial complex is a driving force behind the current financial crisis and a determinant of much of what happens in Washington. He also criticizes the omission of the military-industrial complex from the political discourse determined by the two major parties and the media.

Now, maybe I see things different because I’m a finance major, but here’s how I look at it:

• Canada’s entire GDP in 2006: $1.178 trillion
• Wall Street Bailout + This US Military spending package: $1.312 trillion

I don’t know what the last few years military spending has been for the US, but I’ve seen reports ranging from the low 400’s to high 500’s. Nevertheless, the broadcast labels it as unprecedented, so to me that means it’s a pretty significant increase.

To quote a friend of mine, Jonah Levine, “Welcome to the end of the American empire folks!”

 

Brodie

The bailout: An owner’s manual

 

After a 263-171 vote by the House of Representatives on Friday, President Bush signed legislation aimed at rescuing the freezing credit markets in an effort to shore up the failing economy. That means that American taxpayers are now the proud owners of a $700 billion bailout! Yes, that’s not a typo, it is in BILLIONS of dollars.

I didnt know that kind of money even existed now!

The sad part is, it’s a bit (read: a lot) bigger than $700 billion. The version of the bill that passed Friday contains some expensive add-ons. It also raises the US debt ceiling to over $11 trillion.

There are some pretty dubious additions as well. Protecting production of wooden arrows? Really?

How does it work?

The bailout plan gives the US Treasury extremely broad authority to buy up to $700 billion in troubled assets (such as those mortgage-backed securities, you know, the ones that really have a chance at turning around) from companies that are having difficulty selling them. Uncle Sam can also insure these assets instead of buying them, you know, for fun. 

The main idea is to get these securities off companies’ books, or at least give them a government guarantee, so that these businesses can more easily lend and borrow again. This makes it easier for involved businesses to help pay their $100 million executive settlements. We all know they really deserve it.

Only assets that were originated on or before March 14, 2008, are eligible. The Treasury has through 2009 to use the funds.

Once the bill becomes law, the Treasury will hire a team of consultants and managers to help the government figure out what to buy, hence the high “administrative” costs discussed later. This group will also assist the Treasury in determining how to price the assets, which are now tough to value (~$0). The most likely scenario is an auction. The Treasury could sell the securities for a profit (haha) at a later date.

If there is a net loss, in 2013, the president will have to come up with a report to recoup the shortfall–however, only an act of Congress can put that plan in place.

Accountability?

The Treasury secretary would periodically submit to Congress a detailed report of the bailout’s progress, including all financial transactions and the “types of parties involved.” In addition, every quarter, a special inspector general would provide Congress with a report including all purchases made and income received from the bailout.

Figure 1: Special Inspector

How much will it cost?

The initial addition to the federal debt would be $700 billion, although the Congressional Budget Office believes the net budget loss will be “substantially smaller” because the government can recoup some of its losses and perhaps sell the securities for a profit later (yes, this still includes those really awesome same mortgage-backed securities).

Oh, and there are also administrative costs (of course), which the CBO currently estimates at perhaps “a few billion dollars per year.” Peanuts, really….

Adding to this, the newly added tax provisions of the bill alone will cost the government an additional $110.4 billion by 2018, according to a just-released study by Congress’ Joint Committee on Taxation. The funny thing? Only $3.4 billion of that is related to the “bailout” portion of the bill.

What happens to the companies that participate?

They will have to give the government the ability to acquire shares and executives at the companies will be subject to more restrictive compensation rules. There is the possible stigma of participating, since it may make them appear to be weak. But if everybody does it.

What’s the best-case scenario?

That credit markets start functioning properly again, and the government can turn a profit on the sale of the assets it buys.

Figure 2: Where the best case scenario will take place

That doesn’t mean the U.S. economy will become healthy again overnight, however. Stephen Auth, chief investment officer for Federated Investors, says to expect more bad economic news for at least the next couple of quarters, including unemployment levels at 7% or higher. “This is going to throw up a breakwater and keep it from swamping the whole system,” he says of the bailout.

What’s the worst case?

It simply doesn’t work. Credit markets remain gummed up, borrowing and lending for consumers and businesses of all sizes come to a halt and banks continue to fail. That could lead to a prolonged recession.

There’s also the possibility that the expansion of insurance caps on bank deposits won’t do much to help small businesses, which typically need to insure more than $250,000.

In addition, if the government can’t make any money from the purchase of these assets, it saddles Americans with more debt and higher interest rates, perhaps for years to come.

Is there a Plan B?

No. I mean, if they are spending $700 billion +, it should be almost guaranteed to be successful, right?

/end sarcasm

But realistically, now that Congress has passed a bailout package, it will almost certainly not give the administration any more money to rescue the economy.

 

I hope this cheery guide helps you understand the clusterfcuk that is going on down there, since it DOES have a pretty significant impact on us as Canadians.

 

Brodie

Students welcome pledge of long-term predictable federal funding for post-secondary education.

Ottawa, ON – The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations is encouraged by the pledge of the New Democratic Party to create a dedicated funding transfer from the federal government in each fiscal year to support the post-secondary educational services of the provinces. The pledge, announced today as part of the NDP’s “Education Opportunity Plan”, would guarantee each province a long-term, predictable level of funding each year, provided that each province satisfied certain criteria and conditions set by the federal government regarding program quality, accessibility, public administration and accountability.

“Since the 1990’s, the responsibility for funding post-secondary education in Canada has largely been offloaded to individual students and private enterprise, placing the accessibility, affordability and quality of the system in jeopardy,” said Zach Churchill, National Director of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations. “Depending on the amount, a dedicated transfer can help to reverse this process, allowing the federal government to reclaim its abdicated responsibility for ensuring a properly funded and accountable public post-secondary education system.”

The NDP Education Opportunity Plan also promises:

- A grant of $1000 by 2012 to all undergraduate or equivalent students who qualify for student loans, paid at the beginning of each school year
- A promise to forgive the student loans of health professionals who commit to dedicate the first 10 years of their careers to family medicine in Canada
- A promise to reform the Canada Student Loan system, including providing interest relief, to ensure that students will not be forced to start repaying their loans until after they have completed their education

CASA calls on the New Democratic Party to follow-up on today’s announcement with more specific details about how their dedicated education transfer payment will be funded each year. With reference to this, CASA recommends that a dedicated transfer be funded at an initial level of $4 billion in annual cash transfers, with increases made accordingly for annual inflation and demographic growth thereafter.

CASA will continue to call on the other parties in this election to create progressive solutions designed to increase the participation rates of Canadians who are currently underrepresented in the post-secondary system, while sustaining students currently in the system by reducing the amount of debt incurred in pursuit of a post-secondary credential

The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) is a non-partisan, not-for-profit national student organization composed of 23 student associations, representing 300,000 students from coast to coast. The University of Lethbridge Students’ Union is a proud member of CASA.

Brodie