[SJ-24]

Yup, crack smoking hippies got together and sang union songs and called for the end of costs to university educations in a true communist fashion.

$1:

TORONTO (CP) - Students in about 30 cities across Canada braved frigid temperatures and shrugged off the cold shoulder from politicians Wednesday to stage a series of protests calling for lower tuition fees.

The coast-to-coast rallies from St. John's, N.L., to Victoria, B.C., were the culmination of a year-long campaign to bring attention to the effects of high tuition fees and heavy student debt, said co-ordinator Ian Boyko of the Canadian Federation of Students.

Several hundred students packed the snow-covered front lawn of Ontario's legislature in Toronto and were joined by rapper Kardinal Offishall and other speakers in calling for Premier Dalton McGuinty to freeze tuition fees.

In Winnipeg, close to 200 students braved a -34 C wind chill outside the Manitoba legislature, calling on the province to cut tuition fees which, at $3,300, are already among the lowest in the country.

"Our tuition fees are still out of reach for many Manitobans," said Garry Sran, president of the University of Manitoba Students' Union.

Hundreds of students gathered in downtown Vancouver in light rain in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery, with some carrying signs reading "We're drowning in debt" and "Drop tuition fees not bombs."

"In about a year, I'm going to have to make decisions about the rest of my life and I don't want to be in debt," said high school student Ania Dudziuk.

"You need an education after high school because it's really hard to get by. I know I'm going to have to borrow money now, so it's pretty hard for us."

Gabrielle Lemieux was one of about 300 students who travelled between five and 10 hours to attend Toronto's rally, and said lower tuition rates are especially critical for students in northern Ontario, where the future looks bleak when education is priced out of reach.

"High school students are dropping out because they can't even dream of going on to post-secondary education because it's too expensive," she said.

McGuinty - who has three sons in university and said he has "a personal interest in this issue" - had little to offer students beyond his current commitments, which include $6.2 billion over five years to open up more spots for students and to provide grants to 120,000 students.

But protesters weren't satisfied with that response, and said McGuinty can't understand their plight since he paid only $600 a year in tuition when he was a student in law school - an amount that some students now pay just for their textbooks.

The average tuition for a Canadian university student in 2006-07 was $4,347, up 3.2 per cent from the previous year and almost triple the average of $1,464 in 1990-1991. Quebec students were at the bottom end of the scale, paying an average of $1,916, while Nova Scotia commanded the highest fees at $6,571.

The Canadian Federation of Students estimates the country's more than one million post-secondary students are struggling with debts totalling $20 billion, with the amount growing by $1.5 million each day.

Governments can't claim they have no money to fund post-secondary education when provinces like Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador are doing such a great job for students, Boyko said.

"Quebec has a terrific record of keeping education affordable - fees in Quebec are about half the national average and college is free," Boyko said.

"And Newfoundland and Labrador is also a place where there's been tuition fee reductions and a real attempt by successive governments to keep education affordable."

But students still staged a rally in Montreal, where the Quebec Federation of University Students said protesters must stay vigilant because tuition fees may go up if Premier Jean Charest is re-elected.

The Canadian Federation of Students did welcome Ontario's message Wednesday that the federal government should be more involved with post-secondary funding.

"The McGuinty government is investing, taxpayers in Ontario are investing, students are making an additional contribution, and we need Ottawa to step up," said Chris Bentley, Ontario's minister of training, colleges and universities.

"We need the federal government ... to make sure that their per capita funding for students in the province of Ontario matches what it is elsewhere."

Boyko said that doesn't excuse Ontario for not lowering or freezing tuition fees, but he acknowledged the message is important.

"There's a big emphasis ... to really put pressure on the federal government to stop its retreat and really reassume its responsibility and be an important funding partner for post-secondary education," he said.

Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said Wednesday the government would like to increase transfer payments to provinces for post-secondary education, but the provinces must deal with the details.

"There's no question that the primary responsibility of setting tuition rates, creating universities and community colleges is that of the provinces," he said.

[Tricks]

Why don't they just get off their lazy asses, do some fucking work, and get a bloody scholarship? Then we have OSAP, and we have bursaries. There are so many ways to get money, and fuck, if it really comes down to it, join the reserves for fuck's sake. At least they will get taught some discipline.

[RUEZ]

College students are supposed to be smart. Why do they think we should pay for their education?

[camerontech]

I worked 112 consecutive days this summer in the middle of the bush. I didn't go to bars or hang out with my friends, I didn't play baseball or basketball on the courts in Thunder Bay.

But I am a debt free student who isn't getting a dime from his parents.

It was worth sacrificing a couple summers

[xerxes]

Contrary to right wing nutter opinion, university life is not all Animal House. Yes, there are bursaries and scholarships, but there certainly aren't enough for every single student. Moreover, the vast majority of students do have jobs and often more than one.

Half the problem is that back in the 90's, in a cost cutting measure, the federal government reduced its payments to the provinces to fund post-secondary education. Thus, the provinces (and universities) had to raise tuition to make up the shortfall. Here in BC, what compounded the problem was a freeze on tuition rates, and when the freeze was lifted, they went up like a rocket.

Tricks, when you go to university (and I sincerely hope you do) you will find out just how work there is to do and just how expensive higher education gets.

[Tricks]

xerxes xerxes:

Tricks, when you go to university (and I sincerely hope you do) you will find out just how work there is to do and just how expensive higher education gets.

Most likely, but I have also worked me ass off and am expecting a scholarship.

[camerontech]

xerxes xerxes:

Contrary to right wing nutter opinion, university life is not all Animal House. Yes, there are bursaries and scholarships, but there certainly aren't enough for every single student. Moreover, the vast majority of students do have jobs and often more than one.

Half the problem is that back in the 90's, in a cost cutting measure, the federal government reduced its payments to the provinces to fund post-secondary education. Thus, the provinces (and universities) had to raise tuition to make up the shortfall. Here in BC, what compounded the problem was a freeze on tuition rates, and when the freeze was lifted, they went up like a rocket.

Tricks, when you go to university (and I sincerely hope you do) you will find out just how work there is to do and just how expensive higher education gets.

uni or college is expensive, especially when you move away from home. But it's nothing hard work and determination can't solve. I feel for some students that have big debts and are having a hard time but my all 3 of my brothers and sisters went to university and are paying for it themselves, no loans, no debts. I know a lot of people who turn down jobs or simply don't try to get certain jobs because they want to have a good summer with their buddies. you have to make priorities in life....

[RUEZ]

xerxes xerxes:

Contrary to right wing nutter opinion, university life is not all Animal House.

[Bruce_the_vii]

I think too many youth go to Arts school. They're told they learn to think and make better citizens but in fact it's a way to miss spend your youth. Young people should be learning some skill that is difficult so that they'll be competative for decades to come. Back in the mid 1970s the university's experience declining enrollment because no one saw the point.These days people go to school because the total lack of good jobs, so there's pressure to do something, anything. Life will make you learn to think.

[Tman1]

Tricks Tricks:

Why don't they just get off their lazy asses, do some fucking work, and get a bloody scholarship? Then we have OSAP, and we have bursaries. There are so many ways to get money, and fuck, if it really comes down to it, join the reserves for fuck's sake. At least they will get taught some discipline.

Coming from you Tricks I'm surprised and I should say "Shut the fuck up" but I won't. How old are you again?

I go to University and I WORK my ass off just to pay for tuition that costs an arm and a fucking leg plus books which costs another arm and a leg so give these students a break. Not everybody has rich daddies who pay for everything like Van Wilder. Gee, if everybody was so smart like you to get a scholarship or a virtual athlete to get free education.

Oh, just noticed you plan on going to the University and getting a scholarship. Well, congrats on that but don't think everybody is like you thank you very much.

[Tman1]

SJ-24 SJ-24:

Yup, crack smoking hippies got together and sang union songs and called for the end of costs to university educations in a true communist fashion.

At least those people finished high school.

[Tman1]

RUEZ RUEZ:

College students are supposed to be smart. Why do they think we should pay for their education?

They don't. It's called lowering the cost of tuition. Perhaps if they lower the cost, more and more people in Canada can afford post-secondary education. That is a good thing......right?

[Tricks]

Tman1 Tman1:

Coming from you Tricks I'm surprised and I should say "Shut the fuck up" but I won't. How old are you again?

17.

$1:

I go to University and I WORK my ass off just to pay for tuition that costs an arm and a fucking leg plus books which costs another arm and a leg so give these students a break.

And you understand the concept of working hard. These people want it to be cheaper so they don't have to work as hard. I worked hard to get what I could too.

$1:

Not everybody has rich daddies who pay for everything like Van Wilder. Gee, if everybody was so smart like you to get a scholarship or a virtual athlete to get free education.

And I understand that. I guess I shouldn't have gone off like that

[Tman1]

Tricks Tricks:

These people want it to be cheaper so they don't have to work as hard.

Granted, in fact, most University people I have met are lazy but it isn't because they don't want to work or can't work.

A lot of people are lazy but this topic just pisses me off. Paying thousands upon thousands of dollars for personal gains to make this country a better place because of vital skills that people experience in University, I'd say lowering the cost to more and more people who can afford it a good thing.

I should also say this, while there are a lot of lazy people in University, if you can't hack it, you are out and you will be tossed faster than a bullet in the head.

Please excuse my blowing up but I find some people on here accusing these people of "whining" about a few measly thousands of dollars to help better this country being called lazy appalling.

[OnTheIce]

Canadians should feel lucky our government helps as much as they do.

To come out of a 4 year program with around 20k in debt is nothing for the education you receive and the future that's in front of you.

I went through college twice and have paid off all my debts ($11,000) That was the money I borrowed from the bank on top of the money I made working.

We are lucky here in Canada. In the UK, kids are paying $6000 a year in tuition and around $10,000 in the USA with some upwards of $50k.