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Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate
Oh goodie. Another Quebec-bashing thread on Calgarypuck.
Personally, I say good for them. I think more students should be standing up for more affordable education. I remember protesting with my student union for lower tuition and my professor at the time got a kick out of our protests. "You aren't going to get anywhere unless you are more militant in your demands. A nice quiet 'Please don't make education less accessible please Mr. Politician.' is useless'.
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I consider this more of a Quebec student bashing thread than a Quebec bashing thread. Frankly there is only a finate amount of capital to go around - if the government continues to sponsor education at the rate that they currently are then other social assistance programs are going to suffer. Right now Quebec has many major issues going ranging from high unemployment to the fact that their bridges continually seem to crumble. It seems selfish and shortsighted to be saying that the very moderate increases to tuition that still result in them having very low rates of tuition is a useful protest.
To use an analogy it seems like this is akin to a senior citizen getting upset that a chocolate bar doesn't cost a nickel anymore... if the senior also started to destroy the shelves, prevent other people from getting around the store, and being a general nuisance.
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Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate
Yes, Quebec already has the lowest tuition across the country. But not because their's is too low, but because everywhere else is way too high.
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I disagree, the cost of a university education is still heavily subsidized by the government in Alberta to the extent of 70% I believe. In Alberta it is roughly 7000 dollars a school year depending on the program or around $30,000 for a degree. Expensive, yes. Unmanageable, no... Especially when there are student loans that can help people who require help.
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Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate
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Wow that is an awful article.
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Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate
These students are not looking to live off the trough as "entitled brats". They are looking to get an education so they can get a good job.
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No they are looking for someone else to pay for their education. Look at the clothing that they are wearing, the cameras that they are taking pictures with, the phones they are using. Now obviously this doesn't apply to everyone and there are students who do struggle to make ends meet, but the majority of the students there fall closer to the spoiled brat end of the spectrum than the poor student side.
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Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate
As much as CC poo-poos this as "$70 a year", it's a 3% increase each year for the next 5 years. Most students won't be making 3% more each year for the next 5 years working at Provigo or whatever part time job they can get between classes. Which means more loans. And I think the concern of the student strikers is that if they speak out now and stop the increases, there is nothing to stop the situation there to be as bad as it is elsewhere in Canada.
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I am sure that I could make up the 6 dollars a month somewhere else. Services cost more over time due to inflationary pressures. A loan of an extra 70 dollars a year isn't awful either.
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Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate
I know many parents that are PRAYING that their child is able to get some kind of scholarship because they know they cannot afford tuition costs here in Ontario. The only option then is starting your working career with a massive student debt.
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Or work for a year at a labour job, save your money, go to school living off the profits of your hard work in conjunction with scholarships for doing well, loans from the government (with a certain amount that is forgiven for completion of the program), as well as a part time job and summer employment. It isn't easy and it isn't glamorous but it isn't impossible.
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Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate
I don't know if you remember my friend Evan who pied Chretien. He most certainly regrets that stunt.... not because of going to jail for the incident but because nobody knows that the reason he did it was because it was a protest against the high cost of education. I may not agree with his methods, but I do agree with his stance.
Additional link:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/hi...dentloans.html
My belief is that everyone should be given an equal chance in life. And if the rich can afford the best schools, while the poor have the choice of not being educated or racking in massive debt on the lottery ticket of getting a good job, then the system is broken. I say good on the Quebec students for standing up whereas the students around the rest of the country meekly get walked all over. |
So your belief is one that is completely unrealistic. I would like to have the same options as Prince Harry but I understand that will never happen so I make due the best I can. It isn't about getting walked on, it is about being realistic regarding the circumstances and making personal adjustments accordingly.