Vander Zalm Win ALoss For Accessibility

By James Young Canadian University Press

VANCOUVER (CUP) — THE RE- ELECTION OF THE SOCIAL GOVERNMENT in British Colum- bia on October 22, 1986, means that students will almost certainly continue to confront some of the country’s highest tuition fees, debt loads and summer unemployment rates, as well as the country’s worst student aid program.

But Marg Fartaczek, chair of the Canadian Federation of Students’ 65,000 member Pacific region, emphasizes the election of 28 new Social Credit candidates is a pos- sible basis for positive change.

“We are looking at the commit- ment the Social Credit party made for an open, consultative govern- ment, and we are going to hold them to it,” she said.

“I don’t see confrontation being a problem with the introduction of these new people,” she said.

“We want to work cooperatively with them, and contribute to a rec- overy program of education in this province,” she said.

CFS, which worked with student societies to make education an election issue, plans to begin the consultative process by presenting the new government with findings of a recently-completed task force on student aid. Student leaders will also be asking that premier Bill Vander Zalm’s promise of an education commission be extended from one person.

Fartaczek is worried, though, by unconfirmed reports that funding for colleges may be cut by five per cent next year, and that the minis- try of Post Secondary Education may be eliminated.

While Vander Zalm has promised an end to the B.C. government’s notoriously confrontational style, it is doubtful there will be any

Minister Russ Fraser, who angered education groups when he said people “should put off their educa- tion if they cannot afford it.”

Fraser later claimed he was misin- terpreted, but insisted the govern- ment would not reinstate the stu- dent grants eliminated in 1984, thus making B.C. the only pro- vince to have an all-loan program.

Among the sad facts describing education in B.C. are: * the partici- pation rate of 18 to 24 year-olds is Canada’s lowest, namely 17 per cent, compared to a national aver- age of 25 per cent; * tuition fees are among Canada’s highest, with university students paying $ 1,320 for a first-year arts program, an increase of 57 per cent over the last four years; * last year, provincial financial aid averaged $ 66 per student, compared to a national average of $ 689; * the average debt load for a graduating University of British Columbia student is $ 15,000, up $ 12,000 since 1984, with loan defaults close to 20 per cent; * summer unemployment rates for returning students were over 18 per cent, among Canada’s worst.

One possible consolation is Vander Zalm’s promise to raise B.C.’s min- imum wage, currently the nation’s lowest at $ 3.65/hour, to about $ 4.00/hour.

Although Vander Zalm started the election campaign referring to the minimum wage as “counter- productive’, and spoke of elimi- nating it altogether for certain jobs, he later promised an increased after the NDP vowed a raise to $ 4.65/hour.

The campaign was marked by the Social Credit reluctance to debate issues at all-party candidate forums, as advised in amemo from party headquarters.

gains for B.C. education. When During the summer’s.Socred lead- recently asked about the need for ership convention, Vander Zalm better regional post-secondary himselfsaid, “the smart candidate facilities, the premier suggested avoids detailed policy statements, students should continue their for they rarely help....your answers education in basements and ware- should concentrate on style.” houses. : : And party president Hope Weather- The Socreds, who ran a campaign spoon was even more blunt once based largely on the styles and the provincial election was called. smiles of premier Vander Zalm, ‘When we are the party in power, returned to power with 49 seats, we don’t have to get involved in while the New Democrats took 20. public debate,” she said. “We are The Liberals and Conservatives reluctant to participate because it both failed to win a single seat. gives the other parties a platform.”

In terms of the change in the popu- In the campaign’s final days, the lar vote since the 1983 election, the polls showed the NDP cutting the Socreds took a comparable 50 per Socred’s initial lead from 20 to 5 cent, while the NDP dropped three per cent of the popular vote, but points to 42 per cent. The Liberals this surge didn’t translate into showed a significant gain from seats. Many observers argue the four to seven per cent. twelve new ridings outside the

e¢ Lower Mainland — eleven in areas During the campaign, NDP leader of traditional Socred strength — Bob Skelly called for the resigna- gave the party an advantage from - tion of Post secondary Education the start. —

eg ren = 4, No. 11 November 20, 1986