.‘ economic crisis.

:continued from page 3’

we are all lined up in the' .rink there will be axwell lit sign saying doctors, engineers, scientists and, nuclear physicists, etc. "ceme this way. YOu have complimentary tickets from us, the feds, to a free education whereas the artsies will be heading for another sign that reads "welcome to a debt load that will last you fbr the next twenty years" cause you can't do any— thing to benefit the immediate demands of our economy so we aren't going to do anything for you. The federal govern— ment refuses to play a role in addressing the most basic question of how higher education could serve the"countries needs. Since the cutbacks began in 1976 the gap between the lower income and the‘wealthier has widened. The federal government is planning a f restricted access to and deteriorating the quality

of post—secondary education I

because of the current

guy They

~ are doing this for two basic reaSOns; one political and the other economic.

1 Politically, they hope top raise the public awareness of the federal role in funding of PSE which has not been visible. They have already increased their visibility by creating the

" crisis and may further enhance their visibility

by moving to a "voucher" form of student aid. EconomiCally, it fits in

, with their economic policies '

of fiscall restraint, ' which devastates essential rights and services of the disadvantaged while pouring more funds injto-theﬂ . V-wealthier sector. ’ .

The University of Quebec and Montreal has declared that if the

Canada}: Federation

proposed reductions in their grants go through, they will not take in any first year students next year. Faculty face lay offs and wage settlements~ way below the cost of living.

_ What the governments have overlooked and I stress Provincial as well

‘ as federal is the huge

financial committments students already make to their education in the forms of foregone earnings. Studentfloans enforce extra responsibility due to anticipated additional earnings after graduation. Beyond that here on PEI

.especially, the current

employment situation is- certainly no guarantee of a highrpaying job after graduation. HOW long will it take our provincial / governments to see the masses of young Islanders with and Withouth PSE trampling over the top of them in a scramble to hop on a plane and reach

‘Adberta.‘ At least there's

hope there of finding a job and even MacDonalds in Alberta have a higher minimum wage.

The debt load faced

’by students benefitting

from the loans Lresents additional problems. Accorinding to data presented in the Task Force report, l/3 of all borrowers in their final year 1978/79 had accumulated debts in excess of $4,000— $5,000.' 12% of those whov received loans and had graduated reported extreme difficulties in repaying and over 20% of those who wanted to go to a PSE level and didn;t, plainly 7 couldn't afford it.

What sort cf student

‘financial assistance is

it that penalizes the people in most need with the largest accumulated debt, and rewards, those in

least need.with the largest income tax giveaways?

(i,e. revenue loss to ' education deductions, tuition deductions, and the Canada Student Loan

”," The UPEI SUN, Thursday, April 1, 1982, page 13

'glof’NS'tUdent SGrviCes

is to helplout the situation,' There is an organization fighting every munute of the day and

every dtatement from the mouths in Ottawa, it is

Program operating costs could the Canadian Federation

be used for a national bursary program and could be financially feasible.

The public for the most part has been left out in the cold during

~ the decision making

process of cutting PSE funding. Students, potential students, staff land faculty have been left with little to say, and even less impact'* into the cutbacks which hurt them directly.

In the 70 years of federal inpy ianSE there has never been a public inquiry into higher ‘ education., There are national standards for health and education is in dire need of such a standard. The govern— emmn has chosen to sacrifice all of the cultural, economic, political, and scientific roles that PSE plays in the development of Canada in favOur of satisfying ,,the imnraiiate dEﬂEHKiS of industry.

' Now what is going on

of Students, a very

intregal part of our education and acreers as

they join together almost

a l/2 million strong ' trying to improve the quality and accessibility to education.

Here on PEI Terry Palmer and myself are in touch with the media and with ongoing talks with our minister of education, Fred Driscoll. All he can tell us is that things are "still up in the air" and they are not through rehashing them yet. It looks like a definite increase and who knows what from there! God knows how many of us will be back next year!

All I can ask as your representative is that you stay tuned to the CFS and maybe work with the organization and if down the road you find yourself in front of a referendum ballot witl your new president JOhn MacDougall, think about it, you can't lose if you vote for CFS.

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