44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 25, 2023 10:00AM
- Apr/25/23 10:07:14 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I stand today to table a petition on behalf of the graduate students of Canada, who are calling upon the Government of Canada to increase the number and monetary amounts of tri-council scholarships to better support graduate students. The value and number of scholarships offered by the tri-council has not changed in two decades. Alongside this, the cost of living in Canada is at historic highs, and graduate students and precarious researchers, who are our brain trust, are living at or below the poverty line.
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Mr. Speaker, since we came to power in 2015, certain measures that we have taken are really helping to make a difference. They include the Canada child benefit, $10-a-day child care and programs to make sure that we provide more support to students. When I talk to people in my youth council, they tell me how these additional student grants are helping them to make sure they can concentrate more on their studies. Many students find it difficult to find a job after graduating. However, they have some room in that they do not have to pay their student loans until they start earning $40,000. That is really helping our young kids to grow and be more successful in life.
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- Apr/25/23 2:00:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this year, the Toronto District School Board is marking a 25-year milestone as the largest and one of the most diverse school boards in the country. Since 1998, the TDSB has worked alongside parents and communities to enable children, youth and lifelong learners to reach high levels of achievement and well-being. With approximately 235,000 students attending 583 schools across Toronto and over 100,000 adult learners, the TDSB is known for its commitment to excellence and equity. As a proud graduate of the TDSB and former trustee and chair of the board, I have witnessed first-hand the role that public education can play in giving every child a chance to succeed.
Congratulations to chair Rachel Chernos Lin and the board of trustees, director of education Colleen Russell-Rawlins, teachers, staff, students and parents on this momentous silver jubilee. I wish the TDSB continued success in preparing eager minds for a world of challenges and change.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to raise the issue of support for students. I met with members of the Graduate Students' Society at the University of Victoria. They were hoping for support in this federal budget, and they shared the struggles that many grad students are facing, living on less than $20,000 a year. In addition to skyrocketing rents and groceries, they also have tuition costs. They are going into debt. Low-income students are adding to their undergraduate student loan debt.
I was concerned when I heard a Conservative member, a couple of days ago, say in the House that the government should be charging interest on student loans. That penalizes low-income students. I think we need to do more to support students, not less.
Grad students are asking for an expansion of tri-agency grants and increased awards. They are organizing a national walkout on May 1 to demonstrate how integral they are to institutions and how they are affected by these funding decisions.
Could the member speak to his opinion on how we can better support these students, who are asking the government to invest in the next generation of leaders, often while they are struggling to put food on the table?
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Mr. Speaker, I would say this: The one thing I detest about the student loans program is that it is very much prejudiced against kids who come from farms and small businesses, especially in rural areas. Because of the assets owned by their parents, they do not qualify for a student loan. That works against their ability to get an education, which often ends up costing a lot more because they have to travel great distances and move into cities, where those universities are located. I want to make sure those barriers are removed for all rural students.
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