Ed's Plan for Post Secondary Education

Today, Ed Stelmach released his "plan" (apparently to no applause) to help Post Secondary students in the province tackle the rising costs of a Post Secondary Education. Here is a summary of the PC plan:

• Cut student loan rates to prime.
• CONTINUE to tie tuition increases to inflation.

Ed did a good job cutting student loan rates to prime, the PC party was a couple years late to do it but we'll take it. In terms of tuition, basically Ed has done nothing new… our tuition will continue to rise at the rate of tuition, the exact same policy we have now. Despite not really doing anything to help students out with costs, the Premier maintains his plan will "help students and their families with the high cost of education." Ha… Ha.. Ha.

Let's compare that to the Alberta Liberal Plan released Friday:

• Cut student loan rates to prime.
• Roll back tuition to 2001 levels (meaning an average tuition decrease of $1000).
• A $300 a year grant for textbook purchases.
• Create a 15 billion dollar endowment fund in 15 years.
• Double the bursary program.
• Reduce or eliminate property tax on On-Campus student housing.

That's a plan that actually helps students deal with the rising costs of a Post Secondary Education but I've already discussed the Alberta Liberal Post Secondary Education Plan. I plan to explain my feelings about the PC Post Secondary Education plan through an open letter to Premier Ed Stelmach.
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Dear Premier Ed Stelmach,

You've promised the students in this province a plan to help them face the rising the costs of Post Secondary Education, but the only word I can think of to describe your plan is BULLSHIT. I spent quite a bit of time thinking about this word and I think it accurately depicts your plan. I will try to explain why in the following paragraphs.

The problem started during the Klein years when a lot of publicly funded areas took a hit in order to achieve balanced budgets and pay down the debt; student’s weren’t any different, a significant amount of Post Secondary Education funding was cut during that time. As a result, tuiton soared (the fastest rising tuition in the country) and Alberta went from having the most affordable tuition levels to one of the most expensive. I can understand the logic behind these cuts, during the days of deficits and massive debts, but could you please explain to me Mr. Premier, how come my tuition continues to go up (the fastest in the country) despite our financial situation having been improved leaps and bounds from back then? This is why I refer to your plan as BULLSHIT. Allow me to continue Sir.

Think about it, we have no debt and we have amassed somewhere in the neighbourhood of 20, 000, 000, 000 dollars in surpluses over the last 5 years yet my tuition is not only rising this year, it’s rising the fastest in country. The Alberta Liberal Plan is give students $1000 off tuition, by having the Provincial Government (an Alberta Liberal one obviously) take care of the rest, something to a tune of $160 million dollars. You question where Kevin Taft will get money for that, how about from the $750 million dollars (SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS) in subsidies you awarded Alberta Horse Racing last summer? Perhaps edspedia.ca can give you some more ideas.

When you've recognized that Alberta's future relies on a strong knowledge based economy and that currently, Post Secondary Education costs are too high for most students and families, you still release this joke of a policy to try to "help" us.

I’m getting mixed signals Mr. Premier. Do you recognize that costs are too high yet horseracing is more important to Alberta’s future than students? Or you just don’t give a damn? I think it’s the latter but either way Sir, it’s BULLSHIT.

Sincerely,
Straight Outta Edmonton
xxoo