Since 2001, tuition fees have more than doubled; student debt now averages $27,000.
Advanced Education Minister Naomi Yamamoto was recently criticized by the Selkirk College Students’ Union for failing to listen to students’ concerns about how unaffordable post-secondary education has become. According to the student union, when confronted with cases of students living in cars or in tents because they were unable to afford housing after paying for tuition and books, the minister responded by talking about about the benefits of student debt.
This isn’t the first time Yamamoto has praised student debt. In July she said “student debt is a really good debt to assume” (July 8, 2011 Kelowna Buzz). She was slammed for her comments by the UBC Okanagan student society, who confirmed that Yamamoto told them “we’re actually lucky that we’re attending university with the debt levels we’re at right now” (Kirk Chavarie, executive chairperson, UBC Students Union Okanagan, CKFR, July 15).
At prime plus 2.5 per cent, interest rates on B.C. student loans mean that economically disadvantaged students actually pay more for their education than those who can afford it. (Since the government borrows money for student loans at prime minus one per cent, it can be argued that the government is deliberately profiting from loans to students without means.) It’s insulting for Yamamoto to suggest that the families who
can least afford tuition fee increases should feel lucky to pay the highest provincial student loan interest rates in Canada.
Since 2001, tuition fees have more than doubled and student debt has increased, now
averaging $27,000 for a four-year program. At the same time, B.C. became the only province to eliminate needs-based grants, forcing students to take on greater and greater debt levels.
B.C. currently provides the least amount of non-repayable student aid in the country.
It is puzzling that Minister Yamamoto believes such student debt is beneficial at a time when the province is charging more and more for post-secondary while. at the same time, failing to create quality jobs for graduating students.
It’s not surprising that the B.C. is now losing more people than are coming into the province. I believe that investments are needed to make post-secondary education affordable and accessible in order for our economy to flourish and for British Columbia to compete globally.
Smart meters need oversight
I have been hearing concerns about BC Hydro’s new smart meter program from many constituents. Since 2009, my colleagues and I have opposed spending nearly $1 billion in public money on smart meters without the oversight of the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC). In the absence of any kind of public or independent review, how can we know if we are getting good value for money?
Smart meters are intended to reward users with lower rates for using electricity
in off-peak hours, but evidence from Ontario, where more than four million have been installed, shows most consumers are actually paying more under time-of-use smart meter billing. While I strongly support a move towards energy conservation, there is no evidence at this time that smart meters manage electricity demand any better than other proven energy management programs, such as home energy retrofit grants (for upgrading heating systems or installing proper insulation, for example).
It is disappointing that the government has chosen to go ahead with this program despite the lack of independent evaluation. Disturbingly, smart meters are not the only energy project exempted from public review. The 2010 Clean Energy Act excludes approximately $12 billion of public money from BCUC oversight. Estimates of projects excluded from independent review include: the Northwest Transmission Line ($404 million), Mica units 5 and 6 ($1.3 Billion), Revelstoke unit 6 ($300 million), Site C Clean
Energy Project ($8.2 billion), the Clean Power Call ($400 million), and the Smart Metering and Grid Program ($1 billion).
I would like smart meter plans reviewed by the BCUC so that BC Hydro’s claims can be assessed by independent experts in the energy field, and so that citizens have an opportunity to express issues they may have surrounding their installation.
I encourage you to voice your concerns about the smart meter program to Rich Coleman,
Minister of Energy, Mines, and Housing at energy.minister@gov.bc.ca.
New Chinese drop-in hours
The most recent census data available for Vancouver-Hastings shows that almost 40 per cent of our community is Chinese speaking. Therefore, I am pleased to announce that I will be adding regular Chinese drop-in hours once a week at my constituency office. Services will be available in Cantonese and Mandarin every Wednesday, starting September 1, from 12:30 to 3:30 pm. Please pass this information along to your Chinese speaking neighbours, friends, and family.
作為閣下的省代表，本人樂意宣佈於本人辦 公室，新增定期中文服務時段，提供廣東話
及國語服務。 由2011年9月1日起，逢星期 三，下午12時30分至3時30分。
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