NDP Focuses on student loans

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This article was published 21/03/2016 (3494 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A re-elected NDP government would transform student loans into $24 million worth of annual post-secondary education grants, which Greg Selinger predicted today would shatter barriers for low-income young people.

The grants would still be based on income, but no longer would low-income students have to decide whether they could afford to get an education and face huge debts after graduation, Selinger told a news conference.

“That’s a huge barrier to getting yourself grounded in the community,” he said. “It’s a game-changer for young people. They don’t have to say, ‘Gee, I don’t think I can afford to go to school,’ ” he said.

The NDP leader unveiled a $40-million grab-bag of improvements for post-secondary students today, while making clear that a post-secondary education is yet another sacred cow the NDP will protect.

Conservative leader Brian Pallister warned last week that Manitoba has no sacred cows if he wins the April election provincial election.

Selinger could not say how many additonal students will enrol in university or college because of the grants, but, “we anticipate growth.”

The NDP also promised today to provide free tuition to any student up to age 25 who had been in government care as a child. 

If they enrol before 25, tuition gets covered as long as they stay in school, said Selinger: “If they start, we’ll help them finish.”

Selinger promised to double the provincial scholarship and bursary fund to $9 million, and build a $12-million student family housing faculty at Brandon University.

Conservative deputy leader Heather Stefanson, a candidate in Tuxedo, told reporters today her party was not yet ready to comment on Selinger’s promises.

Selinger attacked a previous Liberal plan on converting student loans into grants, calling it completely inadequate, and with the Liberals promising a $10-million pot of money, an overall reduction in financial assistance.

Not so, Liberal Leader Rana Bokhari responded later by email. A Liberal government would allow students receiving grants to earn more than $100 a week without clawing it back, said the Liberals, who pointed out the NDP has had 16 years to convert loans to grants.

Later, Selinger went to Lorette to announce $8 million — half the project’s budget — for a new library, gym, and 74-space daycare.

The NDP also promised to spend $125 million over five years on arenas, pools, libraries and other recreation facilities.

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Party officials could not immediately say how much the NDP government normally spent annually on such facilities, and acknowledged that some of the money had been previously announced, such as funding for Dakota Collegiate’s sports field.

Should the NDP win the April 19 provincial election, money would go to support new projects at the St. John’s Library and the Cornish Library, as well as the redevelopment of the Fort Garry Community Centre, a new Maples Multiplex and a Concordia Wellness Centre.

The NDP would also build new soccer fields at Red River College and Kilcona Park. Officials said they would work with the Manitoba Soccer Association, but could not say today if the proposed fields would have lights and artificial turf.

Red River College had not heard from the NDP about the campaign promise.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca