85,000 Students Sign a Petition Demanding More Investment in Public Education

Students delivered a petition to Parliament today, with 85,000 signatures from Canadian students.

Ottawa was the scene today for 85,000 student voices to be heard in the form of a petition.

Students delivered a petition to Parliament today, with 85,000 signatures from Canadian students who want to see an increased investment in post-secondary education.

Online signatures were gathered at Education is a Right, hosted by the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS). The group has launched a national campaign calling on the federal government for:

• The restoration of federal funding for post secondary education to 0.5% of the Gross National Product
• The conversion of all loans made by the Canada Student Loan Program into non-repayable grants.
• The progressive reduction of tuition and ancillary fees
• Increased funding to meet the needs of aboriginal learners

“Families today are paying more for education than any other generation in Canadian history,” said David Molenhuis, Chairperson of the CFS. “A lack of leadership at the federal level has buried Canadians in more than $15 billion of student debt.”

Molenhuis and the CFS are also quick to point out that federal funding for post-secondary education has fallen significantly over the past 2 decades, while tuition fees increased four-fold.

“Bankrupting a generation will undermine Canada’s long-term economic success,” added Molenhuis. “Across the country, students are standing up and saying that we cannot afford inaction.”