Budget day, Budget day! Alex Bustos ( CUP) Finance Minister Paul Martin had barely begun his budget speech when student leaders were already declaring it a failure. Having spent most of Tuesday studying Ottawa's fiscal plan, the heads of Canada’s two largest student groups arrived on Parliament Hill to tell reporters the Grits had neglected post-secondary education. “This budget has abso- lutely nothing init to reduce student debt,” said Elizabeth Carlyle, national chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students. “It does nothing to stem the tide of rising tuition across the country.” The Liberal’s economic program contains $19-billion in new spending, the vast majority directed towards health care. Over the next five years, the federal government will inject $11.5-billion into the Canada Health and Social Transfer (CHST) to help prov- inces with medical care. Also announced was $1.35- billion over three years for several health projects ranging from preventive disease pro- grams to new research and innovation. As for tax cuts, Martin introduced several initiatives: the elimination of the three percent surtax, increasing the personal tax exemption for all taxpayers to $675, and the addition of $300 million to the Canada Child Tax Benefit. But the government's monetary plan didn't please Hoops Harrison, National Director of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations. “If you look at the statis- tics, health has been doing fine on its own in terms of core funding: it’s increased 80% from 1978 to 1993,” said Harrison. “Whereas in that same time period funding for education has dropped 14%.” Both Harrison and Carlyle criticized the Liberals for failing to address key student concerns. Between 1993 and 1997 tuition fees rose by 45%, while the average student debt load reached $25,000. This budget didn’t intro- duce any new measures to fight either rising tuition or student debt. Since 1993, the federal government has cut $7-billion to post-secondary education and training. The current budget’s $11.5-billion increase in provin- cial transfer payments is di- rected entirely towards health. In fact, the only new funding provided to universities and colleges is contained in a $1.8-billion package to improve Canada’s research facilities. Most of this money, however, is slated for non- academic institutions. For example, $330-million will go to the Canada Jobs Fund, $150-million to the Technology Partnership Canada—designed to help companies market their products—and $430 million to the Canadian Space Agency. Of direct interest to post- secondary schools are the following: a $75-million increase to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, a $15-million influx to the Social Sciences and Humanities Re- search Council and a promise to provide $55-million to biotech- nology research. These programs, however, are meant for researchers rather than common students. But according to Robert Giroux, president of the Associa- tion of Universities and Colleges, this budget is positive for post- How the $19 billion is being spent i y * An injection of $11.5-billion over five years to the Canada Health and Social Transfer The remaining programs are funded over three years * $1.35-billion for a series of health pro- grams from new research and innovation ($550-million) to aboriginal medical care ($190-million) * $2.27-billion for several miscellaneous projects ranging from Crime Prevention ($395-million) to increase in military sala- ries ($535-million). * Assistance to the Canadian Fisheries Ad- justment and Restructuring Program, and Agricultural Income Disaster Assistance Pro- gram ($2.1-billion) * $1.8-billion for research secondary institutions. “I can understand the concerns of the students, because they would have liked the government to increase the transfer payments to the prov- inces for post-secondary educa- tion,” said Giroux. “Yet from our perspective we see this budget very positively because it strengthens university research.” But not everyone agrees the new research is a reason to smile. “There was mention of increases in research and new networks,” said NDP MP Libby Davies. “But I think they completely bypassed and failed to address the basic issue of accessibility to post-secondary education. “And that really is the crisis young people have been facing. That on the one hand they're told, ‘Go get a college degree. Go get a university education. Go get a job’ And yet they're faced with crippling debt.” xe Saturday March 13 1999 3pm, @ the UBC Pit Pub, Student Union Building 6138 SUB Building UBC Campus Cost: $25 Includes: Bus transportation, White Disposable Painter Suit, Green Felt Pen, Special Drink Prices, Door Prizes, GST, and WAY TOO MUCH FUN! Call: 727-8423 or 682-6044 ButGloses Holidays...k's the time of your life! _Volunteers needed. Are you an outgoing, spontaneous man or woman over the age of 19 with a never-say-die attitude and a good sense of humour? We are a non-profit society that helps young offenders and children ages 8 to 18 who are at risk of getting in trouble. 4 a | Ae ai CSS +‘ 708-2606 Where can is A Pitney ty the Other Press March 3 1999 5