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Page 8 _

CFS Conference |

The Other.Press

November 25, 1982

 

 

 

 

Some background

Douglas College Student
Society became a member of
Canadian Federation of Stu-
dents at the Student Soci-
ety's Annual General Meet-
ing, February 26th, 1982.

Student Society levies went -
up $2-4.

By the time the meeting
reached the vote on joining
CFS, only 20 students re-
mained in the room. Backed
by the whole Student Socie-
ty Executive, the motion to
join CFS passed 18-1 with 1
abstention.

The CFS exists to lobby for
student rights and funding
for post-secondary educa-
tion, and also to provide
services, like the Youthsaver
Card, to students.

 

 

 

t

Canadian

Federation
CFS of Students

  

Fédération
canadienne
des étudiants

WEaSERVICES

Canadian federation of Students *

 

 

Federation Canadenne des tludants

by Glen Nazaruk

The Canadian Federation of
Students has agreed to prop-
osals which will cause chang-
es in the structure of the
Canadian Student Loan Pro-
gramme. A proposed ex-
change will result in the
withdrawal of the education
deduction in Canada’s feder-
al income tax return. Origin-
ally proposed by the CFS, a
number of years ago, this
proposal will shift funds to-
wards lower income stud-
ents, and increase the grant
amount now offered through
the Canada Student Loan
Programme.

It is proposed that within
the Student Loan Program-
me, the Federal government
match dollar for dollar the
funds generated by the re-
moval of income tax deduc-
tions. This would confirm the
government’s commitment
to student assistance.

With the Federal govern-
ment facing huge deficits,
there is some speculation
that should these proposals
be passed by the Federal
government, the funds gen-
erated by the removal of this
tax may be used to relieve
other areas in our economy.
There is also some specula-
tion that the loss of this tax
deduction is inevitable and
that it is in the best interests
of all concerned to start
nego-
tiating for increased grant
proportions immediately in
hopes of getting some form
of commitment. What must
be asked is, are we willing to
trust our government with

 

Third semi-annual meeting
Troisieme réunion semi-annuelle

these funds?

The CFS sees the exchange
of the tax education deduc-
tion for higher grant amoun-
ts as a means to increase acc-
essibility for lower income
students to the Canada Stu-
dent Loan Programme. It
must be noted that this pro-
posal would damage those
students with fairly high in-
comes who do not wish to re-
ceive financial aid.

Some other proposals put
forward are a complete re-
moval of the married/unmar-
ried clause in the Canada
Student Loan application, a
withdrawal of the notion of
dependent status, a 50% tax
deduction on all funds contri-
buted to a student’s educa-

tion (which will be research-

ed further and witheld to a
later CFS conference), and

CFS proposes tax exchange

the rule that spouse’s income

and assets are not to be used
in calculating need.

Also considered and added
to the proposal is allowing
part-time students to apply
for financial aid, and the dis-
couragement of loan ceilings
as a barrier to any student’s
education.

The CFS does not support
the chartered banks’ propo-
sal that interest rates on
Canada Student loans be set
at prime plus one or two per-
cent. A proposal that the int-
erest on Canada Student
Loans be set the same as off-
ered on Canadian Savings
Bonds was accepted at the
conference.

Any feedback regarding ~
any or all of these proposals
would be appreciated. Please
contact Glen Nazaruk at the
ald Douglas College.