More cash for colleges

Federal Finance Minister, Jim Flaherty, released the federal government's 2009 Budget and economic stimulus package for Canadians. There are some items in this budget that directly affect you, as a Canadian college student.

For instance two billion dollars will be released over the next two years for repairs, maintenance and construction of colleges and universities. $1.4 billion will go to universities to improve the quality of research and development and $600 million will be for colleges to deliver advanced knowledge and skills training. That means universities will be receiving 70 per cent of the funding while colleges receive 30 per cent. It is up to you to decide whether or not you think that is fair, however I will remind you that Fanshawe College is in great shape compared to other colleges across Ontario.

The funds will pay for up to half of project costs, meaning the colleges themselves or a third party will have to come up with the other half of the funds needed. The CSA will be sending a letter to the Prime Minister, Minister of Industry, Minister of Finance, and the Minister of Human Resources & Skills Development to say that “with the current state of the economy, the skills shortage and layoffs across the country, we must be investing in the capacity and expansion of our colleges and frankly 30 per cent of $2 billion isn't going to allow that expansion to happen”.

The CSA wants the government to equalize the split 50/50, and “to revise the need for institutions to find matching funds from other sources”.

For those of us who are graduating this year or looking for summer employment, $55 million will be spent on youth employment over the next two years.

Forty million dollars a year will go toward launching the $2,000 Apprenticeship. Completion Grant. That means that apprentices who complete their certification in any of the Red Seal skilled trades will be entitled to receive a taxable grant of $2,000.

But what do you think of all this? Email me and let me know; fsuexternal@fanshawec.ca.

Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.