National student groups are taking some large requests to Parliament Hill for election candidates, looking to gain the government’s help with financial aid for post-secondary students.
The Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) is pushing for more non-repayable grants, more scholarships for graduate students and more investment in the Youth Employment Strategy. These requests add up to at least $2.84 billion.
Meanwhile, the Canadian Association of Student Associations (CASA) wants to make it easier for working students to get financial aid.
Together, these two organizations are asking for a lot more government involvement in post-secondary financial aid.
The majority of post-secondary initiatives in financial aid are provincial, and therefore the federal government has a tendency to step back from this sector. But with the federal election coming up, students are facing an opportunity that should not be missed.
If more of us voted, we could have a real sway in the polls, and the federal candidates are aware of that.
It’s time to get the federal government to work with the provincial and provide Canada’s students with the aid they need to get through university and lead Canada’s future. But to do this, students need to vote.
