The Quebec student tuition protests have pushed the province of Quebec into a stalemate that does not have a clear end in sight. Quebec’s colleges and universities face mounting costs and as they compete for students in a highly competitive educational marketplace, failure to invest will inevitably lead to decline in the quality of their educational experience.
One solution I would recommend can be a win-win-win for the students, the universities and colleges, and the Charest government, as well as benefiting Quebec society.
Building on the experience that those of us who attended high school in Ontario with the volunteer hours experience, why not provide the same opportunity for students in Quebec (as well as Ontario or other provinces, for that matter) by rolling out the program in universities and colleges?
The difference would be that any student enrolled in the volunteer program at the post-secondary would be credited for their hours at the rate of $10 hourly to a maximum of 50 hours annually. In that way they could have up to $500 deducted from their tuition, supported by a signed letter from accredited volunteer and non-profit agencies. In this way, the increased tuition would not pose an additional financial burden on the students, while at the same time, benefiting the many thousands of charitable, non-profit and community organizations, which need additional help.
The tuition credit would be covered initially by the colleges and universities, with partners such as les Caisse de depot et placement du Québec, the Quebec Teachers Pension Plan, Hydro Québec and others.
It could be a win-win-win all around. It just takes cooler heads and a willingness to find constructive solutions.
— Brendan McLoughlin
Social Sciences
