This web site proves the power of sitting around and sharing facts and experiences.  I'm impressed at the increase in the number of people who regularily visit this site just since I joined. 

We know that we have a genuine problem with the student loan set up and that the government realizes too there is a problem but feels that it's too late for us. 

The question is how do we tell the rest of Canada about this crisis?  How does not just the cost of tuition but also the injustices committed against student debtors become the next election issue?  or legal issue?

How do you get the attention of the media? 

Here's an idea.  Anyone within driving distance from Ottawa should dress up in blank and white striped uniforms with (kids plastic) handcuffs (from the dollar store) and walk around the commons with placards saying "Please Sheriff of Nottingham...let us eat" and "We've lost our lives to the debt sentence" and "People who can't declare bankruptcy - criminals, dead beat parents and student debtors".

It would be extra sweet to have a few families drag their children and put them in make shift leg irons (from cardboard).

Any media coverage is a step ahead.

 If the Federal Government thought there was a crisis going on with students and their drowning in the deep sea of student debt, then they would certianly try to protect it's most valued investments. Unfortunately, their perception of investment is a loan with an interest rate attached to it rather than the young adult who borrowed this money to one day fulfill a dream. Now, the government obviously has paid a blind eye and a deaf ear to the "HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS" of cries for help.

 Now, if you are out there, Big Father, you can relate to what I am saying here. Our government is no different than the hypocritical movement of the Pharisees. BLIND GUIDES - BROOD OF VIPERS. They strain on a gnat... and swallow a camel.

 Here is something to think about....

 The Federal Government is empowered to help it's people. The people of Canada. If it is elected to help the people, why does it turn and hurt it's people? If we ask them for a solution due to the lacking economy and employment oportunity... they turn and say "Well, we have a good Unemployment Insurance benefit program. We can suppliment you for a period of time until we can no longer suppliment you. Then, you are on your own to starve in the wilderness because you couldn't afford to stay in school because you couldn't pay us back (and we do not care about your claims that we lost your forms and caused a default which wrecked your future financial security); and the employment oportunites that are currently available do not apply to you because of your lack of university education ..." How is this our fault? It is your fault. You should have stayed in school.

 This is pretty much what is being said to the people of Canada. Why does the government sit by and watch one of us fall into a pit and not offer a helping hand? That is just evil. It will say it has helped by giving money. That is their excuse. Money.

Johnny wrote: The Federal Government is empowered to help it's people. The people of Canada. If it is elected to help the people, why does it turn and hurt it's people? If we ask them for a solution due to the lacking economy and employment oportunity...

A friend's father is coming to visit me soon and I know that inevitably the question of why I left Canada is going to come up, It basically boils down to what Johnny has written: there was a profound lack of opportunity for me, not just in one specialized field, but in almost everything I tried. I also see a date when this happened--around 1991-1992.

From living abroad, I have come to realize that most governments fight like crazy to protect the interests of its citizens, with France being the most blatent exaple of this, but with other countries going about the same thing in less obvious ways.  Yet, I don't see this in Canada; in fact, I see Canada constantly being hijacked by business groups and interests groups that comprosmise Canada's integrity as a nation. Anyone remember Ontario Hydro? A good energy policy is fundemental to any national economical and industrial plan, but by selling off Ontario Hydro to the wolves, Ontario PCs essentially shot Ontario's economic motor. Awesome planning, wouldn't you say?

Education is similar. An effective and sound economy is based on sound educational policies. Just looking through this discussion group, one can realize that that hasn't happened. It is really sad seeing so many broken dreams and wasted talent.

So when my friend's father asks if I'll be going back, I'll say, "sure I'd love to, but, you know, I just don't think that there is a place for me".  What's worse, is that there is a small ex-pat American community here and the number of people who have a Canadian father or grandfather is staggering. Leaving Canada is something that has been going on for a long time....

I read a fascinating editorial in the Globe about a month back about the philosophical differences between the US and Europe. Whereas the US is all for the "American Dream," and individual rights, the EU theoretically believes in community; in taking care of each other. Apparently they want to enshrine these ideals within the new EU constitution.

This same editorial questioned where Canada fit in...whether its ideals were more in line with the EU's. Personally, I think we are confused, and government policy reflects that. Thus, we bark about the importance of taking care of our most vulnerable, but give out student loans willy-nilly so that our most vulnerable risk their futures to get an education...

That being said, the EU is questioning its ideals as well, if one judges from the 200,000+ people who marched in Amsterdam on Saturday to oppose government cutbacks to social programs. I was supposed to go, but my boyfriend was sick...Apparently a blessing in disguise because they turned away people who arrived at the Amsterdam train station -- by 1 pm it was too dangerous to allow more people to join the protest.

I hope the Dutch government pays attention -- more than the Ontario PCs did when we marched on Queen's Park in 1996. I can vouch that as many people showed up for that protest as well...as much good as it did...

Poly

Yeah, I am...I had to give up a lot, but at least I found hope for the future. I send cyber hugs to Java...

Blimey, wouldn't our stories make for a fascinating and eye-opening documentary? Student Loan refugees...I think it would both expose the CSL system meltdown, inept government policy and destroy the stereotypes that haunt us and perpetuate policy: that we are immature and irresponsible.

I have yet to see a news report that acknowledges the mature students, the parents, the struggling families, the mid-life career changer -- those who take out the biggest loans, and those who suffer the most after graduation.

*gets of soapbox*

Poly

I just read this interesting proposal for student loan changes released by the Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP).  You can view it at this link: http://www.irpp.org/pm/archive/pmvol5no7.pdf - http://www.irpp.org/pm/archive/pmvol5no7.pdf

I'm hoping this might get media attention.  Any thoughts?

Dazed,

I am sorry to have to tell you that Tokelau for me is more symbolic than real. That said, I do live overseas where I feel sometimes that I live on an isolated atoll talking to a coconut.

About the article mentioned above, did anyone else find it that it was basically saying that the syustem only needed fine tuning, as opposed to a complete overhall?

Ah, don't worry, Zafire, your secret is safe with me.