I found the website for Paul Martin, and I wrote this letter to him:

Hi Paul,

Just wondering when the initiatives in the 2003 budget regarding student loans will  be implemented.  To date, there has been very little action taken.  As you will note, the canlearn website has not been updated in terms of these new initiatives since the 2003 budget was tabled.  Please see the website

http://www.canlearn.ca/NSLSC/support/new/nlwhanew4.cfm?langn slsc=en

I am one of the unfortunate people, who, while still a student, had to declare bankruptcy on consumer debt due to a medical problem.  Of course this put my student loans of approximately $60,000 into default even though I was at the time, and still am a full time student.  Each day that goes by, and until my bankruptcy is discharged, interest accrues on these loans.  My current income is appoximately $15,000 annually and my student loan payments will be around $1000/month. 

It was not my intention to default on these loans as they were not part of my financial problems at the time (i.e. i qualified for interest free status).  But since i claimed bankruptcy I am no longer considered a student even though I AM!!!  It seems that the 2003 budget would allow students who are in my situation some sort of interest relief.  My concern is that when I filed for bankruptcy in March 2003, I was under the impression that these initiatives would be implemented.  But since it is taking so long, the interest on my loans has accumulated to approximately $7000 and is rising while I am waiting for my discharge. 

Since your the boss, do you have any idea what I should do? 

You did say, while at the University of Western Ontario last week that you would act "reasonably quickly" regarding the matter of student loans.  Perhaps you and I refer to a different dictionary when we define the word "quickly" (or maybe that's where the "reasonably" part kicks in). 

Sorry for the sarcasm but my student loans are crushing me and I have no hope (not that you care).  Truly I would suggest to anyone that it is NOT worth it to take student loans, especially when the rules keep changing and no one seems to know how to implement them.  Don't believe me?  Just call the student loans branch at Royal Bank. 

I feel as though I have been hung out to dry simply because I thought education was important.  I would've been far better off to not go to school, get a bunch of credit cards, run them up, not pay my taxes and then declare bankruptcy just like good old George Radwanski.  You remember him, the former privacy commissioner, who settled a $557,436 debt to the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency for $62,726, via bankruptcy.  Yeh yeh, I know....people benefit from an education and therefore bankruptcy shouldn't be an option right?  Well, I can guarantee that Mr. Radwanski got far more milage out of that half a million dollars than I will ever get from my education.

I guess the joke is on me!  Hope you  have a good day.

Hi Mark,

I forwarded my letter as you suggested.  I also included a remark that states that I am now quitting a PhD program just so that I can get a job and stay ahead of that interest.  This is the truth.  2 years down the drain.  The funny thing is, I went into my program so that when i finished, I would be able to make the kind of cash necessary to pay off my loans.  Now, i'll be lucky to get a job that will barely cover the interest since half a PhD means nothing and can actually work against you.

What is so discouraging is that I know I can rant as much as I want, but really, no one cares (at least no one who can do anything).  It makes me think that I should've jumped all over that great job offer that I got 10 years ago - the one that gave me the opportunity to pour coffee at Tim Hortons.  As it stands now, I think i would've been further ahead

This is my first post, so here are some questions for interest relief and debt reduction. Is debt reduction what loan forgiveness used to be? My loans start in 1994 and the changes in government has created a real mess for my documentation. I filed three different interest relief applications and two of those three had to be sent twice. Loans are full time, part time, provincial, federal, NSLC, CIBC and now collections. The CIBC is not interested in resolving any discrepancies. And I am not interested in dealing with the CIBC. I am feeling much stronger now that I know Mark and John are out there. My last question: Who is Mr. Volpe and is - mailto:pm@pm.gc.ca - mailto:pm@pm.gc.ca the official office of the Prime Minister?