So says Statistics Canada, which released the National Graduates Survey for 2007 on April 22.

The survey was jointly undertaken by Statistics Canada and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, and tracked graduates from Canadian public post-secondary institutions for two years.

The study showed that for those working, their education paid off, as earnings rose with each level of education.

?The median annual earnings among those who were working full-time in 2007 was lowest for college graduates at $35,000. This increased to $45,000 for bachelor’s graduates, $60,000 for master’s graduates and $65,000 for doctorate graduates,? reads the study.

The study also showed that ?more than 80 per cent of college and university students who graduated in 2005 and did not pursue further studies had found full-time employment by 2007.?

Despite these employment figures, the study pointed out that ?in 2007, two years after graduation, just over one-quarter of those who owed student debt at the time they graduated had paid it off.?

Indeed, while graduates had lower average debt levels in 2005 than they did in 2000, it was by a small proportion, and debt levels also remain in the tens of thousands. In 2007, doctoral graduates had a $22,500 debt on average, with master’s graduates averaging $19,500, bachelor’s graduates averaging $20,400, and college graduates averaging $11,800.

Even so, the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation suggests the study showed post-secondary student debt levels had stabilized. The Foundation cites the survey’s pronouncement that ?between 2000 and 2005, debt levels of university graduates who borrowed for their education decreased by 0.9 per cent, while that of college graduates decreased by 4.5 per cent.?

?We are pleased that this study from Statistics Canada confirms that the Foundation has delivered on its mandate to improve the financial situation of Canadian students,? said Executive Director Norman Riddell.

The Canadian Federation of Students, however, does not see such a rosy picture.

?One in three post-secondary graduates reported difficulty repaying their student loan two years after graduation,? the Federation announced after the study was released.

?This study confirms that there is a very disturbing inequality of access to post-secondary education in Canada,? said CFS chairperson Katherine Giroux-Bougard. ?Students that cannot pay up front are being driven deep into long-term debt.?

OTTAWA (CUP) ? The federal government has been rolling out post-secondary funding announcements despite each announcement repeating figures contained in the January budget.

The Conservatives have spent much of the spring promoting Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the 2009 budget brought in by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty after the government was prorogued in December.

Some of these announcements are aimed towards post-secondary students either directly through job creation or indirectly through university or associated funding.

For example, on April 15, Treasury Board President Vic Toews announced an increase of $20 million over two years to hire up to 2,000 additional students into the federal public service.

The Federal Student Work Experience Program, the Co-operative Education and Internship Program, and the Research Affiliate Program all benefited from an increase to their funding streams by the budget in January. The Treasury Board released the statement separately.

Also, on April 8, Industry Minister Tony Clement announced ?more than $455.1 million in 29 projects at post-secondary institutions? throughout British Columbia.

That figure is part of the $2-billion Knowledge Infrastructure Program contained in the budget, which aims to ?support infrastructure enhancement at Canadian post-secondary institutions.?

The separate announcement was released, according to Industry Canada, to ?celebrate the first round of projects to qualify under the program.?

Then there is Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism Diane Ablonczy’s announcement on April 7 of $17.5 million through 2014 for the Small Business Internship Program.

The program will hire 400 student interns annually to help with information and communications technologies. It is part of the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy?funding of which was contained in the budget.

The Official Opposition isn’t playing catch-up to the announcements, preferring instead to contradict government statements.

For example, the Liberal Party took issue with Minister of State for Science and Technology Gary Goodyear’s frequent reference to budget money for science and technology.

On April 7, at an event in Waterloo, Ont., Goodyear announced $50 million for the Institute of Quantum Computing. Promoting the event, Industry Canada stated: ?Canada’s Economic Action Plan provides more than $5.1 billion toward science and technology initiatives.?

?This is not the case,? the Liberal Party announced on April 21. ?The funding commitments the Conservatives cite to support this figure are not dedicated towards actual research projects, nor will the money necessarily even go towards infrastructure to create such projects.?

The Liberals have been brandishing Statistics Canada figures they believe demonstrate that ?science and technology research is not a priority for the Harper government,? arguing that ?when adjusted for inflation, federal funding for university research in 2008 was $187 million less than in 2005.?

OTTAWA (CUP) ? The federal government is getting students into the auto business.

On April 16, Industry Minister Tony Clement announced Automotive Partnership Canada, a five-year program aiming to foster automotive research and development at Canadian universities.

The program will support research projects that aim to design next-generation automobiles. It is part of the government’s approach to getting the failing car industry back on track.

Research will focus on lighter weight, sustainable materials, powertrains, energy storage, alternative fuels, in-car software and electronics, wireless communications, and manufacturing processes.

It is infusing $145 million into five federal granting agencies: the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, National Research Council Canada, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and the Canada Excellence Research Chairs program.

In addition, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada established an Automotive Project Office, acting as both a press office for the program and a hub connecting industry and research to program facilities.

According to Industry Canada: ?Proposals funded under this initiative will be led and submitted by university or government researchers, but they must be clearly driven by industry needs.?

At the program’s launch in Toronto, Clement stated it was important that research and development of automotive manufacturing was ?brought into the marketplace where everyone can benefit from them.?

That research and development is indeed the most beneficial when brought into the marketplace was debated by leaders at Canada’s two largest student lobby groups.

Graham Cox, the Canadian Federation of Students? national graduate caucus chair, argues that universities are not the most ?appropriate? place for the development of ?market-ready products.?

?Having monopoly industries and government bureaucrats trying to direct university research stifles, instead of increases, the rate of innovation,? said Cox.

?It is contradictory to say that the lack of innovation and vision by the corporate sector is part of the automotive-sector crisis, but then implement policy where that same monopoly industry, and now government bureaucrats, are directing university researchers to get innovation.?

Cox also says that since the federal government cut funding to granting councils, the project amounts to a ?re-introduction? of these funds but with ?commercialization strings attached.?

Zach Churchill, national director of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, welcomed the new program but voiced similar concern over cuts to research funding in other areas.

?While we understand the government’s desire to fund research on new technologies,? he said, ?we still believe that research is important for discovery.?

?If we want to be thought leaders in the world, it is important that we do not only target funding in very specific ways, while cutting research funding in other areas. When it comes to research, the government can’t rob Peter to pay Paul,? Churchill added.

OTTAWA (CUP) ? The federal Conservative government has created a party caucus to better liaison with post-secondary education lobbyists.

On Thursday, February 6, Conservative MP Rod Bruinooge (Winnipeg South) rose in the House of Commons to announce the February 5 inaugural meeting of the Conservative post-secondary education caucus.

?This new caucus will focus on how our government, and we as MPs, can best serve post-secondary institutions,? Bruinooge said.

?Colleges and universities are vital to our communities and our country, and I am proud to be a member of our government whose commitment to support them is clear.?

Bruinooge was elected to chair the caucus at the inaugural meeting, says Myrrhanda Novak, his director of communications.

?The discussion focused on infrastructure, grants, and student bursaries,? she said.

She declined to give a list of caucus members, however, stating that ?as the caucus has only had one meeting, it would be pre-mature to send out.?

The Peterborough Examiner reported that Peterborough MP Dean Del Mastro is also a member of the caucus, and that he stated there were about 18 MPs at the meeting.

Del Mastro also told the Examiner that the caucus will be seeking ?delegations from student associations, such as the Canadian Federation of Students.?

CFS National Chairperson Katherine Giroux-Bougard says she welcomes the creation of the caucus.

?We look forward to working with the caucus on issues of importance to our members, such as the 2009 federal budget’s cuts to the federal granting councils,? she said.

?In creating a space for Conservative MPs to discuss post-secondary education, the party seems to agree with our assertion that the federal government has a prominent role to play in improving the quality and affordability of Canada’s universities and colleges.?

The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, another national student lobby group, says it is happy the caucus is being created.

?It speaks to the national importance of post-secondary education in Canada,? said CASA National Director Zach Churchill.

?At a time when the country worries about the state of our economy, it is more important than ever to invest time, energy, and resources into making our post-secondary education system is accessible, affordable, and of the highest quality.?

The previous Liberal government had the Liberal post-secondary education caucus, which met regularly with spokespeople in the post-secondary world.

Although the Liberals are now the official Opposition, that caucus still exists, chaired by Liberal MP Mike Savage (Dartmouth?Cole Harbour).

In January, the Liberal caucus met with members from the Institute for Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo.

The two national student lobby groups say they have been in contact with this caucus as well.

?In the past year, we’ve formally presented student issues to the Liberal [post-secondary education] caucus, after receiving an invitation to address the group,? said Churchill.

?We have been invited to present to the Liberal PSE caucus in each year it was active,? said Giroux-Bougard, adding that the caucus has not sat recently.

The NDP do not have a post-secondary education caucus, says party spokesperson Rupinder Kaur.

They do, however, have a post-secondary education critic?MP Niki Ashton (Churchill).

Giroux-Bougard says Ashton’s office has recently been in contact with Ian Boyko, CFS government relations co-ordinator.

OTTAWA (CUP) ? Diane Finley has got her old job back?a move that has frustrated at least one post-secondary lobby group.

The Conservative government announced its new ministry at a swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, October 30 at Rideau Hall in Ottawa.

As part of the cabinet shuffle, Finley became the new minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, a post she had previously held in 2006 before being replaced by Monte Solberg.

HRSD is responsible for the federal government’s post-secondary education portfolio, which oversees federal student aid.

David Robinson, associate executive director of the Canadian Association of University Teachers, calls Finley’s shift back to HRSD “worrisome.?

?She was a shadow minister. No one really saw her,” he said. ?It’s a bit of an uninspiring appointment.?

Finley did not personally meet with any prominent student lobby group during the 10 months she held the position in 2006.

Finley could not be reached for comment as of press time, as neither she nor her staff appeared at the office today, said spokesperson Julie Hahn.

When asked about whether the minister plans to meet with student groups in the coming weeks, Hahn said the minister’s timetable would be distributed soon.

?The minister was just sworn in today. The logistics behind this can take a while,? she said.

Robinson stated he had ?asked to meet with her many times? during her previous appointment, but was never granted a meeting.

?The first day or two of [Solberg?s] appointment, he actually phoned us,? Robinson reflected. ?It was a different kind of approach.?

Ian Boyko?the government relations co-ordinator for Canada’s largest student lobby group, the Canadian Federation of Students?is cautiously optimistic.

?It continues to pose a challenge,? Boyko said of the minister’s track record.
He adds, however, that the Federation still accomplished some of its goals in 2006.

?We can have an effect, and did have an effect, without meeting with the minister,? he said.

Boyko says Finley’s move back into Human Resources may speak to the government’s priorities.

?They probably think they’ve done a lot of work on the post-secondary education file,? he said. ?There’s still a considerable funding gap . . . despite the increase, there’s still room to be made up.?

In 2007, Finley swapped positions with Solberg, who was minister of Citizenship and Immigration (now called Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism).

This September, Solberg announced he would not be running for re-election.

Other Cabinet appointments

Out of 38 members of the Canadian ministry, only 12 spots remained the same.
Finley is replaced by Jason Kenney, who was previously minister for Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity. That ministry no longer exists, as it appears to have been merged with Immigration.

Jim Prentice, who was previously minister of Industry, is now minister for Environment.

Prentice brought forward the controversial bill that would have amended the Copyright Act to bring Canadian law in line with many elements of the United States Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

He is replaced by Tony Clement, who was previously minister of health. Clement was minister during the Health Ministry’s battle with many lobby groups, including the CAUT, over whether safe-injection sites should be permitted in Canada.

OTTAWA (CUP) ? Student and teacher lobby groups in Canada want post-secondary education to be an election issue, and they are rolling out campaigns this fall to make sure it is.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper [called] a federal election on Sunday slated for October 14.

The Canadian Federation of Students (CFS), the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), and the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) all say they have campaign strategies mapped out.

These strategies include lobbying the parties directly on issues, hosting all-candidates? debates, providing analysis on party platforms, and helping organize student voting on campuses.

?we’ll be housing an election centre on our website,? said CASA National Director Zach Churchill. ?we’ll be informing students how to vote on campus, how to do absentee voting, [and] if they want to vote in their riding back home.?

David Robinson, CAUT associate executive director, expects his group to organize all-candidates? debates, as well as meetings about post-secondary education.

As well, he suggested CAUT would conduct ?an analysis once the party platforms are out of where [each party] stands on post-secondary issues.?

Ian Boyko, CFS government relations co-ordinator, says the Federation wants federal parties to adopt several CFS policies.

Most of these policies advocate for an increase in federal funding. The CFS would like to see funds increased to provincial transfer payments, to Statistics Canada, to aboriginal students, to the Canada Student Grant Program, and to the Canada Graduate Scholarships Program.

As well, at their last semi-annual meeting in May 2008, the CFS distributed a ?federal election preparations? paper that noted a meeting with Elections Canada and pointed out several initiatives such as a ?media strategy.?

?Federation representatives offered to assist in the dissemination of promotional material from Elections Canada,? the paper read.

CASA, CFS, and CAUT boast a number of lobbying initiatives that aim for similar outcomes.

Both the CFS and the CAUT oppose the new Copyright Act amendment, bill C-61, introduced in June before the Parliamentary summer recess.

The bill makes several references to restrictions placed on material generated in educational environments, and both organizations feel this restriction would hinder students? development.

As well, both CASA and CAUT say they did not see either the current government or past governments provide a philosophical approach to education governance.

?we’re going to be looking for a long-term vision being put forward by the parties that addresses two fundamental things: an individual’s ability to reach their full potential in society, and a country that can deal with an impending labour crisis,? said Churchill.

?No one to this point has tackled this issue holistically, or provided any sort of long-term vision or strategy for post-secondary education.?

Robinson also notes the lack of federal party discussion on post-secondary issues.

?We just don’t have any political parties at this point that are ready to take the federal government into a leadership role, dealing with some of the issues that we need to deal with,? he said.

Student and youth involvement in elections is another issue the three organizations are concerned with.

Elections Canada estimated that in the 2006 general election, 43.8 per cent of those aged 18 to 24 voted, as compared to the national average of 62.8 per cent.

As well, students made up the highest percentage of first-time voters, at 82 per cent.

?I think if our politicians can provide dialogue and platform discussions on issues about education and issues that really matter to students, I think you’ll see a more engaged student body,? said Churchill.

Robinson, however, pointed out the ambiguity over the need for an election in the first place.

?It’s going to be interesting to see how the Conservatives are going to justify the need for an election right now, given that this has probably been one of the most well-functioning minority governments in Canadian history.?