🚀 go-pugleaf

Phil_Fraikin@mindlink.bc.ca (Phil Fraikin) wrote:

>burrows@bcu.ubc.ca (Jeff Burrows) wrote:

>>All students are supported by taxpayers ('government').
>>The average university student pays less than 20% of the
>>full cost of his-her education, via tuition.


>Taken that way we all live off government largesse, since we all
>benefit from free education (up to grade 12), free policing, free
>roads, etc.  What I meant (for those who didn't take advantage of all
>this free education) is that many students pay for their own living
>costs such as food, clothing shelter.  And I disagree that the
>government pays 80% of "the full cost of" my education.  This figure
>doesn't include text books, certain course/lab fees, activity fees,
>registration fees etc., which must be paid to attend this place.

Hmmm... that may not be the best argument to be using...  especially
since the most things (other than the texts :( )  cost a relatively
small fraction of the total cost of education.  However,  students
graduating from sciences, engineering or commerce (add any more that
apply)  would ideally pay more income tax than a high school drop out.
Of course, people working in trades or union tend to throw off the
numbers, but you get my gist.   I feel that many (not all) university
students pay their debt to Canada by paying these higher tax rates.
In addition, these same students would not likely (but may sometimes)
need to draw from the social system in place (ie welfare, health,
etc), or rather, draw from these resources less.    

Not all students are attending university to make money, nor are they
there to take advantage of the rest of other taxpayers.   Many feel
they can contribute to society and Canada as a whole with their
education.  They are hardworking while in or out of school (try living
off of 4 months of salary... oh, and subtract $4000 off the top), and
often wind up graduating under a heavy debt load.  Under the
conditions these students must endure, it's a wonder we have doctors,
engineers, lawyers, etc graduating every year.   Increasing the debt
load would make one reconsider...  should they endure this, or should
they just go off onto welfare ....  jobs without an education is near
impossible...  what other choice is there?   

Canada in general should not be looking at university subsidies and
considering students to be freeloaders.  Fact of the matter is....
it's an investment into the future of Canada.  Without this
investment, we'd be forced to import talent from abroad...   

Patrick