NDP budget shafts students by increasing tuition and decreasing student aid at the same time

Standing out like a red flag in this week's budget is the NDP's plan to increase tuition for post-secondary education and to decrease student aid at the same time.

The NDP budget provided for an increase in tuition of $150 for colleges and by 5% at universities. Today's Free Press makes is clear that as well as a general 5% increase in tuition at universities, there may well be "massive increases" in some faculties.

The budget also made changes to student aid. In last year's budget, $42,334,000 was provided for student aid. This year there is a dramatic reduction in student aid by 20% to $34,149,000. This double whammy on students shows the extent that the NDP have deserted students and are launching a double hit on Manitoba's students.

It is likely that the NDP will argue that a significant reasons for the decrease in student aid is a decrease in federal support. However, the numbers I report above are the numbers from the provincial budget. It is the NDP budget which decreases student aid. The NDP had a choice and they chose in their budget to go after students.

Even, if we accept the excuse that part of the problem is the federal Tories, then the best light we can put on the provincial NDP is that they are working with the federal Tories to gang up on students.

Whichever way you look at this, the NDP did not support students in this budget.