Bill C-550 (Historical)

Forgiveness of student loans for health professionals Act

An Act respecting the forgiveness of student loans for health professionals

This bill was last introduced in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session, which ended in March 2011.

Sponsor

Don Davies  NDP

Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)

Status

Outside the Order of Precedence (a private member's bill that hasn't yet won the draw that determines which private member's bills can be debated), as of June 17, 2010
(This bill did not become law.)

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.

This enactment provides for the forgiveness of student loans of health professionals who have committed to working as family practitioner in an underserviced area in the publicly funded health care system.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Forgiveness of Student Loans for Health Professionals ActRoutine Proceedings

June 17th, 2010 / 10:10 a.m.


See context

NDP

Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-550, An Act respecting the forgiveness of student loans for health professionals.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce a bill that would help students and improve access to basic medical care for people across the country.

We know that regular checkups and preventative health care are far better and cheaper for Canadians than ignoring health problems until a trip to the hospital is required, but far too many families do not have access to a family doctor.

My bill would freeze student loan payments for the first five years after graduation for all doctors and nurse practitioners who agree to practise family medicine in an underserved area. After five years, their student debt would be decreased by 20% for each year they continue to serve as family doctors or nurse practitioners in underserved communities. The effect would be that after 10 years of practising family medicine, their student debt would be totally forgiven.

Last year I met with representatives of the Canadian Federation of Medical Students and they told me about the crippling debt burden faced by many medical graduates.

This bill would help these hard-working students who are dedicating their lives to serving the public and it would help get more family doctors and nurse practitioners into communities that need them.

I ask all members of the House to support this practical idea to strengthen our public health care system for all Canadians.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)