Finance Committee on Dec. 5th, 2006

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

There's dancing in the streets as we speak.

Thank you.

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Chair, I think part of the confusion here is that we're looking at one part of our aid package for students in isolation. We know that there were significant measures in budget 2006 for students, and this is one of them. Students can earn up to $19,000 completely tax-free after Budget 2006. Scholarships are no longer taxable. Student loans are much more broadly available. A significant amount of money was invested by the government to do that. This is one step in isolation, and I think it's part of a very comprehensive package to assist students.

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

Where did you put money for student loans?

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

No, Madam.

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Peterborough, ON]

Judy, it costs money to make student loans more broadly available.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

Mr. Del Mastro, express your remarks through the chair and not directly to other committee members.

[Dean Del Mastro, Conservative, Peterborough, ON]

I'm just trying to help Judy understand, that's all, and it's difficult.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

Go ahead, Mr. McCallum.

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Unionville, ON]

I'm certainly grateful that the NDP is supporting—

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

Order.

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Unionville, ON]

Judy, I'm trying to express gratitude to you. We're very grateful for NDP support on this motion.

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

It is begrudging NDP support.

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Unionville, ON]

I also totally agree with you that this is a band-aid. The problem is that in our election platform we had, for example, the fifty-fifty plan, which would have put in billions of dollars--but we lost.

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

I think in 1993 you promised to cut student tuitions, too, but they doubled.

[John McCallum, Liberal, Markham—Unionville, ON]

My only point is that when you're stuck with band-aids and that's all you have, you might as well make the band-aids a little better.

I do appreciate your support.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

Go ahead, Mr. Savage.

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

What we heard from students as we travelled the country doing our consultations for next year's budget was that taxes don't do the job for students, if you believe that the number one issue is access.

In fact, Mr. McKay spoke about his daughter. She's already in university. We're going to benefit, to a small extent, people who are already in university. If you really want to get at the issue of access, then we all, including Judy, should have supported the economic update of a year ago, in which there were billions for low-income students and many other students, as well as what Mr. McCallum mentioned. It's too close to Christmas for party politics, but let me—

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

Mr. Savage, speak to the amendment or do not speak further.

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

I'm speaking to the amendment.

If we're going to do something in the form of taxes, $80, which is what I think it amounts to for a full-time student, is a pittance and a disgrace. What Mr. Pacetti is proposing is at least a step forward. It is a bigger band-aid, if you will.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

Are there any further comments?

(Amendment negatived: 6 nays; 5 yeas) [See Minutes of Proceedings]

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

The amendment is defeated.

We'll move to L-5.

Go ahead, Mr. Pacetti.

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

It's basically the same idea. We're trying to help part-time students. Instead of the $20 monthly credit, I was proposing $60. It was in the same proportion as the previous amendment. If we're not going to try to help full-time students, I'm not so sure this committee wants to help out part-time students. But if we're going to bother--and I'm just trying to do a calculation for $36--I would suggest that we delete the $20 rather than have it. So I would say we increase it to $60.

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

So are you withdrawing your amendment, then?

[Massimo Pacetti, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

No. Perhaps you could just wait until I finish speaking.

I don't know what it is with the Conservatives.

The point is that $20 for part-time students represents—

[The Chair, Conservative, Brian Pallister]

Mr. Pacetti, order. Order.

Mr. Pacetti, you just said in your preamble that we may as well delete.... But that's not what your amendment says, so I'm asking you—