Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
First, I'd like to say that when the question period is on, I'll be able to answer questions in both official languages. It's really up to the members to determine that, but I will be making my presentation in English at this point.
First, thank you for providing me with the opportunity to speak to the Standing Committee on Finance.
This year, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance is requesting submissions regarding the tax systems the country needs for a prosperous future, to maintain and increase Canada's future prosperity in a competitive world, and to ensure that its citizens are healthy, have proper skills, and are presented with appropriate incentives to work and save.
We, at the Association of Nova Scotia University Teachers, ANSUT, believe that to achieve these goals, we need to have a very high-quality post-secondary education system.
I'd like to also point out that our association, ANSUT, and the various groups representing students--for example, the Canadian Federation of Students--have a symbiotic relationship, so we are very much in tune with each other and we believe these two groups speak very much about what is needed for post-secondary education in Canada.
Our studies have repeatedly shown that those who complete post-secondary education have access to a greater variety of work opportunities, earn higher incomes and therefore pay more taxes, and enjoy better health than those who have not, particularly because of the nature of their employment, and all that is integral to our social and economic well-being.
I will list the recommendations we have put forward. ANSUT recommends the restoration of funding for the post-secondary sector under the provisions of a post-secondary education act, such as proposed by the Canadian Association of University Teachers, CAUT. Such a bill, a private bill, has been submitted to the House of Commons. That act would ensure accountability on the part of the provincial governments and make possible improvements in both the quality and affordability of post-secondary education for all eligible Canadians. This act would ensure that Canadian universities are financed at the level that will allow them to remain competitive in the world in both teaching and research.
Also, ANSUT recommends the education funding formula be modified to reflect the fact that Nova Scotia is educating a greater share of the Canadian student population—we're talking about the transfer payments. At the moment, that formula is based on the average population of every province. Nova Scotia is educating a far greater share than its weighted population.
ANSUT also recommends that the 21st century chairs for research excellence program and the administration of funding through the Canada Foundation for Innovation be reassessed to allow the problems of regional inequity to be addressed. For example, Nova Scotia has roughly 12% of all faculty in Canada, and yet we are receiving roughly 3.5% of those funds. So we have a lot of qualified faculty, yet very low dollars coming our way.
ANSUT concurs with the recommendation of the Canadian Association of University Teachers that the federal government should significantly increase the unrestricted funding available through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
ANSUT also recommends that the 2005 Atlantic accord be maintained as negotiated in 2005 by the federal and Nova Scotia governments. I understand that has been an ongoing issue. There's been discussion. When we submitted our brief, this was a very topical matter.
ANSUT recommends the taxation system be modified to provide an additional tax break to students who are entering the workforce with a student debt.
Finally, ANSUT recommends that the crisis created by the massive increase in student tuition fees over the past decade, which actually is a result of a large decrease in core funding to post-secondary education in the nineties, be addressed. We recommend that this be done both through a restoration of core funding to levels that would allow tuition fees to be reduced, and through the introduction of needs-based programs to provide students with the levels of financial support that will guarantee access to all qualified applicants, regardless of income level.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.