I think, though, having talked to many students, and in my own case having gone through university not very long ago, that there is a frustration out there in the workforce, in terms of some of the rising tuition costs. But I think that for access to post-secondary education, whether it's an undergraduate degree or a post-graduate degree, there are barriers. For individuals who come from low-income families, financial access is a barrier, just as it is for individuals with disabilities.
As I said earlier, as a country we are going to compete in a globalized world with some of the emerging economies, like China and India and Brazil, and we're going to have to ensure that we prepare our country, that we prepare our young population with the skills and with the resources and with the educational requirements so that not only as individuals, but as a nation, we can compete with some of those emerging economies.
When you take a look at a country like India, 65% of the population in India is less than 32 years of age. I think it's important that we invest in our children, that we invest in our young people, to ensure that there is an opportunity for them to go into university and other post-secondary educational opportunities.
I realize the frustration, that there is a limitation for some of that accessibility. I'm a firm believer that if you have the grades and you have a desire and a passion and a commitment to go, you should have that opportunity. But I do think, Scott, with all due respect, that this particular piece of legislation, this private member's bill, is the right step forward, because we are dealing with individuals from low-income backgrounds, and we are dealing with people with disabilities.
I know that there was an opportunity to deal with some of the other individuals who have restricted access, like the aboriginal community, but unfortunately, with the investments that were made in the Kelowna Accord, the bill wasn't brought forward. As a result, that was cut. That's why there was tremendous frustration by the aboriginal community, because it would have provided it with an investment.
As the critic for social development, I know that I've been trying to push forward, along with many other opposition members here, in regard to investing in early learning and child care, because we all realize that investing a dollar is going to ensure a much greater outcome.
So I would hope that despite your frustration with the fact that rather than a band-aid solution we need one much more comprehensive in nature, that in itself is going to act as an inspiration to the government that we have at the moment to ensure that we invest in students, that we invest in young people. But I would hope that we would have your support today for this bill, in light of the fact that it is a step in the right direction, because it's going to ensure accessibility over many years, versus just the in first and the fourth years.