Again, remember that I'm speaking about what we heard as we went around the province. I didn't come prepared with the list of what we think can be done or what people in New Brunswick think can be done, but definitely, as number one, most people said they think there should be free post-secondary education. There are examples of many other countries where students are offered free post-secondary education.
I don't know what that would cost. We're moving into another phase of this initiative wherein some solutions will be put forth in order to look at what the plan is going to look like. There will be options for solutions and there will be some costing done by another group of participants in what we're referring to as the round tables.
Among a number of things that did come out was more debt reduction, thus making it easier for students to get relief. When they're contacted.... No, when they're hounded--I'm going to use that word--over and over by an organization that I think has been established to collect debt on behalf of the federal government, the amounts that students are being asked for are atrocious. They're being asked for $500 a month when a young person is out there trying to find, first, a job, and then affordable rent, etc.
I think most students are saying, “Look, I'm not saying that I'm not going to pay it back, but I can afford $100 a month right now.” They're starting out at $30,000 in debt, they have a rent of $900 a month, they need an old car, which costs, and they have way too many other things. They're asking what it is that we want them to do. Is it to declare bankruptcy, which isn't an option?