Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago the Quebec government announced it would cut student aid for undergrad study outside the province. Quebec will no longer offer loans to most CEGEP and undergrad university students who want to study in English in another province.
This policy is discriminatory, unfair and totally unacceptable. Ottawa helps fund student aid in Quebec. In 1996, federal transfers will amount to $98 million.
The Minister of Human Resources Development said he will investigate this matter to see what can be done to reverse the decision by Quebec. I urge him to act on this quickly since many Quebec students who study elsewhere are now scrambling to find other sources of funding. As an alternative I suggest that the minister allow Quebec residents who lose their loans to apply under the Canada student loans program in the provinces where they study.
The Quebec policy should not be allowed to remain. It has no place in a fair, diverse and democratic society.