Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure to present two petitions.
The first petition evolves from the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations where they highlight the financial challenges that students from coast to coast to coast have with respect to seeking higher learning. They call on the Government of Canada to ensure that there is improved core funding, recognizing that there still needs to be an envelope of student aid and a debt remediation aspect as well to improve access to post-secondary education.
They highlight that students from high income families are 2.5 times more likely to attend university or college than those from low income families. That is why we saw similar initiatives in yesterday's budget. It is my pleasure to present that petition on behalf of catholic schools, including my province, from UNB, UNBSJ and St. Thomas.
My second petition comes from Osgoode Hall Law School. It is my honour to rise in the House today to present a petition, duly certified by the clerk, on behalf of the students of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, Ontario.
The petitioners are calling upon Parliament to take immediate steps to lower tuition rates in Canada, to address the burden of existing high levels of student debt, to commit to ensuring access to affordable legal education as a necessary condition of a fair and equitable legal system in Canada, and to ensure that tuition rates at law schools, including Osgoode Hall, are frozen at existing levels and ultimately reduced.