ST. JOHN'S – Today, NDP Leader Alison Coffin reaffirmed New Democrats' commitment to make life more affordable in Newfoundland and Labrador by keeping the tuition freeze for post-secondary students.
"Students shouldn't have to start off their working lives saddled with huge debt loads because they got an education," said Coffin. "Post-secondary education in our province has to be accessible and affordable. The very least we can do for young people is to maintain the tuition freeze so they can afford to make the choices they want to make about their future."
In addition to keeping the cost for students low and progressively reduce tuition fees, New Democrats will also reinstate the full needs-based grants program and ensure that the College of the North Atlantic and Memorial University are properly funded.
Coffin says a comprehensive plan to recruit and retain young people in the province should include creating grants for post-doctoral studies and research as well as leveraging federal government economic stimulus funds to repair current infrastructure and create new projects.
"The province is in a tough place financially but it is totally unacceptable to expect young people studying in this province to pay for the bad decisions made by decades of Liberal and Conservative governments. We can't just make them pay for the mistakes of a select few," said Coffin. "Young people are not going to stay here and build their lives in the province if we don't make things fairer and more affordable for them. They deserve better and New Democrats are fighting to make sure they get it."
-30-