The NDP give students a break, make building a future more affordable

September 10, 2022

WHITEHORSE – As college and university students head off to class and Yukon University opens for new year, we are reminded that the cost of postsecondary education is too often a debt burden students will carry with them for years. Alongside Jagmeet Singh, Lisa Vollans-Leduc is committed to taking that burden off of young people and helping them get ahead.

“The amount of student debt young people incur in order to get an education is wrong. Instead of helping to cut costs, Justin Trudeau is letting young people be saddled with student debt,” said Vollans-Leduc. “The NDP fought for supports for students, and won, and we will continue to fight for a more affordable, more fair, and more optimistic future.”

In the midst of the pandemic, Jagmeet and the NDP fought and won supports for students.

The NDP have pledged to forgive up to $20,000 of student loan debt, remove interest from federal loans, and double federal student grants. The NDP is also committed to giving new graduates a five-year head start before without having to make any federal loan payments.

“It’s wrong that the federal government earns money off of students,” said Vollans-Leduc. “The NDP will cancel interest on student loans.”

“When Justin Trudeau promised to help students, he used the opportunity to hand a $900 million contract to his friends at WE,” said Jagmeet. “When banks and big corporations asked for help, Justin Trudeau rushed billions of dollars to them with no strings attached. Rising student debt should be something a prime minister wants to fight – not cash in on. I’m not Justin Trudeau. I will stand up for students and forgive student debt so they can have a better head start for a brighter future.”

Justin Trudeau’s government has charged Canadians more than $4 billion in interest on student loans. And, under his watch, more than half of university graduates in Canada now carry student debt, with the average loan hitting $28,000.

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