Québec: Student tuition fees increase cancelled

[Woodenhead]

ad hominem, cliche, and straw men all up in this thread

One thing that can be taken away by everyone here is the fact that protest can & does work. (regardless of the outcome being positive or not) Too many forum-goers like to write off any & all protests as meaningless.

[logicalview]

i still think it is not me.

I think it is you, because you want something that you feel others should pay for. And don't say that it isn't my money, when someone advocates that more tax money should be spent on something that they are self-interested in, then it definitely affects me and everyone else who pays taxes. But that's not the point. You feel that there is absolutely no other solution to your issue about your son being able to go to school, other than that he should get a free ride on the taxpayer's dime, and that simply is not true. There are many things you can do to help him RIGHT NOW, and none of those things include you having to pay for any of his education. First things first, I am assuming that even though you are struggling, like so many of us out there, you are currently able to provide your son with free room and board. That is huge. Secondly, I am assuming that your son is physically capable of performing labour jobs and also has relatively normal to higher intelligence. Those asumptions taken into account...

1) this is very imporant. You can teach your son basic budgeting and spending skills. So many parents today don't seem to pass this on to their kids. I see two types of university students these days. Ones that have been taught basic budgeting, and those that have no clue. The ones who have no clue go out and blow their student loans on day one on stereos, computers and even drugs. These are the same kids who graduate with $45,000 student loans and have been taught to blame everyone else but themselves for this predicament. There is NO WAY if a proper budget is followed, that a kid should be graduating that deep in debt, especially if they are also working while going to school, or even just working during the May - August summer break.

2) If you are providing for your kid all of the necessities of life like food, clothing and shelter, there is NO WAY, and NO EXCUSE, for why they can't be working while in high school, during weekends and all summer, and saving at least $5,000 a year or more to go towards their university education. Starting in Grade 9 or 10, every kid who has aspirations of going to university should have between $10 - $20 K saved up for post secondary education when they graduate high school. They pay basically no tax at this age, and should have almost no expenses (beer and cigarettes and drugs and smart phones don't count. They'll have their twenties, when they are living debt-free and working a decent job, to spend their discretionary income on that crap). This is money they should have, ON TOP of scholarships and bursaries, which they should be toiling away in high school getting good grades to help them earn these things. There are tons of these, and so few kids who have the wherewithal to even apply for them.

Both of these suggestions include inherent in them another concept called personal responsiblity. Your son's post-secondary education in Canada is already heavily subsidized, to the tune of 80% or more. That last 20% should be your son's responsibility. By the age of 18, it's time to learn that every thing in life isn't just handed to you by the government, just because you really really want it, or because in your brain you've rationalized it as something that has to be done to make society "fair". Life isn't fair. But it can be a lot more balanced than you or people like you think. It just requires dropping the victim mentality and going out and earning what you want, using the tools you've been given. That's how it works. Whining and crying and expecting everything to be given to you doesn't work. That just makes life even more unfair, and leads to bitterness and resentment.

[kibbs]

a

nada is already heavily subsidized, to the tune
of 80% or more

If canada is subsidizing 80% than we really do have a top heavy system, if were still charging kids this much.like i said its all black and white to you .wait ill just get my wife to drive my epileptic genius son to work while i cook dinner tonight for my other boy .oh wait i don't have a wife.just one mile i invite you to try .You know what they say about assuming.

[kibbs]

whining and cry doesn't but protesting with pots and pans does.

[twobits]

whining and cry doesn't but protesting with pots and pans does.

If you think the protests worked, the last laugh is on you. While the PQ did cancel the rate hike, they just turned around and took 145 million out of University funding out the back door.......ten times more money than the rate hikes would have raised. Voters such as yourself are so naive. Try bigger pots next time

[kibbs]

took 145 million out of University funding out the back door.......ten times more money than the rate hikes would have raised.

you said that and i said rich teachers lost poor kids won. the pq will now prune the dead wood and the west needs a trim too.change is coming sorry rich guy you might lose a bit of your pile.

[kibbs]

if students organize in bc i will be out there and beat on big pots.what the heck i cant afford to do anything else . it looks like fun.

[Treblehook]

There are selfish takers, hardworking independents, and generous givers. Trying to communicate with selfish takers doesn't work!

[kibbs]

I agree and sometimes it helps to see yourself think its all good.just because you sit in a higher tax bracket does not make you generrous or giving .Poor pay just as much tax too on everything we can afford to buy 12% same as you The only thing that attempt to create equity is the income tax . Of which the rich have endless loopholes, offshore accounts ,and powerful connection to manipulate.I sacrifice my life for my two sons , i have no money but give time to church and charity .I do not believe or will not accept any one comparing me to a taker.'The road to enlightenment is lightening up'-leonard cohen Buddhist monk

[Graphite]

Either that or start charging, arresting and jailing people for treason - starting with the traitorous Pauline Marois.

I would like to see expansion on this idea.

[grammafreddy]

@ logicalview - excellent post.