Nova Scotia is a beautiful place, a place many of us call home, use as a retreat and a safe haven where the oceans surround us. Its main city is home to three major Universities and many more colleges and educational institutions. Unfortunately, even though this is home to many, most leave due to the lack of opportunities (but that's another can of worms). One of the biggest issues related to the lack of opportunity we have is the large amount of debt many of us carry from student loans, caused by rising tuition rates. 

In our day and age, University and post secondary education have become a necessary stepping stone for most of us. University is not only a leg up in the work force but it prepares us for life ahead; it gives us knowledge of the world that we would otherwise not know. I'm currently in a course called "Violence in Religion" and I can easily say I have learned much more from this course than I thought I would. We learn not only about different religions, but different events around the world that are happening that most people could not even fathom or even know existed. This is one of the many courses that open your mind and give you the opportunity to think about other possibilities that are (unknowingly) available to us.

Unfortunately this all comes at a cost that all of us will eventually pay a high price for. One of my high school teachers told us in class one day that he put his student debt onto his mortgage in order to reduce interest and pay it off quicker. Many students work 25+ hours a week to pay for tuition, while in school! And many do not graduate in 4 years as planned because they are forced to chose between taking a full course load, getting good grades and working a part time jobs or sacrifice something to make it work. I hope that in your mind you understand that when paying thousands of dollars for an education, good grades are a priority, and when it is a priority, some people sacrifice the time it takes to graduate for the ability to get a good GPA without going in major debt and holding some kind of income. To be a knowledgeable, aware and open minded citizen: to be a good citizen should not come at such a cost. 

As much as I would love to write a ten page novella about why you should get rid of tuition, not only in Nova Scotia, but in all provinces in Canada, it should be clear as day that forcing people to pay to become a good citizen who is going to be a benefit to our society is absolutely absurd! The corporatization of educational institutions is exploiting students: plain an simple.

This is a serious matter and we are here to prove that we care about our futures and the future of our province and country.

Please forgive student debt and all future student tuition rates, not only does it benefit us, but it benefits everyone.