Phone news conference with Jack Layton, Feb. 2007

Originally published in The Weal, February, 2007

Interview By: Drew Anderson

The federal NDP is presenting a bill to the House of Commons on Monday Feb. 5, outlining the role they would like to see the federal government play in funding post-secondary education.
The act would call for stable federal funding to the provinces in response to promises of lowered tuition and increased quality, changes to the Canada student loan program, and implementation of a comprehensive needs-based student grant program for all years of study.
In lead up to the bill, Jack Layton, leader of the federal NDP held a virtual news conference with student journalists
This is what he had to say to The Weal’s news editor, Drew Anderson:

DA: How would you ensure provincial cooperation in return for these reliable federal funding policies that you propose? I’m thinking particularly of Alberta and Quebec. And would this help the patchwork of post-secondary costs and quality across the provinces?

JL: “Well I hope that this would help, and or course, ultimately there’s jurisdiction issues that you have to work through in the Canadian context. As you know we have certain constitutional divisions of responsibility that have to be respected. However, when you are able to offer funds, then you are opening the door to some influence over the way in which those funds are used and it takes a diligent government to make sure that those (assurances) are honoured.”

DA: Your website speaks of a looming skills shortage. Alberta is already in the middle of such a crisis. Does your party have any immediate solutions for increase training opportunities in post-secondary education?

JL: “Precisely how the training is delivered would inevitably have to be up to the provinces, but we believe that training, and I haven’t spoken specifically about jobs and skills training here, that’s a separate area of work for us and we’re working with the labour movement and business sectors in making sure that that issue is front and centre. Certainly you’re right about Alberta, it’s just an enormous shortage of the kind of labour that’s needed; and we’ve proposed in past election platforms, major investments in training and we’re calling on the federal government in their budget, which is coming down in two months, to address that question as a major priority.”

DA: You’re talking about substantial increases in federal transfers, so provinces can roll back tuition and re-invest in faculty and resources. How much would it cost to implement these federal transfers to the provinces?

JL: “Well, it’s something that has to be phased in of course with the financial capabilities of the federal government and that’s why, for instance, when we had the opportunity to force the federal Liberals into action we were able to construct a proposal that was a $1.6 billion investment. We are crunching the numbers now as to what the dollars would be that we could put forward in this particular budget. Of course that requires Mr. Harper to get off his massive tax cutting approach to running the government. If he continues to cut the taxes then that means you haven’t got the funds available to invest.
We’re trying to urge him not to reduce taxes further, we think that in fact that is jeopardizing our ability to make these kinds of investments.”
I can’t give you a specific dollar figure for this year’s budget right now for example.”