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July 25, 8:28 p.m. - Letter to the Liberals regarding Tuition Assistance The following is a letter I wrote to the Liberal party, though it could and willbe sent to all of the parties because they've all been very short-sighted regarding this issue. I'm very disappointed in the Liberal party's short-sightedness. Actually, all of the parties have failed to see, what me and many people I know see as a massive hole in one of the issues in your platform. Here's my issue: I'm a fourth year student at Saint Mary's University, and I don't have any debt. I never got a student loan because I didn't want my credit to be negatively affected. Instead of getting a loan to pay for school I worked … A LOT. I worked 26 hours a week every single week, which is a lot of hours to work when you're going to school full time. As a result of my hectic schedule I didn't have as much time as I would have liked to study and my marks suffered. I had no free time, was tired constantly, and suffered from constant stomach pain as a result of stress. Well, I was reading over the Liberal party's platform to see what relief they could offer a student like me, one who works so he or she won't incur debt. Guess what I found? Nothing. It turns out that the Liberal party doesn't think I deserve ANY relief from rising tuition costs. Apparently, according to your platform, students with a bank loan or a line of credit don't deserve anything either. I guess students who borrow money from the government are the only ones who suffer as a result of high tuition. I think that's incredibly unfair and my many student friends who will no longer be voting Liberal obviously agree. Consider this situation: I work my butt off while in school, my marks suffer, my health suffers and at the end of the school year I end up paying off the $5,000.00 I owed to my school and have no debt. My friend gets a loan, doesn't work, does well in school, goes south for spring break with their loan money (I know several people who've done this) and then thanks to your program only pays, say, $3,500.00. So this friend of mine has better marks, better health, AND got a free trip (an all-inclusive trip to the Dominican Republic costs around $1,500.00, the amount of money you refunded them). The Liberal party thinks this is fair? Of course I realize that not all students use their government loan money to make frivolous purchases, some really need it. However, I don't see why my tax dollars should be used to pay for students to buy flashy new parts for their car, a stereo, a trip, or a $500 shopping spree (all of these items are things that real students have bragged to me about buying with their student loan money that your party plans to refund to them). I suggest you seriously consider this issue, because I can guarantee you the dozens of friends I have that are students will definitely be considering it.So will their friends, and their friends' friends, not to mention their parents, one of whom spoke to some Liberal canvassers today about the issue. I've discouraged many people from voting Liberal so far and until this issue is seriously addressed, I'll continue to do so. Please contact me as soon as you can regarding this. Thanks for your attention. - Laura Brown, Bedford
July 25, 10:21 p.m. - Guysborough-Sheet Harbour I've been supporting NDP candidate Jim Boudreau.I think he is going to make it a very interesting race here. I was campaigning with him in Mulgrave, and he is getting a third of the support in the town, by the looks of things.I'd say he'll likely win Dover (his home) and be close in Canso, despite the local Liberals trying to convince everyone it is a wasted vote. He has a lot of support in the Sheet Harbour area as they are NDP federally, and Peter Stouffer has been campaigning with him.He is the most educated of the three, the best speaker by far, and the most widely known in the county.His father was a fisherman from Dover, he taught school in Canso and Mulgrave, and he is currently teaching in Sherbrooke.The traditional vote will be the only thing to get in his way. If he were a supporter of either other party, he'd win, hands down.This is apt to be a close race. - Chris Cook, Mulgrave, N.S.
July 25, 1:51 a.m. - Provincial Nominee Program I am wondering if the issue of the Provincial Nominee Program will even be touched during this election. I have not heard a single word about it from any of the candidates. As a matter of fact I have not heard anything about the program since Denis Coderre introduced it in August 2002. - Juan Duarte, Halifax This is a federal matter. The province can not make comments on it. This certainly is a ploy to make Liberals look bad. - Derek Lesser
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