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Category: Politics

Ten Bad Arguments about Free Tuition in Canada

So this weekend at the NDP convention, delegates voted in favour of a free tuition policy.  Based on a totally unscientific scan of twitter afterwards, here are the ten most common arguments in favour of this move, and why each of them is wrong. 1. The federal government can totally impose free tuition on the provinces No, it can’t.  The best it could do would be to pay the provinces to reduce tuition, which could be difficult given that they

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February 20, 2018 17 Comments

Two Ways to Improve Student Government

It’s that time of year again, where across the country students become interested in student government.  Between now and the end of March (depending on your location) wannabe student leaders will be traipsing around campuses, giving 30-second class talks, putting up posters, and making promises of one sort or another.  Like welcome week and spring break, it’s one of those campus rituals by which you can measure the passing of the seasons. One of the surprising things (to me anyway)

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January 19, 2018 2 Comments

So, that Finance Committee Report then

Today’s blog is a quick tour of the House of Commons Finance Committee report – released last month – as it relates to science and post-secondary education. For the uninitiated, the Government of Canada’s budget process goes something like this: starting in late spring – maybe two months after the pervious budget – the political side of the Finance Department starts canvassing around government for big ideas (“themes” as they are known in the business).  MPs spend some of their time over

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January 17, 2018 1 Comment

Alberta PSE News

It’s been awhile since we’ve taken a policy tour out west, but it’s time I think to take a look at what’s going on in Alberta, where the NDP government is past its midpoint and starting to work towards an election in 2019. One day, someone is going to write a fantastic political book about the Alberta NDP.  This is a party that went from (essentially) nothing to government in the space of a few crazy weeks in 2015.  They

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January 15, 2018 1 Comment

Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot

It’s the end of the year for us at HESA Towers today (at least as far as blogging goes).  I know in the Scottish tradition, you’re supposed to use the end of the year for memories, but I kind of prefer the Japanese tradition of Bonenkai, or “forget-the-year”: basically, wipe out as many brain cells with alcohol and start the new year fresh. So, with that in mind, let’s look forward to 2018.   What should we expect? Well, I think

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December 15, 2017 No Comments

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One Thought to Start Your Day is our founder and CEO Alex Usher’s popular daily blog, brimming with up-to-the-minute insights and informed opinions on today’s higher education industry.

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