Harper's absence from youth forum draw concern from students

[HEyHEY]

Why is it always Conservatives that never show up to student functions?


OTTAWA, ON, June 3 /CNW/ - Conservative Leader Stephen Harper's refusal
to participate in Friday's "Great Canadian Job Interview" raises alarm bells
about his lack of interest in youth and student issues says the Canadian
Federation of Students.

"This is a signal to students and youth that the Conservative platform
will be anti-student - again," said Ian Boyko, Chairperson of the Canadian
Federation of Students. "In 2000, the Canadian Alliance platform called for
income repayment loan schemes, a backwards idea that would guarantee higher
tuition fees and life-long repayment of debts."

In the last federal election, income contingent loan schemes were the
only reference to post-secondary education in the Alliance's platform. Income
contingent loan schemes have been introduced in other countries to facilitate
massive tuition fee increases. In Canada, these schemes were considered but
then abandoned by the federal Liberal government in 1995 after a nation-wide
backlash from students.

"If Stephen Harper wants to dismantle the federal government's role in
ensuring access to post-secondary education, he shouldn't be afraid to appear
on television and to admit it," said Boyko.

The Great Canadian Job Interview is a non-partisan forum for the leaders
of the main federal parties to discuss issues with young voters. On Friday
evening at 7:30 p.m. EST on CBC Newsworld, Prime Minister Paul Martin and NDP
leader Jack Layton will answer questions submitted through the organisers' web
site, www.jobinterview.ca. Representatives of the Canadian Federation of
Students will be in St. John's to comment on the forum.

[Spazito]

1. I think Harper is about to feel a backlash, details about issues...

he has spoken about in the past are about to come back and bite him in the ass, imo. His anti-maritimes, anti-immigrant, anti-public education, anti-choice, pro-war, pro-privatization statements are on record in newspapers and in Hansard.