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Free Tuition Program Churns up Bad Blood Between Current, Former Liberal Colleagues CHRIS MORRIS LEGISLATUE BUREAU

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Free Tuition Program Churns up Bad Blood Between Current, Former Liberal Colleagues CHRIS MORRIS LEGISLATUE BUREAU 30 juillet 2016 – Telegraph Journal Free tuition program churns up bad blood between current, former Liberal colleagues CHRIS MORRIS LEGISLATUE BUREAU • FREDERICTON The Gallant government’s free tuition program has churned up some bad blood among current and former Liberal politicians, and prompted opposition critics to question the leadership in the premier’s office. The coming week will be critical in terms of a potential legal challenge of the Liberal government’s program to cover the tuition costs of low-income students attending public, post-secondary institutions. Mike Murphy and Kelly Lamrock, both former Liberal MLAs and attorneys general in Shawn Graham’s administration, are teaming up to challenge the program, officially known as the Tuition Access Bursary and considered a signature policy by the government. Murphy and Lamrock are acting on behalf of the New Brunswick Association of Private Colleges and Universities. The private institutions are excluded from the free tuition program, a move they consider unconstitutional. Post-Secondary Education Minister Don Arseneault said Friday a meeting is scheduled for Thursday with the association, but he’s making it clear these are not negotiations. “This is not about negotiation,”Arseneault said in an interview. “This is about having a discussion with them. I don’t go into meetings with a gun to my head, with people saying that if we don’t like what is happening, we’re going to take you to court. That’s not how I operate. If someone wants some discussion about a program, where there may be concerns, that is fair. But don’t point a gun to my head and say ‘I’m going to take you to court.’” Murphy, who worked with Arseneault in the Graham cabinet and lost a bid for the Liberal leadership to Brian Gallant in 2012, has described the free tuition program as “goofy,” unconstitutional and an affront to the principles of equal opportunity. For his part, Arseneault calls the Murphy and Lamrock team a “dog and pony show.” “I don’t want to give them too much attention,” he said Friday. “I believe in the policy and the program we brought forward. Sometimes ex- politicians miss the attention they used to get. They want to get back into the fray.” Opposition Tory leader Bruce Fitch said people can’t help but notice the irony of having the Gallant government challenged by two former Liberal attorneys general. Fitch said it sends a message about lack of confidence in the current administration. “The tuition program is clearly flawed and this goes to the heart of the leadership question,” he said. “They are hurting so many people to help a few. We are all for easier access to post-secondary education, especially for those with lower incomes. But when the details came out and we saw they are taking away so much from the families above the $60,000 mark and excluding the private institutions, you have to wonder who advised them. There were so many details that could have been addressed if there had been a little bit of openness on the file and more consultation.” Fitch said problems with government leadership first showed up with the decision to try to make some seniors pay more for nursing home care – a decision subsequently scrapped after seniors rallied in opposition to the plan. “It has been a disaster on one file after another,” the opposition leader said.“It started with the seniors asset grab. They went ahead and made a policy decision that was just wrong and it blew up in their faces.” The free tuition program is now in effect and Arseneault said there cannot be changes to the program this year. However, the Liberal government is not ruling out modifications in the future. It is capped at helping students from families with incomes of $60,000 and less. It’s estimated the program will help about 7,100 students this year. The government is also trying to staunch the bleeding of student numbers at post-secondary institutions. According to a report released last year by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission, enrolment in the province’s universities has decreased steadily, down by 14 per cent since 2003-04. Arseneault said the Tuition Access Bursary has popular support in New Brunswick. He said according to a survey carried out in the spring by the polling firm Corporate Research Associates, 74 per cent of New Brunswick respondents said they support the program while just 24 per cent opposed it. “There is a lot of support,” Arseneault said. To help pay for the $25 million Tuition Access Bursary, the government axed the Tuition Rebate Program, also worth $25 million, that more than 10,000 graduates used each year to recoup their education costs. It also got rid of a tax credit used by students and parents, for a potential future savings of $14.3 million by 2022. A tweak to the timely completion benefit also saved the province $1.5 million. Liberal minister Donald Arseneault Photo: AdAm hurAs/LegisLAture BureAu .
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