Mr. Chase: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There has been a tradition across Canada of sharing the costs of postsecondary education between provincial governments, which pay two-thirds, and students, who pay one-third. 

But as the hon. Leader of the Official Opposition has demonstrated, this balance is being jeopardized as the government downloads more of the cost to students. To the minister of advanced education. The government’s failure to invest in postsecondary institutions is forcing them to ask for massive hikes to tuition in professional faculties. Why is the minister not coming forward with a clearer position on these increases?

Mr. Horner: Well, Mr. Speaker, I don’t know how much clearer I could be on this issue. The institutions told us that when we froze tuitions at the 2004 levels, there may have been some areas where we made an error. I simply said to them: “If you believe that there was an error made in 2004, present those facts to me and to the students, and let’s have a look at them. If there was an error, we’ll fix it.” That’s the only adjustments we’re talking about. The CPI cap on tuitions of 1.5 per cent for this year stands.

Mr. Chase: Given that postsecondary institutions are trying to make up for their reduced provincial funding by raising additional fees, will the minister solve both the students’ and institutions’ dilemma by investing the necessary funds to eliminate the need for mandatory fee hikes?

Mr. Horner: Today, as I stand here, I know of one, maybe two institutions out of the 26 that we work with within the province that are talking about external fees of, you know, a significant nature. We’re still working with the postsecondary system and crunching the numbers to ensure that we have accessibility, that we have affordability for the students. So to say that the entire system is looking at these huge increases is simply not correct, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker: The hon. member.

Mr. Chase: Thank you. In response to my questions yesterday regarding postsecondary funding, the minister stated, “Unfortunately, he hasn’t been reading the truth.” My quest for the truth continues. Given that students need to make admission decisions and institutions need to set their budgets, when can they expect definitive answers from this minister?

Mr. Horner: Well, Mr. Speaker, as I said to the hon. member several times with regard to the market modifier question, which is what he’s after, so far I believe I’ve received from three institutions their proposals. We’re reviewing them as we speak, and within weeks we will be able to deliver what we think is going to be the appropriate response to those postsecondary institutions so that they can ensure that they have their tuitions in the calendars at the appropriate time so that students and parents can make the appropriate decisions as to where the kids want to go for their postsecondary.

Alberta Hansard, February 18, 2010

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