Dane Gibson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Dec 03/99) - Aurora College students faced-off against prospective MLA candidates at a forum, Tuesday.

Almost all of the 25 candidates stood up in front of the packed Northern United Place auditorium and said they rate education as their "top priority."

Aurora College Yellowknife Campus student council president, Sandra F. Lockhart, said it's a promise students and college staff are going to hold whoever is elected MLA accountable for.

"We heard an overwhelming majority of the candidates say they were not going to cut post-secondary education funding. They also said they would work to improve student day-care services, housing, and living allowances," said Lockhart.

"They have four years to produce the promises spoken to Aurora College students today."

Lockhart said while there are many issues facing Northern post-secondary institutions, the first is to ensure colleges don't continue to lose talented, dedicated students because they can't support themselves while attending classes.

"It's no longer acceptable to be viewed as starving students -- rather, we should be viewed as underpaid workers," said Lockhart.

"Post-secondary students are an immediate human resource. What's the point of having economic development if you're not going to have Northern trained workers available to guide that development?"

The Student Financial Assistance (SFA) program was under attack at the forum, and many of the candidates agreed that the time for reform is now. One candidate called the SFA system "complex and confusing." All agreed that an investment in education is an "investment in the future."

Student councillor Joanne Erasmus helped organize the event, which was the first of its kind at the college.

"Many of the students you see here today live under the poverty line and a lot of the time they feel powerless," said Erasmus. "Our current student council, along with the students who attend school here, will work hard to make the new government accountable. Students don't want to be treated like they don't have a voice."

Vanessa Worsley is a first year nursing student who attended the forum. When it was all over, she said it helped her understand where the candidates stand on education issues.

"One person can fight forever, but if you have more than one fighting for a common goal, you have a better chance of achieving those goals," said Worsley.

"In the case of post-secondary education, I hope the MLAs can pull together for better student assistance. I hope they can create future jobs for graduates and address the lack of affordable housing available to us."