Students protest tuition increase and cuts to debt-relief programs, read testimonies
A group of St. Thomas University and University of New Brunswick students gathered to march against tuition increase and cuts to debt-relief programs on Sept. 26.
The students gathered in front of UNB’s Student Union Building at 4:30 to make posters and then walk to the Legislative Assembly,
Ailish MacKenzie-Foley, STUSU’s vice-president education, and Craig Fernandez, UNBSU’s president, led the march.
Some of the chants included “Cutting aid ain’t funny, we need money!”cut
Around 20 people participated in the march.
Once the group arrived to the Legislative Assembly, MacKenzie-Foley and Fernandez read testimonies from students who were affected by the cuts to debt-relief programs.
They also thanked the crowd for participating in the march.
The students also a letter addressed to David Coon, Fredericton’s member of the legislative assembly, asking to take the matter into consideration.
Students stood outside of the assembly for about half an hour.
Other members from St. Thomas University Students’ Union were present too.
Cuts to debt-relief programs include the Free Tuition program, to which New Brunswick students from low and middle-income families had access to.
Halfway through the testimonies, David Coon came out and listened to them.
Then, he spoke to students in the crowd.
Someone unknown placed a Tim Hortons coffee cup in front of the Legislative Assembly.
Coon stood beside students when they gathered for pictures.
The rally, under the a
Earlier in the week, the STUSU had organized a campaign named Wall of Debt at STU’s James Dunn Hall building up to the rally..
There, students expressed their frustrations with cuts to the debt-relief program and wrote them in paper bricks.
Many of the bricks read that debt was a trigger in students’ mental health.