Jeune magique et intellig
2009-04-24, 11:17 PM
The New Brunswick government is introducing new fees for foreign students wanting to attend public schools, as a way to cut down on frivolous applications.
Education Minister Kelly Lamrock defended the fees as one step from stopping brokerage companies from flooding school districts with applications for the same child.
"You can't ask taxpayers to spend huge amounts of money for for-profit companies who are making 10 or 12 schools process applications just to play the odds," Lamrock said.
The education minister said the blanketing of school applications from these companies creates unnecessary paperwork for local school districts.
The fees would apply, for example, to foreigners attending university in New Brunswick who want to enrol their children in a public school. Or they could apply to wealthy overseas residents who simply want their children to get a Canadian education.
In addition to paying tuition equivalent to what one student costs the system, those parents will now pay a $250 application fee and a $150 orientation fee.
But the opposition worries the fee sends the wrong message.
Progressive Conservative MLA Madeleine Dube, an education minister in the former Bernard Lord government, agrees people sending their kids overseas to Canada can probably afford the fee.
But she said the fees send a mixed message when the province is trying to attract immigrants.
"But it's the impression that it leaves to those immigrants: are we a friendly province or not?" she said.
The fees will not apply to children of immigrants who have permanent residence status and who may become citizens.
Education Minister Kelly Lamrock defended the fees as one step from stopping brokerage companies from flooding school districts with applications for the same child.
"You can't ask taxpayers to spend huge amounts of money for for-profit companies who are making 10 or 12 schools process applications just to play the odds," Lamrock said.
The education minister said the blanketing of school applications from these companies creates unnecessary paperwork for local school districts.
The fees would apply, for example, to foreigners attending university in New Brunswick who want to enrol their children in a public school. Or they could apply to wealthy overseas residents who simply want their children to get a Canadian education.
In addition to paying tuition equivalent to what one student costs the system, those parents will now pay a $250 application fee and a $150 orientation fee.
But the opposition worries the fee sends the wrong message.
Progressive Conservative MLA Madeleine Dube, an education minister in the former Bernard Lord government, agrees people sending their kids overseas to Canada can probably afford the fee.
But she said the fees send a mixed message when the province is trying to attract immigrants.
"But it's the impression that it leaves to those immigrants: are we a friendly province or not?" she said.
The fees will not apply to children of immigrants who have permanent residence status and who may become citizens.