| # | First Name | Last Name | Please provide a comment or personal story. |
|---|
| 1351 | Anonymous | Anonymous | 10 years have passed since I began my post-secondary education. No family, no support, no career guidance. I still have $20,000 to pay off. No car, no house, no plans for beginning a family. Many of my peers and people my age are having to choose between house or kids but not both. I am only now breaking into my field of work (which enjoys frequent periods of unemployment and no job security or benefits). |
| 1352 | Mercedes | Medina | For many years, I suffered, untreated, from depression and post-traumatic syndrome - I couldn't hold a job - pay my bills or begin to swim out of the financial mess I was in...now my $30,000 loan debt is over $100,000 due to fees and interest...I am paying what I can - but I am never coming up for air...I need help--the only people out there help with credit card debt - no one is out there that can negotiate with the student loan companies (nor the government) for reasonable fees. HELP! |
| 1353 | Jessica | White | Thank you for organizing to take action on this important issue. |
| 1354 | Karla | Brousseau | OSAP is great when you first start out as a student...wow all this money. It's when you're done that the scary reality of it all sinks in. |
| 1355 | Donna | Lee | I paid off my loan a long time ago, but I know how very difficult it is to do so... |
| 1356 | Suzanne | Mercer | Although I take full responsibility for my student loans and recognize they are a debt I am responsible for paying, the amount of hardship, fear and worry I have experienced because of them is immeasurable. Confusion, lack of qualified student aid representatives, multiple lending agencies, 'lost' documentation and other factors have led to a lot of personal stress, financial hardship, and a poor credit rating. Certainly there must be guidelines, but students should have the right to an education and a shot at making a COMFORTABLE living without so many penalties and restrictions. Streamlining the process so that it is more clearcut and straightforward would make such a huge difference to so many people. You cannot make informed decisions without having all the facts. |
| 1357 | Loro | Shandler | Due to high student loan payments circulated to four seperate sources, I am finding myself in the position of contemplating bankruptcy as a final resort. I have tried to connect with student loan personel to find an amicable means to avoid such a measure however, I have been continuously threatened, belitted and even hollered at on the phone. Since then I have relocated and given the high stressors in dealing with student loan personel have not provided my current address, phone # etc. I am at a loss as how to maintain extremely high payments and still manage to support my family. I cannot do both. We need immediate change within the student loan structure. |
| 1358 | Irwin | Quigley | My wife is on maternity leave and has applied for interest relief. Although she not only sent in all the required documents, she has also sent more documentation than was required, as at first they were saying that she hadn't sent enough. Now that that has been clarified with them, they suddenly want more documentation (proof of my lack of employment).
I am a full time student and have an account with them too. They are playing bureaucratic office games to deflect accountability, instead of admitting a fault on their part and resolving an issue. It seems that they will try anything to collect a couple months worth of interest charges, even when people play by their rules. They don't even consider the postnatal stress that they are contributing to.
When looking for a means to submit a formal complaint, all I can find is a definition on their website of "Ombuds Service" and not even a link to an Ombuds service.
Therefore, there is no legitimate means to complain to them about their service. |
| 1359 | In Debt to make a better society | what a waste... | You go to school to because somebody in society and help the economy, little do we know that the plumber down the street will retire before our doctors do. WHY........mostly because of student loans....... |
| 1360 | Paul | Ferguson | I wholeheartedly endorse all eight points contained in this petition. My experience with student loans has been difficult, stressful and oppressive. Not only is the current regime overly harsh, but the means employed for seeking repayment may actually thwart the repayment of loans in a timely fashion. |
| 1361 | ANJANIE | NARINE | God help you if you have borred from the government. They are worse than the mafia and the collection agencies are nothing more than their goons. |
| 1362 | Anonymous | Anonymous | I am right now going through Collection Agency harassments, threats and abusive phone calls. My Student Loan went into default not of my own doing, but because the Bank Institution which held my student loans decided that they did not want to deal with mine or anyone elses anymore and deliberately defaulted on them. My loan was then handed over to the Collection Agency which was then revoked due to the abusive handling. The Government then had it and sent it back to the same Collection Agency. It then went missing for 2 years but the Government continued to apply interest on it even though no one knew where it was. When I was finally contacted , I was informed that I owed another $3074.40 in interest which had been added on to it and that there is nothing that I can do about it.
Where is the fairness in this? I was requested Banks, Revenue Canada, Canada Student Loan Department and even the federal Government to find it and no could, but all along someone was keeping track of the interest. |
| 1363 | Angela | Flinkman | I have attended 3 different post-secondary institutions and have taken out $20,000 in student loans. I would have had to save up for years in order to pay for my education myself, but now it will most likely take 10+ years to pay back. By then who knows how much interest I will have paid on the principal balance. I agree there should be more grants and burseries handed out to students in financial need. |
| 1364 | Anonymous | Anonymous | I don't mind paying back a loan but I think that interest rates are a serious burden for new graduates entering the work force. A proper post secondary education should be accessible to people who want and need it not just those who can afford it. The current state of things discourages a lot of otherwise bright and ambitious people from pursuing a higher education simply because of the financial burden it can often entail. |
| 1365 | Ivana | Petrovic | I have a student loan debt of $40,000 and with such high interest rate and I am only able to pay off interest each month. |
| 1366 | Karen | Charron | I went to Herzing Career College in 95/96 so I could get a good job to financially take care of my son. (single mom at the time) I was paying off the interest on both the provincial and federal loans. I finally went to a credit councellor who stopped the interest on the provincial loan, but not the federal. Now its been transfered to ARO Corp. They are the worst company ever. I've had nothing but trouble with them. If the federal government would only help those in need and not look after the payment of only the high interest, my loan would have been paid off by now. |
| 1367 | Vickie | Armstrong | Dear Government of Canada:
Thank you for making education accessible to me
I am very educated; about to get a Ph D
If not for my student loan, you see
I would not have known anything sciency
But where will I get all the money?
For, you see, I owe 60 Gs
Now that I am in my thirties
I would like to have babies
But, you see, I still owe 60 Gs
I would have been better off selling nookie
Hey- Maybe thats how I will pay of the 60 Gs! |
| 1368 | Anonymous | Anonymous | The government should be encouraging and supporting the new graduates of our country as they will be needed to fill the employment gap that is going to occur when the baby-boomers retire. |
| 1369 | Jennifer | Zilm | Students need to vote. |
| 1370 | Kristien | Gosselin | My personal experience with student loans has been quite disastrous.
About 6 years ago I defaulted. It was when I first arrived in Vancouver and my interest relief was up. I was struggling simply put. I was being paid 10 an hour and had enough for rent and food and some other things. Really, if I had known that it would have affected the rest of my life as it has, I would not have moved there, I would have moved somewhere far cheaper, but I didn't.
My main issue with defaulted loans is as follows:
Sentencing principles are something I am familiar with having attending at least some of law school. We sentence according to the act that was done and there are guidelines for that.
The consequences of defaulting on a student loan can be so gruesome. I found out that I could not go back to school at all unless the ENTIRE amount of the loan was paid-- all because I was struggling. That meant that on what I was being paid, and the interest rate of the loans, that I might never be able to go back to school. I honestly felt hopeless, and it affected almost every aspect of my life.
I did find a bursary that allowed me to attend two years more of education, so I took that, and left the payments to sit, as I was alloted $700 a month to live off of and had nothing left over for payments.
I chose to go to Law, as I was accepted, but I wish now that I had attended a shorter program that I could complete in that time frame. At the time I had heard that I could get work between first and second year, and hoped I would find some way-- after all I had found a way up to that point.
Unfortunately I never did find a way to go back to school. I tried property management, and working various trades, but I was never able to make what I needed to pay off the entire amount.
I feel very frustrated, as the loans are still sitting there collecting interest, I am 31 and can't own a home, or, at least for the most part buy a car etc. In fact being gay I would need to adopt children internationally and on my budget I don't see that happening. All of this has caused me to be depressed, yet I have persevered and found other avenues, yet somehow I have come to the conclusion that all of this really is unfair.
I have received a life sentence for struggling financially when I could not pay a loan.
It is my hope that the government will change their default policy to allow reinstatement once a person shows that they intend to pay-- the terms of which should be fair, and reasonable. I don't feel that a person should be forever prevented from having a career, or completing their education because they stuggled at one time in their life. |
| 1371 | Nisse | Edfors | I felt sad |
| 1372 | Anonymous | Anonymous | They keep my income tax refunds and GST rebates, thats between $2000 - $3000/year!! Have been for 7 years now, and I only borrowed $8500 (and still owe almost $9000 - do the math!!) And they have the nerve to call me and say I haven't paid them any money!! |
| 1373 | Irina | Berezoutskaia | I agree completely that Ombudsman for the National Student Loans is needed. I have been treated unfairly and get fraudulent records on my debts and applications since January 2006 to wit since my repayment started. I had been complaining many times to the personal attention of Monte Solberg, Minister of HRSD, Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, and asked for help Minister Emarson, MP for Vancouver, but in vain. All complaints were referred to those against whom I had complained and my problems only increased. I had never been used my Interest Relief term of six months in full; it always was reduced to 4 months and NSLSC had never sent me records and reports regarding my situation, but had always kept me in the "overdue account" while my bank deducted all money on time and ever longer that needed- after the Interest Relief was approved. I can't tell you how much was stolen from me, I can't obtain records from them. Moreover, I know that there involved the wish of other MP from Vancouver, Libby Davies, agaist whom I regularly complaining and campaigning during election. So, poor services at NSLSC is an effective tool to punish complainants and opponents of the incumbent MPs. I can tell more and provide more facts in support of my allegations, but I know it exactly that our local NDP and Liberal MPs use that office, totally corrupt and consisted of their supporters, so that to pressure on voters and their constituencies. |
| 1374 | Lesley | Lucas | I have been trying to speak with Student Loans regarding a defaulted loan from 2000. I have wanted to return to school for a long time. No one ever seems to be able to help me with my situation when I call them. They just want to talk about the dept. |
| 1375 | Anonymous | Anonymous | I fully suport this petition. |
| 1376 | Chris | Elsworthy | I understand this is a sweet deal for the government - but why not ease up a little so recent grads can actually invest in their future, and ultimately help the economy grow - and Canada in the long run? |
| 1377 | jayson | young | The interest rates charged on Canadian and BC student loans is outrageous. 8.75% is no deal, it will take at least 8 years to pay off my debt for a bachelor of Geography!! |
| 1378 | Cara | Tretiak | The so-called grace period added $1500 to my student loan. Had I known it wasn't really a grace period I would have started making payments immediatly.
It is disgusting that the interest I paid on my student loans is higher than what I pay on my mortgage. I |
| 1379 | Jenneffer | Owens | Have been paying my loan for over 10 years with little reduction in the principal due to high interest - will still be paying after the age of 65. Am a sinle parent and have had my hours reduced at work recently. |
| 1380 | Anonymous | Anonymous | In order to have a decent career we need an education. Is it worth it when we end up with student loans that have extremely high interest rates? I choose a career as an EMT to help others. When will the government help me? |
| 1381 | john | vanderploeg | this web site makes so much sence! |
| 1382 | Sharon | Roe | The interest is nothing short of usury. I'm no longer a student yet I still live like one. It's killing me. |
| 1383 | Anonymous | Anonymous | I went overseas to try to pay off my loans, but ran into finacial hardship, asked to have my payments lowered. I was refused because I was not in Canada, now all my loans are with collections. Even though I made payments every month, these payments were not good enough. In four years my loans have grown over $8000, and I have only managed to pay back $5000. I am in more debt now than when I finished school. I went back to school to better myself, now I am living in debt, and struggling just to survive. Canada really needs to make it easier to pay back Canadian Student Loans. |
| 1384 | Sarah | McEachern | I have just graduated, and now have 4 years of student loans to pay back - $30,000. I'm currently working, not making much, and am quite daunted by the future that is awaiting me. Trying to pay back these loans... |
| 1385 | Wendi | Laing | Single mom, teacher, 1000.00 per month in student loan payments. Barely scraping by... Thinking a starbucks career would have been more lucritive, and less stressful. |
| 1386 | melissa | sark | I am so far in debt right now with canada student loan and now thre are taking every penny i have |
| 1387 | mary | matijczyk | It appears that those who choose to obtain a higher education in Canada are severely punished financially for these choices. Shame on Canada for not allowing its citizens to grow and better themselves without facing the burden of debt, collections or worse, bankruptcy. As a social worker, I would like to obtain a higher degree to help my clients more effectively; however it is painfully clear that in order to due so (return to school) I will return to further debt. It would be nice if our government recognized the efforts we, as professionals, are attempting to make. |
| 1388 | Caren | Kernaghan | I had an opportunity to go to school at the age of 49 and I was doing it to celebrate being seizure free after being the first Canadian adult to have elective brain surgery to correct a seizure disorder. I was also diagnosed with a malignant stem cell disorder prior to attending school but I was so excited about being able to attend school for the first time in my life, I attended to help take my mind off the issues of the malignant stem cell disorder. To my dismay in the first year of my degree while walking down the street on the day of an exam I was hit by a car while I walked across the stree on a green light. I was not crippled to the point that I needed to be in a wheel chair but almost all activity is painful and I must still pay my student loan. But I don't even know if I can work now. What else can I do??? |
| 1389 | Tong | Lin | I have student loan with Royal Bank. They provide no statement of payment or anykind of transcation history, I have a excel sheet myself to track it.
What kind of service is that for someone is pay prime + 2.5 or 4 interest rate? |
| 1390 | Jerome | Trohak | I am permanently disabled. I found out I was disabled 4 years after my 1986 student loan became due. I collapsed on the beach while watching my children. The specialists determined that I have a defective heart. I have cognitive problems because of my heart conditions.
On 28 November 2005 9:30 AM, I receive a call from NCO Financial Services 780-441-4000 Tammy Ellen Pantel and explain to her that I am permanently disabled with no income. I give her my social worker's name and phone number. The exact words of Tammy Ellen Pantel were, "What is that got to do with repaying your loan?"
There should be another Canada Student Loan clause that deals with abuse of the disabled. |
| 1391 | Jarret | Forbes | I took a 2 year technical program in new brunswick, now i have been employed for almost 3 years(graduated in 2005), i have over 22,000 in canada and NB student loans, plus 1500 credicard that is in arrears, 6300 line of credit... and a truck payment (the first job i got required me to have a vehicle--19000 still owing). Being young and naive, the only way to get a vehcle with no credit was brand new... so i am bogged with 700/month truck payments, 100 for the line of credit (dad co-signed) and minmums on my credit card. after all, i cant afford to move out, cant sell my truck for what its worth, and bankruptcy wont even hepl with my CSL or NBSL. So heres the kicker... i filed for intrest relief, guess what i make too much money. 1800 per month is the cut off, the month i applied i made 1850 (due to a huge amount of overtime) and i wasnt allowed to re-file the next month. They wanted 345/month in payments. What is a young guy supposed to do??? |
| 1392 | Annette | vanOldenbarneveld | I graduated over a year ago, and was on interest relief. I was not told that I owed any money until I recieved a letter in the mail.. to an old address ... it stated that I was to pay over 2000 dollars or it would go to collections.. now at the same time I had just started working in toronto.. I had only enough to finally rent a place... the same day that letter arrived in hamilton, I had a credit check done for an apartement in Toronto... guess what!!?? On that credit check I was denied living in Toronto because Osap had already taken me to collections... before the date they even sent the letter... I tried numerous times to get a place to live in toronto and because I was denied --that is because of osap-- and because my schedual prevented any kind of regular alternative transportation from hamilton.. 2 -3 am ending time... I was out of a place to live and a job.
I think all osap debt should be forgiven... knowledge shared... or a complete mobalization should take place withing canada... to organize this contact my email. :) |
| 1393 | chris | legare | Bank of Canada has reduced interest rates twice in the last few months, why hasn't the student load rate dropped? Student loans should be about paying back the loan, not providing a profit. If need be, have a modest yearly administration fee instead. |
| 1394 | Veronika | Botova | I got a taste of what it feels like when the government goes into your account and takes about $400 out without you knowing and sinking your account into overdraft. I was not approved for interest relief and was not informed of this! I am so disappointed with this system. It seems like the government is working against us students. Shouldn't Canada want educated citizens? I am planning to go back to school in September 08 to become a naturopathic doctor so I have a few more years of jumping through the hoops of a canadian student loan borrower. I am praying that the laws are changed and the interest rate will be lowered significantly. |
| 1395 | Gregory | Baker | paying such high interest on student loans is criminal...all of that interest could be spent on establishing oneself in society. instead, it lines the governments coffers. ridiculous!!! |
| 1396 | Carol | Hemrica | Please lower the interest rates and make grace periods actually interest free so that students of any age or standing are able to pay back these loans and still retain quality of life and piece of mind in a decent period of time. |
| 1397 | Yongwoo | Chung | The federal government should understand that money doesn't come out of nowhere. |
| 1398 | Anonymous | Anonymous | I fully plan to repay my loan ($30,000+), but it's very frustrating to see that the bank charges me a 2% lower interest rate than my government loans. I pay them less money to borrow and they provide me with monthly statements on my loan! |
| 1399 | Jacqueline | Bridges | If I knew the hell my life would be turned into due to my student loan debt, I would never have gone to university. It digusts me the amount of people who judge without ever really knowing what your life is like. Life happens. It doesnt mean we dont want to pay back our loans but for heavens sake, work with us so that we can. |
| 1400 | Anonymous | Anonymous | I am a single mother of three who with-in the next 5 years will all be pursuing higher education. I'm still paying off my student loans. I wish there was some type of relief for single moms. |
