HALIFAX--Students are disappointed that today's Speech from the Throne entitled "Making Life Better for You and Your Family" ignores the student debt crisis faced by Nova Scotia students and their families.

"Despite its suggestive name the Speech from the Throne offers little financial support for students and their families," said Jake Byrne, Nova Scotia National Executive Representative of the Canadian Federation of Students. "The government appears to have no interest in tackling the student debt crisis in Nova Scotia."

Nova Scotia has the second highest average tuition fees in the country and the highest average student debt in Canada, at just under $30,000 for a four-year undergraduate degree.Yesterday the Canadian Federation of Students-Nova Scotia, the Association of Nova Scotia University Teachers (ANSUT) and the Nova Scotia General Employees Union (NSGEU) released a joint pre-budget submission that can be downloaded at www.cfs-ns.ca. The submission called on the government to increase funding to post-secondary education, reduce tuition fees for all students, redirect the funds from the Graduate Tax Credit to up-front needs-based grants and allow students in need to access social assistance benefits.

"This province is facing a looming skills shortage caused by an aging population and out-migration of Nova Scotian youth," said Byrne. "The best way to keep young skilled workers in this provinces is to reduce tuition fees and move towards a system of grants, not loans."

The Canadian Federation of Students is Canada's largest student organisation, uniting more than one-half million students in all ten provinces. The Canadian Federation of Students and its predecessor organisations have represented students in Canada since 1927.