What I mean is, as far as I know, and I know someone who has declared bankruptcy, student loans are not considered any different than any other kind of debt. Bankruptcy does eliminate them, at least in Ontario. Alberta may be different. Yes, in Alberta student loans are excepted in bankruptcy proceedings.>I haven't heard of any kind of exemption regarding student loans. : >What I mean is, as far as I know, and I know someone who has : >declared bankruptcy, student loans are not considered any different : >than any other kind of debt. Bankruptcy does eliminate them, at : >least in Ontario.

Alberta may be different. Yes, in Alberta student loans are excepted in bankruptcy proceedings.

Unless the laws have changed, bankruptcy does wipe out student loan debts in Alberta. If not, we must revolt. Anyway, doesn't it say in the Bible that some debts should be forgiven (In Deuteronomy?) In Bankruptcy Court in Edmonton, during the past year the federal Justice Department has intervened on behalf of taxpayers regarding the attempt by some graduates to have their student loans cancelled by bankruptcy. In almost every case, the Courts have accepted the position of the government, that student loans are not to be written off by bankruptcy.

Some of the arguments supporting this position have included the fact that much of the student loans is for the provision of "necessaries", which are not wiped out by bankruptcy, as SEARS has frequently maintained in the courts. Another strong argument has been that education bestows a benefit on the student, which becomes a necessary for the status of the bankrupt. If the student really wants an education, he should work for his are most definitely good), but whether or not you should ahve to pay them back. They most definitely should be paid back. Best way to do that is income contingant loan re-payment. No excuse for defaulting then. Most of the defaults now, are probably coming from students who can't afford to pay the loans back.

Re: The issue of bankruptcy, I'm not sure what that involves . I think if we adopted income contingent loan repayments, we'd have virtually no defaults. What is happening, is that the fedreal government appoints the department of Justice to act as Intervenor in the bankruptcies for student loans. The Court is then advised that as educational loans, considered as a 'necessary", they are NOT to be wiped out at Bankruptcy. This makes sense, since first, it is taxpayer money,not private funds. Secondly, the purpose of the loans is for the existence and improvement of the alleged human.

Most of the money goes for living expenses rather than education costs,which allows the loans to be exempt from writing off in bankruptcy. As far as I am concerned, there should be NO STUDENT LOANS from the taxpayers. Either the student gets jobs with which to pay for the so-called education, borrows from friends, family or banks, or postpones the sitting on his rear at universities. By having to work for the education, perhaps fewer students would be taking useless course, where they have no hope of ever finding any employment!!!!

One of the Reform Party discussion papers on Student Loans proposed that the federal government take over loaning money to students, and that repayment be included as a surtax. ie, if they don't make enough money to pay taxes, there would be no payment. Any time they make enough to become taxable, they will be paying part of their student loan. The loan would bear no interest. So one can pay it over a life time if one makes very little money, or pay it up within a short time if one makes a lot of money. I think this idea bears serious discussion, no?