This website is a testimony to the problems Canadian Student Loan borrowers experienced from approximately 1996 to 2008 and until their loans were paid off.

The privatization of the Student Loans system by the Chretien and Martin Liberal governments broke the system and defaulted thousands of borrowers who were trying to pay their loans. There were even stories of suicide due to the harassment of borrowers.

Read the report that I prepared back in 2007 here. Canada Student Loans-The Need for Change Fortunately the new Conservative government at the time revamped the program and fixed the system for new borrowers, but borrowers under the previous program were left with ruined credit and continued harassment from debt collectors.

I call on the Canadian Government to apologize to the borrowers affected by this fiasco and make amends.

Unfortunately the Liberal government is again clobbering the Education system with their upcoming changes to International Student Visas. Yes, there's a problem, but instead of a well thought out plan, they have pulled the emergency brake on the train causing a derailment. This has introduced unprecedented instability for both private and public education institutions who serve both international and local students.

Universities can't plan. I've heard of courses being cut because the government has no process in place for universities to send the newly required acceptance letters to the government.

This means that students who have been accepted can not attend courses that start in the summer 2024 semester. With cut sections, current Canadian students will have trouble getting courses, and may have to switch to part-time which changes their enrollment status and might trigger repayment of their loans or ineligibility for funding. I've seen this before. It wreaks havoc on the student loan borrowers.

Again, the Liberal government has messed up the education environment. Will the new system needed in a rush for the acceptance letters be the new Arrivecan scandal?

I call on the government to implement a slower phased in approach and delay the requirement of the acceptance letters until a process is in place to submit these letters.


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momk View Drop Down
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    Posted: 27/January/2005 at 9:35am
Hi I live in newfoundland but in 1994 I had a student loan from nova scotia, any way I am not not working and have never worked since I recieved my loan. My husband and I are on social assitences. I have been having calls for over four years now looking for payment on my loan. like I very nicely tell them I can't pay for I have no money and I am living below the poverity line as it is. So every six months I fill out the all the forms and still they will not leave me alone. They try to take my GST checks and I have to fight to get them back.Is there anyway I can get rid of the collection people and still keep my GST for I really depend on it. Hope someone can help me out there.
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silence2long View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote silence2long Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27/January/2005 at 10:34am

I am common-law so this may be different for you... not sure.  I am in Ontario.

But this is how it worked for me... I filed my income tax individually and because I did not make enough money I was eligible for GST.

I get my taxes done at H&R.... my spouse than takes my income and claims me as a dependant... and gets the full amount of my GST added to his.  (It is called transferring or something..ask about it..or maybe someone else knows???)

Any income tax deducted from my earnings (which of course, normally I would receive back) are then seized by the government to pay my outstanding federal loan.

This year who knows... I have made over the dependant amount ... and have not filed yet.  Though I will be there as soon as T-4's are issued....

Good luck!!! 

Anybody else on this ????

 

silence is a form of fear...fear of the unknown...has kept me silent too long
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kwelmm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27/January/2005 at 10:36am

Momk...I would be loosing my GST cheques too--but one way around it is to let your husband claim this part in his income taxes....that is how we are saving ours since they take my income taxes all ready.

You could always phone the government body responsible for issuing your GST and explain you are on social assistance/financial hardship and they may be able to help you with not fighting to get them back as maybe they may be able to stop your GST from being taken. They may ask for proof of income.....or advise you on what you can do....

Good luck!!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27/January/2005 at 1:17pm
momk

You will have to send HRDC all documentation that you have little or no means to pay your student loans.

I remember working at a minimum wage job and practically starving, and they would not take the lien off for me.

Given that you are on social assistance, talk to your social worker and maybe something can be done for you.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote momk Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28/January/2005 at 7:12am
hi thanks for the  good help but I have one more question.If my husband did not sign for my student loan and he has no income either can they go after him.It has been 11 years since i had my loan and was not able to pay on it. i am only getting about 8000 a year and my loan is only 2200 there must be a way to get this thing straighten out with out losing my little GST money.I have no faith in the welfare system down here.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kwelmm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28/January/2005 at 10:03am

Momk

They can not go after your husband....it is not his loan, right. 

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momk View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote momk Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29/January/2005 at 5:47am
Boy am I ever glad that I found this site for it has given me alot of help. one more question.If i don't have any income coming in and my husband did not sign any papers on my loan and I have been filling out financial questionnaires for the past four years do I have to keep filling them out for they know by now that we are on social assistance or the next time they call I can tell them to go take a flying leap.Would I not be able to apply for stats barred for this account has been going on for over 11 years with no money going to them.I also plan on claming the GST in my husbands name and not mine anymore.THANKS EVERYONE OUT THERE FOR ALL YOUR HELP. GOOD THINGS WILL COME TO ALL OFF YOU.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote silence2long Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29/January/2005 at 6:58am

It has been posted elsewhere.... that as soon as you fill out the questionairre.... it starts the clock again.

Do they hassle you daily ??  After reading your questionairre ??

silence is a form of fear...fear of the unknown...has kept me silent too long
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30/January/2005 at 6:21am
momk

No one can go after your husband or anyone else for your student loan debt.
Personally, I did not even know my bf, when I took out the loans, but awhile back when they found out where he works they actually called him at his job and threatened to sue him.
They exchanged some choice words and that was the end of that.

And don't let the collectors intimidate you into borrowing money from friends, family.
One collection agency wanted me to take out a loan to pay off my balance and their interest rate was 29.9%.
Geez, they must have thought that I was stupid, like the collector.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote momof2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30/January/2005 at 6:31am

i still think asking the collector to cosign a loan for you is the way to go .  think about it - they get their commision for the whole amount and since its a personal loan and not a student loan they can just default and claim bankruptcy on it - no  waiting period .  sure they have no credit for six years but hey that commission check would sure be great and they'd look like heros closing so many files ...

sorry, mom is in a mood this morning.  i missed all the hoopla last night and i'm feeling bummed.

professionals built the titanic but amateurs built the ark...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote polyhymnia61 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30/January/2005 at 9:25am

*hugs*

Me too, mom. Damn that six-hour time difference.

Something tells me, though, that that's probably a good thing...lol...

 

Poly

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote momk Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31/January/2005 at 12:29pm
Hi up  date. Called NCO today and told them that I wanted my account put in stats barr, well that just about freaked them out.She got very mad and told me that I did not know what I was talking about and that I could not go that way for I have been filling out financial questionnaires and this meens that my account is still active. So i told her that from now on they will be no contacted from me. That really pissed her off and she told me she wanted my account paid in full. Like I told her have fun getting the money for I have no money to give and that I would be contacting my lawer. So she finally told me to call her back on thursday and she was going to have my account dismissed. So we will see what happens and in the mean time I will not be filling any papers out and any long distance calls coming in will not be answered
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If you did fill those out you may be screwed, but at lesat you pissed her off....GL
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kwelmm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31/January/2005 at 1:21pm

Momk,

Good for you    

I hope it all works out the way you want it to

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rura Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31/January/2005 at 1:39pm

Huner once wrote: "They refused my payment that I had offered them in 1999, so they got nothing.
Finally it is 2004, and I am making payments to HRDC for their portion of it".

Hunter! How did you manage your account has been transferred back to the creditor?

I was successful last year when the bank took my account back from CA. That time they admitted that it was done by error. Now my account with another CA. This time situation worth: a) there is no evidence in writing form the bank; b) I am not working. However, I would like and I think I can pay $40-50 monthly to the Bank.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01/February/2005 at 6:45am
I guess I figured out now that I have two loans.
The Canada student loan is what I am paying on to HRDC. Whereas the Saskatchewan portion of it where I owe $ 38,000 they would not accept my $50 payments.
Hope this clarifies things for you.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rura Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01/February/2005 at 9:57am
Hunter! Thank you for rapid reply anyway.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote silence2long Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01/February/2005 at 3:53pm

momk,

This questionairre things really pisses me off.... they tell you to fill it out to access what you can or cannot pay.... it may keep them from hounding you.... but when it has kept you from being stats barred that is simply the system screwing around with you....

it is like saying yep... we know that you are on social assistance and have not worked in 10 yrs.... but lets just fill it out again... and keep this debt hovering over you forever.

Glad to hear that you.. responded back to the CA

silence is a form of fear...fear of the unknown...has kept me silent too long
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SolveStudentDebt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01/February/2005 at 5:33pm

 

 The submission of a financial questionaire is a mandate set out by HRDC and Provincial governments. If it is a bank-risk or shared loan, then a financial questionaire is something the collector can ask for - but you are not mandated by any law to do so. Only for Federal or Provincial debt. 

 A financial questionaire entry will result in an acknowledgment, most certainly. 

 As for the statutes of limitations ... if you are unable to pay, then the way to go about this is to appeal the matter based on financial hardship. If you are proven to be in financial hardship and will be unable to pay the debt in the future, then simply substantiate it. People who attempt to ride out the statutes in the hopes of becoming debt free... usually find out that it doesn't work that way. The debt is simply not legally collectable at this stage. it doesn't mean that the debt is not owed, and it certainly doesn't mean that it will be removed from a credit history permanantly.

 The problem is that the government has created  problems not only for people - but themselves as well. They invented the bankruptcy business. They also invented Canada Student Loans. They lost hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Canada student loans to bankruptcy between 1994-1997. They realized how retarded this was - so they simply immunized themselves from the bankruptcy syndrome - as they see it.

 That is the problem with our government. They keep coming up with all of these solutions to problems , but in the long-term, these so-called solutions escalate into much larger problems.

 How much longer will it take for the government to put the Ki-bosh on the statutes of limitations persuant to the CSLP? If they feel that a large number of people are abusing that, just like bankruptcy back in the days, then I am sure they will pool together in a large assembly, and start ammending the statutes in the same fashion as they did persuant to the BIA.

 Johnny  

 

  

Solve Student Debt specializes in solutions for students and graduates in student loan default, and those at risk of defaulting.

solvestudentdebt.com
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote miss3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02/February/2005 at 10:03am

I am wondering if we may have confused "financial questionaires," in the case of "Momk."  Collection agencies ask for financial questionaires but in order for Revenue Canada to remove a lien or set back on your income taxes you also have to prove hardship by sending them all kinds of information which isn't really a financial questionaire.  Not in my case, anyways. 

Revenue Canada put a set back on my 2003 income taxes and, my being stubborn, I decided not to file them.  I called the NCS and asked to have the set back removed because we were experiencing hardship.  They had me 1. fax them a letter explaining my hardship, 2. send proof of income (in our case it was proof of no income which meant I had to get a letter signed by someone who knew me for at least 10 years testifying that I had no income) and 3. my expenses (rent, grocery expenses, insurance, etc...)  The first time I sent all the documentation they said we didn't qualify but never gave us a reason.  I was still very stubborn and decided I still wasn't going to file those taxes.  I sent letters to the Prime Minister and to many ministers (thanks to this website, I found all the correect addresses) and explained my situation.  Because I hadn't file at all this meant I received no child tax benefits, no GST and of course no refund.  But I persisted and persistence does pay off. 

When I received a response from Cogliati instead of minister Volpe, I wrote to Volpe again.  This time I receive a response and a a phone call from NCS asking me to send all the neccessary information once again.  I did and miraculously, we qualified - the set back on our taxes has been removed.  Our measly little income did prove we were experiencing hardship and so we are going to be receiving our 2003 refund, GST's and CTB. 

Now, I don't know, but I am presuming that social assistance in Newfoundland is below the poverty lines and therefore should pose no problem as to proving hardship.  But take it from me, you must be persistent, they will try to say that there are people who are in worse financial circumstances than you, but don't give up.  When you are living (or as I say "surviving,") on low income those GST checks are often a lifesaver, and an income tax refund really helps for those nasty emergencies (in my case a broken down washing machine.) 

Hang in there Momk!

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