Stress & Mental Health Dealing with Student Loans

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catch22

Printed From: CanadaStudentDebt.ca
Category: Other Topics
Forum Name: Stress & Mental Health Dealing with Student Loans
Forum Description: A place to help dealing with the stress of this crap!
URL: https://www.canadastudentdebt.ca/forum_posts.asp?TID=3476
Printed Date: 18/April/2024 at 10:53am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.07 - https://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: catch22

Posted By: georgejp
Subject: catch22
Date Posted: 18/April/2006 at 3:52pm

my problems with the financial lending institutions and their
collection arms,contract players or assignees are probably going to
become much more prevalent. when in my mid-fifties i was unemployed,
had little prospects and was facing a future of income assisstance
and/or low government pensions. i attended government sponsored 'job
find' clubs and was told to get educational upgrades and skills
training. the govenment, in this case BC, would pay little toward any
schooling and offered only indefinite and vague programs. in
retrospect they offered nothing !
i was living on pennies and unable to assist my children in any
fashion. i was encouraged by 'job club' counsellors to apply for
student loans and seek 'job creation' courses over
'self-fullfillment' courses. in the reception area or on the wall of
every 'job find' classroom that i saw was a large copy of the
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Freedom from discrimination
in Canada.
i have had extensive experience in several fields, but entry level
positions at my age were not a reasonable solution. i chose to take
courses in a field that i enjoy and have considerable hands-on
experience. hospitality and food and beverage management.
needless to say that even after graduating near the top of my classes
and spending countless hours studying i was unable to obtain work in
this so-called growth industry. this despite numerous pleas from the
industry leaders that there is a terrible shortage of trained staff.
i reluctantly had to settle for minumum wage security guard positions
which did permit a degree of financial independence.
i graduated in 2000 and was employed fairly regularly after. each 6
month period the nice people at Scotiabank student loan center
contacted me and told me that my low income qualified me for
government paid interest relief. this went on for 5 years. every 6
months i asked the 'Nancy Morrison' clone what was to happen when i
retired ? no-one knew and many times i was told that 'someone' would
get back to me. no-one ever did.......
i was physically unable to continue working and retire in March 2005.
GUESS WHAT ! now the not-so-nice people at scotiabank want
full payments and my financial status is of no interest to them
whatsoever ! i have managed to make most payments, but due to some
arrears i now have NCO financial on the phone as well !
The Canadian banking system needs a serious overhaul and some very
onerous FAIR LENDING PRACTICE legislation. the the traditional 'moral
'suation' that our politicians use to hide behind is no longer an
option. GP

Replies:

Posted By: old hippy
Date Posted: 19/April/2006 at 2:05am

Hi George,

I'm so sorry this is happening to you - it's shameful, low down and dirty for the banks to come after someone in their retirement years. No, the banks couldn't care less about any one of us. But maybe they need to have a line drawn for them when it comes to bullying senior citizens. All you were doing was trying to improve your life by going back to school. Something is very wrong somewhere and I think it should be fixed...