By Joe Johnson (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: October 3, 2012
In the most recent BC Liberal cabinet shuffle, John Yap was moved to the front lines of student and advanced education issues. As the newly appointed Minister of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology, he discusses where the government stands on institutional funding, student loan interest rates and the party shakeups of departing MLAs.
Can you tell me a little bit about your background and why the Premier chose you as the Minister of Advanced Education?
First of all, I’m really honoured to have the opportunity to lead this ministry, which is so fundamental to British Columbia’s economy and our future. I’m passionate about advanced education – about education in general, but certainly post-secondary education. I myself attended university, I have two degrees, my children are attending university.
So I’m very familiar with the issues and, like I said, it’s fundamental that we continue to support what I believe is a world-class post-secondary education system.
Can you tell me exactly what falls under your ministry?
There are in British Columbia 25 post-secondary institutions. That includes all the universities: research universities like UBC [and] SFU, teaching universities, and all colleges and institutions. Colleges would be all of the skills training and colleges that [grant degrees], and the institutions like BCIT.
There are 25 in total around the province and these are publicly supported, publicly funded.
I also have innovation and technology in my ministry which is also crucial to BC’s economy. Innovation technology is a very important sector. It’s probably not widely known that, in BC, we have 84,000 people employed in the tech sector, or the knowledge-based technology sector, which is more than forestry and mining.
I’m also the minister responsible for multiculturalism, which I [dealt with] previously as Minister of State. I’m very pleased to be able to continue the work that we’re doing in multiculturalism.
BC is certainly very multicultural, probably the most multicultural province in Canada, and it’s important to continue to engage with communities and promote multiculturalism.
What are some of the policies you’re going to pick up right away?
First of all, we are very much focused on our jobs plan here in British Columbia. As we saw last week, the Premier, myself, and Minister Bell announced a number of initiatives to support skills training. That is very much a priority right now … at this time we are very focused on promoting trades training. We want to encourage our youths to consider careers—rewarding, challenging careers—in the trades and we’re putting resources to support this initiative.
Last week we announced total funding of $75 million throughout the province to support trades training. The focus today is very much on encouraging skills and trades training.
Obviously universities are feeling the financial crunch right now. Your predecessor received a letter from the 25 BC post-secondary presidents primarily addressing this concern. Will things change to help in easing the financial burden?
Well first of all let me say that we’re investing significant amounts in operating grants to our universities and colleges. The total budget in operating grants is just a shade under $2 billion. To put that in context, that’s $5 million each and every day for the year to support programs and to support our universities and colleges. It’s a very significant portion of the budget of British Columbia.
What you’re referring to with that letter from the presidents is in regards to the fact that we are in challenging economic times. Our province and our government has committed to balancing our budget; all sectors of our government need to look at ways to operate more effectively to find potential savings.
In the context of an almost $2 billion operating budget, we asked the universities and colleges to just find ways to operate more efficiently and find savings – through initiatives that will not affect the classroom experience, that will not affect programs, but will help save some funds.
Post-secondary education, as all areas of government spending, is participating in ensuring every dollar of tax payers’ funds is spent to best value.
But ultimately, in order to fund universities effectively, is it possible that it may have to come down to altering the cap at which tuition rates can be increased?
In regards to tuition fees, let’s keep in mind that our government has capped tuition fees. We’ve capped them at about two per cent each year since 2005/2006, and in Canada we now have, on average, the fourth-lowest tuition fees in post-secondary.
So we have a very good story to tell. Our universities and colleges are relatively affordable.
But of course this is an area that we continue to monitor to ensure that we have a great system. We have great universities and colleges, and we want to make sure that it continues to be accessible.
Education is a certainly key in sustaining a vital economy, but just today I heard a friend jokingly say that she’s going to be paying off her student loan for the rest of her life. Would you like to see the interest rate on loans dropped or removed altogether, and do you plan on pursuing that?
What you’re referring to is after a student graduates and carries some debt. We believe it’s reasonable that after the taxpayers provide support to students through student loans, as they embark on their careers, that [students] pay the cost of the funds.
I do realize that there are those that call for lower interest, or no interest, but these are challenging economic times. We’re facing [a] challenging global economy, we want to continue to be fiscally prudent, and this may not be the time for us to be increasing the cost to taxpayers.
We believe overall that we have a balanced approached to providing a post-secondary system that’s accessible, that’s affordable. And you know, when you look at it, 70 per cent of students do not have student loans. So by and large we have a system that’s affordable and accessible.
Premier Clark announced that there won’t be a fall sitting of the legislature and it won’t resume until February. Having just been appointed to a new position, doesn’t that interfere with your ability to step in and get work done? Especially when you’ll have to start campaigning shortly thereafter given the upcoming election?
Actually this gives me the opportunity to reach out and to meet with all of the great people who are working at colleges and universities. I have already started reaching out to the college and university presidents. I’ve talked to almost all of them; I’ve put in calls to everyone. I’m looking forward to getting out there and meeting with the college and university people, with students, with the administrators, with the teachers, to really get to know the great system that we have.
I’ve had a chance to visit a number of colleges and universities already in the last two weeks. We have a great system and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to meet with as many of the people working in our colleges and universities, and as many students [as I can].
There have been a number of high-profile MLAs who announced they will not seek re-election or have left altogether. Does this turmoil within the government affect morale and productivity?
Well, let me say this: every time we’re at the stage [where] we’re approaching election, MLAs [decide if they are] going to stand for office again.
It’s totally understandable, after two or three terms, that it’s time for them to take on other chapters in life.
I look at it as very much a normal part of elected office that people will decide to run again or not run again. If they choose not to run again, it means that we can attract new blood. That’s a healthy thing; it gives us a chance to renew, and that’s exactly what’s happening. We’re looking forward to new people joining the team, and some have already stepped up. It will be a renewed team as we head to the election.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
