1/15 I want to help explain why counting on the stackability of programs in order to provide students the help they need ( @CQualtro), or worse, opposing assistance for students because you think it will disincentivize work ( @francoislegault), is problematic. #dontforgetstudents

2/15 Many students want to work and will work this summer. Many want to work but due to a very volatile labour market, won't be able to find work. And many would normally want to work but due to factors beyond their control, like immunocompromisation or lack of childcare, cannot.

3/15 The CESB will provide $1250 a month. In a 40hr week, this works out to $7.81 an hour. In a 30hr week, $10.42 an hour. The CERB will provide $2000 a month. 40hr = $12.5/hour, 30hr = $16.67/hour. Roughly, the average minimum wage in Canada is $12.86 an hour.

4/15 No province has a minimum wage below $11.32 an hour (Saskatchewan). If you account for the servers' minimum in some provinces, the average in Canada is $12.44 an hour. Either way, the amount provided by the CESB will come nowhere close to any minimum wage.

5/15 I'm not sure where this data comes from but assuming it's right, students who receive the full $5000 over 4 months from CESB would normally work 13 weeks at 30hr/week would get $12.82/hour. However, even $15/hour for 30 hours/week/13 weeks is $5850. https://twitter.com/AlexUsherHESA/status/1252420406092259329?s=20

6/16 For some students who would normally work contract jobs (i.e. summer camps) or minimum wage part-time (~20hr/week), the CESB may be more or equal to what they would make. However, this is not the case for everyone. The government needs to reconsider its idea of a student.

7/15 Not all students and recent graduates are working minimum wage part-time, living at home and supported by their parents. Many are financially dependent. Many are mature. Many are in graduate and professional programs. Many normally work full-time in the summer.

8/15 In my program, tuition is roughly $20,000/year/2years. The financial incentive is a paid internship (that on average pays more than CERB) and FT employment soon after graduation (with an average salary higher than the Cdn average). For many people, that is now in jeopardy.

9/15 The point of this is not to brag. We are in a privileged position. But we are like other Canadians who are receiving the full $2000. We have similar expenses and would be paid about the same. We are not asking for special treatment, just equal treatment.

10/15 The government is counting on people stacking programs to get up to $8000. That will work for some and some students will actually be able to get more than 8k. However, as it stands right now, some (including grads) will be capped at $5000 ...

11/15 This is because a lot of the assistance is tied to tuition. It also means that a lot of people who will eventually get $8000 will only have access to $1250 a month over the summer. In some places, this won't be enough to pay rent and living expenses.

12/15 The announced assistance targets lower-income students (doubling of Canada Summer Grants). There is an argument to be made that that is the right approach. It is likely that not everyone needs to get the full $8000.

13/15 What I want is the government to guarantee that students and grads who do need the full $8000 or need access to $2000 a month over the summer will be able to get it.

14/15 I'm not that fussed on how they will make it happen. It could be the CERB, it could be the CESB, it could be stacking. I'll let MPs figure that out. The additional cost of doing it through the CESB would be ~ $2.25 billion. All things considered, that's not that much.

15/15 The government has taken important steps. More needs to be done to ensure that all students and recent graduates are treated like other Canadians and can get the full $8000 and $2000 per month, in a simple and timely fashion, if they need it.