Students garner international acclaim for films

Grade 5 students at Grosvenor Wentworth Park Elementary School are getting two thumbs up for their film work.

The students, also known as Reel Student Productions, have won several awards for their short films. In April, the students travelled with their teacher, Andrew Stickings, to accept the first place award in the Racism, Stop It! national video competition for their film “Alone.”

The group travelled to Japan this summer where they received two awards for their film “Pier 21” in the Panasonic Kids Witness News international competition.

The students’ most recent success was at the Ottawa International Animation Festival. Their film about energy conservation, “The Bright, the Bad and the Ugly,” beat out 70 entries from around the world and, despite being a grade 5 class, won one of five spots in the high-school aged category.

I want to extend my congratulations to these young film makers for their accomplishments and also to Mr. Stickings for his creativity in helping his students learn about important issues and about local history. The process of making these videos gets the students thinking about issues like the environment and racial discrimination, and hopefully will set them on the path of being engaged citizens.

Let’s Talk

Geoff is committed to hearing from the people of Halifax West. When he was first elected, he began a series of “Let’s Talk” meetings. The idea behind these events is to hear from people at locations close to their own neighbourhoods. Every year, Geoff holds meetings in legions, church halls, community centres and schools throughout the constituency.

If you would like to receive information about upcoming Let’s Talk meetings near you, send your contact information to geoff@geoffregan.ca or visit www.geoffregan.ca.

Canadians want Conservatives to keep mandatory long-form census

The Conservative government has made an unfortunate error in judgment by deciding to get rid of the mandatory long-form census. This decision, made without any public consultation and without regard for its impact on Canadians, will deprive governments, businesses and non-profit organizations of sound, reliable statistics on which to base policy decisions.

The census is used by governments and businesses to provide emergency services, health care, jobless benefits, schools, services for seniors and new Canadians, transportation, job training centers, and much more. For this reason, Halifax Municipality, Feed Nova Scotia, The Nova Scotia Association of Social Workers and the Health Association of Nova Scotia have strongly urged the government to keep the long-form census.

The Conservatives plan to move to a new voluntary survey that will cost taxpayers $30 million more to administer, and which will provide seriously flawed data that will under represent certain groups in society. A voluntary survey will inevitably mean a lower response rate from low-income Canadians, immigrants, Aboriginals and other disadvantaged groups. This will undermine the accuracy of the data and negatively impact the ability of governments, businesses and organizations to make well-informed decisions.

Rather than listening to concerns raised by provincial and municipal governments, statistical experts, business groups and community organizations, the Harper government has made claims about privacy concerns and jail time for those who refuse to complete the census in order to justify this decision. No Canadian has ever been jailed for not completing the census. Liberals believe a reasonable compromise can be made to preserve the mandatory long-form by removing the threat of jail time from all census forms.

I have written to Industry Minister Tony Clement asking that the decision to eliminate the mandatory long-form be reversed. Unless the Harper government reconsiders this unfortunate plan, Liberals will seek to change the Statistics Act to restore the mandatory long census. We have also asked for the recall of the Industry Committee to demand answers from the government, and to allow affected Canadians to express their views.

Warning to Canadians considering travelling overland to Mexico

The Government of Canada has issued an official warning against non-essential travel to the border areas between the United States and Mexico, due to continuing high levels of violence linked to drug trafficking.

Canadians should avoid crossing Mexico’s northern border by land, as shootouts, attacks and roadblocks may occur at any time. Criminals especially target SUVs and full-size pickup trucks for theft and carjacking along highways of the states of Nuevo León, Tamauli-pas, Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Sonora, and Si-naloa. Travellers are advised to reconsider their need to travel to these border states. They should do so only if it is absolutely necessary and after making appropriate arrangements to ensure their personal safety.

To help you prepare for a safe trip, be sure to consult the Travel Report for Mexico on the Consular Services website at www.travel.gc.ca, or call 1-800-267-6788 (in Canada and the United States) or 613-944-6788.

Exciting opportunity for youth

Forum for Young Canadians is an exciting educational program that introduces high school students to our country’s democratic institutions and decision-making process in a non-partisan and bilingual for-mat. Each year, students ages 15 to 19 are selected from across Canada to participate in one of the four sessions, each a week long. Forum brings students to Ottawa where they are immersed in the exciting world of leadership, national politics and public affairs. Forum students meet the nation’s leaders, interact with Members of Parliament and Senators and share their views on current issues.

Information and applications can be found at www.forum.ca, or by calling (613) 233-4086.

Upcoming sessions:

-November 21-27, 2010
-February 27-March 4, 2011
-March 13-18, 2011

Packing along people’s perspectives as I head back to Parliament

The summer months are a valuable time for me, and not just be-cause the warm weather allows me to go kayaking with my family. Summer is my time to get out and talk to people and to the people I represent.

Recently I’ve visited seniors’ residences and local businesses to hear concerns about pensions, the economy and health care. I’ve met with community groups and talked to many families at community barbeques. I learned from these discussions that child care, education and jobs are priorities in Halifax West. I also co-chaired two roundtables in early September: the National Liberal Women’s Caucus joined me for a meeting with women’s organizations, where we heard how cuts to Status of Women funding have affected transition houses, sexual assault centres and other vital services for women in Nova Scotia; and, Justin Trudeau, M.P. for Papineau, and I met with student leaders to hear how the struggle to pay for their education is preventing young people from getting more involved in their communities and taking on volunteer opportunities.

Michael Ignatieff, Leader of the Official Opposition, made engaging with Canadians our party’s priority this summer and fall. Mr. Ignatieff, along with MPs and senators, visited every province and territory on a bus tour, travelling almost 55,000 km and meeting over 15,000 Canadians. I was pleased to be on board the Liberal Express in Quebec, Manitoba , Northern Ontario and Nova Scotia. The tour was a great opportunity to meet Canadians and hear about issues affecting their families and communities.

I look forward to bringing the opinions and ideas people shared with me this summer back to Ottawa. I hope people in Halifax West will continue to share their views and concerns. I would love to hear from you. You can send me an e-mail, call my constituency office or come out to one of my Let’s Talk meetings.

I am pleased to provide a Guide for Seniors in Halifax West. Many services are available to seniors, both from government sources and from community sources. I know it can be challenging for seniors to locate resources in their communities, and I hope this guide will help to give some direction about how to access services from the federal government and other sources.

The Guide for Seniors in Halifax West is available on my website www.geoffregan.ca. If you would like to receive a printed copy, or if you notice any errors or omissions, please contact my constituency office at 426-2217.

What you should know about student loans and grants

Financial assistance available to students

This time of year, post-secondary graduates are getting ready to start repaying their student loans and students are making plans for their future education, whether they are continuing in their next semester of school or filling out applications for university and college. These are the answers to frequently asked questions that may help make taking the next step a little easier.

The federal and provincial governments offer loans and grants to supplement your own earnings and contributions from your family and other sources. Aside from Canada Student Loan (CSL) and Nova Scotia Student Loan (NSSL) programs, there are several grants offered by the federal and provincial governments that you may be eligible for.

-Canada Student Grant for Students from Low-Income Families
-Canada Student Grant for Students from Middle-Income Families
-Canada Student Grant for Students with Dependants
-Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities
-Nova Scotia Student Grant
-Nova Scotia Dependent Grant

Important Contacts:

NS Student Assistance Office
Metro Halifax: (902) 424-8420
Toll Free: 1-800-565-8420
TTY for hearing impaired: (902) 424-2058

National Student Loans Service Centre
Toll Free: 1-888-815-4514

FAQ’s for New Graduates

When do I have to start repaying my loan?
You must begin repaying your student loans, principal plus interest, on the first day of the seventh month following the completion of your studies.

What if I am unable to make payments?
There are several options such as repayment assistance, payment deferral, interest relief, or a revision of the payment terms. Your service provider administers these options.

For your Canada Student Loan contact:
National Student Loan Service Center at 1-888-815-4514

For your Nova Scotia Student Loan contact:
Resolve Corporation at 1- 877-283-1687

What happens if I don’t repay my loan?

Your loan will go into default. Defaulting on your student loan will seriously affect your financial record. You may:

-face additional interest charges
-lose future student loan assistance
-have to deal with a collection agency
-lose future income tax and GST refunds
-face legal action
-lose interest relief eligibility

FAQ’s for Returning Students and First Time Applicants

What is the easiest way to apply for a student loan?

Applying online is the recommended way to submit your application. It is a faster process and reduces the number of errors that may occur. You can visit http://studentloans.ednet.ns.ca/ to submit your application.

Do I have to apply separately for Canada and Nova Scotia student assistance?

No. As provincial authorities administer the Canada Student Loan Program, you only need to submit a Nova Scotia Student Assistance application to be considered for both federal and provincial assistance.

How long will it take before I know if I am eligible for a student loan?

Applications are processed in the order of date received and usually take 4-6 weeks to process. You are advised to submit your application a minimum of 6 weeks before your classes begin.

Do I need to make interest payments on my loan while attending classes?

No. Interest will begin to accrue on the outstanding balance of your Canada Student Loan immediately after you complete your classes and interest will begin to accrue on your Nova Scotia Student Loan once your first payment is due.

Is there a deadline for submitting my loan application?

For loan applications, appeals and pre-study reports all information must be received no later than 8 weeks before your study period ends. It can take 4-6 weeks to process information you send and loans cannot be awarded after the end of your study period.

Do I have to re-apply every year?

Yes. Your costs and resources will change for each academic year; therefore you must apply for each academic year that you need a student loan.

For more Information on Student Loans please visit http://studentloans.ednet.ns.ca

How to Contact Geoff
www.geoffregan.ca

Constituency Office
222-1496 Bedford Highway
Bedford, NS B4A 1E5
Tel: (902) 426-2217
Fax: (902) 426-8339
E-mail: geoff@geoffregan.ca

Parliament Hill Office
Room 645, Confederation Bldg
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Tel: (613) 996-3085
Fax: (613) 996-6988
E-mail: Regan.G@parl.gc.ca