Gwendoline Dirk (Left) and David Eggen (Right) Photo Credit: Kevin Kyle

By Aidan Boelsgaard

Speaking at Medicine Hat College

Dirk, NDP committed to restoring post-secondary funding

Oct 24, 2022 | 4:45 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – On the Medicine Hat College campus today, Brooks-Medicine Hat byelection candidate Gwendoline Dirk said she wants to see funding to post-secondary institutions restored.

Dirk was joined by advanced education critic David Eggen and other NDP members at Medicine Hat College on Monday. They say Alberta post-secondary schools lost millions of dollars worth of funding in the past three years under the UCP government, including $3 million alone from MHC.

Dirk said providing cash flow to these programs is how to keep people working within the constituency.

“Higher education is so important for the future because if we don’t offer a robust education system in the province we’re going start to lose our young people, they’re going to start to seek opportunities elsewhere. We are committed to properly funding higher education,” she said.

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Eggen added that during the NDP’s time in government they provided heavy funding to schools like MHC for upgrades to facilities and programs.

He also said the party has been working with the college to learn which programs have the greatest use of this funding, based on the needs of different industries in the constituency.

“Now more than ever we need to make sure that we are diversifying our economy, and we are making places for young people to get an affordable education, as well to have choices to stay here in Medicine Hat,” he said.

Dirk is running against Alberta Party Leader Barry Morishita, Jeevan Mangat of the Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta, Premier Danielle Smith and The Independence Party’s Bob Blayone in the Nov. 8 byelection.