Earlier this week, the Nova Scotia government introduced modest cost reduction measures by replacing the university tuition freeze with a 3% cap (which just about matches the provincial inflation rate of 2.7%), and reducing the total grants to universities by 4%.

Outraged, students from across Nova Scotia will congregate on the provincial legislature today to protest rising tuition fees and cuts to universities.  Of course no one wants to have to pay more and students can ill afford to do so, but is a protest really warranted?

The fact is the province is broke –  we can’t afford to throw money at every problem. Getting back to balance means the government needs to cut spending, and there’s nothing special about universities and students that should make them immune to that.

Before students start demanding more money from taxpayers for their education, they should take stock of how much they are already getting. Taxpayers contribute $7652 for each university student. Some will complain that is too low. But consider that little NS has to support all the local students as well as 11,904 students (or 34% of the total student population) who come from other parts of Canada. So that is not insignificant especially considering Nova Scotian taxpayer have some the lowest average incomes and some of the highest taxes in the county.

Student leaders also complain that the average student will incur a $31,000 debt.  However, over the course of a working lifetime, the average student earns $750,000 more as a result of getting a university education. So, while student debt is an unfortunate consequence of a university education, it seems that students are at least in good stead to pay it off.

Lastly, there is no amount of money that will satisfy these students. Since 2007-08, university spending went up by  $90 million. That’s an increase of about 25%. The massive increase in spending was reckless and unsustainable, and it didn’t stop students from complaining then, and it won’t stop them now.

Students organize a protest every year, no matter what the situation. If the protest went ahead when money was being thrown at them, we can expect even more fervour now when the government is being more fiscally responsible. What’s missing is a realistic appreciation of government finances and a willingness to share in the consequences with every other Nova Scotian.

Student leaders organizing this “national day of action” need to look at the facts that go beyond what happens when they are at university. Moves by the NDP to cut grants to universities and allow modest tuition increases are the right first steps to control massive spending growth. Government should say no to these special interests, after all you can’t satisfy them and attempting to pay them off will only burden taxpayers further.

So maybe when students are rallying at province house today, they might want to say a word of thanks to all those hard working taxpayers, who pay their bills, rather than demand more of their hard earned pay cheque.