Federal government to write-off huge amounts of student debt

The federal government is planning huge write-offs in unpaid student loan debt in the 2013-2014 year totalling $175 million. Write-offs are valid in situations like bankruptcy and settlement offers, which are partial payments in case of exceptional financial hardship.

The Canadian government stated that student loans are there to help Canadians experience post-secondary education, and that they want “to ensure that Canadians always have access to financial assistance for their education.”

These thoughts, however, are not echoed by Jessica McCormick, National Deputy Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students. McCormick says that debt presents an obstacle for people in post-secondary education, and prevents economic growth.

With files from The Varsity

The connection between candy and cocaine

Can a craving for some candy and chocolate really equate to craving a hit of cocaine? The answer is yes, according researchers at the University of Guelph.

Dr. Francesco Leri and Dr. Anne Marie Levy conducted an experiment where rats were divided into two groups; Oreo cookies were made available to one group and rice cakes were made available to the other.

After the rats were finished eating, cocaine was provided, and it was found that the rats in the Oreo group went for the cocaine more than the rats who were provided with rice cakes. In other words, the rats who were exposed to sweets also developed a weakness for cocaine. Dr. Leri hopes that this research will emphasize the dangers of junk food addiction.

With files from The Ontarion

University students having good sex

In a recent study conducted by the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada and Trojan, it was found that young Canadians attending post-secondary institutions lead quite happy sex lives. Most of the students who participated in the study reported that their most recent sexual partner was someone with whom they are in a committed relationship.

These findings deviate greatly from what has been reported about the sex lives of young Americans. Across the border, students there sound “ambivalent or . . . fairly unhappy,” when talking about their sex lives.

When it came to birth control, it was found that young people prefer a limited variation of contraceptives, with the birth control pill and the condom clear winners, and other forms of contraception, such as the intrauterine device (IUD), quite low on the popularity charts.

With files from CBC News