Ignatieff rolls out campaign promise that benefits students

Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff has made his first big campaign promise, and it's a policy that could benefit students.

The Learning Passport plan would hand students cash for class. In return, Ignatieff said the plan would help make Canada the most educated country around.

By 2012 you could receive one thousand dollars a year for post-secondary studies up to a maximum of four thousand dollars. Students from low income families could receive up to fifteen hundred dollars a year – to a maximum of six thousand dollars.

And just where would all that money come from? The permanent measure would cost one billion dollars. And the funding would come from the corporate tax cut plan the Liberals intend to cancel.

Students would be able to withdraw the money through a service that already exists - the Registered Education Savings Plans.