RBC will continue to handle the student loans taken out before August, 2000. Normally, you can't get RA after you default, but there are other provisions for emergencies too. Interestingly, a whole bunch of them back to 1999 have been written off by a Nova Scotia Cabinet order. I have no idea what might apply to you. But if you only have $1700 left to pay, it's not that much.

http://oncampus.macleans.ca/education/2008/04/28/nova-scotia-government-to-write-off-bad-student-debt/

Why don't you call the RBC Student Loans Service Center @ 1-800-363-3822 which handles the Atlantic provinces. It's actually located in Toronto though. Calling MPP offices, especially if they're Liberals and like mine is absolutely useless. I'm sure the teenager/retiree/ESL newbie will only end up referring you to the above number that I gave you after you make a dozen calls.

One website suggested I contact my MPP to help with my situation - do you think that is a viable option for me? Over the past 10 years more than $10,000 has been paid off for my OSAP and Federal portion of the loan but the last 3 years since I left my husband and then (lucky me, I have such great choices in men) ended up with another abusive guy have been so hard financially because I worked in a call centre that closed down and so on top of having to provide for myself - I had to do it after not receiving EI anymore from a decent job and had to take a part time retail job (because that was all I could find) and go on social assistance when I had my baby :( I have been trying SOOOO hard to secure a better job and just couldn't - hopefully once I have this baby (hope to god she is ok!! and the high odds of down syndrome are just wrong!) I can find a better job now that I live in Ontario and not in NS - it isn't like I have no training just in NS I couldn't find anything at all.

I just want to be able to afford food and my own place and to keep my kids happy and healthy :( I never once thought I would be *this* person and am pretty disgusted in the situation I am... I screwed my whole life up and I hope to god I don't screw up my kids' lives too.

I didn't know I could with a loan that was defaulted on. When I applied for interest relief years ago I was told I didn't qualify because my loan was already defaulted on. I was with a person who had total control of my income :( and I wasn't allowed to have any access to our financial stuff. He made sure he paid off all of his deb and nothing of mine and then used it against me as a reason why I couldn't possibly leave him and why I had to continue being married to him.

I just looked it up online now but I am confused - because my loans were prior to August 2001 and I only have the OSAP portion remaining left of $1700 (ish) it says I have to contact the original financial institution that held my loan (Royal Bank) to try to get any information about RAP. How would I do this?

It seems hard to believe, given your dependents, some form of loan forgiveness or payment abatement wouldn't be available, despite the previous default. I assume you've already checked into that.

I just have a small annoyance! I cannot believe because my Working Tax Benefit which is supposed to be a benefit for people who work and are still below the poverty line goes to my student loan! I'm obviously poor - making only $14,500 last year (some of which was EI from maternity leave and some of which was social assistance top up to give me the same as someone on welfare but a lot was from me working!) but because my refund was too low it was applied to my income tax return which was then sent to NCO.

Thanks for awarding me a benefit for being poor that I don't actually get when I need it the most Canada :(