QUEEN’S PARK — Chris Glover, Ontario NDP critic for Colleges and Universities, released the following statement in response to a report revealing what Doug Ford plans to recognize as essential campus services, according to documents obtained by The Varsity:
“Doug Ford is making things up when he claims his plan to make some student fees optional is about student choice. It’s about Ford’s choice. He’s been creating a list of essential campus services behind closed doors.
By imposing his will on schools and students and defunding programs that matter, Ford is going to cause service cuts, jeopardizing the support marginalized students receive through groups and programs like campus LGBTQ centres. Ford wants to undermine student unions because he’s afraid of their power. He doesn’t want students to have the ability to organize to fight not only this round of cuts, but the next round of cuts and the downloading of even more debt onto students.
Young people deserve better than Ford’s scheme for more student debt and less campus support. Andrea Horwath and the NDP are pushing for changes that would help young people, including converting student loans to grants, and wiping out the interest on student loans. And we’re going to keep fighting for student union autonomy.”