Angry students protest Ford's latest cuts

On Thursday Ontario Premier ford announced his latest attack on the people of Ontario: cuts and rollbacks to Ontario Students Assistance Program (OSAP). The very next day, 500 angry students and faculty from several university and colleges campuses rallied at Queens Park. The rally was called by the The Canadian Federation of Students. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and CUPE and Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), who represent workers at universities and colleges also brought solidarity.

Ford’s announcement of the cuts came a day after his announcement that tuition would be cut 10%. This cheap trick fooled no one but, did create confusion. The second announcement effectively wipes out any gain from the first.

Ford cut free tuition for low income students, cut the grace period for loan repayment to zero, raised the threshold for eligibility for OSAP, which will make it out of reach for many, and switched grants to loans. Debt loads, already at outrageous levels, will increase and ability to access college or university for low income students will decrease.

One angry Ryerson student commented, ‘This means some students in my classes right now, will not be able to return to school next year.’

Cuts will also be made to student fees which will cut funding to student associations and other services that benefit students.

This continues the full frontal assault on students that includes a bogus free speech policy that will undermine protest and the gutting of Bill 148 and its minimum wage gains, that impacts many students who rely on low wage, part-time work while they are going to school.

The CFS has vowed to continue protests across Ontario in the coming weeks.