Education Platform Launch Speech

Delivered on UWO campus Monday Nov 6, 2006

Good Morning and welcome all. My name is Steve Hunter and I am the Progressive Canadian Candidate for London North Centre. This morning, to launch my campaign, I am introducing our Education Platform.

Why education first? Why, when there are so many other issues to deal with. Im going to tell you why. Education is a foundation. Education, information and learning enhance almost all other issues in our society. An educated public is healther, putting less strain on our precious health care and lowering health care costs. An educated public is more apt to be employed creating a stable and secure tax base. An educated public is less likely to commit crime. An educated public is a more tolerant society. An educated public looks to and builds a future socially, economically and environmentally.

Here at Western, when you graduate with a four year degree, having lived on campus and eaten occasionally while you were here, you will likely have a $50,000 debt. You will likely meet Mr or Mrs Right soon afterwards and your combined debt as a young married couple will be $100,000. Welcome to the game of life. At a time when you would buy a home and have children you are facing a debt the size of a mortgage and might not qualify for an actual mortgage. If you continue on to graduate school, double it.

And we wonder why young adults who are offered a better deal in another country take it. Wouldn't you?

Education is not meant for the rich; it is meant as a tool to increase our national productivity. It should be considered an investment in our economy. That's the approach we take with our "Commitment to Canada" education platform. We will invest in every student who decides to stay and work in Canada. In short, the Canadian government will foot the bill, period.

Is it a free ride? Nope. You, the student, have to get a job when you graduate. You have to pay taxes in Canada for many years. You have to help our economy.

And this is not just for university. Colleges and other approved programs are included.

But more than that we are also committed to providing additional funding for universities - targeted at the areas where fund raising doesn't work. The average university can get a new building built. But they can't raise money for heat, lights or to have it cleaned. They can't raise money to fix up an old building. So, it's possible for universities to put up new structures and actually have to rob from other "non-sexy" programs to pay for them.

We don't think this is right.

But it's what this government things about education. A case in point. Weeks ago, the Steven Harper government quietly cut funding for literacy programs. It wasn't a lot of money, but its symbolic. Now, if you didn't hear about this, don't worry. Mr. Harper didn't do this in the house, where it would face debate. And we know he doesn't grant press interviews to talk about things like that.

In fact, apparently, Mr. Harper didn't even tell Mrs. Harper. While her husband was giving the axe to literacy, Mrs. Harper was seen by a reporter congratulating a fund raiser in a charity which supports literacy program.

Strange? Not a bit. It explains how this government sees education. It's a charity. You should be seen cutting ribbons or giving a few dollars on the street. And then, go back to your tax-payer funded house and feel good about yourself, while your husband quietly cuts funding for the most vulnerable people."

And they know they have to keep it hidden from you. Because you'd be outraged if you found out.

Mark my words. In this campaign, this government will say all kinds of things about education. This is a government who thinks they can fool you with a slogan. Don't be fooled. Look at what they've done.

Well, for us, education is NOT a charity. It's an investment. And it's one that ALL Canadians are entitled to benefit from.

That's why our policy also has another piece to it. We will work with the provinces to allocate funding for children at risk of not getting to college or university. This won't be a "one size fits all" program. It will tackle a number of areas from aboriginal programs to special literacy programs. It won't lead to a lot of ribbon cutting ceremonies. But it will get the job done.

Voters in London have a unique opportunity to send a message to this government and to Mr. Harper.

But don't waste that message. If you vote Liberal, NDP or even Green, the message will be read simply as a partisan difference.

But if you vote for me, it will send them all a message. It will say, we want things done differently. We want issues and not slogans. We want governments to do what they say. We want governments to invest in the future – but to invest wisely. Give us government we can believe in.

My name is Steve Hunter. I'm the Steve you CAN believe. Steve Hunter. You can find it on the ballot on election day.