Bob Rae’s Post-Secondary Review travelling roadshow arrived at UTM last Monday with some fanfare courtesy of the Students’ Administrative Council. Prior to the forum, the student union gave away free pizza to try and entice more students to attend. Outside the auditorium, SAC members handed out slogan t-shirts and banners to audience members as they entered.
Before taking questions from the audience, Rae was adamant in denying accusations that everything has been decided and that [the town hall] was just an exercise. He said he would finish listening to all students across the province before making his official report to the Premier.
Graduate education, apprenticeship, and skilled trade programs need investment, Rae said.
A member of the Campaign for Public Education said an increase in taxes was the only solution to the woes facing post-secondary education. Rae responded that he wouldn’t object to an increase of $3-4 billion in taxation, but added that university is more accessible today to the working class than in 1966, ’76 and ’86.
A U of T student took the microphone to ask about the deregulation of university programs, and made reference to a recent U of T Governing Council decision supporting deregulation. Rae did not specifically address the Governing Council resolution, but said that university education is a public good. When the student raised concerns regarding the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), Rae’s accompanying panel were unanimous in saying that it was a relatively fair system.
Several members of the Construction Union talked about how the skilled trades have not been properly addressed by the panel. They detailed how 5 cents of each hour’s wages they receive is re-invested into training apprentices. This, they described, was something union members had undertaken themselves without government support. The Union also extended an invitation to Bob Rae to come and visit their training centre, which the panel accepted.
SAC Vice-President External Sam Rahimi told The Varsity that he was happy students showed up. SAC has been especially vocal about deregulation, and Rahimi said that deregulation and accessibility of higher education cannot be separated. Rahimi said that enrolment has increased, but it’s because 75 per cent of jobs now require degrees. Rahimi said that SAC is planning an even stronger presence at the upcoming town hall meeting being held at the St. George campus on December 8.
