Premier Doug Ford had choice words for students expressing concerns over recent cuts to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) Tuesday, telling them to “not pick basket-weaving courses” and to invest in education that gives people in-demand jobs.
Speaking to reporters at Queen’s Park, Ford said he received “thousands of calls” from students over the long weekend, who expressed concerns about the province cutting the amount of grant money students can receive through OSAP.
“I mentioned to the students, you have to invest in your future, into in-demand jobs,” he said.
“You’re picking basket-weaving courses, and there’s not too many baskets being sold out there.”
Unless you’re talking about “free for domestic students, even more exorbitant for international students” then your idea would never fly. Free tuition for the children of wealthy foreigners paid for by taxpayers? You’d be lucky to survive your first term in office after passing that.
Ontario domestic students’ higher education is heavily subsidized by international students paying ultra high tuition right now. If you took away that source of funding and had taxpayers pay the full brunt (even just for domestic tuition) you’d have a revolt and would be routed in the next election, with a conservative who would totally dismantle the system.