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photo illustration by Mico Mazza

Who students should vote for,

according to other students

WHO COULD BE better suited for the task of telling students who to vote for than students themselves? The Fulcrum spoke to campus chapters of political parties and asked them why they think youth should vote for their party.

The Green Party of Ontario

Blue Pepsi or red Coke? Ontarians have been stuck choosing between this dichotomy for too long, and an experiment with Orange Crush in the 1990s did nothing but put Ontario through a horrible recession.

Ontario was once the backbone of Canada, and gave support to other provinces when they needed a hand. Today, instead of giving a hand-up, we are receiving a handout from the federal government.

Ontario is sick, and the pop is to blame.

It’s time for an environmentally, economically, and financially sustainable Ontario and that starts with: Making post-secondary education affordable and investing in training, co-ops, and apprenticeships; addressing skyrocketing health-care costs by investing in health promotion and out-of-hospital care; and modernizing our economy to compete in the 21st century.

That’s why the Green Party will freeze tuition for the next two years, and hold it to inflation for two years after that. That’s why we’ll invest in transit and active neighbourhoods to make it easier for everyone to get around, and why we’re recognizing the link between food, the environment, and our health by putting preventative health care at the heart of our health-care system.

Climate change didn’t go away simply because we stopped talking about it. We need to get more efficient with energy. Wasting less isn’t only better for our health and environment, but also for our economy. It’s why the Green Party will follow the British Columbia model (a popular plan and proven job creator) for carbon pricing.

Today’s students are going to be living with the decisions made by our next government for decades. It’s time for members of provincial parliament with vision. It’s time for the Green Party.

—University of Ottawa Greens

The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party

The Ontario PC Party has the best plan for Ontario and Ontario students. Our leader has promised not to raise taxes, unlike previous administrations. That’s at the core of the PC Plan.

A Tim Hudak PC government would support post-secondary students by making Ontario student assistance programs more accessible to regular Ontario students who may not have the opportunity to do so under the current set-up. The Ontario PC Party will also support an environment where jobs are priority number one. This is very important, as the student of today is the employed citizen of tomorrow.

A Conservative government would also reduce red tape in the educational system and support policies that would make credit transferring between institutions far easier. Tim Hudak and the Ontario PC Party have promised to commit $2 billion to post-secondary school issues, including a plan to create 60,000 new student spaces in colleges and universities across the province.

Tim Hudak has also promised to create 200,000 new apprenticeship positions in the next four years. Above all, the PC Party plan for students will place Ontario students first. A PC government would make Ontario students a priority.

—University of Ottawa 

Campus Conservatives

The Ontario Liberal Party

The provincial elections have always been about more than choosing a voice to represent you. Elections are defining moments for our province, where we have the opportunity to choose our collective future. During this provincial election, the Liberal Party is offering a better, brighter future in which we can move forward together.

Education, money, and jobs are issues that weigh heavily on the hearts and minds of students. The Liberal Party of Ontario will take aggressive action to curb rising tuition costs by offering a $1,600 cut in tuition. This is alleviating students’ financial burden, which will make Ontarian post-secondary intuitions more accessible to all of us. This is but one example of how the Liberal Party is shaping Ontario’s future and allowing for Ontario’s students to succeed.

This government has weathered the worst economic recession since the Great Depression and come out stronger and more capable of delivering what Ontario families and students need to succeed.

First, this strong Liberal government has created more jobs than any other province in Canada. Second, they have invested $4 billion in new classrooms, libraries, labs, and other buildings on campuses all across Ontario. Third, they will create 60,000 additional spaces in post-secondary programs, giving us all a chance to succeed.

The Liberal Party’s commitment to Ontario does not end with students. They are committed to offering a healthier future through the Green Energy Act. Under the leadership of the Liberal government, the province is becoming a world leader in renewable energy. Not only is the Liberal Party doing its share to combat the threats of climate change, but we are strengthening our work force through these high-skilled jobs. These efforts will maintain Ontario’s place as a world leader.

With the Ontario Liberal Party, Ontario is on the right track. On Oct. 6, vote for our future. Vote Liberal.

—University of Ottawa Young Liberals

New Democratic Party of Ontario

Why should students vote for the NDP on Oct. 6? Simple: A vote for the NDP means real change.

The NDP will make life more affordable by taking the Harmonized Sales Tax off daily essentials and freezing transit fares. The NDP will create and protect jobs by helping small businesses and by increasing minimum wage. The NDP will make health care affordable and reliable by cutting emergency room wait times in half and ensuring everyone has a family doctor. The NDP will make Ontario live within its means by ending the $1 million per day spent on consultants and putting a cap on government CEO salaries.

The NDP will create an affordable housing plan, which will build 50,000 new housing units over 10 years and help Ontarians afford their rent. The NDP will help households make affordable green choices by offering up to $5,000 in home energy retrofit rebates and investing in cycling infrastructure. The NDP will encourage rural Ontario by forgiving tuition fee debt for medical students who work in rural areas and make shelf space for independently produced Ontario wines at the LCBO.

As a student, your vote will help freeze tuition for post-secondary education and eliminate interest on the provincial portion of student loans.

It’s your chance to demand the Ontario you want!

 —University of Ottawa 

New Democratic Party