RE: “McGuinty announces controversial scholarship program” Nov. 25-Dec. 1, 2010
The current expenditures by the Ontario provincial government could not come at a worse time.
While I don't think anyone would disagree that we should be attracting some of the brightest minds in the world, the use of tens of millions of dollars from Ontario taxpayers is extremely ill-advised.
The scholarship would be open to international students only, not the entire academic community.
Considering the record amount of student debt that is being accumulated, cuts that are being made to other educational programs, and the recession that plunged Ontario into being a “have-not” province, the allocation of this money is unwise at best.
I most take issue with the absurd statement made by a representative from the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS).
His assertion that the opposition is merely trying to “attack the McGuinty Liberals" is laughable.
It is in all of our best interests to make sure that any of our money is open to our use.
We should be extending the same benefits to Ontario students as we do to those from all over the world.
In the end, we protest not against the inclusion of highly skilled international students in our universities, but the exclusion of equally skilled Ontarians.
While private, foundation-run programs like the Rhodes Scholarships in the United Kingdom certainly serve a purpose, any use of public funds should not exclude the very public who will be footing the bill.
I think the CFS would be wise to remember we will not be students forever and one day we will pass that magic line into “taxpayerhood” where we will rue the day we were excluded from using our own money, only having to pay for it later.