On June 7, the Ontario Progressive Conservative (PC) Party won this year’s provincial election, ending the Ontario Liberal Party’s 15-year reign.
While premier-designate Doug Ford’s platform included tax cuts for middle-class families and the reduction of gas prices, the PC Party’s plans concerning student loans were missing.
This lack of transparency prompted concern among students about what the future of their loans may be.
In hindsight, the PC Party should have been more open and transparent about its plans—even if its plans are to keep the current system of student loans in place.
In order for students to have made an informed decision when voting for the next Ontario premier, they needed to know where the different parties stood on the issues that affect them.
For example, a student who comes from a low-income family and supports tax cut policies might have been more likely to vote for the PC Party. Yet, the same student may have changed their mind and chose to vote for a different party, if they knew that the PCs were planning on cutting back on student loans.
Since Ontarians aged 18 to 25 were key voters in the election, they should have had the information they needed to make the decision that would serve their best interests.
Moving forward, Doug Ford and his team must be held accountable in informing the student population of Ontario about his team’s plans for tuition loans and provisions.
