Ford must obey courts and end his attack on students: Lindo

KITCHENER – NDP critic for Colleges and Universities, Laura Mae Lindo (Kitchener Centre) released the following statement on the Ontario Court of Appeal’s ruling confirming that Doug Ford’s Student Choice Initiative is unlawful:

“Yet again, the court has told Doug Ford that his attack on student unions and other student groups through the Student Choice Initiative was an abuse of his power.

The Student Choice Initiative hurts students by attacking the student unions that advocate on their behalf, and by cutting student-led programs and services that support them, including the most marginalized students on campus.

As Ontario’s college and university students head back to class after a traumatic and challenging pandemic year, the support provided by student-led organizations — like food banks, mental health services, and peer-to-peer support groups — will be more important than ever.

But instead of supporting post-secondary students, Ford’s been dragging them through the courts, doubling down on his politically-motivated attack against student organizations, which he called ‘crazy Marxist nonsense.’

Instead of continuing to fight students in the courtroom and wasting taxpayer dollars that could be better used helping students, Ford must obey the court ruling and eliminate the Student Choice Initiative immediately.”