Petition to increase public funding for public universities

The Ontario University Workers Co-ordinating Committee has created the following Petition

TO: Legislative Assembly of Ontario
FROM: The Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 1356

Whereas, rebuilding our Post Secondary Education system is critical to the future of our communities and our province; and,

Whereas, high tuition user-fees are resulting in massive student debt; and

Whereas, Ontario ranks second last amongst all provinces in terms of total PSE budget received from government grants, and has the highest percentage of total post secondary education revenue from private sources; and,

Whereas, working and learning conditions must be healthy and safe because working conditions are learning conditions; and,

Whereas, the deferred maintenance cost at Ontario University campuses is estimated to have already reached the $2 billion mark;

We the undersigned, support the Canadian Union of Public Employees call on the Provincial Government to invest sufficient public funds that will:

1. Restore public money cut from operating funds since 1995 and bring Ontario up to the national average for funding Post-secondary Education
   
2. Finance the 1.98 billion needed for deferred maintenance;
   
3. Provide the funding needed to continue the tuition freeze beyond 2006 and increase grants to working class families.