Post-secondary education was high on the agenda at the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario’s leadership debate held at the college Feb. 10.
“And then there were three,” said Patrick Brown to the Student Commons Theatre audience.
The three candidates in contention, Monte McNaughton, Christine Elliott and Brown each offered their vision for post-secondary schools in Ontario in the event that the PC party is elected to power under their leadership.
“We’re graduating students into jobs that don’t exist, last year we graduated 9,000 teachers for 5,000 teaching positions,” said Brown. “Conversely I was in Sudbury at Cambrian College, 24 graduates of the power line program there, 300-plus job offers.”
Brown made the case for a German-style education system which he said is tailored toward employment in the nation’s rich manufacturing sector. The notion of local employment-geared education was shared by his opponents.
“Like all of the parents in the audience, I want my three sons to be able to stay in Ontario, not to have to go to other jurisdictions to get a job,” said Elliott.
McNaughton took the stance that the issue lies with businesses not wanting to set up shop in Ontario.
“We have to create an atmosphere for businesses to come, to expand,” he said. “We’ve become the highest-cost jurisdiction in all of North America to do business.”
McNaughton also took issue with the trend of university graduates having to enroll in college to be able to find employment. All three candidates agreed on the importance of a renewed focus on skilled trades.
The PC party is slated to select and announce its new leader in May.