FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 07, 2004

Laurie Scott supports funding needs of colleges

(Queens Park) - Laurie Scott, the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party’s critic for Training, Colleges and Universities lends her Party’s support to the Association of Colleges of Applied Arts & Technology of Ontario’s advertisement that has been placed in three Ontario daily newspapers today.

The advertisement, calling on the government to provide adequate funding to Ontario’s colleges of applied arts and technologies, has the support of more than 100 large, medium and small corporate partners across Ontario.

In January, the colleges requested a $362 million infusion of government funds over four years and released a report that shows that taxpayers get an excellent return on their investment. They estimate that this year alone they will have at least an $80 million shortfall.

“I hope that this Premier lives up to his commitment to be the “education Premier” and properly funds this vital component of the system.” Laurie said. “This government must bring in a budget in the next month in which they will have the opportunity to match money to their rhetoric. Then the Ontario people can be the judge.”

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