For the third time in the last eight weeks, the president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union was the keynote speaker during a rally at Belleville’s Loyalist College.
J.P. Hornick was not alone either.
Hundreds of OPSEU members from the Quinte area’s post secondary institution, St Lawrence College in Kingston, and Algonquin College in Ottawa were also on hand.
There were even several members from the Saskatchewan Government Employees Union in attendance as well.
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(Photo: Tim Durkin/ Quinte News)
Hornick’s message dealt with the future of Loyalist College and privatization of education.
Hornick says there is a new vision for post-secondary college education.
“Our community college system, much like our union, connects us to one another. For generations colleges have been the infrastructure around which we build our communities. They were founded on the principal of public access to affordable, local education that is responsive to the needs of our communities. Now their founding vision is being replaced by a different, deeply concerning vision.”
“If it doesn’t generate profit, it’s not worth the investment. When we allow this kind of logic to go unchecked, it leads to moments exactly like this.”
The talk mentioned how the position of colleges in the community is even more critical in small, rural, or northern areas.
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(Photo: Tim Durkin/ Quinte News)
Hornick attacked Premier Doug Ford saying he is granting money through a “friends and family plan.”
“Over the last several years, the Ford government has increased spending on private training by 800 per cent, 800 per cent.”
Hornick was referring to the Skills Development Fund (SDF) and claims many lobbyists have ties to Premier Ford.
“Budgets and investments are political choices and we can and we are demanding different political decisions to be made.”
The president of Loyalist College was also criticized during the rally.
“Recent decisions by Loyalist College President and CEO Mark Kirkpatrick paint an alarming pathway to privatization. Once public assets like campuses in our community are sold off, we won’t get them back.”
Once again we requested an interview with college president Mark Kirkpatrick and were told he was unavailable.
Hornick’s full speech at the college can be heard below.
Vehicles are slowed on Wallbridge-Loyalist Road in front of Loyalist College. (Photo: Tim Durkin/ Quinte News)
