NDP statement on Laurentian Plan of Arrangement

SUDBURY — NDP MPPs Jamie West (Sudbury) and France Gélinas (Nickel Belt) issued the following statement on creditors' approval of Laurentian University's Plan of Arrangement:

"The approved Plan of Arrangement is a tremendous relief for the thousands of students, faculty and staff who have had their lives overturned by the events of the last year and a half. It's a relief for Sudbury and Northern Ontario — Laurentian’s precarity has caused the careers, educational prospects and economic opportunities of so many to hang in the balance.

This news is bittersweet: for the hundreds of faculty and staff eliminated with little notice or severance, the damage cannot be undone. Hundreds of students have seen major disruption to their academic and career plans.

The cuts have been particularly devastating to Francophone students and staff.

Things never should have gotten this bad. We are in this position after decades of underfunding by previous Conservative and Liberal governments. And Ontario still has the lowest levels of post-secondary funding and the highest tuition rates. The Ford government's sluggish intervention and failure to properly monitor Laurentian's financial situation have hurt many in our community.

In the months ahead, we will be watching closely to ensure the province supports Laurentian's sustainability and successful operating, and to demand transparency from Laurentian in its financial dealings.

The NDP will also continue to push for the University of Sudbury to be a fully Francophone University, and to work with communities to ensure it is by, for, and with Franco-Ontarians."