By Anthony Capuano
Special to The Ryersonian

Pamela Taylor, a businesswoman and solicitor who has practised law in Ontario since 1982, runs her own business providing law consultation to broadcast networks. She also used to teach business law at Ryerson.

Taylor says she’s fully aware of the issues affecting students, not the least of which is the rising tuition cost.

“We’re going to ensure that (universities) have the money they need from the province so they don’t have to turn around and sock it to the students,” Taylor said of her party’s plans if elected to office.

Taylor said the funds needed are already there, and that there’s no reason to hike taxes.

“There’s money available for this, but we never hear about it. Dalton McGuinty has done a good job of hoarding all the money in the coffers. There’s an attitude (toward students) of ‘that’s what you’ll have to pay, so sorry,’” she said.

“As a province, we have a responsibility to take charge of this.”
When asked if her party would maintain the tuition freeze or lower current fees, Taylor was cautiously optimistic.

“We’re not going to interfere with the status quo in terms of tuition. Whatever’s there will remain in place for now, but it won’t rise.”

Her party also wants to change the structure of OSAP to make it more available, she said. The rigid cutoffs that dictate the maximum income a student’s family can make in order to qualify for OSAP are “crazy,” Taylor said.

“What that’s telling you loud and clear is that you don’t have the right to a higher education if you can’t afford it.”