Andrea Horwath's Letter to Students #StudentsSayNo

Dear Friends,

As Leader of the NDP and your Official Opposition in Ontario, it is my honour to stand in solidarity with you, the tens of thousands of students who are walking out today to demand better from the government.

Over the last nine months, Doug Ford has taken aim at public education over and over again. He scrapped $100 million in critical school repairs when schools are literally crumbling across the province. He cut $25 million in education programming that was helping put young people and families on a good path. He made students unsafe by dragging the sex ed curriculum back to the previous century.

And now, Doug Ford is removing caps on class sizes, ripping $1 billion away from your education, and taking 10,000 teachers and educators away from you.

You deserve better. You deserve so much better than Doug Ford and a government that takes away from you, so they can afford to give more to their wealthy friends and insiders.

Here’s the thing: Doug Ford underestimated you.

Politicians often say that students are the future or the leaders of tomorrow. Not you. You’re the leaders of today. You’re the people that are fighting for what’s right, right now. You’re fighting for yourself, for your teachers, for your classmates, and for Ontario.

So, thank you for your phenomenal leadership, passion and determination. I want you to know that the NDP has your back, and won’t give up this fight. Ontario doesn’t belong to Doug Ford – it belongs to you. Your education doesn’t belong to Doug Ford — it belongs to you.

Together, let’s fight for our shared vision of Ontario — the best place in the world to live, learn and grow.

Let’s get it done,

Andrea Horwath

Leader, Ontario’s Official Opposition