The cutting of programs at Laurentian University is setting a dangerous precedent according to local labour groups.
Henri Giroux, President of the North Bay and District Labour Council, says the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) which Laurentian is currently utilizing, has never been used for a public institution.
“What they’ll do is kick open the door in Ontario for every public institution to be on the chopping block,” Giroux warns. “When this pandemic is gone, there’s going to be lots of cuts that’ll happen. And we know this government is hard on cutting healthcare and cutting education. It’s a concern that other institutions could hit the criteria that Laurentian did.”
As part of its restructuring, Laurentian has cut 69 programs and laid off over 80 faculty and staff.
Giroux and the Labour Council have penned a letter with over 250 signatories addressed to Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing and the Minister for Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, demanding he takes action to protect other northern Ontario universities from a similar fate.
“[Fedeli] is in power now so he’s got more power to do something, and he’s nowhere to be seen to talk about Laurentian University and the devastating loss of programs and jobs that never should have happened,” Giroux said.
The letter, dated April 19, outlines how as a member of the opposition, Fedeli was vocal about supporting Nipissing University. The university also has the Vittorio Fedeli Business Centre at its North Bay campus.
“Our MPP Fedeli professed that if he was in power, he’d do more work for Nipissing. Now that he’s in power there’s been total silence with that,” Giroux noted. “He does have a voice, but he decides not to speak.”
Rather than filing for protection under the CCAA and restructuring, Giroux says the Ontario government should have given Laurentian University the money needed to balance its finances.
The ramifications, Giroux fears, could lead to a “brain drain” from northern Ontario to the south if northern universities are underfunded.
“People who go to Laurentian, it’s a good chance they get jobs in the north. But if you have to pack your bags and go to Toronto…the chance of you returning to northern Ontario is very small,” said Giroux.
MPP Vic Fedeli says our Northern institutions serve an important role in ensuring we have a skilled workforce both now and in the future.
“It is deeply concerning that Laurentian University has found itself in a situation where such drastic and immediate action is needed to ensure its long-term sustainability,” said Fedeli.
The MPP adds the government provides more support to Laurentian University than it does other institutions, making up 40 percent of the school’s revenue in 2019-20.
“Our government will be exploring its options, which could include introducing legislation to ensure the province has greater oversight of university finances and to better protect the interest of students and Ontario taxpayers,” Fedeli said. “We want to ensure this issue does not repeat itself in other institutions in the post-secondary educational sector.
