Dufferin-Caledon riding

RADHA TAILOR
LIFE REPORTER

The candidates in the riding of Dufferin-Caledon, home to Orangeville Campus, each contend their party has the right platform to help post-secondary students.

“We believe that improving the economy and creating jobs is going to make it easier for students,” said incumbent Conservative David Tilson.

“We are making it easier for students to pay off loans by creating jobs for them.”

Tilson, a lawyer and former member of the Ontario legislature, was elected to his third term as an MP in 2008, with 53 per cent of the vote in the large, mainly rural riding.

First-time Liberal candidate Bill Prout noted his party’s $1 billion promise for post-secondary students across Canada would put $1,000 a year – $1,500 for low-income students – directly into a registered education savings plan for four years.

Prout, whose company coverts solar energy into electricity, said tax credits offered by the Conservatives are not enough. “What is the point of a textbook credit if you can’t afford to go?”

He is hoping to improve the Liberals’ showing of 19 per cent in the last election.

Green party candidate Ard Van Leeuwen, who won 17 per cent of the vote in 2008, said the Liberals’ plan for students is not what it appears to be.

“It turns out the tax credit is not quite $1,000 because they’ll be cancelling other programs that total about $500 now,” said Van Leeuwen.

He pointed to his party’s pledge to help post-secondary students.

“We have in our budget another half-a-billion dollars for bursary programs and tuition programs administered at the municipal level.”

Dufferin-Caledon has a population of 111,486 and a median household income of $79,823, according to the 2006 census.

Candidates said the main issues in this election are agriculture, protecting green space and the economy.

NDP candidate Leslie Parsons did not return phone calls.

The NDP won just 10 per cent of the vote in the riding in 2008.