WHEREAS education that is available to all students from pre-kindergarten through higher education is foundational to our democracy;
AND WHEREAS all of our students, including those in Northern Ontario, deserve access to colleges and universities that are close by and affordable;
AND WHEREAS Laurentian University and its affiliated Universities are long-established providers of excellent higher education to Ontario students including to Municipality of East Ferris;
AND WHEREAS Laurentian University is experiencing the elimination of programs, staff, and service cuts as it is engaged in insolvency proceedings;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED that the Municipality of East Ferris urges both the Provincial and Federal Governments to ensure Laurentian University emerges from its insolvency proceedings as a strong and healthy provider of higher education for the students of the Municipality of East Ferris and for all Ontario;
AND FURTHER that the Municipality of East Ferris hopes the authorities will ensure the protection of the affiliated Universities and their programs and all other Laurentian programs aimed at meeting the needs of Ontario students including its Francophone and Indigenous populations as well as needs specific to the north such as that provided by the School of Midwifery / École de profession des sages-femmes; and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to MPP Vic Fedeli, MP Anthony Rota, the Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities, Ross Romano and Laurentian University.