Backgrounder: Conservative private school scheme - fairness for who?

    TORONTO, June 9 /CNW/ - Conservative Leader John Tory wants to take us
back to the bad old days of pumping public funds into private schools. But he
won't say how he's going to pay for it.
    The Conservatives have said they will invest $800 million in education.
    Their private school scheme alone would cost at least $500 million a
year - $9,400 (current public school per pupil funding) for each of the
53,000 students in religious private schools.
    That leaves $300 million for the two million kids in public education.
That's $150 per student.
    Fair? You decide.The Conservative plan:

    PRIVATE SCHOOLS                      PUBLIC SCHOOLS

    Total: $500 million                  Total: $300 million

    No. of Children: 53,000              No. of Children: 2,000,000

    $ per Child: $9,400                  $ per Child: $150

For further information: Christine McMillan, [phone]