Last night I was at Ryerson University for an event with Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak. It was a great event put on by the Campus Conservative Association.

At the end of the evening I enjoyed a discussion with one of the students, who told me that his passion was finance and the economy. I shared with him that my passion was social policy. We agreed that sound fiscal management will allow us to invest in those sectors of our society that truly need help. I also shared that we cannot continue to throw money at our problems but that we need to invest in programs that are going to help Canadians, particularly youth, acquire the tools and the support they need to build a better and brighter future.

Henry Ford once said that "If I'd asked my customers what they wanted, they'd have said a faster horse." Government cannot respond to what everyone wants, but must respond to what they truly need. 

I was thrilled last Thursday to hear Minister Flaherty mention during the budget our investment in the Pathways to Education program. This program started in Regent Park and is expanding across the country. It provides tutoring, mentoring and post secondary opportunities to youth in at-risk communities. This is a social investment that can pay huge dividends moving forward.

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