In a highly controversial setting, Ontario's Progressive Conservative government delivered a pre-election budget on March 27.

Refusing to reconvene the legislature, Premier Ernie Eves arranged for the budget to be presented at a Brampton auto parts plant owned by a major Tory Party supporter, before an audience carefully selected by the government.

Breaking commonwealth parliamentary tradition and despite the Speaker of the Legislature calling the action unconstitutional, Finance Minister Janet Ecker delivered a budget that reinstated Mike Harris's promised tax cuts and earmarked more money for health and education.

The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations said the level of funding the budget is providing for post-secondary institutions is too little, too late.

"Regardless of whether this document is the Conservative Party's election platform, or the Ontario Government's budget, it doesn't adequately equip universities to provide a quality education for students that will be coming in-to the system this fall," said Henry Jacek, president of the confederation.

He did note two improvements: the Quality Assurance Fund will roll money into the base operating grant rather than into targeted funds, as in previous years, and a multi-year funding commitment will provide an opportunity for universities to go through a necessary renewal process.

Nevertheless, Jacek said, "the government, for its own reasons, decided to withhold the level of funding (for universities) that was required."

Joel Duff, Ontario chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students, criticized the government's failure to address the growing inaccessibility of Ontario's universities and colleges.

"This government has made college and university unaffordable for many families and yet their budget makes no commitment to restoring access by curbing fee hikes," he said.

While the government promised more money for elementary and secondary schools, parent groups said the budget failed to provide the level of funding needed, and that most of the funding had been previously announced.

Ecker said there would be a $1.9 billion increase in health care spending, and blasted the federal government for what she says is an inadequate commitment to health care.

But, Sid Ryan, president of CUPE Ontario, said the government's proposed spending for health care next year is less than the increase it is receiving from the federal government.