NDP leadership hopeful Steve Ashton would re-freeze tuition for Manitoba post-secondary studentsNDP leadership hopeful Steve Ashton would re-freeze tuition for Manitoba post-secondary students (CBC News)

A would-be leader of Manitoba's NDP party said Tuesday he wants to freeze tuition for provincial post-secondary students.

MLA Steve Ashton said he's in favor of reinstating a freeze on tuition fees just a few months after his government chose to thaw the cap on university and college fees.

In April, Education Minister Diane McGifford announced the end of Manitoba's decade-long tuition freeze.

Tuition costs to undergraduate students rose 4.5 per cent this fall.

Ashton pledged Tuesday to increase funding to post-secondary education to keep costs from rising at least until the next provincial election in 2011.

But on the same day, Ashton leadership rival Andrew Swan said he favored modest, incremental increases in tuition. He said the increases would protect quality in education.

A party leadership convention has been set for Oct. 16-17, with the new leader to be named on the final day.

Gary Doer, the provincial NDP leader since 1988 and premier since 1999, surprised many political observers by announcing Aug. 27 that he was stepping down. The following day Prime Minister Stephen Harper introduced him in Ottawa as Canada's next ambassador to the United States.