MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Ontario Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty visited a high-school civics class Tuesday morning, telling students he'll make it illegal for them to drop out before age 18 if he wins the Oct. 2 election.

Currently, students in the province can drop out of school when they are 16.

"We're going to change the rules in Ontario," McGuinty said as he sat on a stool to chat with the students.

"What I'm not going to do is give up on young people."

Under the proposed plan, young people would not necessarily have to stay in school, but could instead take apprenticeships and other training programs.

Right now, roughly 25 per cent of students drop out of high school, said the Liberal leader.

Sprinkling his remarks heavily with anecdotes about his own family, McGuinty said he has one son who excels at "electric guitar and computer games."

"My responsibility as a parent and my responsibility as an aspiring premier is to find different pathways so that you can each achieve your potential whatever that might be," he said.

After McGuinty's remarks, he was questioned by students on everything from same-sex marriage to immigration.

Following the school visit, he was expected to hammer his education platform throughout the day, with campaign stops scheduled in Guelph, Kitchener and London.

As he took questions from reporters Tuesday, McGuinty refused to be derailed from that message, despite a published report that some Liberals feel the party should adopt a more aggressive approach during the remainder of the campaign.

That notion comes after days of personal attacks launched at McGuinty by Premier Ernie Eves.

"For me, it's always steady as she goes," was all McGuinty would say Tuesday, adding he only wanted to talk about the ideas of his platform.

While the Liberal leader has insisted he wants to remain above the fray, others in the party have moved to defuse the Tory assaults.

Earlier this week, the Grits called a news conference to say that a Liberal government would not raise taxes, as the Conservatives have repeatedly suggested.

Asked Tuesday if there was any situation he could envision in which a Liberal government would cut taxes, McGuinty said simply: "No."

He also refused to say which of his promises would go on the back burner if the economy doesn't grow as the Liberals have projected.

The party has promised to bring in balanced budgets if elected.