Peter McNab, Times Colonist (Victoria)

Re: “Tories are ignoring children and families,” March 29.

Marc Lalonde and Sharon Gregson’s article presents a cogent argument for the establishment of a national, affordable, regulated child-care program. It should be read by every politician in Canada.

Failure by the Conservative government to properly fund child care is another black mark on Canada’s fast-dwindling reputation on the international stage. I suspect that the Stephen Harper government perceives child care to be too socialist a program.

If Harper were not so mean-spirited, perhaps he could understand the enormous economic, societal and family benefits child care would create. One such benefit would be that within a generation, the prison population would drop substantially.

Frankly, I would vote for any leader of any party that put responsible child care as a priority in its platform.