Daycares ready to shut down for protest: Parents urged to make alternative arrangements for children Feb. 6
The Daily News -- Kamloops
27 Jan 2007
By: Cam Fortems

Child-care professionals in Kamloops warned Friday they will withdraw services Feb. 6 in an attempt to focus attention on government cuts and dwindling resources.

"Children need to be a priority with the community and our leaders," said advocate Val Janz. "You can't find child care in this town. With the cuts there will be even less available."

A number of child-care centres contacted Friday doubt they will have enough staff to open on Feb. 6 and are urging parents to make other arrangements.

Taking their cue from B.C. teachers, who shut schools to focus attention on class sizes, early childhood educators and child-care operators plan to spend the day at rallies and workshops.

"We had a universal child-care funding program," said Irene Wende, who operates a facility housed at Pacific Way elementary. "As soon as Stephen Harper came in they cut it."

The protests are intended to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the swearing in of the Conservative prime minister. The Tory government cut a program to finance operating and capital grants for child care, opting instead to give $100 a month in taxable income to parents with children under six years of age.

Wende said governments have done little to help children in care, despite feel-good statements by politicians and research confirming the importance of early childhood development.

The B.C. Liberal government has said it cannot afford to make up for Ottawa's cuts and has focused on assisting low-income parents.

"The province will blame the feds and the feds will blame the province," said Janz. "The community needs to stand up and the municipality needs to stand up."

Janz and others say they want parents to attend the same rallies Feb. 6.

There are an estimated 1,400 spaces for young children in family and group day-care centres in Kamloops.

Representatives of two of the largest day-care centres in Kamloops said Friday they're telling parents to make alternative plans.

"We're saying 'in all likelihood here's what to expect,'" said Fred Baxter, vice-chairman of Children's Circle Daycare downtown.

Employees will make a decision whether to work on that day. Based on those numbers, Baxter said the board will decide whether it will open.

Baxter, a parent of a child at the centre, said he understands parents will be inconvenienced and many will be forced to take the day off work. But he noted teachers were effective with the same kind of tactics to pressure governments for improved funding.

"Sometimes you don't get attention until a facility closes or there's loss of services."

Marian Hardy, executive director at Thompson Rivers University's daycare, said the cuts will cost her facility $40,000. Like Baxter, she's warning parents to make alternative arrangements for the day.

"For too long we've been on the caring side. This is hard, but it's time for us all to take a stand and let government know it's not acceptable. Parents should let government know it's not acceptable."

While many group daycares are slated to close for the day, it is uncertain what family operators will chose to do. The smaller facilities, which typically house five children, are not organized.

"I'm torn," said Shannon Wiffen, who operates a family daycare in Aberdeen. "I feel so bad for parents. What would they do? Without me, they'll be stuck."

Despite her reservations about withdrawing services, Wiffen said she agrees children and parents are being poorly served by government.

Carol Richards, another family operator in Aberdeen, said families who depend on care are facing a future with limited or no help from the child care resource and referral centre operated by the YM-YWCA. The centre is often the first call for working parents looking for family or group child care options.

Despite her unhappiness with cuts, however, she will remain open.

"I can see why they're withdrawing services. On the other hand, I feel it's more of a union tactic."

Richards, president of a local family child care group that's fallen into dormancy, said she can't predict how many family day-care facilities will remain open.