Letter to the Editor:
By: A.M. Chow
Richmond
February 2, 2007

Minister Linda Reid said she wanted to put out the facts on child care in her Jan. 13 letter; well here are a few facts she omitted:

- B.C. is projecting a surplus in the billions thanks to my tax dollars and yours. A very small fraction of this surplus would more than cover the cuts Minister Reid is making. Minister Reid would have you think this is an economic decision but the fact is it's a political one.

- Minister Reid now insists child care is most needed for vulnerable children. Most working families are just getting by and the loss of any one of the jobs in that family will make them instantly vulnerable but instead of making it easier to go to work Minister Reid has created a significant barrier for parents of young children.

- Infant/toddler care is the least available and least affordable care in Richmond and across B.C. and the minister cut the funding to that care. I guess infants and toddlers just aren't vulnerable enough.

The Minister of State for Childcare has just unnecessarily cut the funding for child care and the Child Care Resource and Referral Programs (the only child care infrastructure that existed).