Re: Civic strike could last months, city says, Aug. 21

I find our collective obsession and media coverage about the lack of garbage collection fascinating. No one appreciates the smell of weeks of piled-up garbage, but it is not even close to a crisis situation at this point.

Thousands of children not having adequate childcare is.

There was a glimmer of hope earlier this month when CUPE local 15 and the city brokered a deal to keep RayCam open, and provide care to many of the most at-risk children and youth. But what about the many thousands of other children affected?

Our daughter's preschool is closed, although we are lucky to have family who have helped out tremendously. Many people, especially those with limited incomes and less flexible workplaces, aren't so lucky. Who is looking after their children? How many are at home or on the streets without adequate supervision and care?

I can't understand why parking enforcement was included on the list of essential services, but childcare was not. It is time that the city and CUPE local 15 took this seriously, and either reached a speedy resolution, or rethought the meaning of "essential." Their websites say, "Children are our most important resource" and "The health and well-being of children is a priority in the City of Vancouver." However, their actions belie these statements.