OTTAWA, Sept. 27 /CNW Telbec/ - Today's Conservative admission that their child care policy is unworkable isn't news to child care advocates - but it is an opening to press for change, says CUPE National President Paul Moist.

"There's an ever-growing need for high-quality child care, and Monte Solberg has finally acknowledged his party's so-called plan for spaces won't work," says Moist.

"I urge the opposition parties to press this minority government into a commitment to fix the problem by making early learning and child care one of the deal-breaking issues as they push for changes to next month's speech from the throne."

There isn't a policy vacuum on this issue, Moist points out. In fact, there is a wealth of evidence about the best way to build an excellent system of early learning and care. The foundation for that system is clearly laid out in Bill C-303, the NDP's Early Learning and Child Care Act. The bill, which has the support of all three opposition parties, will return to the House this fall for third and final reading.

"Restoring the more than $1 billion a year that Stephen Harper cut and making Bill C-303 the law would be the first steps towards shortening the waiting lists for spaces and giving parents and children the care they need," he adds.

"Working parents are losing patience," says Moist. "We will be discussing our union's plans to press for child care at our upcoming national convention," he concluded.

Delegates from across Canada will be at CUPE's national convention in Toronto October 15 to 19, 2007.