When you have a problem and have to deal with that problem every day, it is terribly frustrating when someone comes along and says, 'everything is fine.'

Linda Reid, B.C. Minister of State for Childcare, visited Abbotsford Friday and met with local parents, including Brenda Methorst, who hasn't been able to find a child care spot for her child and was questioning her decision to go back to school.

A minister's first priority when visiting a community should be to take residents' concerns seriously.

Methorst said Reid shrugged off the problem, but the numbers can't be ignored.

Abbotsford has 1,175 licensed child care spots for 7,000 children - those numbers point to a huge problem.

There are front-line workers saying there are simply not enough Early Childhood Education workers in Abbotsford.

The stories coming from parents in our community are most troubling.

These people aren't facts or figures - they are trying to raise their children and better their lives.

The lack of child care affects them the most and no amount of sugar coating can remedy that.

Parents aren't making these problems up. They need more support from all levels of government.

This situation needs to be taken seriously, not just simply shrugged off and swept under the carpet.

We need more from our elected officials on this - we demand more.

And so should you.