Child care needed now
December 19, 2007
Vancouver Island News Group - Monday Magazine
Letters By Denise Savoie, MP Victoria

Re: "Childcare help," Nov.29-Dec. 5

I commend you on your article calling attention to the threat of "big-box" for-profit child care in B.C.. I introduced the Early Learning and Child Care Act (Bill C-303) in the House of Commons precisely because I believe Canadian parents deserve affordable access to quality child care options that put the interests of their children ahead of private profit.

I do wish to clarify the point in your article related to my bill. As mentioned previously in Monday, Bill C-303 contains a provision to grandfather existing, licensed for-profit centres, so as to not reduce the current choices available to parents. In addition, licensed "home-based" providers are included. However, as your article notes, the bill is otherwise limited to not-for- profit child care providers, to ensure that our kids--not profit--are the priority.

For over a decade Ottawa has promised an answer to the lack of affordable spaces, and now big-box daycare is at Canada's doorstep. The case for a national, public system of early learning and child care has never been stronger.