NDP want B.C. to follow Quebec
Cariboo Press - Prince George Free Press
May 9, 2008
By: Arthur Williams

B.C. needs a public child care system similar to Quebec, according to NDP leader Carole James and child care critic Claire Trevena.

James and Trevena are touring the province to gather feedback on the issue of child care in order to develop a public child care policy for the 2009 campaign. They hosted a forum in Prince George on Wednesday.

"We don't need any more studies to tell us how critical it is to give children a good start in life," James said. "The premier's own progress board is saying this province is failing in social indicators."

B.C. had the highest rate of child poverty in Canada in 2007, she said. It's the fifth year in a row B.C. has placed first.

"Investing in child care is good economics," she said. "It's a huge indicator for how families can afford to raise their children."

Helping women - primarily - get back into the workforce instead of staying home to raise children will help meet province-wide shortages in skilled labour.

Trevena said every dollar invested in child care pays $7 in dividends for the community.

"Child care is … an issue for everyone in our community," she said. "I've heard from parents who can't afford child care, but have to go back to work because of the high cost of living in the province, " she said. "(But) there is hope. There will be a child care plan come next year."

Addressing low wages in the industry to increase staff retention will be part of the plan, she added.

Early childhood educator Candis Johnson said she's seen child care supports for low-income families decline.

"We've had more and more children that have lost their subsidies," Johnson said.

Building child care spaces won't mean anything if there aren't skilled workers to staff them, she added.

"I took my infant care (training) in a beautiful facility. Now they're teaching a bartending course there," she said.

A friend and fellow early childhood educator can't return to work because she can't find care for her own children, Johnson added.

Early childhood education student Stephanie Zatzke said she's not sure how she can make it in her chosen profession.

"I'm about to graduate and make $12 an hour. I've got student loans... I'm going to be living below the poverty line," Zatzke said. "How do you attract people to a field that doesn't offer anything?"

Zatzke said investing in child care has seemed obvious to her since she was 13 years old, but the Liberal government doesn't seem to understand.

"There is no reason why the government in power now can't get the ball rolling," she said. "Investing in our children and investing in our society is so beneficial."

Parent Marc Lawrence said he's concerned about wages in the child care industry.

"I am a father of two, and I want my child care provider to make a livable wage. I want them coming awake and attentive, not tired from working two jobs," he said.

Having child care options which fit his shift-work schedule would also be very beneficial, he said.

Teacher Jan Manning said she's seeing an increasing number of students who are latch-key kids because parents can't find or can't afford before and after care.

"They're basically being babysat by a cell phone."