Liberal platform: What the stakeholders think
Vancouver Sun - Canwest News Service
September 22, 2008

OTTAWA - The Liberal party unveiled its election platform Monday for a "richer, fairer, greener Canada" that proposes new spending on childcare, health care and other social programs while introducing new environmental targets to fight climate change, a carbon tax, and a $3-billion contingency fund in the budget.

The Liberals have reduced amounts promised for First Nations and child-care issues, among other measures, when compared to what they promised in the 2006 election campaign, and they also are promising to substantially reduce the unexpected tax on income trusts that was introduced by the Harper government.

Here is some reaction from analysts and stakeholders:
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Jody Dallaire, chairwoman of the Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada:

"We found that the Liberals' and the NDP policy is in touch with the economic needs of family and the Conservative platform, or lack thereof, in terms of child-care services, is out of touch with the needs of Canadian families. What we've been hearing from parents is that child-care in Canada is not done. Canadian families still need child-care to be able to work and study and contribute to their communities."