Federal parties promising to pony up for families
By Pieta Woolley
Georgia Straight
October 2, 2008

For families, a new federal government could herald an even bigger cheque coming through the mail slot each month. In 2006, the Conservatives campaigned on the promise of $100 a month directly to families for each child under six—a promise that was met. Now the Liberal and NDP parties are also offering cash payments directly to parents.

The NDP is offering the biggest windfall for the middle class: for each child up to 18 years, a family earning less than $188,000 a year will get between $250 and $400 monthly. (Families earning more than that will still get the $100 a month.)

If the Liberals win, your family gets the $100 per month per child under six, plus a $350-a-year payment per child. If you’re a low-income earner, you can get up to $1,225 per year per child up to 18 years. The Conservatives are sticking with the $1,200 a year for each child under 6.

These dollars don’t include the host of tax credits promised by all parties, or money promised directly to child-care programs. This is direct-to-family cash only.

As a campaign tool, free money is effective at driving voters to a particular party, according to David Laycock, a Simon Fraser political-science professor who studies democracy. It was pioneered by the right-wing Australian government of John Howard, he said, and helped win that party three straight elections. However, he said, the pretty pennies have a dark side.

“Down the road, it’s a bad model for political parties to drift towards,” Laycock told the Georgia Straight in a phone interview. “Because not only is it not conducive to coherent policymaking, but it becomes a competition in how to manipulate the electorate, and the electorate becomes quite cynical. Even more cynical than they already are.”

The rise in direct-to-citizens cash as a campaign tool coincides with a greater individualism in Canadian society, Laycock said. Two decades ago, he said, all the parties talked in broader terms about tax policies and programs. These cash payments are not programs, he said, and they benefit no one but the individuals who get them.

…. The Green party is not offering any cash to parents, according to Vancouver Centre candidate Adrienne Carr. Instead, she told the Straight, the party would build a truly affordable national child-care system, paid for through a carbon tax.