Childcare and women’s equality still key issues for women voters in federal election, says local advocacy group
October 10, 2008

VANCOUVER, B.C. – While Canadians head to the polls today, a local advocacy group says childcare and women’s equality are key issues for women voters.

“While the federal party leaders take photo ops with young children and say they are putting Canadian families first, many working-class women and their families continue to face a lack of affordable childcare and a lack of equality in Canadian society,” says Merryn Edwards of Grassroots Women – B.C.

She says despite the many promises the federal parties have made, the lack of a national universal childcare program leaves many working-class women, “disappointed and desperate” when it comes to childcare options.

“Over the years the cuts to government spending on things like childcare, healthcare, housing and education and the move towards more flexible labour has made our lives as working-class women increasingly difficult,” says Monica Urrutia, of Grassroots Women – B.C.

She said the group criticizes any more government cuts to social spending especially with an impending recession.

“A government that has already spent $10.5 billion or about $1500 per Canadian household in its combat mission in Afghanistan and only $1200 a year per family for childcare certainly reflects where its priorities stand,” said Urrutia.

“$1200 a year and measly tax credits do not create more childcare spaces or address the dire childcare crisis across the country,” says Edwards. “More than just promises, we need the political will from all parties to show their commitment to supporting universal childcare as a fundamental right of women,” she said.

“The record shows that adequately-funded childcare allows working-class women to enter into the labour force and contribute more effectively to the economy. Quality childcare with workers who are also adequately compensated benefits everyone,” said Edwards.

“We also condemn the Live-in Caregiver Program as the de-facto federal government’s childcare program,” she said. “This program allows middle and upper-class Canadian families to hire Filipino and other third world women as live-in caregivers for minimum wage while working-class families struggle to find childcare,” says Urrutia.

She said the group vows to mobilize its membership to cast a vote for genuine women’s equality in the upcoming election and beyond.

Grassroots Women – B.C. has been educating and organizing working-class and other marginalized women in B.C. around the impacts of globalization on their lives and the lives of women globally for over ten years.