His plan “acknowledges and supports the 2/3 of parents who do not use 9 to 5 institutional day care…”
EXCERPT only
Before I begin this morning, I’d like to thank Willingdon Family Drop Off here at the Willingdon Community Centre for being kind enough to allow us to use their facility this morning. …
… we will deliver a universal choice in child care plan to Canadian families ….
The previous government spent a lot of time talking about child care.
And since the election, they’ve been beating their chests on the issue.
But for all of their talk, they have precious little to show for it.
Their national child care program never materialized…
And after 13 years of rhetoric, no one can find those universally-free, readily-accessible, federally-created day care spaces.
So where did all the child care money go?
Well, for starters, politicians got their child care money.
So did armies of academics, researchers and special interest groups.
But what about parents?
No direct financial support. And no new spaces.
My friends, the old approach was a failure.
And that’s just not good enough for parents who have been waiting and waiting for child care….
The Government’s Plan for Childcare
Over the past 13 years, we’ve been treated to a lot of fancy words on childcare.
But the truth of the matter is that not a single Canadian family has received direct financial support…
For starters, this spring we‚re going to include in our first budget a family allowance for childcare worth $1200 a year per child under the age of six.
The question that the opposition must answer is simple.
Do they support the $1200 allowance for children, or do they support the status quo…?
The new approach to child care starts now.
We will ask Parliament to approve a universal choice in child care allowance.
An allowance that will deliver to parents a direct payment of $1200 per year, per child under six…
This approach requires no federal-provincial negotiations.
No funding for academics, researchers or special interest groups… It provides direct payment. ..
Our new approach enhances parental choice.
It acknowledges and supports the 2/3 of parents who do not use 9 to 5 institutional day care…