Advocates urge premiers to fight for child care

The premiers must take on Stephen Harper'splan to limit the federal spending powers when they meet the prime minister onFriday, say child care advocates.

"We hear that this meeting is all about the economy. Child care is at theheart of that discussion - for children, parents and the country. It doesn'ttake a PhD to see that early learning and child care is central to ourcountry's ability to compete internationally in the 21st century," says MabOloman, acting coordinator for Code Blue.

Code Blue has written an open letter to the provincial and territorialpremiers urging them to press Stephen Harper to use the federal spending powerto expand early childhood education and child care services.

"Without federal funding and leadership, we'll remain at the bottom ofthe barrel of industrialized countries when it comes to child care services,"says Jody Dallaire, Chairperson of the Child Care Advocacy Association ofCanada (CCAAC). "Without vision, leadership and collaboration, even the basicearly childhood education and care services now available will erode," addsDallaire. The letter stresses that Harper's plan to limit spending powers will havelong-term implications for any new social program, including child care.

"The federal spending power gave us Medicare - an innovation born inSaskatchewan. We need the same groundbreaking push on child care. It's theonly way Canadian parents and children will benefit from the kind ofaffordable early learning and child care services available in Quebec," saysEmily King, CCAAC Project Director.

The letter is available at http://www.buildchildcare.ca/