A National Child Care Program

Canadians were very enthusiastic about the 2004 federal election commitment to create a national early learning and child care program based on the QUAD principles (Quality, Universally inclusive, Accessible and Developmental), and we have continued to be optimistic that we are at the beginning of the universal, high quality, inclusive system of child care for which we have advocated for almost three decades.

At the same time, we have consistently urged governments to “get it right from the start”. This means using the now considerable Canadian and international knowledge that speaks to recognized best practices in policy and services that live up to the QUAD principles. One of these involves a commitment to a transition plan that moves to public and/or notfor-profit delivery of child care services.

There is overwhelming evidence to show that public and not-for-profit delivery is much more likely to deliver high quality programs that support the “early learning” to which a commitment has been made; to provide equity by ensuring that children with special needs are included; that services are accountable and stable; that the risk of trade challenges is mitigated; and that limited public resources are used to maximize quality and developmental programming, not to provide private profits.

So far, the Federal government has signed bilateral agreements with several provinces and, with a couple of exceptions like Québec and Manitoba, the signed agreements do not make it clear that public funds will go only into public, not-for-profit child care and not into private, for-profit hands.

Without a commitment to a policy framework that views early learning and child care as public services, the unintended consequences could be that parents will continue to have little or no choice when it comes to obtaining high-quality, affordable programs for their infant and pre-school children.

We need the Federal government to:

• enact legislation with supporting agreements outlining service entitlement, standards, quality enhancements, and accountability and leadership responsibilities;
• establish a schedule for federal funding to reach 1% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2020 outlining goals and timelines for funding and service provision in 5-year increments over a 15-year period; and
• support parents to balance work and family responsibilities by enhancing maternity/parental benefits and family responsibility leaves.

Party Positions

Bloc Québécois: Wants to ensure that Ottawa unconditionally transfers funds to Québec in order to maintain a stable, accessible child care program for Quebecers.

Conservative Party: No legislation or support for a national child care program and would cancel existing or pending federal childcare agreements. Will give $100 per month to parents who have children below the age of six.

Liberal Party: No legislation. Will keep negotiating agreements that state they are based on the QUAD principles but that give provinces the full power to decide where child care funds will go and how child care will be delivered.

New Democratic Party: Would enact legislation that would provide annual program funding and ensure meaningful accountability standards, guarantees and conditions based on quality and accessibility principles and that public money will only go towards “not for profit” delivery.

Ask the candidates

Does your party support legislation that would ensure a public, quality, universally inclusive, accessible and developmental child care program that is based on not-for-profit principles?

Download this issue sheet as a below.

childcare-e.pdf