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EXCERPTS
Re: NDP's Carole James backs away from child care numbers, Vaughn Palmer, May 12
The Coalition of Child Care Advocates of B.C. believes that investing a significant portion of government's revenue on publicly funded child care should be a top priority, no matter who is in power.
We do not view spending on child care as a "burden." In fact, the research about quality child care is positive in terms of future benefits for all. A Canadian cost-benefit analysis concludes there is a $2 return for every public $1 invested in licensed child care (Cleveland and Krashinsky, 1998).
Vaughn Palmer's numbers tell part of B.C.'s story. B.C. has more than 600,000 children under 12. Our labour force includes about 400,000 mothers. B.C. has some 70,000 licensed, provincially regulated spaces that meet health, safety and staff training standards.
Given the number of spaces in comparison to need, only 12 per cent of B.C.'s children access licensed child care.
Since August 2001, the provincial government has taken a course of "anything but child care." It is using increased federal funding to replace huge cuts in provincial child care spending. Fewer families can afford quality child care programs; child care services are destabilized; quality programs have closed; and staff are taking wage rollbacks.
Sharon Gregson
Board of Directors
Coalition of Child Care Advocates of B.C.
- reprinted from Vancouver Sun