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EXCERPTS
Child care policies stirred more debate among youth party representatives than issues of post-secondary education, student debt and youth voter apathy during a cable TV debate this week.
Tuesday's EastLink Television program Point of View focused mostly on issues of today's youth.
Amanda Hamel, 25, the president of the P.E.I. Young Liberals, Charles Blue, 21, the president of the Conservative Youth, and Ryan Pollard, 28, the leader for NDP youth in Charlottetown, took part in the discussion, which was moderated by Wayne Thibodeau of The Guardian.
The issue of where child care funds belong was among a few of the topics talked about by the young panel, but was the subject that brought the Conservative child care plan under attack.
The Conservative plan is to give $100 a month, $1,200 per year, to parents with a child under six years of age.
"With much respect, Charles, $1,200, you say it's for choice but there's no choice that I can make with that," said Pollard, father of three.
"A person that wants to send their child to day care, that doesn't pay for a week's day care."
Hamel agreed, saying the Conservative plan simply didn't give parents enough money.
"That $1,200 a year is taxable," Hamel said. "So at the end of the day, it's not a true $1,200, and it's all based on income."
"That doesn't even pay a babysitter," she said.
"It doesn't guarantee that every child will get an equal opportunity."
But Blue stood up for the Conservative plan to give funding straight to parents by citing some personal examples.
"I believe the Conservative way is better because I have friends that have kids and they choose to raise them at home," said Blue.
- reprinted from the Charlottetown Guardian