See text below.
EXCERPTS
I am writing with respect to the report on child care released recently by the YWCA. This study was conducted between the fall of 2004 and 2005, and was paid for by the Liberal government. It was conducted long before the Conservatives' plan for child care was even introduced. It's merely a reflection of the previous government's failure to address child care, not a critique of this government's approach.
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We are giving money directly to parents &em; $1,200 per year per child under the age of six, which is $1,200 more than the previous government was proposing. We will also work with communities, other governments and employers to create 125,000 more child care spaces to respond directly to Canadians' diverse needs. This will include spaces in cities, as well as rural and small communities.
This government's vision for child care has been well received by Canadian parents, as well as by some provincial premiers. The premiers of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Alberta have all stated their support for this government's child care policy. Child care groups and other associations with an interest in child care have also come out in support of the Conservatives' plan, including: Advocates for Child Care Choice, the Institute for Canadian Values, Kids First Parent Association of Canada, Prairie Advocates for Childcare Choices, and some YWCA employees.
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* Diane Finley is Minister of Human Resources and Social Development
- reprinted from the London Free Press