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The federal Conservative government has little appetite for imposing strict rules on how provinces and territories spend the $250-million it will transfer to them this fiscal year to create up to 25,000 promised child-care spaces, according to the minister responsible for the file.
Human Resources Minister Monte Solberg also says unlike the nascent child-care plan of the former Liberal government, the Conservative government will not establish national child-care standards.
"Every province is so different," Solberg said in an interview with CanWest New Service. "You know having the same standards for downtown Toronto or Nunavut just doesn't make any sense."
Solberg said he has put his provincial-and-territorial counterparts "on notice" the federal government expects them to use their share of the $250-million to build on their child-care systems.
But Solberg said he recognizes the need for flexibility, and some governments, rather than creating new spaces, might use the money to support existing spaces.
Solberg also said he expects the public in each province and territory to play the key role of holding their respective governments' feet to the fire on how the money is spent.
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- reprinted from the National Post