EXCERPTS
As a grandmother of children in Quebec and Ontario, I agree that the time is definitely right to put in place a system of high-quality child care in large and small communities across the country.
And, yes, public funding must go to programs that serve children and their parents, enabling many families to sustain themselves and others to avoid the trap of poverty.
I watched my grandchildren and their parents in Quebec benefit from affordable, convenient child care. It meant that they, as self-employed workers, had predictable, safe and educational care while they pursued careers.
My grandchild in Ontario, in contrast, faced the barriers of long waiting lists and exorbitant fees.
The pandemic has highlighted what most parents have known for a long time: child care is an essential service that must be part of the social infrastructure of our communities like schools and libraries.
Justin Trudeau and Chrystia Freeland’s plan to “build back better” must include significant action on child care; Canada can’t work without it.
- Laurel Rothman, Toronto