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Excerpts from the submission:
Given the overwhelming evidence about the need for, and benefits of, child care, the good news is that Canada is finally beginning to move forward. The country's financial commitments to services and supports for families and young children have grown in recent years and some provinces and territories have begun to develop and implement comprehensive, community-based early learning and child care plans.
The goals for a pan-Canadian approach to child care are outlined in a strategy document prepared by the Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada (CCAAC). The CCAAC was founded in 1983 to promote quality, inclusive, publicly funded, non-profit child care accessible to all. The association's more than 140,000 members include parents, caregivers, researchers and students; and women's, anti-poverty, labour, social justice, disability and rural organizations.
From Patchwork to Framework: A Child Care Strategy for Canada (November 2004) was developed out of a year-long citizen engagement process, and the findings are based on research documenting the essentials of good quality services and the lessons learned by other countries with comprehensive early learning and child care systems. The proposals are directed to the government of Canada and are focused on action required outside of Quebec.
Our plan lays out a detailed 15-year schedule for new federal child care funding and legislation that would provide quality early learning and child care opportunities in communities. Services would be accessible to all children under six, on either a part-time or full-time basis. The strategy also includes policies to help parents balance work and family responsibilities.
In order to further advance the child care goals, the federal government needs to increase its public investment substantially beyond the current commitment of $5 billion over 5 years, and sustain this funding over the long term. Working with the provinces and territories, this public funding must be accompanied by public policy and accountability commitments to ensure that a range of high quality, inclusive, affordable, non-profit early learning and child care services are available in communities across Canada.