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Early childhood education and care in the 2008 federal election: Updates

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Author: 
Childcare Resource and Research Unit
Format: 
Fact sheet
Publication Date: 
9 Oct 2008
AVAILABILITY

See text below.


Canada is again heading to a federal election, scheduled for October 14th. Early childhood education and care has been an issue in the last two federal elections and it is expected to be again. The Childcare Resource and Research Unit will provide and regularly update information that will be useful to those who wish to follow ECEC in the campaign.

Below you will find useful statistics and reports, Party platforms and press releases, NGO positions statements, and news coverage of ECEC-related election developments.


USEFUL FACTS ABOUT ECEC

 Spaces:  837,923	        Regulated child care spaces for children 0-12 in Canada in (2007)  17.2%		Percentage of children 0-12 for whom there is a regulated space (2006)  19.3%		Percent of children 0-5 for whom there is a regulated space (2006)  Funding:  $950 million 	Federal transfer funds designated for ECEC (2006/07)  $600 million 	Federal transfer funds designated for ECEC (2007/08)  $2.6 billion	Total provincial/territorial spending to regulated child care (2005/06) 		(Note: Provincial/territorial spending includes federal transfers)  $3,259		Average provincial/territorial spending per child care space  $561		Average provincial/territorial spending per child 0-12  Demographics:  4,709,610 	Number of children 0-12 years (2005)  3,050,800 	Children 0-12 years with mothers in the paid labour force (2005)  1,236,400	Children 0-5 years with mothers in the paid labour force (2005)  69% 		Labour force participation rate of mothers with youngest child 0-3 (2005)  76% 		Labour force participation rate of mothers with youngest child 3-5 (2005) 
For more detailed or longitudinal information check reports below.


USEFUL DOCUMENTS

Child care space statistics 2007
Childcare Resource and Research Unit, March 2008

Trends and Analysis 2007: Early childhood education and care
Childcare Resource and Research Unit, December 2007

Early childhood education and care in Canada 2006
Martha Friendly, Jane Beach, Carolyn Ferns & Michelle Turiano
Childcare Resource and Research Unit, June 2007

Early learning and child care: How does Canada measure up?
Martha Friendly
Childcare Resource and Research Unit, October 2006


PARTY WEBSITES AND PLATFORMS

Bloc Quebecois:
Bloc website

Bloc platform (see chapter 5 for discussion of family policy)


Conservative Party:
Conservative website

Conservative platform (see pg. 9 for details on indexing of UCCB)

Conservatives enhance $1200 benefit
Press release, October 6, 2008

Extending maternity and parental benefits to self-employed Canadians
Press release, September 15, 2008


Green Party:
Green website

Vision Green: Child care
Excerpt from the Green Party's election platform


Liberal Party:
Liberal website

A fairer Canada (see pg. 4 for "Investing in our Children")
Section of the Liberal Party's election platform

Liberal leader's response to Code Blue's open letter
Letter, September 20, 2008

Liberals commit to universal early education and child care
Press release, September 17, 2008

Liberals announce building of national early learning and child care
Press release, September 17, 2008


New Democratic Party:
NDP website

Layton announces new national child care plan
Press release, September 17, 2008

Child care: NDP's 3-point plan


NGO POSTIONS AND REPORTS

Canadians prefer national child care system to monthly allowance 2 to 1 according to Nanos poll
Nanos Research for the Canadian Union of Public Employees, October 9, 2008

Attitudes towards child care
Environics for Code Blue for Child Care, October 8, 2008

Harper just doesn't get it: Canada still needs child care
Code Blue for Child Care, October 6, 2008

Canadian families do NOT have more child care choice
BC Child Care Advocacy Forum, October 1, 2008

A strong economy needs good child care: Canada can't work without it
Code Blue for Child Care, September 30, 2008

A call for federal action to reduce poverty across Canada
Campaign 2000, September 29, 2008

Advocacy Forum's election greeting: On October 14th vote for child care
BC Child Care Advocacy Forum, September 26, 2008

Harper and child care
Chapter from "The Harper Record"
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, September 23, 2008

Child Care Report Card, Election 2008
Code Blue for Child Care, September 21, 2008

Stephen Harper, here you go again (video and lyrics)
Code Blue for Child Care, September 22, 2008

Parties must put Canada in the running on child care
Code Blue for Child Care, September 21, 2008

After parental leave &em; Canada still needs child care
Code Blue for Child Care, September 16, 2008

Child care reality check 2008: Fact and fiction
Code Blue for Child Care, September 16, 2008

Canada STILL needs child care (Election 2008)
Code Blue for Child Care, September 15, 2008

Election greetings from the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC
Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC, September 15, 2008

Canada votes 2008! What is the child care strategy for Canada?
Manitoba Child Care Association, September 15, 2008

"Mr. Harper, you forgot the other ninety percent!" says Barbara Byers
Canadian Labour Congress, September 15, 2008

An open letter to the men and woman who lead federal political parties
Child Care Advocacy Association and Code Blue for Child Care, September 10, 2008

Early learning and child care key to Canada's economic future
Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care, September 10, 2008

Women and the 2008 federal election: Child care
Ad Hoc Coalition for Women's Equality, September 10, 2008


NEWS COVERAGE

National child care program must be established now
Edmonton Journal, October 9, 2008

Good riddance, national daycare
National Post, October 9, 2008

- Canadians want national child care(1)
Letter to the Editor, National Post, October 10, 2008

- Canadians want national child care(2)
Letter to the Editor, National Post, October 10, 2008

Child care - forgotten election issue
TVO's The Agenda with Steve Paikin, October 8, 2008

Parents concerned about child care
CTV Canada AM, October 8, 2008

Harper promises modest enhancement to child benefit
CanWest News Service, October 6, 2008

No licensed child care for majority of Canadian kids
Toronto Star, October 5, 2008

Investing in child care now will pay off later
Toronto Star, October 2, 2008

Neglecting child care now will cost us in the long run
Toronto Star, October 2, 2008

NDP would hike corporate taxes, put money in child care and cities
Vancouver Sun, October 2, 2008

'Get smart' on child poverty, leaders told
Toronto Star, September 30, 2008

The federal election, child care: Where they stand
Globe and Mail, September 29, 2008

YWCA gives country a failing grade on women's issues
Canadian Press, September 28, 2008

Parents demand more day care
Ottawa Sun, September 22, 2008

Leaders focus on the children
Globe and Mail, September 17, 2008

Layton, Dion propose rival plans for boosting child care spaces
CBC News September 17, 2008

Mat-leave policy doesn't add up to sound policy
Ottawa Citizen, September 17, 2008

Tories attack Liberals on child care funding
Fredericton Daily Gleaner, September 16, 2008

Spot check: A regular look at the latest ads from the parties -- $1,200
Canwest News Service, September 11, 2008

Child care crisis an election issue
Elizabeth Smyth, Victoria Times Colonist (letters), September 12, 2008

Moms expecting Tory child care announcement wind up as photo props
Sue Bailey, Canadian Press, September 10, 2008

Liberals to promise more daycare funding: Sources
Sue Bailey, Canadian Press, September 5, 2008




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