CHILD CARE - WOMEN CAN’T WORK WITHOUT IT
International Women's Day, March 8th
(Toronto) -- On International Women’s Day, March 8th, we celebrate the lives and work of all the women who have come before us. As we honour our sisters, we also recommit ourselves to continue to struggle for women’s social and economic equality. This March 8th the issue of child care has never been more critical and urgent.
“Canadian women have been calling on governments for universal child care for the last 30 years,” said Irene Harris, OFL officer responsible for women’s issues. “Child care affects women’s lives daily. It allows women to work and it gives parents peace of mind.”
“By just a stroke of the legislative pen, newly-installed, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has cut parents adrift and turned his back on the one solid solution for working families and their children,” Harris said.
The immediate result of cancelling the agreements is the stalling of Best Start and the loss of 25,000 planned child care spaces across Ontario. Fifty-eight new child care centres in Toronto will not be built, nor the over 7300 regulated spaces created for rural municipalities. In addition, we stand to lose significant new investments in special needs resources across the province.
“Unions have bargained for and won paid leaves for the care of children and elders, child care subsidies and workplace child care centres,” said OFL secretary-treasurer Irene Harris. “But this is not enough. Just like health care and education, child care should be a public service.”
“Harper’s alternative to a national child care system is a cheque for $100 a month per child. Families welcome additional financial support but the reality is a hundred bucks doesn’t go very far. A hundred dollars might help cover the cost of diapers – but it will not cover costs or create child care.”
“By reneging on child care agreements, that were made in good faith, Prime Minister Harper has turned his back on working women. Child care is all about equality. It is about a woman’s right to work without worrying about the care of her children,” Harris said.
The Ontario Federation of Labour has joined child care activists and parents calling on Stephen Harper to honour the child care agreements that were signed in good faith, just last year.
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“Canadian women have been calling on governments for universal child care for the last 30 years,” said Irene Harris, OFL officer responsible for women’s issues. “Child care affects women’s lives daily. It allows women to work and it gives parents peace of mind.”
“By just a stroke of the legislative pen, newly-installed, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has cut parents adrift and turned his back on the one solid solution for working families and their children,” Harris said.
The immediate result of cancelling the agreements is the stalling of Best Start and the loss of 25,000 planned child care spaces across Ontario. Fifty-eight new child care centres in Toronto will not be built, nor the over 7300 regulated spaces created for rural municipalities. In addition, we stand to lose significant new investments in special needs resources across the province.
“Unions have bargained for and won paid leaves for the care of children and elders, child care subsidies and workplace child care centres,” said OFL secretary-treasurer Irene Harris. “But this is not enough. Just like health care and education, child care should be a public service.”
“Harper’s alternative to a national child care system is a cheque for $100 a month per child. Families welcome additional financial support but the reality is a hundred bucks doesn’t go very far. A hundred dollars might help cover the cost of diapers – but it will not cover costs or create child care.”
“By reneging on child care agreements, that were made in good faith, Prime Minister Harper has turned his back on working women. Child care is all about equality. It is about a woman’s right to work without worrying about the care of her children,” Harris said.
The Ontario Federation of Labour has joined child care activists and parents calling on Stephen Harper to honour the child care agreements that were signed in good faith, just last year.
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