Childcare

FEDERAL BUDGET: CONSERVATIVES COMPLETELY OUT OF TOUCH WITH EVERYDAY REALITY OF CANADIANS AND COMMUNITIES
Federal budget puts Canada back on flawed track that led to recession: Savoie

OTTAWA – Victoria MP Denise Savoie today expressed astonishment that the federal Conservative government has tabled a budget that is completely out of touch with the everyday reality and priorities of Canadians and communities.

Honourable James Flaherty
Minister of Finance
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Re: Consultation on federal budget 2010 – Victoria, BC

Dear Minister,

I am writing to convey to you the results of extensive pre-budget consultations that I conducted in my riding during the month of November 2009.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NOVEMBER 24, 2009

OTTAWA – Twenty years ago, on November 24, the Leader of Canada’s New Democrats Ed Broadbent sounded the alarm bell on the tragedy of child poverty in Canada. Since then, every day in the House of Commons and out in the communities across Canada, New Democrats have been working tirelessly to push for an end to poverty.

It is now 2009, and there is still much to be done to eradicate the scourge of child poverty in Canada. This is a collective failure and shows a lack of political will on the part of successive governments.

Motion would require Triple Bottom Line assessment of federal property sales

OTTAWA – Victoria MP Denise Savoie today introduced a motion requiring that social, environmental and local-economic impacts are given full and equal consideration when the federal government sells or disposes of property.

“Under Liberal and Conservative governments there has been a fire sale of federal properties,” said Savoie. “Instead of selling out at the best immediate financial deal, I believe that respect for residents, communities and all Canadians dictates a more holistic, long-term view.”

Re: "National daycare a great stimulus option," Janet Bagnall, March 30 (Victoria Times Colonist).

Politicians considering stimulus spending should definitely read Janet Bagnall's comments on daycare. We are providing funds to the wrong people. General Motors destroyed public transport, built vehicles for the German army in the Second World War, refused to move gas tanks that exploded and killed people in order to make a little more profit and convinced gullible people to drive gas-guzzlers.

Savoie pledges to be watchdog for Conservative promises

VICTORIA - Denise Savoie, Member of Parliament for Victoria, is pledging to be a watchdog for her riding to ensure Conservative budget promises are actually allocated.

“This government has proven in the past that it has an obvious distaste for investment in affordable housing and in a forward-thinking, sustainable economy,” Savoie said today after the long-awaited release of the 2009 federal budget. “He has fought his whole career against progressive change. Why should we trust him now?”

She is extremely disappointed that the government appears to believe that climate change should be allowed to escalate during periods of economic hardship, that the poorest families should be allowed to flounder and that more and more laid-off workers should discover that they are not entitled to benefits under Canada’s deeply-flawed employment insurance program.

By Matthew Pearson
For The Tyee

The federal government will spend more money over the next few years helping Canadians renovate bathrooms than it will building new social housing units.

A new tax credit for home renovation unveiled in yesterday’s budget could cost the federal government $2.5 billion in the next fiscal year, while total spending over the next two years for social housing totals just over $2 billion.

The full unveiling of the budget followed a series of well-orchestrated leaks by the Conservative government. Since late last week, the government has spilled the beans on $13 billion worth of stimulus spending plans, including more than $2 billion in additional funding for social housing.

VICTORIA – Denise Savoie, seeking re-election October 14 as the Member of Parliament for Victoria, is pleased that New Democrat Leader Jack Layton has made Canadian children the centrepiece of the party’s election platform.

“Our future as a country depends on how we invest in our children,” said Savoie, after the release Sunday of the NDP’s platform that pledges to fund a new child benefit and a national child care program by reversing $50 billion in Conservative corporate tax cuts.

Savoie’s Early Learning and Child Care Bill C-303 had majority support in the House of Commons in the last session of Parliament but was blocked from becoming law by the Conservatives. Savoie says if re-elected she will reintroduce her bill and continue to press for affordable, quality, not-for-profit child care.

Talks begin on full-day kindergarten proposal

By Roszan Holmen - Saanich News

After committing to explore full-day kindergarten for three-to-five year olds in February, the B.C. government has launched a study into the feasibility of the idea.

The newly created Early Childhood Learning Agency will explore available research from other jurisdictions, analyze costs and include perspectives from various stake-holders.

For many people active in child-care advocacy locally, it’s an idea with promise but also many challenges.

“I love the idea that it would be free to parents and it would be universal child care,” said Meagan Brame who runs Saxe Point Daycare in Esquimalt.

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise to speak to Bill C-50. I want to touch on a number of issues, one relating to the widening income gap that we are seeing in Canada. On another issue, I want to touch on some solutions that my colleagues and I have proposed.

I also want to talk about what the government could have done with some of the money received from Canadians other than continuing to subsidize large oil and gas companies and other big corporations. I also want to speak about the changes to the immigration act, as they will really touch some of my constituents who come into my office to speak to me.