Denise Savoie
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A LETTER TO CONSTITUENTS: On cuts to childcare in BC
Dear constituents,
February 6 marks one year since Stephen Harper announced the cancellation of federal-provincial agreements on child care in the name of “choice” for parents. Instead of committing to ongoing funding for a national child care system, Harper created the totally inadequate Universal Child Care Benefit, which gives parents (a taxable) $100 per month per child under six.
In January, the BC government said that due to this lack of federal financial support, it would be reducing childcare funding, effective July 2007 – despite a projected provincial surplus of $2 billion.
The BC cuts mean that as of July, parents will have to pay between $50 and $150 more per child each month for child care.
Victoria’s Child Care Resource and Referral Centre, which provides valuable assistance to both child care providers and parents, has had its funding cut severely as well, and faces an uncertain future. The services the Victoria CCRR provides include help with child care subsidy applications, hands-on assistance with finding child care spaces, and information about all sorts of parenting issues. Child care workers and operators rely on the Victoria CCRR for its extensive resource library and professional development workshops. All these services and more are at risk.
Some “choice” that taxable $100 from Harper is giving BC parents now.
Citizens who oppose these federal and provincial decisions need to speak out. Parents and providers will be the most directly affected, but everyone has something at stake in this issue. See information on how to contact provincial and federal representatives below.
Community groups are organizing several events in the coming weeks – see below for details. If you care about child care, please try to attend them.
I urge you as well to continue supporting my private members’ bill, the Early Learning and Child Care Act, by writing Human Resources Minister Monte Solberg and Prime Minister Stephen Harper. If passed, my bill would ensure the kind of reliable ongoing funding for child care that would prevent crises such as this in the future.
Important web sites:
Child care advocates of BC
www.cccabc.bc.ca/
First Call Coalition
www.firstcallbc.org
Early Childhood Educators of BC.
www.ecebc.ca/
B.C. Government Employees Child Care campaign
http://www.bcgeu.bc.ca/campaigns/child_care
This site has many resources – letters, kits, flyers and more.
See also this calendar of actions around BC
www.bcgeu.ca/files/Upcoming EventsJan31.pdf
Parents and others – please sign and send this letter. Child care centres - please distribute and collect letters for mailing.
www.bcgeu.ca/files/ParentLtr.pdf
Parents, please ask your employer to sign this letter.
www.bcgeu.ca/files/EmplyrLtr.pdf
Learn how child care cuts are hitting home in your community.
Regional summary of cuts: www.bcgeu.ca/files/short_cuts_31-01-07.pdf
Contact information for government representatives:
Federal
The Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada
[email protected].
Office of the Prime Minister, 80 Wellington Street, Ottawa ON, K1A 0A2
Fax: 613-941-6900
The Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development
[email protected]
Room 107, Confederation Building, House of Commons, Ottawa ON K1A 0A6
Phone: 613 992-4516
Fax: 613 992-6181
Provincial
Hon. Gordon Campbell, Premier of BC
[email protected]
Room 156, Parliament Buildings, Victoria BC V8V1X4
Phone: 250-387-1715/Office of the Premier
Fax: 250-387-0087
Hon. Tom Christensen, Minister of Children and Family Development
[email protected]
Room 347, Parliament Buildings Victoria BC V8V 1X4
Phone: 250-387-9699/Minister’s Office
Fax: 250- 387-9722
Hon. Linda Reid, Minister of State for Child Care
[email protected]
Room 29, Parliament Buildings Victoria BC V8V 1X4
Phone: 250-356-7662/Minister’s Office
Fax: 250-356-8337
Hon. Carole Taylor, Minister of Finance
[email protected]
Room 153, Parliament Buildings Victoria BC V8V 1X4
Phone: 250-387-3751/Minister’s Office
Fax: 250-387-5594