Tory childcare policy doesn’t play nice

Fifty-four cents per day not enough for ‘twelve-year-old baby sitter’ – CUPE

CALGARY – A report by the Caledon Institute, a think tank specializing in childcare issues, says that because of the way the federal government is implementing its $1,200 childcare benefit, rich families will earn far more than poor.

“The government is introducing the program at the same time it is scrapping the young-child supplement of the child tax benefit,” said CUPE Alberta President D’Arcy Lanovaz, commenting on the report.  “A family earning $30,000 or less will take home about $199, while a single parent earning over $200,000 will receive over $1,000.”

“This policy doesn’t play nice,” said Lanovaz.  “It pads the pockets of the rich without helping families who need a national childcare program.”

“The benefit to poor families is fifty-four cents per day, not enough for a twelve-year-old baby sitter, let alone proper child care.”

Lanovaz said the study shows the complete failure of the Conservative childcare strategy.  The CUPE President said his union favours a national childcare plan that creates regulated, not-for-profit daycare spaces.

“The Harper government is not creating a single childcare space anywhere in the country,” said Lanovaz.  “They are spending money to help parents who probably don’t need it at the expense of families who do.”

Contact

D’Arcy Lanovaz

President, CUPE Alberta

403.861.5235

Lou Arab

Communications Representative

780.554.2722

For more information about CUPE Alberta, visit www.alberta.cupe.ca

LA/lmac

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