On The Hill

There is no greater investment a government can make than in our children. A good start in their earliest years can level the playing field, inspire confidence, foster life skills, encourage ambition, and make greater goals possible. Following my election, in summer 2004 our government made a commitment to work with the provinces and territories to build a system of high-quality, universally-inclusive, accessible and developmental Early Learning and Child Care. Our budget in 2005 delivered on this commitment. 

I was proud to see the announcement on May 6, 2005 by Prime Minister Paul Martin, Social Development Minister Ken Dryden, and Ontario Minister of Children and Youth Services Dr. Marie Bountrogianni. They announced a federal-provincial Agreement in Principle that would support the development of quality early learning and child care (ELCC) for young children and their families in Ontario. 

The agreement set out a long-term vision and outlines the principles and goals that would guide improvements to regulated early learning and child care for children under six. I trust that most parents would be satisfied to learn that the eventual Agreement was based on the same QUAD principles of quality, universal inclusiveness, accessibility, and development contained in all ten of the federal-provincial agreements that we signed. 

We delivered the funding, and Ontario got to work. Under the Best Start program, about 25,000 new licensed child care spaces were set to be created across the province by April 2008, including thousands that have already been opened. 

Accountability was important to us. In year four of the current agreements, our government was prepared to undertake a major progress review. We would have looked at what we have learned so far and take stock of best practices. We would have worked with our partners to consider the issues that parents, early childhood educators and other have identified along the way. We would have reported to Canadians on our progress and then ensure that our financial commitment going forward is in keeping with our experience. 

During the 2006 campaign we made further commitments to ELCC, extending our plan in length and scope. With other important elements like the Canada Child Tax Benefit, the Head Start program, and the 2003 Multilateral Framework on Early Childhood Development, we committed to $5 billion over five years to help build an Early Learning and Child Care Initiative. 

Unfortunately, now all of this progress is at risk. The new Finance Minister, Jim Flaherty, has said that the Conservative government will not honour the Liberal child care agreements beyond March 31, 2007. The provinces will lose more than $4.3 billion in committed federal funding for ELCC. 

I intend to vigorously oppose the Conservatives. At the very best, they are wasting an opportunity to make a lasting contribution to our children and to Canada’s future. It is quite possibly worse, as they may end up wasting precious resources by, for example, funding infrastructure without ensuring that operating costs can be met. 

If you share my concern, please let your views be known to the new Human Resources Minister, Diane Finley. She should have our children’s best interests at heart. 

The Hon. Diane Finley, P.C., M.P.

Minister of Human Resources and Social Development

Human Resources and Social Development

Place du Portage, Phase IV, 14th Floor 140 Promenade du Portage

Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0J9

Finley.D@parl.gc.ca