Quebec's daycare not a model.

Ottawa Two recent studies into Quebec's $1 billion-a-year daycare program--acclaimed by spindoctors as a model for the rest of Canada--are providing ammunition for those battling the imposition of universal public daycare in this country.

The first study, by the Institute for Research on Public Policy, revealed that the majority (61 per cent) of Quebec's childcare services were of minimal quality, while a further one in eight spaces were inadequate from a health and safety standpoint. Only 25 per cent of daycare spaces were rated as excellent in all areas.

The second study; by the C.D. Howe Institute, showed that Quebec's daycare program tends to heavily subsidize those who least need it--middle- and high-income families. In addition, "We uncover striking evidence that children are worse off in a variety of behavioural and health dimensions, ranging from aggression to motor-social skills to illness," said C.D. Howe, adding that the program also leads to more hostile and less-consistent parenting, worse parental health, and lower-quality parental relationships.

The Kids First Parents' Association of Canada in Calgary said the studies support the view that it is important to terminate last year's federal-provincial agreement for $5 billion in funding over five years for institutional daycare. Such a scheme would discriminate against the vast majority of families in Canada, said association national president Helen Ward. She traced the daycare agenda as emanating from the corporate right, including from such institutions as the World Bank and the Rand Corporation. "There's an economic agenda to expand the low-paid wage pool," she said.

In a statement on the Conservative party's website, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Diane Finley said the federal government is committed to its plan to offer Canadian families a choices in childcare delivery. "The Conservatives were elected on a plan to introduce a universal child care allowance that would benefit all parents, regardless of their income, career choices and personal preference in childcare delivery," she said. Finley added that, despite media coverage, the federal government's vision for childcare has been "well received by Canadian parents," as well as by some provincial premiers. The premiers of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Alberta have all stated their sup port for the new government's childcare policy.

Childcare groups and other associations with an interest in child care have also come out in support of the Conservatives' plan, including Advocates for Child Care Choice, The Institute for Canadian Values, Kids First Parent Association of Canada, Prairie Advocates for Childcare Choices, and some YWCA employees (Catholic Register, Mar. 5, 2006; www.conservative.ca).

Comment

The Catholic community and the pro-life movement much favour the Conservative plan over that of the Liberal-NDP parties. They see the latter as an attempt by the ideological left, especially the feminist-controlled teachers' unions, to take other people's children and subject them to their anti-religious, secular philosophy and theories.