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Your story Tories Up The Ante On Child-Care Spending (April 30) either misunderstands or misrepresents Stephen Harper's family policies.
First, payments to parents so that they can "choose" either to be employed or to stay out of the work force is not the same as public money for early learning and child-care programs. All evidence shows that vouchers or tax cuts are too unfocused to develop the high-quality programs that benefit children and are a poor use of taxpayers' money.
Second, a payment to parents would have to be considerably larger than the $2,000 already promised by the Conservatives to allow mothers a "choice" to forgo employment income. Third, the idea of allowing parents more flexibility in work times is a good one but is probably in provincial jurisdiction.
One thing seems clear, though -- Mr. Harper's approach to early learning and child care doesn't seem to be based on the considerable evidence about family policy that works for families and children.
- reprinted from the Globe and Mail