Excerpts from the submission:
We are pleased to submit recommendations to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance for consideration during the 2007 pre-budget consultations. We hope the next federal budget signals a new direction for Canada &em; one that prioritizes federal public investment in policies that equitably support families to both care for their children personally and earn adequate incomes.
Specifically, we offer the following federal funding recommendations to the Committee:
1. Expand parental leave to include a benefit period exclusively for fathers and to make leave affordable to modest-income families - current eligibility restrictions and relatively low rates of remuneration leave too many parents, both men and women, without sufficient access or incentive to utilize this vital parenting support.
2. Fund child care services &em; current federal funding levels do not adequately support provinces and territories in the development of high quality, affordable and accessible child care services. These services are essential to Canada's healthy social development and sustained economic prosperity.