ECEC in the 2004 federal election

A federal election will be held on June 28, 2004. For many Canadian families, it is hoped that early childhood education and care will be a vital issue for the political parties in this election.

This Issue File provides information about how ECEC is positioned in the political parties' platforms and what key social policy groups are calling for in the election. In addition, news clippings and other resources about ECEC in the federal campaign have been included. Materials will be listed from the most recent to the oldest and new items will be added as they become available.

How ECEC is positioned in the political parties' platforms

Election platform:
Jack Layton, NDP -- New energy. A positive choice
SOURCE New Democratic Party of Canada, May 2004.
Platform in pdf. Excerpt:

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE THROUGH EDUCATION
Jack Layton and Canada's NDP will support a comprehensive vision for education by:
- Providing stable, long-term federal funds to create an additional 200,000 high quality, affordable, publicly funded child care spaces within four years;
- Working with provinces and territories to ensure universal, high quality early childhood education and care in every region of Canada within a decade.

[as well as]

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE THROUGH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Jack Layton and Canada's NDP will invest in the future by:
- Working with provinces and territories and providing stable, long-term federal funds to create an additional 200,000 high quality, publicly funded, affordable child care spaces within four years.

Costing, NDP child care platform - over 4 years
SOURCE New Democratic Party of Canada, May 2004
Platform in pdf.
Excerpts:

Table 1.1 includes child care:
2005/06--- $1,000 (in billions)
2006/07--- $1,250
2007/08 --- $1,400
2008/09--- $1,600
Total = $5250

Other quotes

The party platforms: The issues
SOURCE National Post, May 25, 2004.
Excerpt:

“[The NDP] will make high-quality child care and preschool education a priority. Promise to introduce a national child care and education plan including pre- and post-natal care, early learning and support for parents both at home and on the job.”

Layton would axe corporate tax cut
by Bruce Campion-Smith
SOURCE Toronto Star, May 25, 2004. Excerpt:

As well, the NDP would expand child-care programs. Measures like these are especially important for women, Layton said, who "take on the lion's share of child-rearing and head most of Canada's single-parent families."

Canadians don't expect miracles, Layton says
SOURCE National Post, May 25, 2004.
Excerpt:

“Mr. Layton pledged to create jobs, invest in municipalities, improve public health care, expand access to higher education, remove the GST from family expenditures and expand child care, all while keeping the budget in the black… The party is also vowing to create 200,000 child-care spaces and would encourage job-sharing programs.

LIBERAL PARTY

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This list in not intended to be an exhaustive examination of this topic; for a more comprehensive list, search the Childcare Resource and Research Unit resource library catalogue Childcare Information Resource Collection (CIRC).