See text below.
EXCERPTS
I wish I had been in John Redekop's class; he's an easy marker. His report card on the Insight page on Feb. 6 on Prime Minister Stephen Harper's year in office awards an easy "A" in social policy because "the child-care payments are being made."
But this is a very low expectation for an annual expenditure of $2.5 billion.
One would think that this warrants a little more analysis to consider whether goals more complicated than getting a cheque into the mailbox are being achieved. The promise was that the payments would "help parents balance work and family responsibilities and the claim that "this government is delivering on choice in child care" is made.
But evidence fails to support these claims. While, of course, parents don't mind getting a cheque, the real question is whether the money actually achieves stated goals, such as helping balance work and family, and providing a meaningful choice. Even marking on a curve, the Conservatives deserve more of an "F" than an "A".
Martha Friendly
Childcare Resource and Research Unit
Toronto
- reprinted from The Record