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Several Island daycare centres have announced they will raise their rates by $100 a month in July to coincide with the $100 cheques being mailed out as part of the federal Conservative child-care plan.

Daycare operators were unapologetic about the increases.

"I'm putting the rates up because I believe in early learning and I believe in the qualified staff I have here and they are educators and they deserve more," said Lynn Hogan, the director and owner of Campus Kids at the University of Prince Edward Island.

"For so many years we have subsidized child care by settling for a lower wage so it really has to stop," she said.

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Originally posted by Cartman:
Good post RP. Not a real shock.

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[ 12 March 2006: Message edited by: Michelle ]

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I agree with this action too, and I wouldn't be apologetic about it either. This federal program is NOT a child care program, it's a reward to married women who stay home in "their place", and the faster people are disabused of this notion that Harper is funding a child care program and start fighting for a REAL child care program, the better

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Michelle, I don't agree with Harper's program but I don't agree that it's a reward for married women who stay at home. Some families will use that money towards paying grandparents to babysit or something like that. I don't think that's right but I don't think it's right to say it supports just one decision.

I also don't think there is anything wrong with one person staying at home.

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Originally posted by scooter:

So you support continued low daycare worker pay? Any idea when that daycare last raised their rates?

The daycare near us raised their rates last November after having no rate increases in 4.5 years. They were losing staff so they increased wages.

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Originally posted by Andy (Andrew):

Maybe it's different between provinces but in Alberta I know of people who are working in daycares that just have first aid - that's it. They have no post-secondary education or training. Don't tell me that's a start to early education, that's warehousing a kid. If people want to be paid well then they should have more skills than a first aid certificate you can get in a weekend.

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It is very different among provinces. Quebec's system is a model to follow (and not one to sabotage, as I fear is what's happening.) Daycare is a given for this generation of parents, and not just any old daycare. It is a high quality, community-based system that has been in operation for many years. Daycare workers are college-educated (three-year program in early childhood education) and although salaries are still low, they are still way above minimum wage.

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Originally posted by brebis noire:
It is very different among provinces. Quebec's system is a model to follow (and not one to sabotage, as I fear is what's happening.)...
I've said it before and I'll say it again: the Quebec model needs to be adopted by the other provinces.

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Originally posted by Michelle:
I agree with this action too, and I wouldn't be apologetic about it either. This federal program is NOT a child care program, it's a reward to married women who stay home in "their place", and the faster people are disabused of this notion that Harper is funding a child care program and start fighting for a REAL child care program, the better.

[ 12 March 2006: Message edited by: Michelle ]

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The Liberals were right on this one. That is, imagine if legislators creating health care opted instead to go for a $100.00/month tax break.

I don't agree with all you said though...

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That is the way I see it.
The whole reason for wanting a national day care program was to make it possible for women who need to work to be able to do so. This meagre tax cut does not enable such women. At the same time, people who can already afford to stay at home with their kids will continue to stay at home, but they will get money that they do not need.
The Liberals were right on this one. That is, imagine if legislators creating health care opted instead to go for a $100.00/month tax break.

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The daycare program was not just for women who had to work for financial reasons it was for everyone who wanted to work to have daycare spots. I don't disagree with that but I don't think that it was going to be means tested.

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Do you really think that women who do not work in the public sphere and drive Escalades to their 3 story executive homes really give a shit about this program? Do you think it will do much to enable the working poor? If it does not work, then it is a waste of tax dollars. More waste from the Conservatives.

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Originally posted by scooter:

Are you referring to the original intent of the program or the existing Quebec program?

The Quebec system supports for profit daycare. The original program failed to deliver the extra daycare spaces required so the government allowed the funds to go to for-profit daycares.

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The Conservatives got MANY votes based on this policy.

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The idea of a national day care program came from the left, not the right. My understanding is that feminists were the ones who instigated this discussion because many women were (and still are) living in poverty because they cannot afford to stay at home with their kids and work at the same time. Consequently, they become dependent upon men.

I have no problem paying money because folks are trying to get ahead in life, but I have a serious problem handing over my tax dollars to support wealthy women staying at home. Stay at home on your own dime thank you.

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Originally posted by Cartman:

I have no problem paying money because folks are trying to get ahead in life, but I have a serious problem handing over my tax dollars to support wealthy women staying at home. Stay at home on your own dime thank you.

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