Evidence of meeting #58 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was quebec.
A video is available from Parliament.
9:35 a.m.
Liberal
Karina Gould Liberal Burlington, ON
Accountability is alway important, which is why we have so many measures in place through the framework and through the legislation.
It's not something that I, personally, have heard asked for by the sector. If you have any written submissions, I'd be willing to look at them.
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister.
There is no doubt at all that the welfare of the child should be at the epicentre of this conversation. The best investment we can ever make is in our children. When we have mentally healthy children—psychologically and physically safe children, who feel psychologically and physically safe—we get mentally healthy adults. Without a doubt, this is such a huge topic.
You said in your national framework, “quality, accessibility, affordability, inclusivity and flexibility”. These are the pillars for which you are fighting, which I completely concur with.
I ask you, Minister, if you would be open to amending the bill as it is currently written under proposed paragraph 7(1)(a) to say “all”. We know that the provinces set the standards for child care, not the federal government, so it would be to “facilitate access to all early learning and child care programs and services”.
Would you be willing to amend it to that, so that we are not excluding over half pf the providers? According to Stats Canada, over half of all child care in Canada is unlicensed and home-based child care.
Would you be willing to amend it to add the word “all”?.
9:35 a.m.
Liberal
Karina Gould Liberal Burlington, ON
Ms. Ferreri, it's very important for us that this remain with licensed child care. I would assume—
9:35 a.m.
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
As I just said, Minister, it's provinces that set the standards.
9:35 a.m.
Liberal
9:35 a.m.
Liberal
Karina Gould Liberal Burlington, ON
Ms. Ferreri, can we just explain the difference? I think you're conflating a bunch of different things here that are not necessarily correct.
Provinces and territories also only fund licensed child care. They don't usually fund unlicensed child care, because it's unlicensed.
Home care, so long as it's licensed, is included in this. As I explained to Ms. Gray earlier, we include it under the not-for-profit umbrella.
In fact, all licensed child care, whether it's for—
9:40 a.m.
Conservative
9:40 a.m.
Liberal
Karina Gould Liberal Burlington, ON
I know, but I think it's really important that you understand this, because otherwise—
9:40 a.m.
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
It's also really important that this is my time, Minister, to get as many answers for the people as possible.
9:40 a.m.
Liberal
Karina Gould Liberal Burlington, ON
It's also important that you understand, so that you're not sharing this information with people.
9:40 a.m.
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
It's also important that you understand that all home care needs to be included, because you're not saying.... You're doing the opposite. If you are saying “quality, accessibility, affordability, inclusivity and flexibility”, why wouldn't you put the word “all”? Why are you not open to amending that?
9:40 a.m.
Liberal
Karina Gould Liberal Burlington, ON
Ms. Ferreri, it's important that we take a step back so that everyone can understand what we're talking about.
We're talking about licensed spaces, which is important. Provinces and territories determine the licensing requirements. It's important that any—
9:40 a.m.
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
However, many home-based child cares are licensed. What I'm asking—
9:40 a.m.
Liberal
9:40 a.m.
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
I've said this seven times.
It says, “in particular those that are provided by public and not for profit child”—
9:40 a.m.
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
You're not getting it either. I am representing the thousands of people writing to me, Minister. I'm here. I want access—
9:40 a.m.
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
Then why do you have it written in the bill, repeatedly, that it's primarily “public and not for profit”, when you could just say “all licensed”? Why wouldn't you just say “all licensed”? Why not change the language?
9:40 a.m.
Liberal
Karina Gould Liberal Burlington, ON
Ms. Ferreri, again, in the definition of not-for-profit child care that we have in the multilateral frameworks, which is compatible with and complementary to the legislation, licensed home care is included under the not-for-profit umbrella, so what you're saying is actually there—not unlicensed home care, but many provinces and territories are doing a lot of work with unlicensed home care to bring them into the licensed system.
If we're providing public dollars, we want to ensure that child care providers are meeting those high standards with regard to the quality and the safety requirements that I'm sure, as a parent yourself, you also want to see. You began by talking about the welfare of children. That's extraordinarily important.
9:40 a.m.
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
It is extraordinarily important.
We'll move on, because, to me, what you're saying and what you're doing are not the same. You're saying inclusivity and then your wording says the opposite. We will have to agree to disagree—
