I hope the minister is going to cooperate and keep his answers short.
I want to begin by thanking both of the ministers for appearing before the committee along with their officials.
I want to get into questioning. As the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, you spoke about the importance of putting a human face on stories. In my question I'm going to put a human face on perhaps a struggle and a challenge that so many Canadian families have come to me with.
I'm sure as a minister you are aware that about 75% of Canadian parents in this country have their children in some form of child care. In talking to many of these Canadian families, you mentioned that they were encouraged. I can tell you, from the picture I have seen and the words I have heard, that this is certainly not the case. They are upset, they are frustrated, and they feel like they have been left scrambling.
You may ask, why is that? They are upset and frustrated because of the fact that they were counting on Stephen Harper and the Conservatives to keep the promise to create 125,000 child care spaces. They were hoping that you would keep your promise to invest in early learning and child care. Instead, they feel that the Conservative government, and you as the minister who took over the portfolio, have really failed those Canadian families and kids. They were so upset that many of these organizations, and one of the largest child care advocacy organizations in the country, were compelled to issue a report card. I'm sure that Stephen Harper brought forward this report card, as would anyone who had received a report card, to the cabinet table to tell you of the outrage that Canadian parents and families feel.
Looking at the report card, I hope no child ever takes home a report like this. There was an F for universal child care; a D-minus on parent choice; an F on balancing work and family; and an F on honouring agreements, where it says that Stephen Harper doesn't play well with others.
On behalf of all of these Canadian families and parents who are so upset at the fact that the Conservative government broke its promise, I simply want to ask you....
Before I do, I'm going to read to you what was written in Hansard: “We also will be creating 125,000 new spaces at work, at home and in the community.”
Do you know when that was said, Minister? In 2006, on April 25. So it's been a year since this statement was made in the House. It's been 15 or 16 months since your Conservative government was elected. How many child care spaces has this Conservative government created?