Thank you very much.
I want to thank the honourable member for bringing up a really important issue that has become even more acute during the COVID-19 pandemic. As our economy recovers and as parents go back to work, they are telling us that child care is not a luxury; it is a necessity for them. Access to not only affordable child care, but high-quality child care is of utmost importance. That is why you saw our government respond during the Speech from the Throne, stating very clearly and unequivocally that we will do everything we can to put together a national system of early learning and child care that is accessible, affordable and has high-quality child care.
To do that, we would need to work very closely with provinces and territories, as this is an area of provincial jurisdiction. We need to work with them and build on their investments, as well as our investments over the last number of years in early learning and child care. It includes listening to the stakeholders. It includes finding success stories and trying to replicate them across the country, making the economic case—not just the social case—for investments in early learning and child care. We are committed to making this happen and to learn from others, including the Province of Quebec and our international partners who have done this and who have seen tremendous economic benefits as a result of these investments.