Thank you, Chair.
I will just simply say that this clause was drafted to closely align with the current CWELCC system that prioritizes not-for-profit public child care, and that's simply because, as stewards of the public purse, we want to make sure that we are creating a system that is high quality, affordable, accessible, licensed and within the purview of standards that are set.
Every province and territory that signed on to CWELCC understood the parameters of not-for-profit and public priorities. They signed and are moving forward.
There was some private child care that was grandfathered. Ontario is a perfect example of that, but province by province, the agreements outlined who was coming into the system, who was signing on, how it would be managed and the priorities that they set, so I would say that, when we look at the evidence.... There was much evidence discussed here at this committee by many witnesses about the quality of care that is provided in the non-profit and public sector models. That is the model we are proud of. We have Quebec to look to for the success of that and also the hiccups that come along the way, which we know are there.
It is not an easy lift creating a nationwide system; nevertheless, it is a nationwide system that prioritizes not-for-profit care because care of children is the priority, and the evidence shows that strongly.
We've seen models such as Australia, where there was creep into the private sector that left a system that collapsed and parents without care as the quality plummeted. We don't want that for our children. We don't want that for our families across this country, and stewarding the public purse means that we prioritize the best quality care that evidence has shown us.
Thank you.