Madam Speaker, I am one of the hon. gentlemen across the way. I hardly know what to say about such a shameful diatribe from the secretary of state.
I would like to say something in defence of my brother who is at home right now looking after an infant and a toddler while his wife works as an occupational therapist. I noticed the minister has a stereotype that it is only women who choose the option of household arrangements to look after their children. I remind her that is not the case. There are families that make choices for their children and for themselves in a variety of ways.
I was a single income parent after the death of my husband. Somehow for the last speaker to suggest that anyone who talks about single income families as being exclusive of single parent families certainly does not respect the life experience I have had.
I would like to ask the secretary of state a question. She talked about parents who choose to stay at home as though somehow they were opting out of life by spending a period of time giving care, guidance and training to their children, as my brother is doing. In the same breath she said that we should not force people to do one thing or another.
If low income families with one or two parents pay $3,000 or $4,000 more in tax because of child care choice a or save $3,000 or $4,000 because of child care choice b , how is that supporting and allowing proper choices and equality of choices in the country?