Mr. Speaker, I thank the NDP member for the little story about her friend.
Last year, the member for Laval, who is the Bloc's status of women critic, and I toured the province. We met with a number of women's groups and organizations in Quebec to learn about the financial situation women are in today. It is not a pretty picture. It does not look good. It is still primarily women who are the heads of single parent families. It is still primarily women who earn less than men. It is still primarily women who are the poorest members of society. It is still primarily women who have unstable employment. It is still primarily older women who are the worst off and poorest members of society.
I feel privileged and proud that Quebec has a universal early childhood day care and education system, available to all women and families regardless of their financial situation. As the hon. member said, the Conservative government's measly $100 will not help families, either socially and economically, in obtaining long-term child care services for their children. The Conservative government's actions do not correspond to the realities and needs of women and families today.