House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 2019, with 47% of the vote.
Child Care April 25th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, we are in the business of creating child care spaces and of creating choice in child care: day care for those who need it and babysitters at night for those who need it.
Whether people live in small communities like my own or in big cities, we will help parents. We will help working families get the choice in child care that meets their unique needs.
Child Care April 25th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member across the floor seems to think that we are taking away spaces when in fact these spaces were never created by the previous government. We cannot take away what was never given by the previous government.
We are providing $1,200 a year to the parents of each child under the age of six, which is $1,200 more than the previous government provided for child care. We also will be creating 125,000 new spaces at work, at home and in the community. That is way more than we have heard even promised before.
Child Care April 25th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, our program will allow every parent to spend the money where they need to, whether it is in English or in French in whatever part of the country they live. They can spend it on early developmental materials or they can invest it in registered savings plans for their children's education.
There are a lot of ways this can be done and we need to ensure that parents are working with the provinces whose responsibility it is to deliver the programs themselves. We will help parents get the spaces they need and the money they need to afford them.
Child Care April 25th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, one of the great beauties of our choice in child care allowance is that it will be a universal benefit available to every Canadian family whether they live in a large city or a small one. They will be able to use the money for whatever early development and child care facility they need, in whatever language and in whatever part of the country.
Child Care April 25th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, with the help of the opposition parties, Canadian parents across the country will receive in the budget, should the opposition members support it, $1,200 a year for each child to help with the choice in child care that meets their needs, whether it is day care, babysitters, grannies, moms or dads staying at home. Parents will have that option and then we will work on the creation of 125,000 new spaces that meet the needs of real working families.
Child Care April 25th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is very aware that our plan is twofold. One is to provide $1,200 a year to the parents of each child under the age of six, but the other part is that we will work with business and community groups right across this country to create 125,000 new child care spaces. That is 125,000 more spaces than the previous government created in 13 years.
Child Care April 24th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, as we wanted to ensure that as many parents as possible received value out of our choice in child care allowance, we ensured it would only be taxed in the hands of the lower income spouse or parent. We have been working with the provinces to encourage them not to do clawbacks. I am very pleased to announce that British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island have all agreed to let parents have the benefit with no clawbacks. I hope this positive momentum will continue and that the other provinces and territories will join in.
Child Care April 24th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, we want to ensure our choice in child care allowance is truly a universal benefit, one that is not subjected to clawbacks by the provinces but one that is passed directly on to the parents. That is why I am very pleased to announce that so far five Canadian provinces have agreed not to do clawbacks. Unfortunately, Quebec is not yet one of those provinces.
I am hoping that Quebec is interested in seeing that parents get the full value for this money. I hope parents will encourage their provincial government to ensure that happens and Quebeckers are not deprived.
Child Care April 24th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, during the campaign we promised Canadians two things. The first was $1,200 a year, a choice in child care allowance to be paid directly to parents, not to provinces.
The second was a promise to work with businesses and community groups to create 125,000 new child care spaces right across this country.
We offered those things. Canadians chose them and we will deliver.
Child Care April 11th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear about our plan. It is to be a universal benefit of $1,200 a year delivered directly to parents, not to politicians, for each child under the age of six.
Despite the promises by the members across the floor to do this for 13 years, we will create 125,000 new day care spaces, 125,000 more than the previous government.