House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2011, with 33% of the vote.
Child Care February 17th, 2005
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, the government is committing $5 billion over five years. That represents a 40% increase over what is spent on child care across the country.
The party opposite talks about a $2,000 child tax deduction. It would be very interesting if anybody over there did the math. For a low income family that would represent $320 a year. The average cost of child care in this country is $8,000 a year.
Child Care February 16th, 2005
Mr. Speaker, the government has made a commitment of $5 billion over five years for an early learning and child care system. That represents a 40% increase in the amount of money that will be spent on early learning and child care in the country. That 40% is something that is unprecedented. In fact, if the government had not made that commitment, we would be nowhere in child care for many years to come.
Child Care February 16th, 2005
Mr. Speaker, it is an interesting approach. They make up quotes. They attribute quotes to whomever they want, and then they attack the quotes and they attack the person. That is quite a strategy. However, it is not honest and it is not a game I will play.
Child Care February 16th, 2005
Mr. Speaker, as I was trying to say before, that party's platform in the last election for child care means almost nothing in the pockets of parents for child care. It brings Canadians no closer to affordable child care. It is completely contrary to building quality. I ask the member and the party opposite to be honest, do the math, think and see where they end up.
Child Care February 16th, 2005
--for child care, how it means almost nothing for parents and putting money in parents' pockets--
Child Care February 16th, 2005
I suggest, Mr. Speaker, that she look at her own party's platform, the $2,000 child tax deduction in the last election--
Child Care February 16th, 2005
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member talks about choice.
Child Care February 15th, 2005
Mr. Speaker, what I find stunning is the fact that it seems as if the party opposite feels that if it repeats a misstatement or if it repeats a mischaracterization often enough, it will make it so. Clearly it is not so. It never was so. It will not be so.
Child Care February 15th, 2005
Mr. Speaker--
Child Care February 15th, 2005
Mr. Speaker, as I have said in this House before, and as I said in the House earlier this morning, at the very centre of any development of any child is the parent-child relationship. That is at the very centre.
What early learning and child care is, is an option. It is an extra choice for those parents to put their children into an experience with other children where in fact they have a better opportunity of growing up with that variety of--