Rona Ambrose

[Child Care, February 17th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, my point is that $5 billion is not enough. We need more options to be able to afford child care. There are also other ways to help Canadian families--

[Child Care, February 17th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, under the current Liberal child care scheme, the money promised will only increase the number of regulated child care spaces from 7% to 10%. That does not even begin to scratch the surface of child care needs in this country. It would cost $10 billion a year to fund this program for every child that needs it.

A plan that only helps some children, some parents and some communities is not fair. Could the minister explain how his plan will pay for the other $9 billion this year needed for child care in this country?

[Child Care, February 16th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the proposed Liberal child care system is not about children. It is about politics. This is a ludicrous approach to raising and educating children. Young Canadian families deserve more, and Canadians need to know that the Liberals have not and will not entertain choices for how they may want to care for their children.

Will the Minister of Social Development admit his plan never once entertained choices for child care?

[Child Care, February 16th, 2005]

--tax measures that support those child care options.

Let us be clear. The Liberal plan does not even scratch the surface to address the child care crisis in the country and it does not address the needs and desires of parents for choice in child care.

Will the Minister of Social Development explain why the Liberal plan only offers one option?

[Child Care, February 16th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Liberals voted against allowing parents to choose different child care options and voted against--

[Child Care, February 15th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, my question for the minister is clear. Why is this minister so opposed to providing choices for working women?

[Child Care, February 15th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, we fought long and hard for the right to vote, the right to participate in universities and the workforce, and the right to make our own choices. Working women want to make their own choices. We do not need old white guys telling us what to do.

[Child Care, February 15th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, almost 100% of young working moms and dads in Canada have said that if they could afford it, they would stay home part time to care for their own children. Today in the House the Minister of Social Development said that young working moms only say that because they feel guilty.

Instead of offending working women, why will the minister not listen to what young working moms are asking for? How dare this minister ignore their desire for choice.

[Questions on the Order Paper, February 15th, 2005]

Madam Speaker, the hon. member and I have discussed as colleagues on the finance committee the issue of eliminating the discrepancy or the discrimination in the taxation system between dual and single income families, and how this obviously would be a benefit not only to working women and young parents but also to senior citizens. I wonder if the hon. member can commit to those kinds of changes in the tax system being in the upcoming budget.

[Questions on the Order Paper, February 15th, 2005]

Madam Speaker, as I alluded to, there have been discussions, actually on both sides of the House for years, but particularly in industry and among economists, about how the tax system is very unfair to families, and about how in particular it is unfair to working women and to women who would like to make choices of their own. For myself as a young working woman, I find this policy particularly offensive because it discriminates against me. It discriminates against my opportunity to make choices as a young working woman. I agree that the tax system can be changed to help young families, but in particular, it can also be made much friendlier to young working women.