Human Resources committee  As I mentioned in my presentation, the agreements did effect change. Since the cut of the agreements, we have seen some cuts at the provincial level, with the possible loss of subsidized spaces in Ontario and cuts in direct grants to programs in B.C. In this most recent budget in

Human Resources committee  As I mentioned in our presentation, it hasn't been working. We've seen some of the lowest growth rates in early learning and child care in the past decade, since the implementation of the universal child care benefit. The challenge with the benefit is that it is unaccountable to

Human Resources committee  Two components of the transfers should be direct operating funding and non-profit public delivery.

Human Resources committee  Thank you. I wanted to mention that we are going to be submitting a formal brief outlining all the points I'll be making today, with some precise recommendations. I wanted to begin by thanking the committee for inviting us to come to inform the study on the federal government's

Human Resources committee  I would like to add that, in the province of New Brunswick, where I am from, a day care organization contacted our provincial government because the latter wants to develop a long-term child care services plan. The for-profit organizations are therefore watching very closely. I w

Human Resources committee  Our position is that we need a range of programs. We need income supports for families and we also need a range of quality child care programs with clear accountability measures to make sure that each dollar invested actually goes to the right place to make spaces affordable, qua

Human Resources committee  It is spelled out in more detail in the package we submitted, in our policy recommendations “From Patchwork to Framework”. What we are advocating for is a range of programs where I believe it's 50% that are designated full-time spaces. The rest are according to families' needs: e

Human Resources committee  I don't necessarily believe children should be in child care. I believe that parents who want to choose child care as an option should have that option, so we need to factor in enough spaces that, for families who are actually choosing and where the parents are working, the space

Human Resources committee  They would carry a parent user fee for parents who can afford it; and for the parents who cannot afford it, that fee would be waived.

Human Resources committee  Ideally there would be additional funding to actually start building child care in the provinces, but my understanding from the bill is that there is no funding requirement; that it would apply to existing funds; and that as we move forward and invest new funds, they would need t

Human Resources committee  If the provinces aren't meeting their obligations under the agreement, that could mean the funding--

Human Resources committee  I didn't realize that question was directed to us, unfortunately.

Human Resources committee  It's based on the child care spaces initiative. This year a committee was appointed to study the best way to actually create the spaces, but none of that money has actually been invested to create any new spaces.

Human Resources committee  I would like to thank you for your remarks. It is true that the Quebec system is the envy of the other provinces. Despite all the possible imperfections, we would like the government to show leadership, to establish a timetable and to make long-term investments. I am very worrie

Human Resources committee  In terms of the workforce, that's a reality not only in Nova Scotia but across all provinces. It's especially true in the province where I'm from, which is New Brunswick. We have some of the lowest training requirements in all of Canada because we have some of the lowest wages pa