(no subject)
normally i don't like tom brodbecks writing style, and normally i don't post news articles in my LJ... but this one is too good to not post, considering the debates we were having during the election a few months ago:
Child-care money up under provincial NDP
When Manitoba parents start receiving their $100-a-month cheque for each child under six next month, they won't have to worry about their child-care centre closing spots or jacking up fees.
Provincial budget documents released recently confirm that the Doer government will continue to expand child-care services and freeze parent fees, despite the federal Conservative decision earlier this year to scrap the former Liberal government's so-called national child-care plan.
The documents, which provide details of the provincial budget tabled in March, refute claims made by the Manitoba Child Care Association during the last federal election that if the national child-care plan were scrapped, parent fees would skyrocket and child-care centres would have to close spots.
According to the province's Family Services and Housing Department estimates for 2006/07, the province will maintain funding to centres to support wage increases for staff brought in last year, including incomes for early childhood educators working with children with disabilities.
The Doer government plans to identify and fund 750 new child-care spaces effective September 2006 in communities most in need of more child-care spaces.
The province plans to review its child-care subsidy program to ensure more low- and middle-income families are eligible for full or partial subsidies.
Parent fees will continue to be frozen.
And the province is even looking to enhance funding to open up to 200 nursery school spaces with a reduced parent fee of "no more than $5."
All this is part of the Doer government's five-year program, which it launched several years ago, well before the Liberals so-called national plan.
In addition to this, parents with kids under six will start getting their taxable $100-a-month cheque from Ottawa next month.
Sounds to me like all parents with young children -- overall -- are better off, not worse off as predicted by the child-care lobby.
Overall funding for child care in Manitoba is up this year, not down as predicted.
It will rise slightly to $71.2 million in 2006, up from $70.4 million last year.
That includes a small increase for financial assistance and grants of $115,000.
Keep in mind that these funding levels are triple what they were five or six years ago.
So the sky didn't fall on parents' heads after all under a federal Conservative government.
The provincial budget has passed, the legislative assembly has risen for the summer and the MCCA -- who sent out press releases to parents during the last election trying to scare them about centres closing spots and raising fees if they voted Conservative -- was dead wrong. It's now confirmed.
Child-care money up under provincial NDP
When Manitoba parents start receiving their $100-a-month cheque for each child under six next month, they won't have to worry about their child-care centre closing spots or jacking up fees.
Provincial budget documents released recently confirm that the Doer government will continue to expand child-care services and freeze parent fees, despite the federal Conservative decision earlier this year to scrap the former Liberal government's so-called national child-care plan.
The documents, which provide details of the provincial budget tabled in March, refute claims made by the Manitoba Child Care Association during the last federal election that if the national child-care plan were scrapped, parent fees would skyrocket and child-care centres would have to close spots.
According to the province's Family Services and Housing Department estimates for 2006/07, the province will maintain funding to centres to support wage increases for staff brought in last year, including incomes for early childhood educators working with children with disabilities.
The Doer government plans to identify and fund 750 new child-care spaces effective September 2006 in communities most in need of more child-care spaces.
The province plans to review its child-care subsidy program to ensure more low- and middle-income families are eligible for full or partial subsidies.
Parent fees will continue to be frozen.
And the province is even looking to enhance funding to open up to 200 nursery school spaces with a reduced parent fee of "no more than $5."
All this is part of the Doer government's five-year program, which it launched several years ago, well before the Liberals so-called national plan.
In addition to this, parents with kids under six will start getting their taxable $100-a-month cheque from Ottawa next month.
Sounds to me like all parents with young children -- overall -- are better off, not worse off as predicted by the child-care lobby.
Overall funding for child care in Manitoba is up this year, not down as predicted.
It will rise slightly to $71.2 million in 2006, up from $70.4 million last year.
That includes a small increase for financial assistance and grants of $115,000.
Keep in mind that these funding levels are triple what they were five or six years ago.
So the sky didn't fall on parents' heads after all under a federal Conservative government.
The provincial budget has passed, the legislative assembly has risen for the summer and the MCCA -- who sent out press releases to parents during the last election trying to scare them about centres closing spots and raising fees if they voted Conservative -- was dead wrong. It's now confirmed.