From Child Care Watch Newsletter, October 15, 2008

“Parents are still waiting for affordable and available child care and they need a way to send a message to their political representative”, says Cheryl DeGras, Co-President of the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care. “Parents need politicians to take a leadership role and solve this issue once and for all. I have 679 children on a waiting list at my centre and I know families can’t wait any longer”.

Parents with young children have incredibly busy lives and securing affordable quality child care is one of their biggest frustrations. This groundbreaking website gives parents a quick and easy way to send a message to Queen’s Park and Parliament Hill.

Licensed child care costs can easily exceed $10,000 per year. Many families need help paying for child care. Thousands of children are on municipal waiting list for a child care subsidy in Ontario. Even with a subsidy, or for parents who are able to pay for child care, many centres have their own waiting list for a child care space.

“Some provincial politicians still say child care is not an issue in their riding. In reality, parents are exhausted by work and trying to meet their child care needs. www.waitingforchildcare.ca is a way for parents to make their voice heard at Queen’s Park. “Ontario has a child care crisis” said Jenny Robinson, Executive Director,Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care.

From Child Care Watch Newsletter, October 15, 2008

As you prepare your budget for the coming year, it may be time for a review of your Employee Benefit Plan. When you provide a Group Insurance Plan and/or Group Registered Retirement Savings Plan for your employees it is a long-term financial commitment. As such it is important that you are assured your employees receive the best coverage and service at the most reasonable cost.

As you know, organizational members of the OCBCC are entitled to participate in the member Group Insurance Plan and Group RRSP. By virtue of the employer’s OCBCC membership, your employees are guaranteed coverage under a comprehensive package of benefits without medical qualification for the following benefits:

• Basic Group Life Insurance
• Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
• Dependent Life Insurance (for employees with dependents)
• Short and Long Term Disability Insurance
• Extended Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance

If you would like some assistance in reviewing your present plan of insurance or to explore the possibility of putting a new plan in place for your employees, please contact our Benefits Consultant, Anne Spencer at the numbers noted below.

The Group Registered Retirement Savings Plan is another benefit available to OCBCC organizational members, which assists both employers and employees in establishing a payroll deduction tax-free savings plan. The plan design is flexible and allows the employer and employee to set up a plan that best suits their needs and abilities. With more than 23 different investment options there is something to suit each person’s level of risk tolerance, which is an important feature in today’s financial markets.

For further information about employee benefits, please contact our Plan Consultant and Administrator:

Anne Spencer
Canadian Benefits Consulting Group
2300 Yonge Street, Suite 3000, Toronto, ON M4P 1E4
Tel: 416-488-7755 or toll-free at 1-800-268-0285, ext. 252

From Child Care Watch Newsletter, October 15, 2008.

Pauline Marois, Leader of the PQ was honoured on October 22 by the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care for her decade of commitment to child care. Madame Marois received the inaugural award for ‘Excellence in Advocacy’ from the OCBCC at Ryerson University.

Marois passionately stated that, “developing universal child care, was a major step forward for Quebec society as a whole, for parents as well as for children”.

Tracy Saarikoski, OCBCC, Madame Marois and Dr. Rachel Langford, Ryerson

She said that as a result of her government’s commitment, “the population of Quebec has come to see day care facilities on an equal footing with issues such as health, education, road infrastructure and the environment- indispensible.”

She commented that at the time of implementation the “Quebec provincial government was dealing with political, financial and administrative problems, introducing child care was no small task, but we are now equipped with a universal network across Québec, for that I am extremely proud. “

“Ontario’s politicians like to use fiscal constraint as an excuse not to do the same” said Jenny Robinson, Executive Director of the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care. “After 10 years, we can say that universal child care has been good for the Quebec economy. It’s also been a success as child poverty has dropped by 50%, and childrens’ test scores are up” added Robinson.

Madame Marois explained that the implementation of universal child care happened in conjunction with other significant programs that support parents, “enhanced maternal and parental leave was needed, as was the introduction of full-time kindergarten classes. These were important pieces of the plan.”

Madame Marois was in Toronto to receive the inaugural ‘Excellence in Advocacy’ Award from the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care. The evening marked the eighth annual Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day. The day recognizes the incredible contribution and commitment of hard working but undervalued child care staff.

From Child Care Watch Newsletter, October 2008

When he called the election, Stephen Harper was hoping for a majority government. After a 37 day campaign, we are back where we started.

It’s important to note that the NDP, Liberals and Greens all supported a national child care program. And it’s not just the political parties supporting child care – more than three-quarters of Canadians think the lack of affordable child care is a problem.

Code Blue, a national campaign for child care, released polling data during the election.

It’s not just women who are concerned about the lack of affordable child care – although an overwhelming 79% of women are concerned. In an encouraging sign 75% of men are concerned about affordable child care.

What do we know? The opposition political parties support child care. Most Canadians support child care. In fact, 83% of Canadians think that governments have an important role to play in helping parents meet child care needs. Our task ahead is to continue to organize parents, remind politicians and be the voice for Canadians who want more affordable child care.

To view a copy of the poll: Poll results show Harper’s “choice in child care” a failure (Election 2008).

Code Blue staged a “race” between nations at a local child care centre to underscore Canada’s last-place international ranking on spending and programs for children and families.

October 8, 2008 – Toronto » Continue reading “Poll Results show Harper’s “choice in child care” a failure”