Dear Colleagues:

We close the year with an important request for advocacy action. The federal government is seeking input regarding its 2009 budget. We just released a 2009 federal budget submission which describes child care services as an economic stimulus that has long-term benefits for Canada. Now, we need your help. Please share your views and priorities for the federal budget. » Continue reading “Message From the Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada”

So far, the Australian government has committted $56 million dollars to keeping the doors open at ABC Learning Centre locations. The Australian government has not ruled out further support to the troubled company.

In a related note, when Eddy Groves and his then-wife Le Neve Groves left ABC Learning Centres in September, 2008, they received a payout of 1.1 million dollars. For more information on that story, please click here.

Eddy Groves and Le Neve Groves are now in a bitter divorce with Mrs. Groves claiming that Mr. Groves owes her 44.2 million dollars in shares and dividends from their interest in the now bankrupt company. For more information on those proceedings, please click here.

Direct link to the report: http://www.unicef.ca/portal/SmartDefault.aspx?at=2250 » Continue reading “New Unicef Report: Canada last of 25 countries in spending on early learning”

Thousands of Australian parents are in a lurch after 55 ABC child care centres close with just three weeks of warning. ABC Learning Centres is in receivership after going bankrupt on November 6, 2008. The news report notes a second infusion of 34 million dollars by the Australian Government to keep an additional 241 “unprofitable” ABC centres open until the end of March, 2009.

ABC Learning to close 55 centres

The OCBCC has publicly released our submission to the Early Learning Advisor Charles Pascal with a vision full day learning for 4 and 5 year olds as a part of a comprehensive child care system in Ontario. That means affordable care for families, child care services for every child in Ontario and a significant wage increases for Early Childhood Educators across the province. » Continue reading “OCBCC Releases “A Transformational Vision for Early Learning and Care””

December 10th marks the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights – a time to reflect on the human rights violations which continue to exist and need urgent attention.

The Equal Pay Coalition’s open letter calls on Premier Dalton McGuinty to fulfill his human rights duties by taking immediate, short term and long term steps towards closing Ontario`s 29% Gender Pay Gap or face a Coalition complaint to the United Nations for non-compliance with the UN`s pay equity standards. (See Text of Open Letter to the Premier at www.equalpaycoalition.org and video statement of Mary Cornish uploaded on Coalition website and on Youtube.) » Continue reading “Equal Pay Coalition Calls on Premier McGuinty to end Ontario`s Violation of United Nations Pay Equity Standards or Face UN Complaint”

Andrea Horwath, MPP for Hamilton Centre, asked the following Question in the Ontario Legislature on December 4, 2008 concerning the absence of child care expansion in Ontario:

Ms. Andrea Horwath: This is a question to the Deputy Premier. The availability of licensed, affordable, not-for-profit, publicly-funded child care must be a priority for poverty reduction in the province of Ontario. Only 12 per cent of Ontario’s families have access to child care in this province. There are more than 23,000 eligible children on waiting lists in this province unable to obtain subsidies for affordable, licensed child-care. As part of her poverty reduction strategy, will the Minister of Children and Youth Services, be committing to adequate, stable core funding to meet the needs for child-care spaces in Ontario for all families? » Continue reading “Question on Child Care in Ontario Legislature”

December 4, 2008 – Toronto » Continue reading “Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Plan Needs More Action on Child Care”

Excepts from a letter sent by the OCBCC to Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario:

A national Environics poll conducted during the last federal election showed that a vast majority (77%) of Canadians see the lack of affordable child care as a serious problem that needs Federal investment. » Continue reading “Letter to McGuinty encourages Province to support the Federal Coalition Government”

Child Care Management Guide III, 2009

The Child Care Management Guide is still available! Click here for more information.

A Guide to Child Care in Ontario (2006) is also still available.

It includes a review of current child care and related policy, barriers to quality care, benefits of child care, legislation, existing services, parental involvement, financing and subsidies, advocacy and the responsibilities of all three levels of government. Through a consultation process that included focus groups, one-on-one interviews, and an online consultation survey, this project included the opinions and perspectives from marginalized communities. This involved the participation of visible minorities, working women, immigrants and refugees, people with disabilities, lower-income groups, single parents, and rural and First Nations communities. This was accomplished through a consultation process that included focus groups, one-on-one interviews, and an online consultation survey. This helped to ensure that the Guide included the sources of exclusion in current child care policy and identified some possible solutions for future policy development.

A Guide to Child Care in Ontario, 2006 - 106 Pages. $20 for OCBCC members; $25 for non-members. For a copy of this publication, please e-mail or call our office.

Woman Power & Politics, 2006, Le Pouvoir des Femmes et la Politique, 2004

This book’s aim is to explore how women can create more power in today’s political systems. The more we learn about the power women can harness in politics, the closer we come to gaining more victories.

44 pages. Hard copy available in both French and English by donation. Please contact us for details.

“Building Bridges: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgender and Queer Families in Early Childhood Education”, 2009 (electronic only)

Building Bridges is also in the final stages of publication. This internet-only publication will be available free for download when released.

“Les services de garde en Ontario”, 2006 (electronic only)