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On September 29, students packed into a room for a forum on child care and poverty.

The forum had three speakers:
Andrea Calver, Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care
Sultana Jahangir, South Asian Women's Rights Organization                                                                                                    Liana Salvador, Ryerson Students' Union

Andrea Calver from the OCBCC introduced the problems that there is not enough child care, it's too expensive and staff are often unpaid and unvalued. Parents can not afford to pay more - what we need is a univeral publicly funded program to provide early learning and child care for every child in Ontario.

Advocacy at the Coalition includes Child Care Worker and ECE Appreciation Day to salute the education, dedication and comittment of child care staff.

Advocacy also includes working with students, parents, child care providers and supporters to ensure our voice is heard in local communities and at Queen's Park.

Sultana spoke about the amazing child care advocacy work of the SAWRO. After surveying more than 400 women in the Teesdale community, the group held a community meeting with hundreds of supporters and local politicans to press for more child care, affordable child care and culturally appropriate child care.

Liana spoke about the "Campaign for a Poverty-Free Ontario" sponsored by the Canadian Federation of Students. This year's Provincial Day of Action will focus on "Drop Fees: End Poverty" and we will be organizing a child care contingent for this year's Day of Action on Thursday November 5.