Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Appreciation Day was celebrated on Wednesday October 30th, 2013. This was a day to recognize the dedication and hard work of these professionals. Thank you to all child care workers and early childhood educators , you truly are amazing!
1. Thank you to:
CUPE Ontario; UNIFOR; Elementary Teachers Federation Ontario;
United Steelworkers; National Union of Pubic and General Employees
Ontario Federation of Labour; Ontario Public Service Employees Union
Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation; Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association
for making the day possible by providing free buttons and posters!
Our theme this year is “Let’s Rethink Child Care: Together We Can Make It Better”
Please visit the campaign at www.rethinkchildcare.ca
2. CCWAD Proclamations
Click here for the current list of municipalities who proclaimed October 30th as Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day!
3. Appreciation Letter from the Minister of Education Liz Sandals
Appreciation Letter in English
Appreciation Letter in French
4. Appreciation Letter from Assistant Deputy Minister Jim Grieve
Appreciation Letter in English
Appreciation Letter in French
5. Statement from Mr. Rob Leone for the PC Party of Ontario
Mr. Rob Leone: I rise on behalf of the PC caucus and our leader, Tim Hudak, in recognition of Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day, to thank child care workers and early childhood educators for giving Ontario’s youngest learners the best possible start.
The first piece of legislation that I introduced in this Legislature was the Protection of Child Care Centres Act. It was a bill designed to help our child care centres in Waterloo region face the effects of full-day kindergarten in our region and to protect their existence. It’s something I care very deeply about. I know that each and every day, our young children are in the care of our early childhood educators, who help nurture our kids’ natural curiosity for learning, for playing and for doing all the things we expect of our children.
My kids have used, and continue to use, our child care centres in Waterloo region. They are an essential service to my family and to many families right across the region. To Brttany, Kellie and Debbie, who are our current child care providers; to Jo and Judy, who are the administrators of our child care centre; and to all early childhood educators across the province of Ontario, I want to offer our sincere gratitude and our sincere thanks for the good work they do each and every day in helping our children get through the day and become successful learners when they get into school. On behalf of the Ontario PC caucus, once again, I’d like to thank our early childhood educators.
6. Statement from Mr. Peter Tabuns for the NDP Ontario
Mr. Peter Tabuns: It’s my honour to rise and speak to Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day. As you probably know, parents and children who are able to access high-quality, licensed child care are very happy to have access to it. It makes a huge difference in their lives. For children, it can be incredibly enriching. It gives them a head start in life. For parents, it makes the difference between making ends meet and not making ends meet. The dedicated women and men who take care of our children day after day expand their horizons, make sure they’re safe and nurture them through the day. Those women and men deserve our appreciation.
I’ve had the opportunity in my own riding to go to Dandylion daycare centre for a meeting with the board, the administrators and some of the child care workers, and it was a typical child care centre meeting. There was a group of us adults in the centre on very small chairs, with very low tables, eating some food, while children ran in circles around us. They said, “Just get used to it. That’s the way we meet here.” I said, “It’s the same with me. I have the same experience at work.” They were comforted to know that they weren’t alone in the way they met.
Boulton Avenue Child Care in my riding: I went to their fundraiser a few weeks ago. It’s a small child care centre; it operates out of the Royal Canadian Curling Club. They are raising money so that they can finance the transition as all-day kindergarten comes forward. It’s posed huge challenges for them. But those parents and those child care workers have come together to make sure that those children are looked after.
All too often, Speaker, parents, families and children that need licensed daycare can’t get it. As you know, only one in five children who needs care is in licensed care. As you know, the cost per child can be $1,000 and more per month, which is an extraordinary burden on people. Too many parents rely on an unlicensed system where, as we know, we have seen tragedy in the last year to two years.
On behalf of the NDP, I want to express my thanks to those child care workers and early childhood educators for all that they’ve done for the children of this province and urge all of us to support a larger licensed non-profit child care system.
7. Other statements from the day
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)
Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF/FEESO)
Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU)
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE)
YMCA of Greater Toronto
College of Early Childhood Educators (CECE)
Kenora Online: Recognizing child care workers
The Record.com: Childhood Educators honoured at awards Gala-Waterloo Region
The Sioux Lookout Bulletin: Appreciation Dinner
Mid-Monitor.com: Early Childhood Educator Week in Espanola
The Chronicle Journal: Keewatin-Patricia District School Board acknowledged the important work of early childhood educators
Global News: Thunder Bay
Simcoe.com: Simcoe County recognizes child-care workers and early childhood educators
The Oshawa Express: Durham Region celebrates child care workers and early childhood educators
Orde Day Care thanks their dedicated team for their commitment and valuable work
Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board
Rainy River District School Board
8. Annual Award
OCBCC was thrilled to give our annual award for excellence in advocacy to Ottawa graduate students as they fought back against changes to subsidy eligibility requirements that would disqualify graduate students.
The OCBCC Coordinator Andrea Calver is seen here presenting Anna Goldfinch, the National Representative for the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario with the award. Anna attened Carlton University last year, where she took part in the advocating with the Ottawa graduate students.
Click here to read more on their successful advocacy efforts.
9. Tweets from the day!
Take a look at some of the many warm and wonderful twitter messages thanking Ontario's early childhood educators and child care staff for their dedication and commitment.
10. ETFO President Sam Hammond recognizes the dedicated child care workers and early childhood educators