Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We eagerly anticipate the release of the Anti-Poverty Action Plan and the Early Childhood Development Framework and look forward to seeing how this government puts these documents into action. I propose that we insert a few pages based on what Quebec has implemented over the last 15 years.
Since the late ‘90s, Quebec has made daycare available to all for $7 per day. The price is the same regardless whether you are rich or poor. The daycares are run by professionals who are trained in early childhood development and education. The results have been excellent. Including the $7 per day, the daycare program has been shown to decrease poverty, especially among single parents and children. In the first decade alone, the number of single parents on welfare was cut in half and their after-tax income increased by 81 percent. Today the child poverty is half what it was 16 years ago. The $7 per day daycare program has been shown to increase the number of women in the workplace. In the first decade the number of women in the workplace increased by 22 percent.
The government will say that we cannot afford to be so generous, but we already know that poverty is the root cause of many of our current social expenses. Investing in our children and young families early will produce savings as they grow. Enabling single parents to work instead of sitting at home on income support means they will also be able to pay income taxes.
An economic study in Quebec shows that the provincial and federal governments actually realize savings, receiving $1.49 for every dollar that was spent on the $7 a day daycare program.
Quebec is not alone in this. They were inspired in part by the daycare programs in Scandinavian countries such as Sweden that have been doing this for decades. In Sweden universal and affordable daycare is combined with parental leave and flexible work arrangements that allow parents to spend time with their children and continue working.
Many parents know that this is a great way to raise a family. They each work four days a week and put their children in daycare for the remaining three days, but the cost of daycare is extremely high and even people making middle incomes cannot afford it. Seven dollars per day daycare would be an investment in our children, who are our future. Experience in Scandinavia and Quebec shows that it works. It’s a no-brainer. Let’s get it done. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Before we go on, I’d like to welcome back to the House, and it’s always good to see, Mr. Anthony W.J. Whitford, who has held every position in this Assembly. Good to see you, Tony.
The Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
