See text below.
EXCERPTS
The New Democratic Party has reintroduced the Early Learning and Child Care Act in Parliament. On April 29, 2009 NDP Child Care Critic Olivia Chow reintroduced the proposed legislation (Bill C-373) in the House of Commons. The bill was introduced once before in May of 2006 as Bill C-303 and had passed first and second reading before Parliament was dissolved for the October 2008 election. Bill C-373 lays the foundation for a national child care system governed by principles and accountability. It calls for accessible, universal and high-quality early learning and child care programs and services. It would discourage expansion of for-profit child care in Canada as it ensures reliable funding for the provinces and guarantees child care tax dollars are invested in not-for-profit centres. The reintroduction of the Early Learning and Child Care Act comes at a time when several reports have shown Canada’s dismal record on child care. In fact Canada has one of the lowest child care access rates in the industrialized world and fees are among the highest.