Advocates say child care agreement sets bar for others

Excerpts from the response: The federal government's child care deal with Manitoba is great news for children and families and should spur the other provinces and territories to negotiate equal or better agreements, says the Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada. "This is a strong bilateral agreement, a model for how different levels of government with a shared commitment to children can work together and move forward," said CCAAC chair Debra Mayer. "It is a breakthrough for building a funded, universal and inclusive child care system. We anticipate that the child care agreement that will be announced later today with Saskatchewan will also provide a sound basis for developing a system. It will be up to the other provinces and territories to also walk the talk of early learning and child care and get deals with the federal government based on this template." Mayer said that the agreement underscores the urgent need for passage of the child care provisions in the federal budget so that child care funding can start to flow.