We had Hoped for More from National Child Care Framework

For Immediate Release

OTTAWA – The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) is disappointed with the much-anticipated federal and provincial/territorial framework agreement on early learning and child care.

“The framework was promised to set a foundation for governments to work toward a long-term vision where all children have access to quality child care.” said Jan Simpson, 1^st National Vice-President of CUPW. “This announcement falls short. It tackles issues within the framework of the existing system, which is a regulated marketplace, not a system designed to serve all children.”

Instead of laying the groundwork for a universal childcare system, the framework targets the first instalment of federal funding for higher-need families rather than all families.

The framework requires provinces and territories to prioritize funding to harder-to-serve populations: rural residents, remote communities, and those needing care outside the standard 9-to-5 Monday-to-Friday work week. But Simpson says “the best way to meet everyone’s needs is a well-funded, well-planned universal system, and that’s what we’ve been working for.”

CUPW will continue to work closely with other unions and advocacy organizations on the issue. A comprehensive, publicly funded system of high-quality early learning is the way to meet all children’s and parents’ needs. We still need governments to reject the current market-based approach to childcare and replace it with a system for everyone.

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For more information, contact Farouk Karim, 613-882-2742 or fkarim@cupw-sttp.org