By Tracy Hughes OBSERVER STAFF Mar 07 2007 Cuts put pressure on parents
Child care: Workers, parents explore ways to lobby for enhanced government funding. It was a meeting where much of the preaching went to the converted – with the exception of one government representative. More than 70 parents and child-care providers attended Thursday’s community forum on child care to discuss how federal and provincial cuts to child-care programs will affect them –‑and, more importantly, what they can do to improve the situation for working parents. The forum followed the decision of the federal Conservative government to scrap a $5-billion Liberal child-care strategy in favour of a taxable $100 per month contribution for each child under six years.
Terri Jones, an assistant to Conservative MP Colin Mayes, defended the Conservative policies, saying the $100 monthly benefit was not designed to provide universal child care, but simply to help all families by giving them the money directly for whichever child-care option they chose. “We have not cut anything, we have just changed how it is being delivered,” she said, noting, “We are willing to listen.” While MLA George Abbott was invited, he was not available and did not send a local representative to the meeting. Child-care providers disagree with the government position saying the grant reductions have had a significant impact on the operation of their centres. For example, the Shuswap Day Care will be losing $28,000 annually. As a result, local child-care providers say they have little choice but to raise rates for parents. Most of the increases will be in the range of 15-30 per cent –‑a significant increase when families are already paying $700 to $900 per month for an infant in full-time day care.
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Mar 07 2007 SA Observer
On Saturday, March 10, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Safeway customers and employees in Salmon Arm will come together to support NeighbourLink and celebrate Safeway We Care Day. NeighbourLink provides such programs as Dinner Tonight, providing easy-to-prepare, low cost dinners. MP Colin Mayes will be showing his support by serving cake from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m..
Mayes on Canada
The Salmon Arm Chamber of Commerce will be meeting at the Prestige Harbourfront Resort on Wednesday, March 14 at 11:45 a.m. for networking, with lunch at noon. At 12:30 p.m., guest speaker MP Colin Mayes will give a presentation on Building a stronger, safer and better Canada. To attend, call 832-6247 as soon as possible.
Child care: Workers, parents explore ways to lobby for enhanced government funding. It was a meeting where much of the preaching went to the converted – with the exception of one government representative. More than 70 parents and child-care providers attended Thursday’s community forum on child care to discuss how federal and provincial cuts to child-care programs will affect them –‑and, more importantly, what they can do to improve the situation for working parents. The forum followed the decision of the federal Conservative government to scrap a $5-billion Liberal child-care strategy in favour of a taxable $100 per month contribution for each child under six years.
Terri Jones, an assistant to Conservative MP Colin Mayes, defended the Conservative policies, saying the $100 monthly benefit was not designed to provide universal child care, but simply to help all families by giving them the money directly for whichever child-care option they chose. “We have not cut anything, we have just changed how it is being delivered,” she said, noting, “We are willing to listen.” While MLA George Abbott was invited, he was not available and did not send a local representative to the meeting. Child-care providers disagree with the government position saying the grant reductions have had a significant impact on the operation of their centres. For example, the Shuswap Day Care will be losing $28,000 annually. As a result, local child-care providers say they have little choice but to raise rates for parents. Most of the increases will be in the range of 15-30 per cent –‑a significant increase when families are already paying $700 to $900 per month for an infant in full-time day care.
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Mar 07 2007 SA Observer
On Saturday, March 10, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Safeway customers and employees in Salmon Arm will come together to support NeighbourLink and celebrate Safeway We Care Day. NeighbourLink provides such programs as Dinner Tonight, providing easy-to-prepare, low cost dinners. MP Colin Mayes will be showing his support by serving cake from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m..
Mayes on Canada
The Salmon Arm Chamber of Commerce will be meeting at the Prestige Harbourfront Resort on Wednesday, March 14 at 11:45 a.m. for networking, with lunch at noon. At 12:30 p.m., guest speaker MP Colin Mayes will give a presentation on Building a stronger, safer and better Canada. To attend, call 832-6247 as soon as possible.
1 comment:
"MP Colin Mayes will give a presentation on Building a stronger, safer and better Canada" ....
yikes ... we are in trouble now!
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