Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m in support of the motion as well. I think, really, the issue here is stabilized funding for these child care providers. When they’re out there and they’re creating a spot and it’s being held up by someone who’s not paying, that puts them in an awful difficult position if the government is starting to withhold money.
I pay for child care, and at the start of the month, the child care provider says, “Where’s your cheque?” I hand the cheque over, and it’s for the whole month. I think the government should be paying under that principle as well. As long as that child is meeting the requirement to be there, the government should be paying for that spot.
The other thing is that spot is being held in such a way that nobody else can take it up, but that person who’s providing the day-home can’t make any money off it. It puts them in an awkward position that they’re not making any money off this situation, so how do they pay staff? I think we should base this theory on a little more like what’s happening in real life in the private sector. For a regular family to come in, they have to pay for the fees up front every month. I think that’s the bare minimum of what I think the government should be offering here: if somebody qualifies for child care, we pay for that month.
You know, it’s their choice. If they don’t want to make whatever minimums are prescribed, then obviously we stop paying. But to start pulling out funding midway through the month and whatnot doesn’t create a stabilized environment, and I think it puts the whole organization of that day-home or daycare facility at risk. I think the government should wear that, because when we’re a funding source and we’re pulling the carpet out from underneath these organizations, they do nothing but fall.
So the fact is this motion is a good motion that will help with that environment. It is hard enough out there to find a solid, quality child care facility or
child care home, and to be messing around with these providers, I think, is crazy.
The fact is, they need stabilized funding, and I’ll leave it at that. I’ll be voting in favour of the motion. Thank you.