PWC spearheads Child Care Caravan in Kingston July 2008

On July 16th Provincial Women’s Committee (PWC) sisters, along with the other CLC summer school students, held a Child Care Caravan in downtown Kingston in front of the offices of MPP for Kingston and the Islands, the Hon. John Gerretsen. The Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care (OCBCC) met the group as it captured considerable media attention.

St. Lawrence College in Kingston -- along with two other community colleges -- had announced it would close the doors of its child care program at the end of July. The centres at Canadore College in North Bay and St. Clair College in Windsor, Talbot Trail Site were also targeted. In Kingston alone, five OPSEU sisters working as early childhood educators were slated to lose their jobs, leaving families scrambling to find care for their children. The college child care centre had also provided practical training to ECE students (and their teachers).

PWC members attending the Canadian Labour Congress’ "Activism and Leadership" summer school course in Cornwall decided to take protest to the streets and make a strong statement of solidarity with the affected workers and families. At rush hour on the 16th of July, cars arrived downtown decorated with placards and balloons and the participants hit the pavement with flyers and whistles and flags and placards. Drivers circled the downtown block honking their horns and delivering a clear message against the closure: • Only 12% of Ontario families have access to licensed child care spaces. Huge waiting lists demonstrate that many parents would choose licensed child care over informal care if given the opportunity. And yet, in families with two working parents, 71% of mothers are in the workforce. For one-parent families, the number is 83%.

• Ontario's child care allocation, $25 million, appeared in the 2008 Provincial Budget. In contrast Quebec allocated $600 million dollars (over 5 years) in 2008. What happened to Mr. McGuinty's promise of $300 million to upgrade child care in this province?

• According to Statistics Canada, Ontario's child care workers are among the worst paid in Canada. Early Childhood Educators should be paid wages that reflect their responsibility, education and experience. If parents are going to be able to work, attend school or volunteer in their communities, they need high quality child care.

The PWC asks that you call or email your MPP and tell them in no uncertain terms that child care is an essential part of poverty reduction in this province. Please go to www.ontla.on.ca and follow the "members" link to make your voice heard.