CUTS TO CHILD CARE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 28, 2007
CAMPBELL GOVERNMENT BACKPEDALS ON SIZE OF CUTS TO CHILD CARE
But turmoil continues as child care services close across BC Parents and child care supporters are claiming a partial victory since the BC government has indicated it will restore some child care funding, following weeks of province-wide community protests against cuts to child care services.

However, families are still being left out in the cold for lack of available or affordable child care spaces. In Vancouver today, families are lining up to camp overnight at Riley Park Community Centre - in hopes of registering their children for a two-day a week pre-school space.

The government announced in January that it was cutting Child Care Resource and Referral service budgets by almost 80-percent. It also ordered all 45 CCRR centres in BC to close by September 30, 2007. At least 13 agencies have already issued layoff notices, and some, including Richmond's, have already closed their doors. Dawson Creek's Berry Patch daycare has also closed, leaving 42 local families without child care services. Child care providers say more child care centres will close if the province does not immediately restore cuts to operating funds. At other centres, parent fees will be hiked, but the government is not increasing subsidy rates to match. "This government's announcement that it is going to restore $9-million, a portion of the funding cut for child care resource and referral services, while welcome - comes without notice or consultation. It's too little, too late," says Susan Harney, president of the Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC.

"What working families need is to have funding fully restored, and an early childhood development plan put in place that has a quality child care system as its cornerstone."

"This government continues to recklessly underfund public child care services," charges George Heyman, president of the BC Government and Service Employees' Union. The Campbell government has slashed child care funding by $50-million annually since 2002.

"The child care community has been thrown into turmoil and confusion, and services for families are in tatters following this government's two-steps-back, one-step-forward approach to child care."

"Forty-four percent of BC employers are reporting a labour shortage. It's time for this government to stop its assault on working families who need reliable quality child care so they can go to work, support their families and contribute to BC's economy."

The "Child Care - Let's Make It Happen" campaign is an initiative of the
Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC and the BC Government and Service Employees' Union.

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Child Care: Let's Make It Happen!
Research, Campaigns and Communications
(604)291-9611/1-800-663-1674
makechildcarehappen@bcgeu.ca

Harper Government Turns the Clock Back for Women in Canada

With the proposed closure of the BC/Yukon office of Status of Women Canada in March 2007, the equality rights of BC women will be set back 40 years. A recent announcement from Hon Bev Oda, Minister of Heritage and Status of Women, stated that 12 of 16 regional offices of Status of Women will close in March 2007, and funds for independent research on womens issues will be cancelled. This news came on the heels of the federal government's decision to chop one billion dollars in funding to federal programs, including Status of Women Canada. Closures of local offices such as Vancouver's, and loss of knowledgeable staff will impact negatively on womens'programs and projects locally.
Other negative changes include: A cut of 40% to the administrative budget of SWC, the deletion of the word "equality" from the SWC mandate, a ban on research, advocacy and lobbying by groups receiving SWC funding, the inclusion of "for profit" and "religious-based" groups in SWC funding guidelines.
Research and work for policy changes in the fields of womens'political, legal and economic equality will all be adversely affected. Harper's government is trying to turn back the clock for womens equality in Canada and we must all, men and women, resist!

Richmond: Island City by Nature

I picture a Richmond of the future that is far different from the one we have today. Affordable housing, poverty, and food security are still issues but we have taken real steps to deal with them.

Just like we will not allow a development to proceed unless there is adequate parking in Richmond no development proceeds unless it provides the necessary affordable housing. Property values are kept in check by the large stock of cooperative housing whose fees are immune from changing property values. As a community we no longer accept that our destitute will migrate to other communities which provide greater services.

Poverty unfortunaely still exists but we work hard to soften its pain. Simple Living circles begin the long process away from a consumption society and remove many of the stigma's of today's poverty. Sports and community programs are designed to ensure that money is not an obstacle to participation. Training and support is easily available to help people become self sufficient.

We celebrate our agricultural capabilities. The Garden City Lands are turned into a signature piece of urban agriculture. Small acreages are rented out to specialty farming often serving our diverse ethnic culture. It's community gardens flourish a short walk away from our population centre. Kwantlen and UBC both operate agricultural programs. A retail garden centre and organic restaurant capitalize on the agro-tourism that naturally comes. Richmond Food Bank moves to site and adopts a new focus. Teaching the whole community the values of a healthy diet, and the value of using local produce. People in need still turn to it for help, but for many that help is provided by showing them how they can grow their own food.

What kind of future do you see?

2006 Children in Poverty Report Card

"British Columbia remains the province with the highest child poverty rate at 23.5%. There are too many working poor families in BC who are unable to get jobs with sufficient pay, hours and benefits to lift them above the poverty line."

The 6 page report released today - "Oh Canada, Too Many Children in Poverty Too Long, 2006 Report Card on Child and Family Poverty in Canada" can be viewed at:

http://www.campaign2000.ca/rc/rc06/06_C2000NationalReportCard.pdf

Keep an eye on the news feeds

I just want to draw your attention to the sidebar on the right side under our mission statement. These are links from Google news stories, using "poverty" and "BC" as search words. They are updated automatically - sometimes they change frequently but often they don't - depends what's in the news! For instance, once the Report on Child Poverty is released this Friday, there will probably be numerous similar articles about the report showing up there shortly afterwards.

Right now there is an interesting article on welfare rates by Robert Hart for the Terrace Standard, entitled "Policy shouldn't create Poverty". Unfortunately you can only see "guest comment" in the link in the sidebar as it only seems to show the first line of the article. They're worth browsing if you have some time and want to see how other communities are dealing with poverty issues.

2006 Report Card on Child Poverty in Canada

fyi
Media Advisory - 2006 Report Card on Child Poverty in Canada to be released Friday, Nov 24 TORONTO, Nov. 22 /CNW/ - National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, Phil Fontaine, will join Laurel Rothman, Campaign 2000 National Coordinator, to release the report 'Oh Canada! Too Many Children in Poverty for Too Long.' Campaign 2000's annual Report Card on Child Poverty presents the latest statistics on child and family poverty, including disturbing information on poverty among First Nations children.

Oh Canada! Too Many Children in Poverty for Too Long will be released Friday, November 24, at 10:00 a.m. at the Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre, 439 Dundas St. East

Welcome!

Welcome to the Richmond Poverty Response Committee's Blogspot!
More to come!