Child care

Tuesday July 21, 2015

Tuesday July 21, 2015Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday July 21, 2015

Harper tells MPs to tout child care pay out in letter to caucus

In a rare move, Prime Minister Stephen Harper sent out a letter to the Conservative caucus Sunday calling for support to promote the expanded Universal Child Care Benefit.

Almost $3 billion in UCCB payments will be sent out Monday.

According to a copy of the letter obtained by CTV News from a senior government source, the “enhanced” UCCB payments will provide the biggest one-time direct payment in federal history, writes Harper in the note.

“Our Conservative government has always stood up for the financial interest of middle class families,” says Harper.

In the letter, Harper also stresses to his colleagues the importance of touting the child care benefit.

The government had previously provided Canadian families monthly payments of $100 for each child under six. But the new changes will see the payments jump to $160 a month. Parents with children between the ages of six and 17 will also now receive $60.

The increased payments are retroactive to Jan. 1, 2015, so millions of Canadian parents will receive a cheque covering benefits from January to June of this year.

The roll out of the increased UCCB comes as the Oct. 19 federal election approaches.

Opposition leaders have been hyping the perks of their party’s child care platforms.

Tom Mulcair is kicking off an eight-day tour in the crucial battleground of Ontario on Monday.

If elected, the NDP leader has promised to spend $5 billion a year to create 1 million daycare spaces that parents could access for no more than $15 a day.

Meanwhile, Justin Trudeau and the Liberals have proposed a “Canada Child Benefit,” which would offer thousands of dollars annually to families depending on their income. As much as $6,400 would be available for every child under six, and up to $5,400 for children aged six to 17. (Source: CTV News)

Canada, Child care, benefits, Stephen Harper, election, 2015, ballot, family, vote, buying, conservative

Wednesday March 29, 2006

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Wednesday March 29, 2006 PM given ultimatum Opposition party leaders warned recently that they are willing to bring down Stephen Harper's minority government if it does not change its course -- particularly on the Tory promise to provide a child-care subsidy to parents -- in the next two weeks. In separate meetings with the Prime Minister, interim Liberal leader Bill Graham and the Bloc Quebecois' Gilles Duceppe reminded the Conservative leader his party is outnumbered in the House of Commons and urged him to compromise on the government agenda as he drafts his Throne Speech. The speech, which will be delivered by Governor-General Michaelle Jean on April 4, sets out the agenda for the coming parliamentary session and will be passed or defeated in a confidence vote that could spark another election. Mr. Graham insisted the Liberals are willing to face the consequences of a confidence vote even though they won't have a new leader until December and are still struggling with the fallout of the party's defeat in January. He laid out his party's well-known concerns about the Tory agenda, including the fate of a $5-billion deal -- signed by the Liberals last year -- to improve living conditions for aboriginals, opposition to a cut to the Goods and Services Tax and Mr. Harper's promise to pull out of child-care agreements that were also signed by the previous Liberal government (Source: National Post) http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=dd0f2d4c-60ec-404c-8451-05c353046371 Canada, Parliament, Bill Graham, interim, Ralph Goodale, GST, Child Care, Liberal, Light, Brigade, charge

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday March 29, 2006

PM given ultimatum

Opposition party leaders warned recently that they are willing to bring down Stephen Harper’s minority government if it does not change its course — particularly on the Tory promise to provide a child-care subsidy to parents — in the next two weeks.

In separate meetings with the Prime Minister, interim Liberal leader Bill Graham and the Bloc Quebecois’ Gilles Duceppe reminded the Conservative leader his party is outnumbered in the House of Commons and urged him to compromise on the government agenda as he drafts his Throne Speech.

The speech, which will be delivered by Governor-General Michaelle Jean on April 4, sets out the agenda for the coming parliamentary session and will be passed or defeated in a confidence vote that could spark another election.

Mr. Graham insisted the Liberals are willing to face the consequences of a confidence vote even though they won’t have a new leader until December and are still struggling with the fallout of the party’s defeat in January.

He laid out his party’s well-known concerns about the Tory agenda, including the fate of a $5-billion deal — signed by the Liberals last year — to improve living conditions for aboriginals, opposition to a cut to the Goods and Services Tax and Mr. Harper’s promise to pull out of child-care agreements that were also signed by the previous Liberal government (Source: National Post)