Liberal minister presents bill aimed at protecting child-care system from future governments
The federal Liberal government has presented a new bill aimed at enshrining in law their commitment to the Canada-wide early learning and child-care system, and the long-term funding needed to maintain it.
On Thursday, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Karina Gould tabled Bill C-35, otherwise known as the "Canada Early Learning and Child Care Act."
She said that the bill is needed to provide parents and premiers certainty that the federal government is dedicated to seeing affordable child care remain in place, and to ensure that the nationwide system being built can't easily be scrapped by a future federal government.
"In the last election, every Conservative member of Parliament ran on a promise to get rid of affordable child-care for Canadians. So, we know the threat to this transformational child-care initiative from federal Conservatives is very real. The government and Parliament must protect we have built," Gould said during a press conference in Ottawa on Thursday.
The eleven-page bill seeks to cement the federal government's role beyond the existing five-year agreements now in place across the country, that will see daycare costs reduced to an average of $10-a-day by 2025-26.
"We want to ensure that these achievements are lasting. That is why we are acting to protect this crucial support for families and children," Gould said. "And that we make it that much harder for any future government to you know, basically take apart what we have built."
Bringing in federal child-care legislation to shore-up the Canada-wide system was something Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tasked Gould with doing on the heels of the Liberals bringing in a national affordable child-care plan.
As of March, legally-binding early learning and child-care bilateral agreements have been signed with all provinces and territories, and the country is on track to see daycare fees reduced by 50 per cent, on average, by the end of this year.
Included in Bill C-35, the Liberals are looking to:
- Protect elements such as creating more spaces that the provinces and territories agreed to through their funding agreements;
- Enshrine the federal principles that are underpinning these deals such as access, affordability, inclusion and high-quality though these metrics aren't explicitly defined;
- Require the minister responsible to report to the public on an annual basis on federal investments and progress made on the system; and
- Establish the "National Advisory Council on Early Learning and Child Care" which is a recently announced 1-member council mandated to advise the government on issues facing the sector.
Officials from the Department of Employment and Social Development Canada, who briefed reporters on the details of the newly tabled legislation on a not-for-attribution basis, said Thursday the negotiated agreements that are unique to each province’s situation are—and will continue to be—core to the system. Gould described Bill C-35 as "complementary" to the deals, which will still need renegotiating down the line, a task that will bring political challenges for both levels of government.
One official described Bill C-35 as looking "beyond" the five-year deals and "toward future generations of children and families," while respecting provincial and Indigenous rights and jurisdictions.
One of the motivating factors in moving to put into law the federal government's vision of a national early learning and child-care system was the experience of a past Liberal government. In 2006, when Conservative Stephen Harper became prime minister, he quickly moved to tear up the agreements that previous Liberal prime minister Paul Martin had made across Canada.
The bill, while perceived as an attempt to future-proof the Liberals’ approach, has limitations. Future governments can still amend or repeal this legislation, for example. On this, Gould suggested that the procedural hurdle of having to move any changes through Parliament might act as a disincentive to try to go back to the drawing board on daycare.
"They'd have to demonstrate to Canadians why," Gould said." Conservatives wouldn't be able to hide this."
Following through on tabling this legislation before the end of 2022 was a requirement under the Liberal-NDP supply-and-confidence agreement made earlier this year.
That deal — meant to keep the minority Liberals in power through to 2025 — saw the federal government vow to ensure that the child-care agreements "have long-term protected funding" and deliver "high quality, affordable" options for families.
In a statement on Thursday, the New Democrats sought to take credit for the bill, saying the NDP alongside child-care professionals, unions, and activists pressured the Liberals to "finally bring in this legislation."
Questioned on this, Gould pointed to the 2021 federal budget —which predates their deal with the NDP — earmarked $30 billion to be spent over five years on the national system, and another $9.2 billion to be spent annually each year following.
"This was always the Liberal government's plan, ensuring that we table this bill," Gould said, noting still, she is happy to have the NDP's support in seeing Bill C-35 move through Parliament.
Given the House of Commons is soon going to adjourn ahead of the holidays, it's unlikely the legislation will advance much before the new year.
IN DEPTH
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Trudeau, key election players to testify at foreign interference hearings. What you need to know
The public hearings portion of the federal inquiry into foreign interference in Canadian elections and democratic institutions are picking back up this week. Here's what you need to know.
Who is supporting, opposing new online harms bill?
Now that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's sweeping online harms legislation is before Parliament, allowing key stakeholders, major platforms, and Canadians with direct personal experience with abuse to dig in and see what's being proposed, reaction is streaming in. CTVNews.ca has rounded up reaction, and here's how Bill C-63 is going over.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
TREND LINE What Nanos' tracking tells us about Canadians' mood, party preference heading into 2024
Heading into a new year, Canadians aren't feeling overly optimistic about the direction the country is heading, with the number of voters indicating negative views about the federal government's performance at the highest in a decade, national tracking from Nanos Research shows.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for "all parties" to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
Taylor Swift drops 15 new songs on double album, 'The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology'
On Friday, the pop star released her 11th album and at 2 a.m. Eastern, she released "The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology," featuring 15 additional songs.
Israel gave U.S. last-minute warning about drone attack on Iran, Italian foreign minister says at G7
The United States told the Group of Seven foreign ministers on Friday that it received 'last minute' information from Israel about a drone action in Iran, but didn't participate in the apparent attack, officials said.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
Local Spotlight
UBC football star turning heads in lead up to NFL draft
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Molly on a mission: N.S. student collecting books about women in sport for school library
Molly Knight, a grade four student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Marmot in the city: New resident of North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale a 'rock star rodent'
When Les Robertson was walking home from the gym in North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood three weeks ago, he did a double take. Standing near a burrow it had dug in a vacant lot near East 1st Street and St. Georges Avenue was a yellow-bellied marmot.
Relocated seal returns to Greater Victoria after 'astonishing' 204-kilometre trek
A moulting seal who was relocated after drawing daily crowds of onlookers in Greater Victoria has made a surprise return, after what officials described as an 'astonishing' six-day journey.
Ottawa barber shop steps away from Parliament Hill marks 100 years in business
Just steps from Parliament Hill is a barber shop that for the last 100 years has catered to everyone from prime ministers to tourists.
'It was a special game': Edmonton pinball player celebrates high score and shout out from game designer
A high score on a Foo Fighters pinball machine has Edmonton player Dave Formenti on a high.
'How much time do we have?': 'Contamination' in Prairie groundwater identified
A compound used to treat sour gas that's been linked to fertility issues in cattle has been found throughout groundwater in the Prairies, according to a new study.