We Don't Care About Childcare Workers (or anyone else who is poor) - Harper

Stephen Harper has once again shown his true colours. In listening to his stumbling speech about daycare, several things slipped out that should make any parent sit up and take notice.

First, Harper is talking in terms of "A Tory government would offer tax credits to employers, both business and non-profit organizations, who create child-care spaces.".

Not a word about the pay that daycare workers receive (which is ludicrously low - especially in the private sector), nor about training and quality of care. No - once again, the CPC wants to hand over taxpayer dollars to businesses without so much as a single counter check to ensure that the business is in fact doing with those monies what they claim, or that the money is being used to create quality child care spaces.

Hell - I won't take my Parrot to _any_ vet - he only goes to one of a handful that have actual training in handling birds, and have managed to convince me that they know what they are about. Now, we are talking about the CPC handing over government funds to private business, and there isn't a single thing said about ensuring that the money (our money as taxpayers!) is used to create child care spaces that are affordable, operated by people who are paid appropriately for their training and experience or anything else.

In fact, Harper's speech talked about "putting more money into the capital market increases the size of the market", then he stuttered around the whole notion of the people who run these spaces. For crying out loud, there are stories every year about badly run, under monitored childcare facilities all across this nation. If childcare is a bona fide issue, then the quality of that care is also an issue. Daycare operators can't keep staff (or the ones they do keep around aren't exactly impressive) - after a year or so, most of the brighter staff soon realize that it's a dead end for them (except, possibly, for the operators) - a career with low wages, high demands and limited chances for advancement. (an amazing waste of a year or two of training)

I've said it before, and I'll continue to say it - Harper and his party don't give a damn about people. If you don't have big dollars around, you don't count.

(It's interesting - I've seen Jason Kenney lawn signs up in the "wealthier" looking parts of my neighborhood - but the block I live on (or the street for that matter) has nary a sign on it, nor have I seen so much as a pamphlet from the CPC. (But clearly they've been knocking on other doors a mere block or so away - says a lot, in my opinion)

[Update: 08:30 07/01/06]:

Apparently low income earners shouldn't get tax breaks unless wealthier people do too. I think this continues to reflect the complete lack of compassion on the part of the Conservative Party. Not only are they prepared to raise taxes (in fact they voted against these tax cuts in the first place), but they are willing to increase taxes on those who can afford it the least. Think about this. This reflects the brainless tax cutting scheme that George Bush has pursued in the United States - one that has only worked to the benefit of the upper income brackets and the very wealthy.