The issue here is twofold in my view. First, the tax credits themselves are relatively small - meaning that they will do little in any practical sense for most families. (Not unlike PMSH's $100/month bribe, with tax clawback added for fun)
The second, and more significant point was raised by one of the mothers interviewed:
"OK, he's going to cut our taxes, right, but it still doesn't put a cap on the daycare [fees]," said Sharlene Dolan, who pays $875 a month for her daughter's care. "It can sound really good right now on paper but if the daycare costs go up it doesn't help," she said.
Bingo - there's the key part of the problem. The issue is that this is another, and typically conservative, policy based on the sanctity of the free market - a philosophy that blithely ignores what happens when the supply/demand balance gets out of whack. (and Alberta is out of balance on that curve in so many areas it's not funny)
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One of the fundamental problem we face on the issue of childcare in North America is the outdated notion that 'raising a family' and other domestic work is not real work, as it is/was traditionally done by women at home, and never generated income. As our society moved forward and more women entered the workforce the women (and men) who remained at home to raise the kids never got recognition for their contributions to our society.
This attitude carries over to child/day care outside the home even now, that these care providers are not really doing work or are doing work that is 'domestic' or of lower value and therefore not worth a decent wage. Given the 'conservative' mentality in this province it's no wonder why we have a serious labour problem. We want skilled workers but don't want to pay well for them, we want women in the work force but don't provide proper daycare for any children they have, we are willing to bring in foreign workers but won't pay local tradesmen the wages they deserve. And on top of that these same conservative elements still maintain the 'barefoot and pregnant' attitudes towards women.
If we want to make a positive difference in our current society, deal with the labour shortage and improve our overall economy we have to start by revamping our childcare system and stop using the school system as a convenient 'daycare' dumping ground. If we want the children of today to be something more than tomorrow's corporate serfs and taxable income source we need to start treating them as something other than a liability to society. The saying 'it takes a village to raise a child' is closer to the truth than many are willing to acknowledge.
E.
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