International Women's Day, March 8th

CHILD CARE - WOMEN CAN'T WORK WITHOUT IT

(TORONTO) - On International Women's Day, March 8th, we celebrate the lives
and work of all the women who have come before us. As we honour our
sisters, we also recommit ourselves to continue to struggle for women's
social and economic equality. This March 8th the issue of child care has
never been more critical and urgent.

"Canadian women have been calling on governments for universal child care
for the last 30 years," said Irene Harris, OFL officer responsible for
women's issues. "Child care affects women's lives daily. It allows women
to work and it gives parents peace of mind."

"By just a stroke of the legislative pen, newly-installed, Prime Minister
Stephen Harper has cut parents adrift and turned his back on the one solid
solution for working families and their children," Harris said.

The immediate result of cancelling the agreements is the stalling of Best
Start and the loss of 25,000 planned child care spaces across Ontario.
Fifty-eight new child care centres in Toronto will not be built, nor the
over 7300 regulated spaces created for rural municipalities. In addition, we
stand to lose significant new investments in special needs resources across
the province.

"Unions have bargained for and won paid leaves for the care of children and
elders, child care subsidies and workplace child care centres," said OFL
secretary-treasurer Irene Harris. "But this is not enough. Just like health
care and education, child care should be a public service."

"Harper's alternative to a national child care system is a cheque for $100 a
month per child. Families welcome additional financial support but the
reality is a hundred bucks doesn't go very far. A hundred dollars might
help cover the cost of diapers - but it will not cover costs or create child
care."

"By reneging on child care agreements, that were made in good faith, Prime
Minister Harper has turned his back on working women. Child care is all
about equality. It is about a woman's right to work without worrying about
the care of her children," Harris said.

The Ontario Federation of Labour has joined child care activists and parents
calling on Stephen Harper to honour the child care agreements that were
signed in good faith, just last year.

from the OFL