The following letter, written by CUPE National President Paul Moist is a response to an article in the Ottawa Sun entitled “City re-examining daycare program” published June 23. The article asks the question: “Should the city even be in the daycare business at all?”
Municipal child care centres have long been recognized as delivering high quality care. They provide leadership and innovation, and often support hard-to-serve and higher needs populations.
The research shows they are also likely to be the top quality services, as well as providing essential services and supports to vulnerable families. Just a few weeks ago the City announced a new pilot program to be rolled out in all its centres for healthy eating and physical activity.
Child care can’t operate as a market. Using a market model has meant a low rate of expansion, lack of choices for parents, sky-high parent fees, and dubious quality.
We need all levels of government engaged in child care so we can grow services for all families searching for child care. The municipal government has a special role in planning and managing the local system along with providing the model for high quality care.
Yours truly,
Paul Moist
National President
Canadian Union of Public Employees
1375 St. Laurent Blvd., Ottawa, Ontario K1G 0Z7