(Windsor) – The Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care and the Canadian Union of Public Employees are bringing their Stepping Up for Child Care tour to the Windsor area with a workshop and forum this week.
The Windsor tour stop is part of a province-wide public awareness and advocacy campaign designed to inform Ontarians about the deepening crisis in child care. The urgent need for this type of campaign has been clearly illustrated by the fact that the issues-oriented workshop, which is geared to child care providers, managers and advocates, filled to capacity almost immediately.
The forum, open to parents, child care workers and operators, students, politicians, the media and the wider community, is being held in Windsor on Thursday, March 8th from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the CAW Local 444/200 Union Hall, 1855 Turner Road, Windsor.
The forum discussion will be lead by a panel that includes:
- Giselle Baillargeon, local parent of a child with special needs who will share her experiences
- Joyce Zuk, Windsor City Councillor
- Mary-Anne Bd0061rd, Executive Director, Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care
- Martha Friendly, Child Care Research and Resource Unit, University of Toronto
- Shellie Bird, CUPE Local 2204, Child Care Workers of Eastern Ontario
Also speaking at the forum will be invited guests Shelly Martel (MPP, Sudbury-Nickel Belt and NDP Children’s Critic) and Joe Comartin (MP, Windsor-St. Clair), as well as a number of Windsor parents with child care concerns. All Windsor-area MPs, MPPs and Councillors have been invited to attend.
-30-
____________________________
For more information:
Heather Boyer, CAW Child Care Services,
519-254-8236
Susan Sperling, Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care
(416) 538-0628
John McCracken, CUPE Communications Representative
(416) 292-3999