Canada

As a single parent who was a full time student trying to find affordable childcare for my youngest child, thank you. I got ridiculously lucky when I needed childcare desperately, noticed an ad on Kijiji, called the number and found out the person was just starting out but had certification to run a home daycare. I was her first client. Within 2 weeks she was full. I was SO lucky (she also turned out to be an INCREDIBLE caregiver and even though my youngest is now in school full time, we still visit and talk regularly) but what bothers me the most is the cost. I really, really struggled to pay for childcare, and I had a full subsidy. I still paid $400/month with the highest subsidy possible (which paid more than half the cost). As a student with no job and 4 kids, it wasn't easy.

As someone who now has a business degree, I agree with Fortin - easily accessible and affordable HIGH QUALITY daycare would boost the country's GDP. Mr "economist" Harper should know this. When I lived in a small northern town after my first daughter was born, I never did go back to work, even though I had a great job at a bank, because the daycare situation was horrendous (the only daycare in town had dealt with a few shut downs, anyone else doing it in town had no certification). Had I been able to rely on high quality affordable government daycare, I probably would've gone back to work.

There are many conservative leaning 'rich' parents here who struggle to find good childcare. This will resonate with them, for sure. Good for the NDP.