SASKATOON — Ali Burgess and Kayla Madder are working mothers who know the importance of the $10 per day childcare, which would help them mitigate the costs of sending their kids to daycare facilities so they can help provide for their families. Burgess and Madder joined more than 40 other mothers on Monday, March 17, at the Reclaim Sustainable + Secondhand Maternity Baby Kids Clothing to call on the Saskatchewan government to renew the deal with the federal government.
Burgess said she is passionate about her full-time career as an educator and being a mother to her son Wesley, roles that are important to her and define her, which is why affordable and accessible childcare has an incredible impact on moms like her since they divide their time to their work and being home to spend time with their children.
“We take the time to be home with our children at the expense of our careers and financial power. When it is time to return to work, many women are left in a lurch. Childcare is either not available or simply unaffordable. Women are continuously left behind when childcare is out of reach. The $ 10-a-day program was bringing women back to the table,” said Burgess.
“Our government choosing not to sign on to this deal tells me that they don't care about me, my career or my many contributions to my family. Child care is not simply a women's issue but an economic one. When you refuse to make child care affordable, you are telling half of the population of Saskatchewan that you don't want them contributing to this economy.”
She added that childcare helps create jobs, and daycare centres allow women like her to continue their profession. Calls for the government to act have gained support from hundreds of Saskatchewan residents. Still, Premier Scott Moe and his Cabinet are not acting as they continue to hear crickets from the government.
“Child care creates jobs, and [day] cares enable us to do our jobs. I remember it wasn't long ago that the government received 17 emails on one particular issue, and they recalled the house for an emergency session. Where is the leadership in this government? Where is the leadership in this province? I urge Scott Moe and his government to sign on to the federal childcare deal immediately. It is time that they finally fully consider Saskatchewan's future,” said Burgess.
Madder, a mother of three who works as a birth and postpartum doula in the city, said that, based on her profession and personal experience, she is confused about why the government refuses to sign the deal. She wonders what they would gain by continuing to delay implementing the deal with the 11 provinces and territories.
“Maternal mental health is already a huge underfunded issue in this province, and without the $10 a day child care, many women will no longer have the option to return to work after giving birth. This reality will inevitably lead to worse mental health outcomes for many and will weaken our workforce and economy,” said Madder.
“I'm not sure if the Sask. Party’s goal is to roll us back to the 1930s when women had no independence, but that's sure the message our premier is sending by refusing to accept federal funding for this program. $10 a day child care is one of the things that helps Saskatchewan recruit from out of province and keeps professionals who are already here.”
Madder said there has already been a shortage of medical professionals, academics, and other professionals and asked Moe why the gaps have been widened and why doctors and nurses continue to push for better opportunities and necessities like affordable healthcare and child care elsewhere. She is calling on the premier to stop stalling and sign the $10-a-day childcare deal relied upon and desperately needed by Saskatchewan families.
Saskatchewan, Alberta not yet on board
Before stepping down early this month, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed a $37-billion agreement with 11 provinces and territories extending the federal childcare program until 2031. Ontario and Quebec received the highest share of federal funding, each receiving $16.77 billion and $9.83 billion, respectively. Alberta and Saskatchewan were the two provinces that did not sign the deal, but discussions and negotiations are ongoing.
However, Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister for Childcare and Early Learning Joan Pratchler, the MLA for Regina Rochdale, questioned why the provincial government had not yet signed the deal, which should have been done weeks ago. Opposition Critics Brittney Senger (Status of Women and Community-Based Organizations) and Saskatoon Chief Mistawasis MLA Don McBean joined Pratchler and the mothers.
“They [government] know full well that they can't negotiate an existing contract, so it must be signed. It needs to be signed because we're going into a federal election. Signing it to extend this up to March 31st of 20 or 2031 would give a sense of certainty to this whole sector. They need to sign it,” said Pratchler
“They had a press release of some nature; however, that's precisely the question that we're going to continue to ask until they sign it, and that'll be starting Wednesday this week, and I'll be asking that, and I'll be expecting a proper answer, as will all these people here and as will all the women, children, child care providers in this province. If they have a pen, they can sign.”
She added that it was outrageous that the public would again demand action on the $10-a-day childcare issue. The province's continued delay in signing the deal would affect not only families who rely on the program but also hundreds of jobs since Saskatchewan and Alberta remain to seal the deal.
“If the Sask. Party doesn't sign on, childcare centers will be forced to close. Many families will be struggling financially or worse because we couldn't bring ourselves to come to the table and sign that deal. Parents and early childhood educators lie awake in bed at night worrying about their children's future and the future of this program because we couldn't bring ourselves to come to the table and sign the deal,” said Pratchler.
“As if we all didn't have enough to worry about now in these uncertain times, there is no excuse for leaving over a billion plus dollars of this federal money on the table. Signing the deal would reassure families, save jobs and secure a vital public service for years. [The] Sask. Party didn't leave that agreement on the table. Do you know what else they left on the table? Children's futures. How dare they? Give families peace of mind now in these uncertain times, and if you got a pen, sign it.”
In a statement sent to SASKTODAY, the Saskatchewan Government said it remains ready to negotiate with its federal counterparts before the current agreement expires on Monday, March 31. The government is seeking an extension to the negotiations, which would involve listening to operators to improve the deal.
“So, they can [benefit] children, operators, and our government for years. Negotiation of the extension to the childcare agreement should include discussions on things such as [the] inclusion of terms from other Provincial [Early Learning and Child Care] Agreements, [and] flexibility to address before/after school programs,” the provincial government said.
