His plan would return money to families not covered by the new federal agreement to reduce the cost of childcare. It also promises more flexibility and tax breaks for families receiving parental leave benefits. Aside from his commitment to ending the carbon tax, this is Charest’s first major affordability policy. His campaign says it is the first in a series of such announcements. Rising cost of living is already a major campaign issue for one of Charest’s main rivals, Pierre Poilievre. Recent opinion polls suggest that rising spending is a major concern for the majority of Canadians. Charest welcomed the recent childcare agreements between the federal government and the provinces and territories, and said he was committed to keeping those agreements in place. The federal plan would see the average price of a licensed childcare point drop to $ 10 a day by 2025. The federal government also hopes to create about 250,000 new childcare facilities. Support for existing deals by a Conservative candidate may not mean much, as a recent deal between the NDP and the Liberals could keep the Trinto government in power until 2025. The Charest plan will cover the costs borne by families using non-subsidized daycare centers, such as unlicensed daycare centers.

“Choice” in child care

It promises an option in childcare tax credit, which will replace the existing Childcare Expenditure Deduction. According to his campaign, the new credit will reduce up to 75 percent of childcare costs for lower-income families whose children do not use subsidized daycare. The discounts will be paid monthly and not with every tax return. Charest also pledges to provide Canada Child Benefit early in the second trimester of pregnancy “to give families a financial cushion to prepare for their growing family,” according to the campaign press release. The Charest campaign says it will also extend the eligibility period for parental leave benefits to two years. The Charest plan would also reduce federal tax on Occupational Insurance benefits during parental leave and eliminate EI refunds on the first $ 20,000 earned on parental leave. The Charest campaign estimates that the project would cost about $ 1 billion. The campaign also claims that the plan will pay off on its own by increasing tax revenue as more families return to work. Federal Conservative leader Pierre Poiliev has not yet said whether a government under his leadership will uphold federal government agreements on childcare with provinces and territories. (Patrick Doyle / The Canadian Press)
A statement from Poilievre’s campaign attacked Charest’s approach, but did not say what the Ottawa MP’s own childcare policy would be like. Poilievre’s campaign told CBC News that while serving as Quebec’s prime minister, Charest did not support “childcare choices and discriminated against families who did not use state care.” Charest oversaw Quebec’s system of nonprofit childcare centers, and served as prime minister from 2003 to 2012. During this period, he increased the daily cost of nonprofit care as he tried to control Quebec’s spending. It has also taken steps to encourage the emergence of more private kindergarten spaces.

Poilievre undecided on Liberals childcare deals

In a statement, Poilievre’s campaign also targeted the Federal Liberals, saying decades of pursuit of affordable day care had left parents with “fewer choices and higher prices.” “Mr Poilievre will wait to see if the latest promises are different before announcing his plans to cut costs and extend options for all parents,” the statement said. In an interview with Radio Canada in March, Poilievre was asked if he would rescind the federal childcare agreement with the provinces and territories. “We will see how it works. We have not seen results,” he said in French to host Patrice Roy. Leadership candidate Patrick Brown responded to Charest’s proposal by hitting Poilievre. “Unlike Pierre Poilievre, I would honor the agreements signed with the provinces for affordable day care, and unlike Justin Trudeau, make sure these nurseries are really built,” said a statement from Brown’s campaign. . Patrick Brown announces his candidacy for the Conservative federal leadership at a rally in Brampton, OD on Sunday, March 13, 2022. (Chris Young / The Canadian Press)
Brown also vowed to “recognize that Canadians need a choice” to raise their families. In his campaign statement, Brown spoke of creating a system of “tax deductions and direct contributions” that would value the work of extended family members helping to raise children. It also promises to help parents working in the concert economy or running small businesses have equal access to parental benefits. The statement did not provide details on how it would achieve these goals. Candidate Leslyn Lewis’s campaign did not respond to a request for her childcare policy proposals. The Conservatives will elect their next leader on September 10.