[van-announce] Press release: Will political parties come through on electioneering promises for childcare?

[Grassroots Women]

Press release: Grassroots Women

For immediate release: June 8, 2004



Will political parties come through on electioneering promises for
childcare?





(Vancouver, Canada) – Grassroots Women, a local women’s organization,
questions whether campaign promises for childcare will truly address the
interests of marginalized and working class women and calls for support on a
postcard campaign for universal childcare.

“We are very pleased to see – thanks to the persistent voices of
marginalized women – that the issue of childcare is once again on the
national agenda,” states Rachel Rosen, a childcare worker and member of
Grassroots Women. “But we question whether this is merely an election ploy
or a genuine commitment to the equality of women and the rights of
 children.”



“The Liberal party has promised for decades to implement a national
childcare program. We have yet to see it in reality,” continues Rosen. “We
hope that the promises of 250,000 new childcare spaces is only the beginning
of a change in childcare policy in Canada.”



Currently, Canada has no national childcare program. Only 1 in 10 children
even have access to childcare spaces.  The cost for childcare is prohibitive
for many women, who are forced to rely on extended family, sub-quality care,
or a life of poverty with no access to childcare.



“With no universal childcare program, Canada’s defacto childcare plan is the
Live-in Caregiver Program,” states Rosen. “Bringing in Third World women
under conditions of modern-day slavery is not a resolution to the childcare
crisis. Childcare cannot be won on the backs of the most marginalized. Yet,
no political party has taken a stand on this racist and anti-woman program.”



Since 1999, Grassroots Women has campaigned for childcare for all. As part
of this campaign, Grassroots Women launched a postcard campaign “Universal
Childcare is a Women’s Right.” Over 2,500 postcards have already been sent
to Prime Minister Paul Martin. Postcards can be sent free of postage to
Prime Minister Paul Martin and are available from Grassroots Women at (604)
682-4451 or grassrootswomen at telus.net.



-30-



Media contact: Rachel Rosen, Grassroots Women, (604) 682-4451.

______________________________________________________________
Reclaim the struggle for a renewed and militant women's movement!

Grassroots Women
t: 604.682.4451
e: grassrootswomen at telus.net
w: http://www3.telus.net/grassrootswomen
#304-207 West Hastings, Vancouver, Canada

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