Doug Ford Says Ontario Stands Firm on Child Care Funding Demands Before Settling | The Canadian News

TORONTO – Despite being one of the last to join Ottawa’s affordable child care plan, Ontario Prime Minister Doug Ford said Tuesday that he will not back down on his demands while the province negotiates a deal.

This week, Alberta became the eighth province, along with a territory, to sign on to the Liberals’ federal plan to spend $ 30 billion over five years to cut child care rates to an average of $ 10 a day across the country.

But Ontario has yet to sign a deal, and Education Minister Stephen Lecce has argued that the current offer would make Ontario families pay more than $ 10 a day.

Ford told reporters Tuesday that it would continue to negotiate but would not settle for a deal it deems inappropriate.

“We will come to an agreement, but I am not making a bad deal just for making a deal,” Ford told reporters in Toronto on Tuesday.

“We have had more difficult discussions than this.”

He said Ontario is seeking more money than is currently offered and wants a settlement with “attached minimum conditions” as well as a settlement that will be “in progress.”

“What will happen after five years? Are they going to wash their hands and leave and we keep the financing? No, we need a good deal, ”Ford said.

He again asked federal politicians and municipalities (some have considered starting their own talks with Ottawa) to support him.

The federal minister for families, children and social development said this week that Ontario had not submitted a detailed plan for how it would spend federal funds.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday that the federal government is “hopeful” that Ontario will overcome its disagreement with Ottawa and join the affordable child care plan.

Lecce has also said it wants a deal that recognizes the $ 3.6 billion the province spends annually on a full-day kindergarten for four- and five-year-olds.

However, that position has raised concerns from the New Opposition Democrats and the union representing elementary school teachers that the province wants the federal government to pay for kindergarten in an attempt to save provincial funds.

The Ontario Federation of Elementary Teachers accused the Ford government Tuesday of not “(understanding) the difference between kindergarten and child care,” noting that kindergarten is part of the education system.

“Federal child care funds are intended to make a difference for families and should not be used by the provincial government to crowd out current funds for public education,” union president Karen Brown said in a statement.

NDP Provincial Leader Andrea Horwath asked the legislature Tuesday about the lack of progress on a final deal, noting that the cost of living is rising and families are waiting for more affordable child care services.

“Doesn’t the government here understand the urgency that families really need a break and babysitting at $ 10 a day would be a great break?” she said. “Why don’t we have that child care deal right now?”