Let me go back to the issue of day care. The Liberals are criticizing the Conservative plan because the $1,200/child will not cover the costs of day care. Minister Dryden said last night that it costs the average parent $8,000/year to cover day care costs.
Here is the deal. They are both planning to spend the same amount of money. According to CTV the Conservative "choice in child care allowance" will cost $10.9B over 5 years. The Liberals have committed to spending $10B over 5 years. (numbers as per the Dryden v. Ambrose debate video) Same amount of money - one to parents one from government to governments.
If the $10.9B that the Conservatives is 1/8 of the amount required for day care then so is the Liberals. They are committing only enough to create day care spaces for 1 of ever 8 children. In fact once you take out the costs of the beauracracy and increased wages to day care professionals it will not even create that many. What they are setting up is a lottery. It actually plays right into the hands of what the Conservatives have been saying. The Liberals offer benefits for the well connected few. The Conservatives offer benefits for all.
Update: I have been corrected. The Liberals are spending $11B over 10 years. So apples to apples it is $22B over 10 years for the Conservatives vs. $11B for the Liberals. So the lottery is even more difficult to win.
