News

By John-Henry Westen

OTTAWA, June 7, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The first Conservative budget passed without opposition last night in a surprise vote which both Opposition Liberals and NDP say caught them completely off guard. The budget contained the much maligned but hugely popular ‘choice in childcare’ initiative.

The $1,200 Universal Child Care Benefit will give families $100 dollars per month for each child under the age of six, allowing families to chose childcare options, including in-home care by a parent or care by relatives or friends. The Conservatives are committed to commencing the program by July 1.

The choice in childcare item was a major dividing point between Liberals and Conservatives during the election. Liberals and NDP leaders vowed to undo the measure, but Conservatives successfullyÂbanked on it during the election and made it one of their top five priorities for the current session of Parliament. Liberals insisted that public monies be given only to state-approved professional daycares, despite the fact that 75% of Canadian families could not benefit from the program because they preferred homecare, or relatives looking after children, worked shift work that did not allow for 9-5 daycare, or other reasons.

Given the stark opposition to the measure by the Liberals and NDP, the fact that the bill passed without opposition was surprising to some. Parliamentary sources suggest however that the opposition had reason to allow the budget to pass. A defeat of the budget would have triggered an election and with the Conservatives riding high in the polls they would likely have ended up with a majority government, had an election been triggered.

Both Liberals and NDP, however,Âare suggesting they were confused about the vote. ‘‘Nobody on the Liberal side added their voice [to the debate on the budget],’’ Liberal Leader Bill Graham told the National Post. ‘‘It was an unfortunate error, but it doesn’t change anything … We’re opposed to the budget. I don’t think anybody thinks that we’re not.’‘ NDP Leader Jack Layton, said ‘‘the House was essentially at this point just spinning its wheels on this budget . . . Everybody knew this budget was going to pass with the support of the Bloc . . . Let’s get on to business.’‘

Rumours around Parliament suggest the possibility that the Senate, which is mainlyÂmade up of Liberals, may delay the budget or try to eliminate the choice in childcare portion from it. However, with the Conservatives suggesting a major overhaul of the Senate, such a move would likelyÂgive the Senate reform measure significant public support.