Kids don’t vote (yet), but mums do!
Filed Under Tips & Tricks | October 10, 2008
Just in case you haven’t heard, Tuesday is Election Day. And in addition to a reminder to vote, here’s a brief summary of what the parties running in BC have promised on a few “motherhood” issues: parental leave, childcare and child tax credits.
Maternity and Parental Leave – Both the Conservatives and NDP have pledged to give self-employed Canadians access. The NDP has also committed to make it more accessible to women in part time jobs. The Liberals have promised to give parents the choice to take a shorter leave at a higher benefit level, or up to 18 months at a lower level.
Childcare – The Liberals have committed to creating 165,000 spaces over a four-year period. The NDP promises to create 150,000 new childcare spaces in the first year, and up to 220,000 annually thereafter. The Green Party has pledged to restore the 2005 agreement to achieve a universal childcare programme in Canada, with an emphasis on creating workplace childcare.
Child Tax Credits – The Green Party promises to accelerate the creation of workplace childcare spaces through a direct tax credit to employers. The Liberals will keep the Universal Child Care Benefit and introduce a new tax credit of $350 per child. The NDP will shift the current Universal Child Care Benefit to an expanded Child Tax Benefit so that it isn’t taxed. The Conservatives pledge to index the Universal Child Care Benefit to inflation and add a new, refundable tax credit on up to $500 of fees for children participating in eligible arts and culture activities.
Women in Politics – There is a direct correlation between the number of women elected and stronger childcare, parental leave, pay equity, living wage legislation, anti-child poverty, education and health policies etc. Once the number of women exceeds 30%, you see increased attention paid to these issues. Stuck at 22%, Canada ranks 51st internationally – behind top ranked Rwanda, Sweden and even Afghanistan.
In Canada two factors are preventing improvement: Check out how the parties compare on nominating women in winnable seats, and find out why our electoral system is restricting the election of women.
Voters of Tomorrow – And by the way, studies show that one of the most significant factors in whether a young person will vote or not is whether their parents discussed elections and politics with them. It’s never too early to start. We’ve been amazed at our five-year-old’s capacity to ask intelligent questions about the election. Whether you lead in by playing “I spy” a campaign sign, or jump right in at the deep end – talk politics with your kid this weekend, and follow up on Tuesday by taking them with you to go vote.
Shoni Field is a Director of Fair Voting BC, and was a member of the BC Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform.
3 Responses to “Kids don’t vote (yet), but mums do!”
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Thanks for putting this piece together Shoni, it is fantastic. And thanks YoYoMama for providing this kind of well thought out content and not just daily shopping advice.
Great to have a perspective on the vote from a different angle than that we see elsewhere. Dirk
[...] you off to vote today? Check out last Friday’s article on the “motherhood issues” in this election if you’re still looking for info [...]