OTTAWA — At least two of the candidates running for leadership of the Conservative party say they would do something the former party leader wouldn't: honour childcare agreements signed between the federal Liberal government and provinces.
Those running to be Tory leader must stake out a position on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's promise to provide Canadians with $10-a-day child care by 2026.
The options before the Conservative hopefuls include scrapping the program entirely, replacing it with something else, or keeping it and adding extras.
During last fall's federal election campaign, former leader Erin O'Toole — who was dumped by caucus in a majority vote in February — faced criticism over his plan to kill the Liberal program,unveiled in that spring's budget, and introduce a refundable tax credit.
Since then, all provinces have signed onto the plan, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford in late March.
On Tuesday, Former Quebec premier Jean Charest promised that a Conservative government led by him would keep existing childcare deals in place.
On top of that, he pledged to introduce a tax credit to rebate up to 75 per cent of childcare expenses for low-incomes families that don't use subsidized daycare and providepayments monthly than rather annually.
Charest also committed to extending parental leave benefits to two years and moving eligibility for the Canada child benefit to the beginning of the second trimester.
He made the promises under the pitch that childcare is an essential service and families are struggling under the weight of the expense.
Several hours later, Brampton, Ont., Mayor Patrick Brown issued a statement saying he would also honour provincial childcare agreements and offer tax credits to extended family members who help raising children.
"I would make it easier for extended family members living abroad to come to Canada to provide childcare for new Canadian families," he said in a statement on his campaign website.
“I would ensure that parents working in gig economy jobs or who have started small businesses have equal access to parental leave benefits as others currently do."
Brown attacked rival Pierre Poilievre, accusing him of wanting to tear up the Liberals' national daycare plan and having "regressive views on families and childcare."
A spokesman for Poilievre's campaign has not yet responded to a request for comment.
So far, 11 candidates have declared they want O'Toole's old job, with exactly one week left to put their name forward and until the end of the month to submit $300,000 worth in fees and the necessary number of nomination signatures.
The Conservative party announced on Tuesday that Poilievre, Charest and former 2020 leadership contender Leslyn Lewis had crossed that threshold and are official candidates in the race.
As for Lewis's plan when for childcare, a campaign spokesman said she would be making an announcement on the issue and the Canada child benefit that "we believe Canadians families are really going to be excited about."
On Tuesday she promised greater protection for parental rights by pledging to make them into law.
"We currently have a society where many parents are afraid of even having conversations with their children about certain subjects," her campaign website read.
No specifics were provided, but on social media Lewis said government shouldn't interfere with a parent's ability to raise their children according to their own values.
She earned considerable backing from the party's social conservative wing and Prairie grassroots in the 2020 race, and her campaign said she has been drawing crowds of several hundred at tour stops around the region.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2022
Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press
