TORONTO, Oct. 3 /CNW Telbec/ - A cross section of Ontario's who's who has
released an open letter calling on the political parties in the next
legislature to prioritize the promise of full-day kindergarten. Both the
Liberals and the New Democrats have committed new funding to turn half day
programs for four and five year olds into a full-school day.
"Flying under the radar in this election is one of the most
transformational plans to hit public education in many decades," says the
Honourable Margaret McCain, a sponsor of the letter. "Full-day kindergarten is
about better health, fairness, equity and a best start on a lifetime of
learning."
The petition, signed by over 60 individuals and organizations, demands
quick action, adequate funding, a design that recognizes parents' work
commitments and immediate financial help for Ontario's floundering child care
programs.
Letter and signatories follow.An Open Letter to all the political parties in the
2007 Ontario election campaign on full-day kindergarten
and child care
This provincial election has seen a unique convergence of ideas with two
political parties promising to introduce full-day kindergarten. The strategy
delivers a double benefit. First, it provides free access to consistent
quality programming for all four and five year olds. Second, it releases
almost 42,000 child care spaces and 17,000 subsidies to address the child care
needs of other age groups.
Ontario needs a comprehensive early learning and child care system for
children from 0-12, and beginning with four and five year olds make sense.
This approach starts where Ontario's early childhood services are already
publicly-funded and attended by virtually all age-eligible children. It
maximizes resources by adding new funding to an existing half-day program to
create a full school-day of early learning and child care.
Publicly funded, full-day kindergarten provides a foundation for life-long
learning, support for working families and helps reduce child poverty.
Universal kindergarten is an environment where young children learn to respect
diversity, thereby supporting social inclusion in an increasingly diverse
Ontario. It is a critical part of the social justice agenda that Ontarians
want.
Full-day kindergarten is clearly a bold and intelligent policy initiative,
celebrated by Ontario parents and meeting the approval of critical
stakeholders. Doing it right, however, will require that full-day kindergarten
is firmly entrenched in a broad, long-term and visionary plan for early
childhood education and child care. If this program is to be truly optimal for
children and families, the next Ontario government must take several
additional actions.
The undersigned are calling on all the political parties in this election
to make young children a first priority by committing to:
- Fast-tracking implementation of the full-day kindergarten so it
becomes fully operational for all four and five year olds during the
next mandate
- Adequately funding a child-focused, play-based curriculum delivered by
appropriately trained and compensated professionals
- Ensuring that the design of the new kindergarten program acknowledges
the labour force commitments of parents through a seamless approach to
full workday, full-year early learning and child care.
- Providing immediate funding to address quality and stability issues in
existing full day kindergarten and child care programs serving infants,
toddlers and school-age children.
Sincerely yours,
Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain, Dr. Fraser Mustard, Dr. Stuart Shanker
Co-Authors, Early Years Study
Joan Arruda, Family Day Care Services
Tom Axworthy, Centre for the Study of Democracy, Queen's University
Derek Ballantyne, Toronto Community Housing
Morna Ballantyne, Code Blue for Child Care
Maude Barlow, Council of Canadians
Jane Bertrand, Ontario Best Start Expert Panel on Early Learning
Arthur Biefeld, RabbiEmeritus, Temple Emanu-El, Toronto
Shellie Bird, Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care
Martha Lee-Blickstead, The Chang School of Continuing Education Ryerson
University
Deborah Bourque, Canadian Union of Postal Workers
John Campey, Community Social Planning Council of Toronto
Patricia Chorney Rubin, School of Early Childhood, George Brown College
Dr. Gordon Cleveland, Dept of Management, U of T at Scarborough
Charles S. Coffey, OC
Sue Colley, Building Blocks for Child Care (B2C2)
David Cooke, Former Minister of Education, Ontario
Dr. Michael Cooke, Vice-President Academic, George Brown College
Dr. Carl Corter, University of Toronto, Atkinson Charitable Foundation
Chair in Society and Early Child Development
Janet Davis, Councillor, City of Toronto
Cheryl DeGras, Early Learning Centre, University of Toronto
Dr. Brian Desbiens Past President, Fleming College
Dr. John R. Evans, Chair, MaRS
Mary Ferguson-Paré, President, Registered Nurses Association of Ontario
Robert Fox, Oxfam Canada
Martha Friendly, Childcare Resource and Research Unit
Nathan Gilbert, Laidlaw Foundation
Carol Gott, Rural Voices
Buzz Hargrove, Canadian Autoworkers
Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN, Ontario Nurses Association
John Hoffman, Columnist, Today's Parent Magazine
Michael Hurley, Ontario Council of Hospital Unions
Jamie Kass, Canadian Union of Postal Workers Child Care Fund
Bruce Kidd, Dean Faculty of Physical Education and Health, University of
Toronto
Annie Kidder, People for Education
Veronica Lacey, The Learning Partnership
Deena Ladd, Social Justice Advocate
Dr. Rachel Langford, Early Childhood Education, Ryerson University
Frances Lankin, United Way of Greater Toronto
Dr. Donna S. Lero, Jarislowsky Chair in Families & Work, University of
Guelph and Chair, Best Start Expert Panel on Quality and Human Resources,
Ontario
Rianne Mahon, Institute of Political Economy and Chancellor's Professor,
Carleton University
Mike McCracken, Infometrica, Ottawa.
Kerry McCuaig, Better Child Care Education Inc.
Heather McGregor, YWCA, Toronto
Michael Mendelson, Caledon Institute of Social Policy
Paul Moist, Canadian Union of Public Employees
Gail Nyberg, Daily Bread Food Bank
Ratna Omidvar, Maytree Foundation
Dr. Charles Pascal, Former Deputy Minister of Education, Ontario
Dr. Gail Robinson, YWCA Toronto
Laurel Rothman, Campaign 2000
Wayne Samuelson, Ontario Federation of Labour
Paulette Senior, YWCA Canada
Anita Shilton, Dean, The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education
Ryerson University
Brian F. C. Smith, WoodGreen Community Services
Eduarda Sousa, Association of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario
Adam Spence, Ontario Association of Food Banks
Dick Stewart, Former Commissioner of Social Services, Regional
Municipality Of Ottawa-Carleton
Warren (Smokey) Thomas, Ontario Public Employees Service Union
Dr. Linda A. White, Department of Political Science, University of
Toronto
Beverley Wybrow, Canadian Women's Foundation
For further information: Kerry McCuaig, (647) 295-2808
