Somebody should tell Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland that child care is not a feminist issue..It is a family issue..Men care about and need access to quality affordable child care too, despite not all of them being professed he-feminists like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau..“Early learning and child care has long been a feminist issue,” a syrupy cheery Freeland said at a press conference Monday, before launching into a long story about her grandma and somebody named Josephine..“Canadian feminists have been fighting for it for more than half a century.” .So, to be clear, for the bulk of that time, feminists have mostly been futilely fighting her party — the Liberals — who’ve run the country 38 of the past 56 or so years to get better care for their kids. Got it!.Freeland and Trudeau were in Edmonton to announce a child care and early learning deal signed with Alberta Premier Jason Kenney..On his way to the podium Trudeau, never one to miss a photo op, knelt beside three darling little ones playing at a table, lingering long enough for the cameras to get a good shot. No, of course, that wasn’t planned..But it probably didn’t make the disgruntled protesters outside with signs plastered against the window saying “Informed Consent” and “No vax passports,” like Trudeau any more than they definitely don’t. .However, the child care deal is a good package if families devastated by Liberal energy policies, inflation on an upward spiral, etc., can somehow manage to get by until it kicks in. .Trudeau and Freeland were all buttery smooth and nice. But they are probably salivating over the chance to reap more economic destruction on Alberta presented via a recent call to shut down Alberta’s oil sands by a scientific panel of the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society, as cited by Blacklock’s Reporter..However, by the end of 2022, child care fees will be cut in half. It’ll make $10-a-day child care costs a reality within the next five years. .Some 42,500 new child care and early learning spaces will be created in Alberta by the end of March 2026..Funding will be made available for children with specific needs including linguistic, cultural, and special learning supports..And the program will update the wage grid “so that early childhood educators get the kind of training, support, and wages they need to contribute in such an important way,” said Trudeau..Trudeau said a lot of other things. But honestly, Freeland standing behind him, relentlessly bobbing her head up and down in agreement every time he spoke was a huge distraction. She’s going to need serious physio for her neck if she keeps that cheerleading up..Trudeau and Freeland carried on like benevolent ones who came to visit bearing a great gift for the you-should-be-grateful Alberta child..But Kenney noted Alberta’s children will simply be benefiting from tax dollars the province generously bequeaths Ottawa. .He said his mandate is to fight for a fair deal in the federation..“It also helps in our effort to secure a fairer deal by bringing more of Alberta’s tax dollars back to the province.”.Tough to say if Trudeau smirked or smiled at that. Those COVID-19 masks can come in handy..Kenney, despite facing increasing support within the UCP ranks for a leadership review currently demanded by 22 constituency associations was quite composed..He hailed the child care deal as a good one for Alberta..“The province has secured a deal that allows Alberta parents to have the type of child care that works best for them, which has been a key element of any deal this government would sign,” said Kenney..“This means that all types of licensed child care for kids aged up to kindergarten, like pre-schools, day care, and licensed family day homes, will now be supported through this deal with the federal government.”.The new 42,500 new regulated spaces will mean more jobs, more access, and more spaces Alberta families can rely on, said Kenney..“This is critical because over half of child care spaces in this province, uniquely across the country, are in private child care spaces with the majority of those businesses being owned and operated by women.”.Nope, no stories from Kenney about grandma. Just practical talk about job creation for women.So, who’s the he-feminist now?.Slobodian is the Senior Manitoba Columnist for the Western Standard.lslobodian@westernstandardonline.com
