Speech (House debate)

{
    "time": "2023-06-14 23:25:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Mrs. Rachael Thomas (Lethbridge, CPC)",
        "fr": "Mme Rachael Thomas (Lethbridge, PCC)"
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"7862089\" data-originallang=\"en\">Madam Speaker, as always, it is a tremendous honour and privilege to stand in this place and to have the opportunity to speak on behalf of the constituents of Lethbridge, whom I represent. Tonight, I have the opportunity to speak to Bill <a data-HoCid=\"12138647\" href=\"/bills/44-1/C-35/\" title=\"An Act respecting early learning and child care in Canada\">C-35</a>, which has to do with universal child care.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"7862090\" data-originallang=\"en\">I think what we will discover in this conversation tonight is that, actually, it is not universal, even though we like to use that term; I will get to that in just a moment. However, I would like to point out that, as a member of His Majesty's loyal opposition, it is in fact my job in this place to talk about the legislation that is before the House in such a way that I highlight, yes, some of the good but, more importantly, the opportunities to make it even better. I will be doing that tonight. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"7862091\" data-originallang=\"en\">Some in my riding have expressed support for this legislation. Others have no support for it and have been very opposed. Still others fall somewhere in the middle; they like parts of it, but they see flaws in other components.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"7862092\" data-originallang=\"en\">To be clear, in many ways, Bill <a data-HoCid=\"12138647\" href=\"/bills/44-1/C-35/\" title=\"An Act respecting early learning and child care in Canada\">C-35</a> is not actually a child care strategy, which is what the Liberal government would like it to come off as. Rather, it is more of a marketing plan. It is something that these Liberals use over and over again in their talking points, but when we actually ask them for substantiated evidence of a program that has been rolled out with great productivity and provision for Canadians, they are not able to actually show us that. This is problematic, because it is over-promising and under-delivering. Ultimately, at the end of the day, it is Canadians who suffer. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"7862093\" data-originallang=\"en\">I would like members to imagine that they are taken on an all-expense-paid shopping trip. I believe this is most women's dream. They are told that they can look through all the shop windows and have anything they wish. They arrive on Fifth Avenue in New York City and get to work. They look around, and a shop window attracts the attention of an individual. She walks over to the store and tries the door, only to find that the shop is closed. She takes another look around and finds another shop window that has another outfit she thinks is quite nice; she goes to the shop door and tries to open it, but it is closed. This poor woman repeats this over and over again, only to find that the stores are all closed. The promise was great and exciting, but it did not deliver. This is exactly what the Liberals have presented us with: a promise without a premise. A promise without a premise is absolutely worthless, which is what so many Canadians are facing with the bill before us.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"7862094\" data-originallang=\"en\">The reality is that affordable, quality child care is critical, if we can find it. It is needed for many families in this country; there is no doubt about that. Many families need to have two individuals working, and many are single parents who need to work. In these cases, they would need child care of some sort. Now, the problem with the bill is that it actually dictates where that child care needs to be found. It cannot be a family member, a neighbour or friend. It has to be a state-run or non-profit day care, which is a problem, because\u2014</p>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"7862089\" data-originallang=\"en\">Madame la Pr\u00e9sidente, comme toujours, c'est un immense honneur et un privil\u00e8ge de prendre la parole \u00e0 la Chambre des communes au nom des habitants de Lethbridge, que je repr\u00e9sente. Ce soir, j'ai l'occasion de prendre la parole au sujet du projet de loi <a data-HoCid=\"12138647\" href=\"/bills/44-1/C-35/\" title=\"An Act respecting early learning and child care in Canada\">C\u201135</a>, qui porte sur un syst\u00e8me universel de services de garde.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"7862090\" data-originallang=\"en\">Nous apprendrons, avec le d\u00e9bat de ce soir, que ces services n'ont en fait rien d'universel, m\u00eame si nous aimons utiliser ce terme. Je reviendrai sur ce point dans un instant. Cependant, je tiens \u00e0 souligner que, en tant que membre de la loyale opposition de Sa Majest\u00e9, mon travail \u00e0 la Chambre des communes consiste \u00e0 faire ressortir certains aspects positifs, oui, du projet de loi, mais, surtout, des mani\u00e8res de l'am\u00e9liorer. C'est ce que je vais faire.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"7862091\" data-originallang=\"en\">Certains habitants de ma circonscription ont exprim\u00e9 leur appui \u00e0 ce projet de loi. D'autres ne l'appuient pas et s'y opposent farouchement. D'autres encore se situent quelque part au milieu; ils aiment certaines parties, mais ils voient des lacunes dans d'autres parties.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"7862092\" data-originallang=\"en\">Soyons clairs, \u00e0 bien des \u00e9gards, le projet de loi <a data-HoCid=\"12138647\" href=\"/bills/44-1/C-35/\" title=\"An Act respecting early learning and child care in Canada\">C-35</a> n'est pas vraiment une strat\u00e9gie visant les services de garde, contrairement \u00e0 ce que le gouvernement lib\u00e9ral aimerait faire croire aux Canadiens. C'est plut\u00f4t un plan de marketing. C'est un \u00e9l\u00e9ment que les lib\u00e9raux ressassent sans cesse dans leurs discours, mais quand on leur demande de fournir des preuves solides sur un programme qui n'a pas \u00e9t\u00e9 mis en \u0153uvre de fa\u00e7on tr\u00e8s productive, de mani\u00e8re \u00e0 offrir un service aux Canadiens, ils en sont incapables. C'est probl\u00e9matique, car ils font trop de promesses et livrent trop peu la marchandise. Au bout du compte, ce sont les Canadiens qui en souffriront. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"7862093\" data-originallang=\"en\">J'aimerais que les d\u00e9put\u00e9s s'imaginent qu'on les am\u00e8ne faire une vir\u00e9e de magasinage toutes d\u00e9penses pay\u00e9es. La plupart des femmes en r\u00eavent. On leur dit qu'elles peuvent regarder dans toutes les vitrines des magasins et avoir tout ce qu'elles veulent. En arrivant sur la prestigieuse Fifth Avenue, \u00e0 New York, elles se mettent \u00e0 magasiner. Elles regardent partout, et une vitrine en particulier attire l'attention de l'une d'entre elles, qui se rend au magasin pour se rendre compte qu'il est ferm\u00e9. Elle regarde encore autour d'elle et rep\u00e8re une autre vitrine o\u00f9 elle voit une tenue qui lui pla\u00eet. Elle se rend \u00e0 la porte du magasin et essaie de l'ouvrir, mais le magasin est ferm\u00e9. Cette pauvre femme refait la m\u00eame chose plusieurs fois, mais elle se rend compte que les magasins sont tous ferm\u00e9s. La promesse \u00e9tait formidable et enthousiasmante, mais elle n'a pas \u00e9t\u00e9 tenue. Or, c'est exactement ce que les lib\u00e9raux nous ont propos\u00e9: une promesse non fond\u00e9e. Une telle promesse ne vaut absolument rien, et c'est ce que tant de Canadiens obtiennent avec le projet de loi dont nous sommes saisis.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"7862094\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le fait est que des services de garde abordables et de qualit\u00e9 sont essentiels, \u00e0 condition de pouvoir les trouver. Un grand nombre de familles de ce pays en a besoin, cela ne fait aucun doute. Un grand nombre de familles a besoin que les deux parents travaillent, et un grand nombre de parents c\u00e9libataires a besoin de travailler. Dans ces cas-l\u00e0, ces parents ont besoin d'un service de garde, peu importe la forme. Le probl\u00e8me de ce projet de loi, c'est qu'il impose un type de service de garde en particulier. Ce ne peut pas \u00eatre un membre de la famille, un voisin ou un ami. Il faut que ce soit une garderie publique ou une garderie sans but lucratif, ce qui pose un probl\u00e8me, parce que\u2026</p>"
    },
    "url": "/debates/2023/6/14/rachael-thomas-1/",
    "politician_url": "/politicians/rachael-harder/",
    "politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/4395/",
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "12294245",
    "h1": {
        "en": "Government Orders",
        "fr": "Ordres \u00e9manant du gouvernement"
    },
    "h2": {
        "en": "Canada Early Learning and Child Care Act",
        "fr": "Loi sur l\u2019apprentissage et la garde des jeunes enfants au Canada"
    },
    "document_url": "/debates/2023/6/14/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fdebates%2F2023%2F6%2F14%2F"
    }
}